Only 2 days remain until Athletics Opening Day at the Toronto Blue Jays on March 27, 2026. With Las Vegas on the horizon, this daily countdown tracks the best A’s players by jersey number.
Today, March 25, 2026, the number is 2.
Mickey Cochrane, No. 2
Mickey Cochrane is the best Athletics player to wear No. 2 because the career value and the franchise hardware separate him. He is a Hall of Fame catcher, a two-time MVP, and a centerpiece of the Athletics at their Philadelphia peak.
Using the quick, consistent tiebreaker for this series, career WAR, Cochrane clears the rest of this number group. He finished with 49.8 career WAR, and 37.7 of that came with the Philadelphia Athletics.
Why Cochrane gets No. 2
Cochrane gets No. 2 because he combined elite on-base skill with real power for a catcher. He hit .321 with a .412 OBP for the Athletics, and he posted a .902 OPS in nine seasons with the club.
His best single A’s season is the separator. In 1932, Cochrane hit .293 with a .412 OBP, 23 home runs and 112 RBIs.
He also had an on-base season that still looks modern. In 1933, Cochrane hit .322 with a .459 OBP, and he drew 106 walks.
Cochrane’s career is not just numbers, either. He won two MVP awards and later was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947, which is a rare resume for any catcher in franchise history.
Career start and background
Cochrane was born April 6, 1903, in Bridgewater, Mass. He attended Boston University.
He debuted April 14, 1925, and became the Athletics’ primary catcher almost immediately. Cochrane stayed with Philadelphia through 1933 before he was traded to Detroit.
Other notable No. 2s
- Mickey Cochrane
- Khris Davis
- Tony Phillips
- Joe DeMaestri
- Angel Mangual
Career check
Cochrane owns No. 2 for the Athletics because he pairs elite production with elite recognition. In this countdown format, the Hall of Fame resume and the Philadelphia peak make him the clear answer.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
