Ranking the top 100 MLB players for 2026: Ohtani, Judge, Soto, Skenes and more

The 2026 regular season is nearly upon us and it’s time for us to rank the top 100 players in baseball and post it to the World Wide Web. 

The rankings you’ll soon be thundering about to the uncaring heavens above and double-birding are based upon reasonable expectations, using things like age, trajectory, scouting profile, and recent performance history to arrive at those expectations. In essence, we’re making educated guesses at which players will provide the most value in the 2026 season to come. While a player’s performance in 2025 is very relevant and essential to these rankings, it’s not the sole consideration. Again, these are, in essence, predictions of which players will be the very best in the season to come, and there’s more to it than just eyeballing last year’s outputs.

As for what matters, with position players, it’s a mix of batting, defense, and baserunning. On offense, we’re not concerned with things like RBI. Getting on base and hitting for power matter above all, as do playing time, context of the player’s home ballpark, and production relative to positional peers (e.g., the offensive bar is lower for shortstops and catchers than it is for first basemen and DHs). For pitchers, run prevention and workload will be the drivers, but we’ll also give some consideration to underlying fundamental indicators like strikeouts and walks that inform future performance. We’re ranking players based on actual baseball considerations as opposed to anything having anything to do with fantasy (although there’s obviously some overlap).

Prior injuries have a major bearing here and if a player, because of health concerns, figures to lose a major chunk of his season, then he’ll lose a spot he otherwise would’ve earned. Others suffering injuries not quite so serious will see their ranking drop based on those worries, but they’ll still make the cut. 

Before we begin, a necessary reminder for the potentially outraged page-viewer from former Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius: “You are not compelled to form any opinion about this matter before you, nor to disturb your peace of mind at all. Things in themselves have no power to extort a verdict from you.”

Onward into the Cauldron of Opinions Appearing on the Internet. 

100. Chase Burns, Reds 

The unfortunate elbow malady suffered by Hunter Greene makes it more likely that Burns will be in the Cincinnati rotation, and he’s primed to make the most of it. A former No. 2 overall pick out of Wake Forest, Burns was a highly regarded prospect in the minors before arriving in the big leagues. Across eight starts and five relief appearances for the Reds last season, he boasted a 36% strikeout rate and 32% whiff rate thanks in part to his elite fastball velocity and wipeout slider. He’s primed to take the next step as a sophomore in 2026. The bet here is that Burns heads north as a member of the rotation to start the season and makes the most of the opportunity. 

99. Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics

Still just 24, Soderstrom is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he had a 4.3 WAR with 25 homers, 34 doubles, and a 126 OPS+ in 158 games. He also ranked in the 86th percentile among MLB hitters in hard-hit rate. 

98. Brice Turang, Brewers

The 2024 National League Gold Glove winner at second base took a major step forward with the bat in 2025, his age-25 campaign. Last season, Turang contributed 18 homers and 25 stolen bases in 156 games while also hitting into just three double plays. 

97. Yandy Díaz, Rays

“Professional hitter,” as the ill-defined expression of baseball praise goes. Díaz last season had an OPS+ of 136 with 25 home runs and he batted .300. That’s right in line with what he’s done for basically the last half-decade. 

96. Kevin Gausman, Blue Jays

The stalwart Toronto right-hander churned out another quality season. Since the abbreviated 2020 campaign, Gausman boasts an ERA+ of 123 with an FIP of 3.11.

95. Jarren Duran, Red Sox

Duran, now 29, has stacked up a WAR of 13.3 over the last two seasons. In 2025, he totaled 70 extra-base hits with 24 stolen bases. As well, he took the extra base an impressive 68% of the time. While his defense regressed a bit from the sky-scraping levels of 2023, Duran is a plus in left. 

94. Nick Kurtz, Athletics

Last year’s American League Rookie of the Year hit 36 home runs as a 22-year-old debutante, and that’s the kind of power production that’s expected from the former No. 4 overall pick. More to come from this young slugger.

93. Michael Busch, Cubs

Busch, a “post-hype” prospect not long ago, has turned into a keeper for the Cubs. Coming off a breakout 2024, Busch last season smacked 34 homers and had an OPS+ of 147 with outstanding batted-ball metrics to back it up. This season, he’s primed to get more exposure to left-handed pitching, and he’s very much earned that level of trust. 

92. Nolan McLean, Mets

McLean last season made good on his standing as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball with a strong eight starts in the majors. He’ll build on that in 2026 and be a leading NL Rookie of the Year candidate. 

