List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders

In baseball, a run batted in (RBI) is awarded to a batter for each runner who scores as a direct result of the batter's action, including a hit, fielder's choice, sacrifice fly, or a walk or hit by pitch with the bases loaded. A batter is also awarded an RBI for scoring himself upon hitting a home run. However, if a run scores because of an error that the defense commits on a batted ball, the batter does not (in most cases) receive an RBI; the exception is when the official scorer deems the run would've scored with or without an error, such as when an error occurs on a fielder's choice.

In Major League Baseball (MLB), a player in each league wins the "RBI crown" or "RBI title" each season by hitting the most runs batted in that year. The first RBI champion in the National League (NL) was Deacon White; in the league's inaugural 1876 season, White hit 60 RBIs for the Chicago White Stockings. The American League (AL) was established in 1901, and Hall of Fame second baseman Nap Lajoie led that league with 125 RBIs for the Philadelphia Athletics. Over the course of his 27-season career, Cap Anson led the NL in RBI eight times. Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner have the second- and third-most RBI titles, respectively: Ruth with six, and Wagner with five. Several players are tied for the most consecutive seasons led with three: Anson (twice), Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Ruth, Joe Medwick, George Foster, and Cecil Fielder. Notably, Matt Holliday won the NL title in 2007 by one RBI over Ryan Howard, only overtaking Howard due to his performance in the 2007 National League Wild Card tie-breaker game. Had Howard won the 2007 title, he would have led the NL in a record four consecutive seasons from 2006 to 2009. The most recent champions are Pete Alonso in the American League, and Alec Burleson in the National League. Alonso became the first player to win the RBI title in both the American and National League.

Sam Thompson was the first to set a single-season RBI record that stood for more than three seasons, hitting 166 in 1887. Thompson's title that season also represented the widest margin of victory for an RBI champion as he topped the next highest total by 62 RBIs. The single-season mark of 166 stood for over thirty years until Babe Ruth hit 171 in 1921. Ruth's mark was then broken by teammate Lou Gehrig six seasons later in 1927 when Gehrig hit 175 RBI. Finally, Hack Wilson set the current record mark of 191 RBI in 1930 with the Chicago Cubs. The all-time career RBI record holder is Hank Aaron with 2,297, 84 more than Ruth in second place. Aaron led the National League in RBI four times, never consecutively. The 1930 season when Wilson set the record saw four players hit more than 160 RBI: Wilson, Gehrig, Chuck Klein, and Al Simmons. A player has batted in 160 or more runs 21 times, with 14 of these seasons occurring during the 1930s and only twice since 1940. The lowest RBI total to ever lead a major league was 49, by Deacon White in the National League's second season.

The league lead in RBI was shared by two players of the same team twice in history, both times by players for the Boston Red Sox: in 1949 shortstop Vern Stephens and left fielder Ted Williams each had 159 RBI, then again in 1950, Stephens and first baseman Walt Dropo each had 144. As of 2026, 1950 was also the last year a shortstop won the title.

Key Winner(s) Player(s) with the most runs batted in (RBI) in the leagueRBI The winner's total number of runs batted inRunner(s)-up Player(s) with the second-most RBIs in the league2nd RBI The runner-up total number of runs batted inLeague Denoted only for players outside of the modern major leagues † Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

