# List of Major League Baseball career fielding errors as an outfielder leaders

In baseball statistics, an error is an act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to advance one or more bases or allows an at bat to continue after the batter should have been put out. An outfielder (OF) is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter, who are identified as the left fielder (LF), the center fielder (CF), and the right fielder (RF). An outfielder's duty is to try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield. Outfielders normally play behind the six other members of the defense who play in or near the infield; unlike catchers and most infielders (excepting first basemen), who are virtually exclusively right-handed, outfielders can be either right- or left-handed. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the outfielders are assigned the numbers 7 (left field), 8 (center field), and 9 (right field).
The list of career leaders is dominated by players from the 19th century when fielding equipment was very rudimentary; baseball gloves only began to gain acceptance in the 1880s steadily, and were not uniformly worn until the mid-1890s, resulting in a much lower frequency of defensive miscues. The top 13 players in career errors began playing in the 19th century, most of them playing their entire careers before 1900; none of the 13 were active after 1905, and none of the top 29 were active after 1929. Most of the top 78 played entirely in the 19th century, with only four making their major league debut after 1920; only one was active after 1945. The top 42 single-season totals were all recorded before 1896, the top 100 were recorded before 1904, and the top 459 were recorded before 1937. To a large extent, the leaders reflect longevity rather than lower skill. Roberto Clemente, who became the first National League (NL) outfielder in over 40 years to commit 140 errors, won twelve Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence.
Because game accounts and box scores often did not distinguish between the outfield positions, there has been some difficulty in determining precise defensive statistics prior to 1901; because of this, and because of the similarity in their roles, defensive statistics for the three positions are frequently combined. Tom Brown, who retired in 1898 after setting major league records for career games and assists as an outfielder, is the all-time leader in career errors committed by an outfielder with 492, more than twice as many as any outfielder who began playing after 1910; he is the only outfielder to be charged with more than 400 career errors. Dummy Hoy (394), Paul Hines (385), Jesse Burkett (383), George Gore (368), Jimmy Ryan (366), George Van Haltren (358), and Ned Hanlon (350) are the only other outfielders to commit more than 300 career errors. Justin Upton, who had 89 errors through the 2022 season to place him tied for 222nd all-time, is the leader among active players.

## Key

| Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career errors committed. A blank field indicates a tie. |
| Player | Name of player |
| Main pos. | Primary outfield position played during career (LF, CF or RF) |
| E as OF | Total career errors committed as an outfielder |
| * | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame |

## List

* Stats updated through the 2024 season.
| Rank | Player (2025 Es) | Main Pos. | E as OF |
| 1 | Tom Brown | CF | 492 |
| 2 | Dummy Hoy | CF | 394 |
| 3 | Paul Hines | CF | 385 |
| 4 | Jesse Burkett* | LF | 383 |
| 5 | George Gore | CF | 368 |
| 6 | Jimmy Ryan | CF | 366 |
| 7 | George Van Haltren | CF | 358 |
| 8 | Ned Hanlon* | CF | 350 |
| 9 | Jim O'Rourke* | LF | 297 |
| 10 | Tom York | LF | 291 |
| 11 | Billy Hamilton* | CF | 289 |
| 12 | Abner Dalrymple | LF | 285 |
| 13 | George Wood | LF | 276 |
| 14 | Ty Cobb* | CF | 271 |
| 15 | Pete Browning | CF | 269 |
| 16 | Tommy McCarthy* | RF | 262 |
| 17 | King Kelly* | RF | 259 |
| | Orator Shafer | RF | 259 |
| 19 | Fred Clarke* | LF | 256 |
| 20 | Charley Jones | LF | 253 |
| 21 | Pete Hotaling | CF | 246 |
| 22 | Blondie Purcell | LF | 241 |
| 23 | Max Carey* | CF | 235 |
| 24 | Harry Stovey | LF | 230 |
| 25 | Walt Wilmot | LF | 228 |
| 26 | Tris Speaker* | CF | 222 |
| 27 | Hugh Duffy* | CF | 220 |
| 28 | Clyde Milan | CF | 216 |
| 29 | Kip Selbach | LF | 214 |
| 30 | Goose Goslin* | LF | 209 |
| 31 | Emmett Seery | LF | 203 |
| 32 | Patsy Donovan | RF | 201 |
| 33 | Mike Smith | LF | 200 |
| 34 | Jimmy Sheckard | LF | 197 |
| 35 | Lou Brock* | LF | 196 |
| | Jack Manning | RF | 196 |
| 37 | Cliff Carroll | LF | 194 |
| 38 | Dick Johnston | CF | 193 |
| 39 | Ed Swartwood | RF | 187 |
| | Mike Tiernan | RF | 187 |
| 41 | Curt Welch | CF | 185 |
| 42 | Sam Rice* | RF | 184 |
| | Burt Shotton | CF | 184 |
| 44 | Zack Wheat* | LF | 183 |
| 45 | Paul Radford | RF | 179 |
| 46 | Joe Hornung | LF | 178 |
| | Jack Remsen | CF | 178 |
| 48 | Cy Seymour | CF | 177 |
| 49 | Mike Griffin | CF | 174 |
| 50 | Sam Thompson* | RF | 172 |
| Rank | Player (2025 Es) | Main Pos. | E as OF |
| 51 | Tip O'Neill | LF | 169 |
| 52 | John Cassidy | RF | 168 |
| 53 | Tilly Walker | LF | 167 |
| | Jimmy Wolf | RF | 167 |
| 55 | Ed Delahanty* | LF | 166 |
| 56 | Chief Roseman | CF | 162 |
| 57 | Jim McTamany | CF | 161 |
| 58 | Ned Cuthbert | LF | 160 |
| 59 | Joe Sommer | LF | 157 |
| 60 | Roy Johnson | LF | 156 |
| 61 | Mike Dorgan | RF | 155 |
| | Babe Ruth* | RF | 155 |
| 63 | Jimmy McAleer | CF | 154 |
| | Gee Walker | LF | 154 |
| 65 | Eddie Burke | LF | 153 |
| 66 | Harry Hooper* | RF | 151 |
| 67 | Bill Crowley | RF | 150 |
| | Jimmy Slagle | CF | 150 |
| | Bobby Veach | LF | 150 |
| 70 | Duff Cooley | LF | 146 |
| | Dave Eggler | CF | 146 |
| | Andy Leonard | LF | 146 |
| | Hugh Nicol | RF | 146 |
| 74 | Ed Daily | RF | 145 |
| | Elmer Flick* | RF | 145 |
| | Fred Treacey | LF | 145 |
| 77 | Fielder Jones | CF | 144 |
| | Joe Kelley* | LF | 144 |
| 79 | Sam Crawford* | RF | 143 |
| | Ducky Holmes | LF | 143 |
| | Mike Mansell | LF | 143 |
| | Willie Mays* | CF | 143 |
| 83 | Steve Brodie | CF | 142 |
| | Patrick Gillespie | LF | 142 |
| | Reggie Jackson* | RF | 142 |
| | Dave Parker | RF | 142 |
| 87 | Dick Harley | LF | 141 |
| | Rickey Henderson* | LF | 141 |
| | Bob Johnson | LF | 141 |
| 90 | Roberto Clemente* | RF | 140 |
| 91 | Ginger Beaumont | CF | 139 |
| 92 | Willie Keeler* | RF | 138 |
| 93 | George Browne | RF | 137 |
| | John Coleman | RF | 137 |
| | Tommy Dowd | RF | 137 |
| | Edd Roush* | CF | 137 |
| | Ken Williams | LF | 137 |
| 98 | Billy Sunday | RF | 136 |
| 99 | Mike Donlin | CF | 135 |
| | Chuck Klein* | RF | 135 |