91. Ceddanne Rafaela, Red Sox

Rafaela’s Gold Glove defense in center drives his overall value, and he’s also developing into a capable hitter at the plate. He’s a plus on the bases, as well.

90. Zack Wheeler, Phillies

Wheeler will be out perhaps until May after undergoing venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, and that uncertainty drives his ranking down. Still, Wheeler even in his mid-30s is one of the top starting pitchers in baseball, and the expectation is that he’ll resume being just that once he returns to the mound. 

89. Eugenio Suárez, Reds

Is last year’s bounceback, when Suárez tied a career high with 49 homers for Arizona and then Seattle, a late-career blip or a sign of a revived power presence moving forward? This low ranking reflects that uncertainty, plus his likely move to DH.  

88. George Springer, Blue Jays

Springer last season revived his career in a big way with 32 homers and a lofty 161 OPS+. Looking forward to his age-36 campaign, the quality of contact he achieved in 2025 bodes well for the near-term, so we’ll say Springer’s renaissance continues. 

87. Jackson Chourio, Brewers

Chourio just recently turned 22 years of age, when most players are still in the minors, and he has back-to-back 20-20 seasons to start his career. He hasn’t yet reached his ceiling. Chourio’s first of many All-Star selections will come in 2026. 

86. CJ Abrams, Nationals

He’s a 25-year-old shortstop, and he’s been at 3.5 WAR or so in each of the last three seasons. In 2025, Abrams compiled 59 extra-base hits and 31 steals in 34 attempts.

85. Logan Gilbert, Mariners

Gilbert’s excellent at missing bats while limiting walks, and he has full command of his fastball-slider-splitter mix. The guess here is that Gilbert in 2026 enjoys park-adjusted run prevention to match his underlying excellence. 

84. Pete Alonso, Orioles

It’s not hard to find flaws in Alonso’s all-around game, but he excels at the most important thing a position player can do: hitting the ball out of the park. He has 264 home runs in just a bit more than 1,000 career games, and he was close to his best self in 2025. His ongoing capacity to crush balls at the proper angle off the bat suggests he’ll keep it going in 2026.

83. Shane McClanahan, Rays

There are no guarantees for pitchers post-Tommy John surgery, especially in the first year back. In McClanahan’s case, he also dealt with a nerve injury, and he hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2023. That said, he’s not far removed from a 2021-23 run in which he was one of the best pitchers in baseball on a rate basis. The bet here is he gets back to something close to that in 2026. 

82. Trey Yesavage, Blue Jays

Yesavage announced himself loudly during the Jays’ deep playoff run, and he retains rookie eligibility for 2026. He’s a top prospect with good velocity, a wipeout splitter, and a track record of excellence in the pros. 

81. Nick Lodolo, Reds

Lodolo, 28, rode a strong and balanced four-pitch repertoire to an excellent 2025. In 156 ⅔ innings, he struck out 156 against just 30 unintentional walks and had an ERA+ of 137. Even with a bit of a step back on the run-prevention front, he’ll remain a major asset in the Reds rotation.

80. James Wood, Nationals

The 6-foot-7 Wood enjoyed a nifty first full season in the majors last year, and he did it as a 22-year-old. In 157 games for the Nats, Wood had 31 homers, 38 doubles, 77 unintentional walks, and an OPS+ of 132. He has an exceptionally bright future as a hitter. 

79. Byron Buxton, Twins

Injuries always have been and always will be a major concern for Buxton, who’s topped 100 games played in a season just three times. At the same time, it’s no exaggeration to say he’s one of the best players in baseball when he’s on the field. In 2025, he racked up a career-high 35 home runs in 126 games.

78. Freddy Peralta, Mets

He’s been a bedrock ace for much of the last half-decade, which is just what the Mets needed. Peralta, who doesn’t turn 30 until June, is coming off a career year, and he’s logged at least 30 starts and 200 strikeouts in each of the last three seasons. 

77. Colson Montgomery, White Sox

What a partial rookie season for the former first-rounder. Montgomery last season thumped 21 homers in just 71 games for the Sox all while primarily manning shortstop. The power is legit, which means his value is too. 

76. Dansby Swanson, Cubs

Even as he moves deeper into his 30s, Swanson remains a frontline defensive shortstop with good pop at the plate. Speaking of pop, Swanson has 114 home runs over the last five seasons. 

75. Shea Langeliers, Athletics

Was last season, when Langeliers hit 31 homers and put up an OPS+ of 134, a sustainable offensive ceiling? If so, then he’s a darkhorse MVP candidate given that he mans the premium position of catcher. 

