Chicago Cubs players and history
2,277 players have played at least one regular-season game for the Chicago Cubs franchise from 1876 to 2025. Before today's name it played as the Chicago White Stockings (1876–1889), Chicago Colts (1890–1897) and Chicago Orphans (1898–1902). Ernie Banks played the most games for the club (2,528, 1953–1971).
Most games for the Cubs
| # | Player | Pos | Seasons | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ernie Banks | 1B | 1953–1971 | 2,528 |
| 2 |  Cap Anson | 1B | 1876–1897 | 2,277 |
| 3 |  Billy Williams | OF | 1959–1974 | 2,213 |
| 4 |  Ryne Sandberg | 2B | 1982–1994, 1996–1997 | 2,151 |
| 5 |  Ron Santo | 3B | 1960–1973 | 2,126 |
| 6 |  Phil Cavarretta | 1B | 1934–1953 | 1,953 |
| 7 |  Stan Hack | 3B | 1932–1947 | 1,938 |
| 8 |  Gabby Hartnett | C | 1922–1940 | 1,927 |
| 9 |  Mark Grace | 1B | 1988–2000 | 1,910 |
| 10 |  Sammy Sosa | OF | 1992–2004 | 1,811 |
| 11 |  Jimmy Ryan | OF | 1885–1889, 1891–1900 | 1,662 |
| 12 |  Don Kessinger | SS | 1964–1975 | 1,648 |
| 13 |  Frank Schulte | OF | 1904–1916 | 1,564 |
| 14 | Joe Tinker | SS | 1902–1912, 1916 | 1,541 |
| 15 | Johnny Evers | 2B | 1902–1913 | 1,409 |
| 16 |  Bill Nicholson | OF | 1939–1948 | 1,349 |
| 17 |  Billy Herman | 2B | 1931–1941 | 1,344 |
| 18 |  Charlie Grimm | 1B | 1925–1936 | 1,334 |
| 19 |  Anthony Rizzo | 1B | 2012–2021 | 1,308 |
| 20 | Frank Chance | 1B | 1898–1912 | 1,277 |
| 21 |  Shawon Dunston | SS | 1985–1995, 1997 | 1,254 |
| 22 |  Glenn Beckert | 2B | 1965–1973 | 1,247 |
| 23 | Tom Burns | 3B | 1880–1891 | 1,239 |
| 24 |  Ian Happ | OF | 2017–2025 | 1,139 |
| 25 |  Aramis Ramirez | 3B | 2003–2011 | 1,124 |
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licences, each credited on the MLB photo credits page.
Cubs players in 2025
The 12 players with the most Cubs games among those who played for the club in 2025: Ian Happ (OF, 1,139 games since 2017), Nico Hoerner (2B, 704 games since 2019), Seiya Suzuki (OF, 532 games since 2022), Dansby Swanson (SS, 455 games since 2023), Michael Busch (1B, 307 games since 2024), Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF, 293 games since 2023), Miguel Amaya (C, 198 games since 2023), Kyle Tucker (OF, 136 games since 2025), Matt Shaw (3B, 126 games since 2025), Carson Kelly (C, 111 games since 2025), Julian Merryweather (P, 105 games since 2023) and Justin Steele (P, 102 games since 2021).
Old names and cities
- Chicago White Stockings: 1876–1889
- Chicago Colts: 1890–1897
- Chicago Orphans: 1898–1902
- Chicago Cubs: today's name.
Every season under an old name counts for the Chicago Cubs in the MLB Grid and on the played-for-both lists.
Played for both the Cubs and…
Reds 337Cardinals 329Phillies 322Braves 312Dodgers 300Pirates 298Giants 288Guardians 223White Sox 212Yankees 210Athletics 208Red Sox 208Orioles 202Twins 172Tigers 169Rangers 168Padres 166Mets 164Nationals 147Angels 134Brewers 124Astros 122Blue Jays 121Royals 118Mariners 105Marlins 100Rockies 95Rays 77Diamondbacks 63
Each list has every player who played for both clubs, with his seasons and games for each. All MLB team pairs
Chicago Cubs: questions
How many players have played for the Chicago Cubs?
2,277, counting every player with at least one regular-season game for the franchise from 1876 to 2025, under any of its names.
Who has played the most games for the Cubs?
Ernie Banks, with 2,528 regular-season games (1953–1971), ahead of Cap Anson (2,277) and Billy Williams (2,213).
Which team shares the most players with the Cubs?
The Reds: 337 players played for both. The fewest: the Diamondbacks, with 63.
Facts from the SABR Lahman Baseball Database (CC BY-SA 3.0). Team logos are trademarks of their respective teams (logos via TheSportsDB). Not affiliated with MLB or the Chicago Cubs. Credits