The 10 Heaviest MLB Players Of All Time

The nature of baseball means it’s a bit easier to get away with packing some extra pounds onto your frame, and there are plenty of people who didn’t fit the typical athlete archetype from a physical standpoint who managed to make it to the MLB—including a good chunk of the guys who comprise the list of the heaviest players to end up in the league.

Baseball players don’t need to possess the kind of stamina you need to hang in sports like football and basketball, and while the league has boasted plenty of physical specimens, it’s also been home to a number of players who did not go out of their way to cultivate an athletic form.

You probably won’t be shocked to learn there are more than a few pitchers on the list of the heaviest players in MLB history, but there are also some position players who were able to earn a spot, including…

Walter Young: 322 Pounds

Walter Young was offered a scholarship to play football at LSU when he was in high school, but the 6’5″ defensive end decided to pursue a career in baseball after the Pirates selected him with the 31st pick in the 1999 MLB Draft.

Young never played for Pittsburgh and struggled to make the roster with all but one of the MLB teams that gave him a chance.

He was listed at 322 pounds when he made his debut with the Orioles in 2005 and ultimately appeared in 14 games that season while posting a .303 batting average and recording a home run and 3 RBI in his 33 at-bats.

He spent a few years grinding in the minors before hanging up his cleats, and he reportedly weighed over 450 pounds when he died of a heart attack in 2015 at the age of 35.

Jumbo Diaz

There are two guys on this list who earned the nickname “Jumbo” for fairly obvious reasons, and the first is the man who was born Jose Rafael Diaz.

Diaz was signed by the Dodgers in 2001, but it took him more than a decade to make his MLB debut with the Reds in 2014.

It’s easy to understand why he was dubbed “Jumbo” when you consider the 6’4″ reliever was 347 pounds while pitching in the minors the previous season, but he was able to lose close to 70 pounds before getting back to 315.

Diaz ultimately appeared in 173 games during an MLB career where he spent three seasons with the Reds and another with the Rays. He retired with a 4.02 ERA and had 172 strikeouts in 173 appearances.

CC Sabathia: 300 Pounds

CC Sabathia is the most accomplished player on this list thanks to what he achieved during the 19-year career he kicked off in Cleveland before closing things out with the Yankees after a brief stint with the Brewers.

Sabathia was an Absolute Unit at the start of his career but decided to slim down after undergoing knee surgery in the wake of the 2010 season with New York in an attempt to stave off future injuries.

However, he reversed course a few years later due to concerns that the reduction in weight had a negative impact on his pitching and was back at around 300 pounds when he took to the mound in 2015.

He later revealed an alcohol addiction played a role in his size, and the 6’6″ Hall of Famer (who is now sober) looks significantly fitter in retirement after a heart scare led to him cleaning up his diet and focusing more on his fitness.

Jonathan Broxton: 300 Pounds

Sabathia was officially listed at 290 pounds when he first arrived in New York, but most people in the know were aware the Yankees were fudging the numbers of a man who admitted 300 was more accurate.

Johnathan Broxton, on the other hand, was officially recognized as the first MLB pitcher to tip the scales at 300 lbs. when the league confirmed the 6’4″ reliever hit the threshold during the 2012 season.

Broxton ended up playing for five different teams over the course of 13 seasons and ended up with a 3.41 ERA while racking up 758 strikeouts and 118 saves.

George "Jumbo" Brown: 295 Pounds

We’ve got our second Jumbo courtesy of George Brown, who spent decades as the heaviest player in MLB history before being dethroned by the first man on this list.

Brown was yet another 6’4″ reliever who gained close to 70 pounds after having his tonsils taken out ahead of the 1928 campaign and ended up peaking at 295 pounds.

He played for five teams during a 12-year career where he posted a 4.07 ERA and a 33-31 record, and he won a couple of World Series while playing on the Yankees with some help from Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio.

Dmitri Young: 295 Pounds

The Cardinals made it clear they were worried about Dmitri Young’s weight after they drafted him with the fourth overall pick in 1991, and the 6’2″ prospect weighed around 240 pounds a few years later.

That number only continued to rise, as Young eventually neared the 300-pound mark during a 13-year career that began when he made his MLB debut with St. Louis in 1996.

He retired in 2010 and managed to slim down in a big way; he credited a cardio-centric exercise routine and healthier eating habits with his ability to get down to 205 lbs. in 2014. 

Jon Rauch: 290 Pounds

Jon Rauch earned his spot on this list with the help of the 6’11” frame that made him one of the tallest players in MLB history (he and Sean Hjelle are tied for that particular achievement).

He ended up playing for seven different teams as a journeyman who spent 11 seasons in the league before calling it quits in 2014 (a year after he pitched his final MLB game as a member of the Marlins); he appeared in 556 games and retired with a 3.90 ERA and 475 strikeouts.

Joel Kuhnel: 290 Pounds

Joel Kuhnel isn’t currently on an MLB roster, but the 6’5″ pitcher who is currently doing his thing in Philadelphia’s farm system is the first technically active player to make the cut here.

Kuhnel is officially listed at 290 pounds as he attempts to get back to the majors after being signed by his sixth MLB franchise prior to the start of the 2025 season; he’s currently appeared in 82 games and has a 5.86 ERA.

Kennys Vargas: 290 Pounds

You could argue Kennys Vargas is also technically active when you consider the 6’5″ 34-year-old continues to pursue his pro baseball dreams in the Mexican League, but he hasn’t appeared in an MLB game since 2017.

Vargas spent all four seasons he lasted in the league with the Twins and appeared in 236 games where he posted a .252 batting average and had 35 homers and 116 RBI in his 783 at-bats.

Jeff Fulchino: 286 Pounds

Jeff Fulchino is one of the more unassuming entries on this list, as the 6’4″ reliever didn’t really turn heads with his size or ability during a career where he played for four teams in five seasons.

With that said, he still managed to earn a spot when he was officially listed at 286 pounds when he was on the Astros.