MLB Players

MLB Players Who Have Played For The Most Teams

By Aditya update Bhattarai / 30 July 2023 02:15 PM

Jackson retired in 2019 after playing amongst fourteen teams over his 17 years career in MLB.
Source : facebook

MLB Players who have played for the most teams are Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel, and Mike Morgan. Jackson has played with the highest of 14 teams in his career.

Dotel held the title for playing with thirteen franchises before Jackson made the record by joining the Rays in 2019. There are forty players in MLB to play with at least ten clubs in their career.

These players have moved from one city to another without settling down with a single franchise for their entire professional life. They pursued a life of experiencing different types of team cultures and management. 

On the contrary, there were 188 former players that dedicated their entire professional life to a single franchise. Seven more of such committed players are among the currently active members of different MLB clubs.

Players like Chipper Jones, Cal Ripken Jr, and Derek Jeter are MLB legends that spent their entire life building a special relationship with a single franchise. While it is a special feeling for players to remain loyal with a single fanbase, there are some that prefer varieties in their life.

Here are ten such players in MLB that have played with the most number of teams over their career.

MLB Players With Most Teams Record

1. Edwin Jackson14 teams (2003-2019)
2. Octavio Dotel13 Teams (1999-2013)
3. Mike Morgan12 Teams (1978-2002)
4. Rich Hill12 Teams (2005-Present)
5. Matt Stairs12 Teams (1992-2011)
6. Ron Villone12 Teams (1995-2009)
7. LaTroy Hawkins11 Teams (1995-2015)
8. Paul Bako11 Teams (1998-2009)
9. Bruce Chen11 Teams (1998-2015)
10. Todd Zeile11 Teams (1989-2004)

Edwin Jackson

MLB players who played for multiple teams hold Edwin Jackson on top with 14 franchise records. Jackson broke the records of Dotel in 2019.

Jackson retired with a record for most MLB teams after playing with 14 different franchises.
Source : twitter

The former pitcher played 17 seasons in Major League hopping from one club to another from 2003 to 2019. Jackson spent his final season in MLB with the Tigers.

Drafted by the Dodgers in the 2001 MLB Draft, Jackson made his Major League Debut on 9 September 2003. After being traded to the Rays in 2005, his journey of playing with multiple clubs began in 2009. 

Jackson was named an All-Star once during his tenure with the Tigers in 2009 followed by his only no-hitter record in 2010 with the Diamondbacks. He also became a part of the Cardinals World Series win during his single-year tenure at the club in 2011.

Octavio Dotel

Octavio Dotel is among the players who played for Astros and Rockies. Dotel played with 13 different teams over his 14 years MLB career.

Dotel was the former player to play with most MLB teams before Jackson took the lead in 2019.
Source : pinterest

After making his Major League debut with the Mets on 26 June 1999, Dotel was traded to Astros in the same year. The former Dominican pitcher spent the most time of his career with the Astros from 2000 to 2004.

In the following years, he played with Athletics, Yankees, Royals, Braves, White Sox, Pirates, Dodgers, Rockies, Rays, Cardinals, and Tigers. Among these clubs, Dotel played two seasons with Athletics, Tigers, and White Sox.

During his single-year stint with the Cardinals, the former pitcher had become a World Series Champion in 2011.

Mike Morgan

Players who played for Reds and Orioles contain Mike Morgan, Paul Bako, and Bruce Chen. Morgan has played for 12 teams over his long career of 25 years.

Mike Morgan has played with 12 different teams in his professional career.
Source : wikimedia

Additionally, he is among the only 31 players in history to play in an MLB game in four decades from 1978 to 2002. Drafted by the Athletics in 1978, he made his MLB debut after just one week on 11 June 1978.

The former right-handed pitcher spent two seasons with the A's before moving around amongst 11 other teams in MLB. In the following years, he played with the Yankees, Jays, Mariners, Orioles, Dodgers, Cubs, Cardinals, Reds, Twins, Rangers, and Diamondbacks.

Morgan has pitched 2772 1/3 innings in total with 141 wins and an ERA of 4.23 as a professional pitcher for 25 years. 

Rich Hill

Rich Hill is an active professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hill has played for twelve different MLB teams since 2005.

Hil has joined the Pirates recently as he signed an $8 million contract with the team in 2022.
Source : facebook

Players who played for Yankees and Orioles comprise Rich Hill, Todd Zeile, LaTroy Hawkins, and Mike Morgan. Hill is the oldest active MLB pitcher at age 43.

