Ted Simmons

The numbers tell the story of sustained excellence rather than peak dominance. That 108 career OPS+ doesn't leap off the page, but it represents two decades of above-average production from baseball's most demanding position. His 1978 campaign showcased his ceiling — an .889 OPS that ranked him among the game's elite hitters regardless of position.

Simmons waited until 2020 for his Hall of Fame call, a delay that says more about positional bias than his actual value. Eight All-Star selections don't happen by accident, and neither do 21-year careers behind the plate.