74. Drake Baldwin, Braves

The 2025 NL Rookie of the Year boasts a strong prospect pedigree that flows from his ability to provide strong offensive production from a premium defensive position. Baldwin figures to offer more of the same in his age-25 season. 

73. Brandon Woodruff, Brewers

There’s no doubting what Woodruff can do when he’s healthy — he’s one of the best starting pitchers around when he’s on the mound. However, he hasn’t managed even 100 innings in a season since 2022. Last year, his debut was delayed until July thanks to shoulder surgery, and then a late-season lat strain caused him to miss Milwaukee’s playoff run. Again, there’s no doubting his capacity for excellence, but this ranking reflects his uncertain ability to avoid injury. 

72. Austin Riley, Braves 

Some of the shine has come off Atlanta’s hot-cornerman over the last two seasons. However, he’s still on the right side of age 30 and he’s still the guy who racked up 108 home runs in three seasons not so long ago. For Riley in 2026, it all flows from better health and durability than he had last year. 

71. Jacob Wilson, Athletics

The shortstop is coming off a distinguished rookie season in which he slashed .311/.355/.444 with 13 homers in 125 games. We’ll have to see how sustainable that batting average is moving forward, but the former No. 6 overall pick has a high ceiling.

70. Spencer Strider, Braves

When healthy, Strider is simply the most overwhelming starting pitcher in MLB today. However, he wasn’t himself last season in his return from an internal-brace procedure — his second major UCL repair. Will he return to the dominance of 2022-23 or will he be this diminished form moving forward? This ranking reflects that uncertainty. 

69. Matt Olson, Braves

That 54-homer season in 2023 is probably going to remain an outlier for Olson, but on a rate basis, he rebounded nicely from his somewhat disappointing 2024. Olson remains a leading power source in MLB. 

68. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Yankees

Chisholm’s first full season in the Bronx was perhaps the best of his career. Back at his best defensive position of second base and fresh off a 31-homer campaign, the 28-year-old Chisholm is poised for a big walk year. 

67. Ranger Suárez, Red Sox

He makes up for a lack of velocity with strong groundball tendencies, and he’s taken the next step since improving his control. Suárez over the last two seasons has an ERA+ of 129 with an FIP of 3.29. There are always challenges to being a lefty starting pitcher in Fenway, but Suárez’s ability to limit hard contact off the bat should serve him well in Boston. 

66. Roman Anthony, Red Sox

Anthony, one of the most gifted young players around, was enjoying a stellar rookie campaign when an oblique injury cut him down in early September. In 2026, he’ll aim to put together a full season built around one of the most promising and well-rounded offensive profiles you’ll find among young major leaguers right now.

65. Riley Greene, Tigers

Still just 25 years of age, Greene goes into 2026 with a career OPS+ of 118 in four MLB seasons. Last year, he racked up a career-high 36 home runs, thanks in part to some of the highest bat speed in baseball.

64. Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers

Elbow and shoulder problems limited Eovaldi to 22 starts and 130 innings last season, but when he was on the mound he was perhaps at his best — a 1.73 ERA, a 2.80 FIP, and a 6.14 K/BB ratio. He’s 36, yes, but still capable of being an ace when healthy. 

63. Manny Machado, Padres

Here’s another future Hall of Famer who may be contending with a bit of decline. That said, he played in 159 games last season, was a plus at the hot corner, and popped 27 homers and 33 doubles. Machado, coming off a 4.1 WAR season, isn’t done being an All Star-caliber contributor.  

62. Blake Snell, Dodgers

The two-time Cy Young winner has exceptional stuff, and on a rate basis he’s still one of the best in the business. However, Snell has a combined total of just 165 ⅓ innings over the last two seasons. It’s that lack of durability that keeps him from being higher. 

61. Matt Chapman, Giants

Hand injuries chipped away at Chapman’s playing time last season, but when he was healthy, he did what he does. That means he produced at the plate (21 homers and a 120 OPS+ in 128 games) and added big value in the field at third base.

60. Rafael Devers, Giants

Another year, another high-quality season for Devers, who’s now 29. For his career, he’s averaged 33 homers, 41 doubles, and 316 total bases per 162 games played. He found his familiar level of production after some early post-trade struggles with the Giants.

59. Joe Ryan, Twins

An All-Star who struck out 28.2% of opposing batters across 171 innings, Ryan has been a rotation linchpin over the last two seasons. Over the last three seasons, he boasts a K/BB ratio of 5.60. 