American League

Year Winner(s) RBI Team(s) Runner(s)-up 2nd RBI Ref1901†125 Philadelphia Athletics1141902121Boston Americans110 1903104 Boston Americans †102 Cleveland Naps Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia Athletics† †119 Detroit Tigers †108Detroit Tigers††107 Detroit Tigers† †120 Detroit Tigers† †127 Detroit Tigers†115 †130 Philadelphia Athletics109 †117 Philadelphia Athletics †104 Detroit Tigers Sam Crawford†112 Detroit Tigers† 103 St. Louis Browns 103 Detroit Tigers102 Detroit Tigers †113Boston Red Sox101 †135New York Yankees†122 †168 New York Yankees†139 155 St. Louis Browns126 †130 New York Yankees†130 †129 Washington Senators†124138 New York Yankees†134 †153New York Yankees†117 †173New York Yankees†165 †Babe Ruth†142St. Louis Cardinals136†157 Philadelphia Athletics†154 †173New York Yankees†165†185New York Yankees†162 †169Philadelphia Athletics†Al Simmons†151†163 Philadelphia Athletics†139†165 New York Yankees142 †168 Detroit Tigers†119162Cleveland Indians†152†184 Detroit Tigers†167 †175 Boston Red Sox†146 †145 Boston Red Sox†126 †150 Detroit Tigers134 †125 New York Yankees123 †137 Boston Red Sox†114 118 Detroit Tigers107 109 St. Louis Browns106111New York Yankees †127 Detroit Tigers†123 †114Boston Red Sox †155 New York Yankees137 †Vern Stephens159 Boston Red Sox133 Vern Stephens144 Boston Red Sox†124 129 Chicago White SoxPhiladelphia Athletics†126 105 Cleveland Indians†Eddie Robinson104 145 Cleveland Indians115 †126 Cleveland Indians†125 Jackie Jensen116Detroit TigersBoston Red Sox†108 †130 New York Yankees†128 114 Washington Senators105 122 Boston Red Sox113 112 Boston Red Sox111 112 New York Yankees†105 Roger Maris141 Baltimore OriolesNew York YankeesRocky Colavito140†126 Minnesota Twins117 118 Boston Red Sox†101 †118 Baltimore Orioles114 108 Cleveland Indians104 †122 Baltimore Orioles†110 †121 Boston Red Sox†113 109 Boston Red Sox106 †140 Minnesota Twins121 126 Washington Senators116 †119 Minnesota Twins† †113 Chicago White Sox100 †117 Oakland Athletics107 118 Texas Rangers103 109 Milwaukee Brewers106 109 Baltimore Orioles105 119 Minnesota Twins115 †139 Boston Red Sox121 139 California Angels†130 122 Milwaukee Brewers†Ben Oglivie118 † Baltimore Orioles 133 Kansas City Royals121 †Cecil Cooper126 Boston Red SoxMilwaukee Brewers†116 123 Boston Red Sox†122 145 New York Yankees†124 121 Cleveland Indians117 134 Toronto Blue Jays123 124 Oakland Athletics†121 119 Texas Rangers113 132Detroit Tigers118 133Detroit Tigers122 124 Detroit Tigers119 129 Cleveland Indians†128 †112 Minnesota Twins103 Mo Vaughn126 Cleveland IndiansBoston Red Sox121 148 Cleveland Indians144 †147 Seattle Mariners141 157 Texas Rangers152165 Cleveland Indians148 †145 Seattle Mariners144 141 Seattle Mariners140142 Texas Rangers135 145 Toronto Blue Jays118 150 Baltimore Orioles†139 †148 Boston Red SoxMark Teixeira144 †137 Boston Red Sox130 156 New York Yankees139 130Texas Rangers129122New York Yankees119126Detroit Tigers125119New York Yankees118139Detroit Tigers128138Baltimore Orioles137111Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim109123Toronto Blue Jays117David Ortiz†127Toronto Blue JaysBoston Red Sox119119Seattle Mariners114130Boston Red Sox123123Chicago White Sox11760Chicago White Sox52121Kansas City Royals117131New York Yankees126112Houston Astros107144New York Yankees118125Seattle Mariners114113Baltimore Orioles106

