Cincinnati Reds: Who is most likely to have their jersey retired next?

Vada Pinson, No. 28

Vada Pinson may be the best Reds player, aside from Pete Rose, not to have been elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Pinson was one of the greatest defensive centerfielders of his generation, though he has just one Gold Glove to show for it. Pinson once roamed the same outfield as Hall of Famers Frank Robinson, who had his No. 20 retired by the Cincinnati Reds.

Pinson was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 1977 after spending 11 years in the Queen City. Pinson earned a roster spot on the Reds roster in 1958 at the age of 19. The following two seasons, Pinson was a regular in the Cincinnati outfield and went to back-to-back All-Star Games and was also an outlier in the MVP conversation.

Only once during Vada Pinson’s tenure with the ball club did the Reds reach the World Series. In 1961, Cincinnati won the pennant and faced the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic. After leading the league in hits that season with 208, Pinson went just 2-for-22 and the Cincinnati Reds fell to the Yankees in five games.

Vada Pinson would go on to play for four other teams throughout his 18-year career. Despite 2,757 career hits, 485 career doubles and career-fielding percentage of .981, Pinson would never receive greater than 15.7% of the vote while on the Hall of Fame ballot. Tragically, if Pinson’s No. 28 was retired, it would be done posthumously, as the former Reds great passed away in 1995.