## Other Hall of Famers

| Player | Main Pos. | E |
| Paul Waner* | RF | 132 |
| Earl Averill* | CF | 126 |
| Vladimir Guerrero* | RF | 125 |
| Kiki Cuyler* | RF | 121 |
| Hank Aaron* | RF | 117 |
| Harry Heilmann* | RF | 117 |
| Ross Youngs* | RF | 116 |
| Ted Williams* | LF | 113 |
| Richie Ashburn* | CF | 110 |
| Joe DiMaggio* | CF | 105 |
| Hack Wilson* | CF | 105 |
| Billy Williams* | LF | 101 |
| Mel Ott* | RF | 98 |
| Earle Combs* | CF | 95 |
| Dave Winfield* | RF | 95 |
| Al Simmons* | LF | 94 |
| Andre Dawson* | RF | 93 |
| Minnie Miñoso* | LF | 92 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Billy Southworth* | RF | 92 |
| Ken Griffey Jr.* | CF | 89 |
| Casey Stengel* | RF | 87 |
| Lloyd Waner* | CF | 87 |
| Joe Medwick* | LF | 84 |
| Willie Stargell* | LF | 84 |
| Heinie Manush* | LF | 83 |
| Mickey Mantle* | CF | 82 |
| Enos Slaughter* | RF | 82 |
| Carl Yastrzemski* | LF | 82 |
| Chick Hafey* | LF | 80 |
| Ralph Kiner* | LF | 80 |
| John Montgomery Ward* | CF | 78 |
| Al Kaline* | RF | 73 |
| Frank Robinson* | RF | 68 |
| Jim Rice* | LF | 66 |
| Duke Snider* | CF | 66 |
| Deacon White* | RF | 66 |
| Stan Musial* | LF | 64 |
| Larry Doby* | CF | 63 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Tony Gwynn* | RF | 62 |
| Tony Oliva* | RF | 61 |
| Tim Raines* | LF | 54 |
| Turkey Stearnes* | CF | 54 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Kirby Puckett* | CF | 51 |
| Larry Walker* | RF | 48 |
| Harry Wright* | CF | 48 |
| Harold Baines* | RF | 47 |
| George Davis* | CF | 47 |
| Cool Papa Bell* | CF | 42 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Oscar Charleston* | CF | 39 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Robin Yount* | CF | 32 |
| Cap Anson* | LF | 31 |
| Monte Irvin* | LF | 28 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Honus Wagner* | RF | 28 |
| Roger Bresnahan* | CF | 26 |
| Cristóbal Torriente* | CF | 25 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Freddie Lindstrom* | CF | 24 |
| Willie McCovey* | LF | 23 |
| Willard Brown* | CF | 20 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Mule Suttles* | LF | 20 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Hank Greenberg* | LF | 18 |
| Craig Biggio* | CF | 15 |
| Orlando Cepeda* | LF | 12 |
| Martín Dihigo* | CF | 6 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |
| Pete Hill* | LF | 6 (includes incomplete Negro league totals) |