58. Bryan Woo, Mariners

Woo has some of the strongest command and control indicators of any pitcher in baseball right now, and last season he reached 30 starts and 186 ⅔ innings for Seattle. He’s notched an ERA+ of 128 in each of the past two seasons. 

57. Jesús Luzardo, Phillies

Armed with, most notably, a 96-mph fastball and a wipeout sweeper, Luzardo in 2025 put together his finest season to date, with 216 strikeouts in 183 ⅔ innings and a sparkling FIP of 2.90. He’s going into his age-28 season. 

56. Sonny Gray, Red Sox

Gray’s struggles in 2025 were probably the result of bad luck. His NL-leading K/BB ratio, his 201 strikeouts, and his 3.39 FIP (and 3.11 FIP over the last three seasons) all point to a rebound year in Boston. 

55. Bryce Harper, Phillies

Is the future Hall of Famer beginning to show his age? Decline is rarely linear, especially for greats like Harper. The expectation here is that he has another big year or three still in him.

54. Adley Rutschman, Orioles

The overall body of work remains very strong for the Orioles’ catcher. However, with the bat, he’s gotten worse each season of his career. Rutschman needs to reverse that trend in 2026. 

53. Willy Adames, Giants

Adames overcame a slow start to his Giants career and wound up with an OPS+ of 111, his third 30-homer season in the last four years, and strong defensive indicators at shortstop.

52. Gabriel Moreno, Diamondbacks

The 26-year-old catcher claimed the Gold Glove at the position in 2023 and, for his MLB career, he has a 108 OPS+ across parts of four seasons. The only thing missing from Moreno’s dossier is durability behind the plate. 

51. Masyn Winn, Cardinals

Winn deservingly picked up his first Gold Glove in 2025, and the knee problem that undermined his offensive production has been surgically addressed. He’s primed to take the next step as a hitter in 2026 while remaining an elite defender. 

50. Jeremy Peña, Astros

Peña adds big defensive value at short, and in 2025 he batted .304/.363/.477 with 20 steals in 22 attempts. He also backed up the production with a career-high xWOBA. Another top 10 finish in the AL MVP vote (and another All-Star selection) may be headed his way in 2026. At this writing, Peña is working his way back from a finger injury suffered during the WBC, so that’s dropping his ranking a bit. 

49. Wyatt Langford, Rangers

It’s been one heck of a start to his MLB career for the former No. 4 overall pick. In two seasons with Texas, Langford, age 24, has an OPS+ of 127 and a WAR of 9.5 in 268 games. His first All-Star selection will come this year. 

48. Maikel Garcia, Royals

Garcia, who put up a 5.8 WAR in 2025, might have been the game’s most underappreciated player last season. He’s a top-tier fielder at third base, and he’s reached new heights at the plate — 39 doubles and a 123 OPS+, all with excellent contact skills. At age 26, Garcia may still have ceiling above him. 

47. Zach Neto, Angels

The 25-year-old Halo shortstop has topped 5.0 WAR in back-to-back seasons — the first two full seasons of his career. In addition to fielding his position very well, Neto over the last two years has an OPS+ of 115 and 56 steals. 

46. Dylan Cease, Blue Jays

Cease, now 30, wasn’t in peak form in 2025 in terms of run prevention, but the velocity, stuff, and strikeouts are still there. That’s why the Blue Jays are paying him $175 million. He’ll enter the 2026 season having topped 200 strikeouts for five straight years.

45. Bo Bichette, Mets

Bichette will be playing a new position and is coming off a major knee injury, and he isn’t far removed from a 2024 campaign in which he was a serious liability. Still, the much larger career body of work is strong and the hot corner should be a better fit for him defensively. He’ll help the cause in Queens for years to come (if he doesn’t use his opt outs).

44. Cody Bellinger, Yankees

Bellinger in 2025 notched his first 5.0-WAR season since his MVP campaign of 2019 and he also played in 150 games for the first time since that same year. He’ll again flash defensive flexibility in 2026 and he’s back in the Bronx, where his lefty power swing is the perfect fit. 

43. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs

PCA is perhaps the most valuable defensive player at any position right now — not just the premium position of center field. He’s also an elite baserunner, which makes him a “high floor” kind of player. We must, however, note that his offensive performance dropped off precipitously in the second half. If in 2026 he hits like he did before the break, then he’ll be a top 10 player on the next version of this list.

42. Nico Hoerner, Cubs

Hoerner’s an excellent defender at the keystone and in 2025 he took another step at the plate. He slashed .297/.345/.394, struck out a minuscule 7.6% of the time, and added 29 steals. Despite all the contact, he hit into just four double plays in 156 games for the Cubs. Over the last four seasons, Hoerner has stacked up a total of 19.6 WAR. 

