#31: Ahead of His Time

Though known for his home runs, Mantle had a surprising amount of discipline at the plate. He led the American League in walks five times and finished with 1,733 career bases on balls. His sharp eye made him one of the most dangerous hitters, even when he didn’t swing.

He walked more times than he struck out in multiple seasons—an underrated aspect of his game. Modern analytics now highlight how ahead of his time Mantle was, valuing on-base percentage long before it became trendy.