After making his MLB debut as a Cubs player on 15 June 2005, he had a tough start in the early years of his career. After moving through Orioles, Cubs, Orioles, Red Sox, Indians, Angels, and Yankees, he turned over a new leaf at age 35 with the Red Sox again in 2015.

Hill had won the Tony Conigliaro Award from the Boston Red Sox in 2019 as a player that overcome obstacles with spirit and dedication.

Matt Stairs

Matt Stairs is a player that has played with 12 different MLB teams over his 19 years long career. Stairs is the first nonpitching player to play with most MLB teams.

The former outfielder holds the Major League record for 23 pinch hit home runs as the most in MLB history. Stairs was also a first baseman and pinch hitter for most teams.

Starting his MLB journey with the Montreal Expos on 29 May 1992, Stairs played with the Red Sox, Athletics, Royals, Nationals, Phillies, Blue Jays, Pirates, Rangers, Padres, Cubs, Tigers, and Brewers until 2011.

During the 2008 World Series, he led the Phillies to their second World Series title. His final play was with the Washington Nationals on 22 July 2011.

Ron Villone

Ron Villone is another player to play with twelve different Major League clubs. Villone had moved around twelve different cities over his 15 years MLB career.

Villone picture by Joy R Absalon for the Scranton of Wilkes-Barre Yankees.
Source : pinterest

The former left-handed relief pitcher was drafted by Seattle Mariners in the 1992 MLB draft. After making his Major League debut in 1995, he was traded to the Padres in the same year. 

Villone had a career 4.73 ERA and 925 strikeouts playing with twelve different teams in MLB. He had pitched for Astros, Brewers, Yankees, Reds, Rockies, Pirates, Cardinals, Indians, and Marlins, after his tenure with the Mariners and Padres.

He concluded his 19 years career with a final stint with Washington Nationals after playing his last game on 4 October 2009.

LaTroy Hawkins

LaTroy Hawkins is among the players who played for Astros, Rockies, Yankees, Orioles, and 7 other MLB teams. Hawkins has made 127 saves and 983 SO in his career.

Hawkins had pitched for the Minnesota Twins from 1995 to 2003.
Source : twitter

The former baseball pitcher Hawkins had played with 11 Major League teams in his 21 years of career. He made his MLB debut on 29 April 1995 with the Twins after being drafted on the 1991 MLB draft.

After Twins, he had pitched for Cubs, Giants, Orioles, Brewers, Angels, Mets, Blue Jays, Astros, Yankees, and Rockies. His final game was with the Blue Jays on 3 October 2015.

Paul Bako

Paul Bako is among the players who played for Reds and Orioles along with Morgan. Bako had played with nine others MLB teams over his MLB career of 12 years.

The former professional catcher was drafted by Reds in 1993 and was traded to the Tigers in 1998. Bako made his MLB debut with the Tigers in the same year.

After his tenure with the Tigers, he played with Astros, Cubs, Braves, Royals, Phillies, Dodgers, Reds, Orioles, Marlins, and Brewers. Bako had moved to other teams frequently throughout his professional life.

Catcher Bako was a classic MLB journeyman since he had played six seasons with National League teams and the remaining five with the American League.

Bruce Chen

Bruce Chen is a former Panamian pitcher that has played with the Reds, Orioles, Astros, and eight other MLB teams. Chen had recorded 1140 strikeouts over his 18 years career.

Former MLB pitcher Chen has played with 11 teams over his career.
Source : twitter

Starting his professional journey in MLB with the Braves in 1998, he played with 11 Major clubs until 2015. He had made a career Earned Run Average of 4.62.

Chen has pitched for Phillies, Mets, Montreal Expos, Reds, Astros, Red Sox, Orioles, Rangers, Royals, and Indians from 1998 to 2015. He played his final MLB game with the Indians on 15 May 2015.

Todd Zeile

Todd Zeile is among the player that has played with Reds and Orioles like Morgan and Hill. Zeile had played with 11 different MLB teams over his 15 years career.

Zeile was a former third baseman, catcher, and first baseman with 253 career home runs and 1,110 RBI. The former catcher made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 1989.

Over the years, he played in different positions for Major League clubs like Mets, Rangers, Dodgers, Rockies, Phillies, Expos, Cubs, Yankees, Marlins, and Orioles. His final MLB game was with the Mets on 3 October 2004.

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