National League

Year Winner(s) RBI Team(s) Runner(s)-up 2nd RBI Ref† Chicago White StockingsCap Anson†Ross Barnes†Boston Red Caps Providence Grays Charley Jones Boston Red Caps †Chicago White Stockings† †Chicago White Stockings † Chicago White Stockings†† Buffalo Bisons †102 Chicago White Stockings101 †108 Chicago White Stockings† †147 Chicago White Stockings†166 Detroit Wolverines†104 † Chicago White Stockings†130 New York Giants†118128Brooklyn Bridegrooms†107†120 Chicago Colts †124Brooklyn Grooms†104 †146 Philadelphia Phillies133 †147Philadelphia Phillies†145 †165 Philadelphia Phillies†134 †126 Philadelphia Phillies†121 †135 New York Giants†132 †127Philadelphia Phillies†111 †137 Philadelphia Phillies122 †110 Philadelphia Phillies†109 †126 Pittsburgh Pirates†108†Pittsburgh Pirates 104 New York Giants†101 New York GiantsHarry Lumley 121 Cincinnati Reds108Jim NealonChicago CubsPittsburgh Pirates Philadelphia PhilliesHonus Wagner† †109 Pittsburgh Pirates106 †100Pittsburgh Pirates 123Philadelphia Phillies Frank Schulte107 Pittsburgh PiratesChicago Cubs †102 Pittsburgh Pirates100 128 Philadelphia Phillies 103 Philadelphia Phillies100 115 Philadelphia Phillies Chicago CubsNew York Giants 102 New York Giants Cincinnati Reds Brooklyn Robins†Rogers Hornsby† †George Kelly† St. Louis CardinalsNew York Giants† †126 St. Louis Cardinals†122 †152 St. Louis Cardinals132 125 New York Giants114 †136 New York Giants116 †143 St. Louis Cardinals130 †120 St. Louis Cardinals†109 †131 Pittsburgh Pirates†129 †136 St. Louis Cardinals†124 †159 Chicago Cubs†151 †191 Chicago Cubs†170†121 Philadelphia Phillies†115143Philadelphia Phillies†137†120 Philadelphia Phillies106 †135 New York Giants128 130 Boston Braves†126 †138St. Louis Cardinals†135 †154 St. Louis Cardinals115 †122 St. Louis Cardinals†116 128Cincinnati Reds†117 †137 St. Louis Cardinals127 120 Brooklyn Dodgers104 †110 New York Giants109 128 Chicago Cubs101 122Chicago Cubs108 124 Brooklyn Dodgers117 †130 St. Louis Cardinals116 †138 New York Giants†127 †131 St. Louis Cardinals†125 †127 Pittsburgh Pirates†124 126 Philadelphia Phillies†118 †121New York Giants†Sid Gordon109 121 Chicago Cubs108 †142 Brooklyn Dodgers†135141Cincinnati Reds†130 †136Brooklyn Dodgers†127 †109 St. Louis Cardinals103 †132 Milwaukee Braves105 †129 Chicago Cubs109 †143 Chicago Cubs†125 †126 Milwaukee Braves†124 †142 San Francisco Giants†124 153 Los Angeles Dodgers†141 †130 Milwaukee Braves111 119St. Louis Cardinals†114 130 Cincinnati Reds†113 †127Atlanta Braves†119†111St. Louis Cardinals†110 †105San Francisco Giants†Billy Williams††126San Francisco Giants†123†148Cincinnati Reds†Billy Williams†129†137 St. Louis Cardinals†125 †125 Cincinnati Reds†122 †119Pittsburgh Pirates105 †129Cincinnati Reds†116120 Philadelphia Phillies†110 121 Cincinnati Reds†111 149 Cincinnati Reds130 120Cincinnati Reds†117†118 San Diego Padres115 †121 Philadelphia Phillies109†Philadelphia Phillies Al Oliver109 Atlanta BravesMontreal Expos105 121 Atlanta Braves†113 †Gary Carter†106 Philadelphia PhilliesMontreal Expos100 †125 Cincinnati Reds111†119 Philadelphia Phillies†116 †137 Chicago Cubs123 109 San Francisco Giants101 125 San Francisco Giants117 122 San Francisco Giants120 117 New York Mets116 109 Philadelphia Phillies105 123 San Francisco Giants120 †116 Houston Astros 128 Colorado Rockies119 150 Colorado Rockies141 140 Colorado Rockies†135 158 Chicago Cubs147147 St. Louis Cardinals142 †147 Colorado Rockies138 160 Chicago Cubs†146 128 Houston Astros127 141 Colorado Rockies132 131 Colorado Rockies†124 †128Atlanta Braves117 149 Philadelphia Phillies137 137 Colorado Rockies136146 Philadelphia Phillies124Ryan Howard141 Milwaukee BrewersPhiladelphia Phillies135 118 St. Louis Cardinals117 126Los Angeles Dodgers120115San Diego Padres112125Arizona Diamondbacks109116Los Angeles Dodgers105130Colorado Rockies110133Colorado Rockies109132Miami Marlins130111Chicago Cubs110126Washington Nationals12156Atlanta Braves53113Atlanta Braves107131New York Mets115139Atlanta Braves118130Los Angeles Dodgers112132Philadelphia Phillies126116St. Louis Cardinals111

Other major leagues

Year Winner(s) RBI Team(s) League Runner(s)-up 2nd RBI Ref Cincinnati Red StockingsAmerican Association Cincinnati Red StockingsAmerican Association†112 New York MetropolitansAmerican Association† Cincinnati Red StockingsAmerican Association 107St. Louis BrownsAmerican Association 123 St. Louis BrownsAmerican Association118 103 Cincinnati Red StockingsAmerican Association101 119 Philadelphia AthleticsAmerican Association113 113 Columbus SolonsAmerican Association 146 Brooklyn Ward's WondersPlayers' League124 Hugh Duffy†110 Boston RedsAmerican Association†109 107 Indianapolis HoosiersFederal League Pittsburgh RebelsFederal League

Negro Major Leagues

Negro National League I