41. Jacob deGrom, Rangers

The 2025 season was an impressive one for deGrom, especially in terms of health and workload. He’s not the generational ace he once was, but he’s still capable of being a rotation bedrock even going into his age-38 campaign. 

40. Will Smith, Dodgers

Smith remains a steady and strong producer as catchers go. In 110 games for the world-champion Dodgers last season, Smith had an OPS+ of 152 with 17 homers. 

39. Alex Bregman, Cubs

Bregman is coming off a strong 114 games for the Red Sox, and now he’s taken his act to the North Side of Chicago. Bregman’s a standout glove at third and he has strong plate discipline and contact skills, plus a knack for finding the barrel. 

38. Cole Ragans, Royals

Ragans was waylaid by injuries in 2025, but he’s not far removed from a standout 2024. In 186 ⅓ innings that season, he put up an ERA of 3.14 with a sub-.300 FIP and racked up 223 strikeouts. Armed with a wipeout changeup and a 95 mph fastball, Ragans at age 28 should get back to dominating if healthy. 

37. Hunter Brown, Astros

Brown broke out in a big way last season, as he rode a 6.1 WAR and 206 strikeouts to a third-place finish in the AL Cy Young vote. At age 27, he should continue being a frontline force in the Houston rotation. 

36. Logan Webb, Giants

He’s averaged 205 innings per season over the last four years, and over that span he’s put up a 124 ERA+ with a sub-3.00 FIP. In other words, Webb has been and will continue to be one of the best in the business.

35. Kyle Schwarber, Phillies

Schwarber doesn’t do anything but hit, but he does indeed hit. His top-of-the-scale power outputs in tandem with his willingness to take walks make him one of the best “take and rake” batsmen in baseball. His maxed-out batted-ball authority indicators suggest he’s again going to crush a lot of baseballs over the fence in 2026. 

34. Jackson Merrill, Padres

Merrill, who doesn’t turn 23 until late April, has compiled a WAR of 7.2 over the first 271 games of his major-league career. He’s a plus fly-catcher in center and his batted-ball metrics suggest he hasn’t reached his ceiling at the plate. 

33. Max Fried, Yankees

Fried more than delivered in his first season in the Bronx: a 142 ERA+ in a career-high 195 ⅓ innings with an FIP of 3.07 to back it up. Think of him as a legit ace if you don’t already.

32. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers

The future Hall of Famer continues to show not much in the way of troubling decline even in his mid-30s. In 2025, Freeman enjoyed an OPS+ of 141 and he’ll notch career hit No. 2,500 in the upcoming season.

31. Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays

The 27-year-old Kirk is in the discussion for best defensive catcher in baseball and his career OPS+ of 108 shows he’s a plus hitter by the standards of his position.

30. Framber Valdez, Tigers

An elite ground-baller with good velocity and strikeout numbers, the lefty Valdez has pitched like a true ace for almost his entire career. He’s also a workhorse by contemporary standards.

29. Chris Sale, Braves

Sale wasn’t as healthy last season as he was during his Cy Young campaign of 2024, but he was similarly dominant. In 125 ⅔ innings, Sale put up a sub-3.00 ERA and struck 32.4% of opposing batters (an exceptional figure for a starting pitcher). Injuries are always a consideration with Sale, but the rate-based excellence is still there. 

28. Trea Turner, Phillies

Coming off a down 2023, Turner over the last two seasons has returned to more typical production — meaning he was a special offensive player, especially as shortstops go. He’s coming off his first 5.0-WAR campaign since 2022. 

27. William Contreras, Brewers

Contreras’ offensive numbers declined a bit last season, but he remained an offensive asset by positional standards. That plus the fact that he grades out as a plus in every defensive aspect behind the plate make him a valuable member of the NL Central champs. He topped 1,100 defensive innings at catcher last season.

26. Geraldo Perdomo, Diamondbacks

It all came together last season for Perdomo, who led all NL position players in WAR. In addition to providing excellent defense at short, Perdomo had an OPS+ of 136 and backed it up with strong batted-ball metrics. Throw in his baserunning and you have one heck of a complete player.

25. Mookie Betts, Dodgers

One of the best players of his generation, Betts in 2025 topped 75.0 WAR for his career. In other words, he could retire right now and have a strong Hall case. Thankfully, Betts has no such plans. Last season saw a decline at the plate for Betts, but at the same time he emerged as one of the top defensive shortstops around. We’ll keep one eye on that possible decline with the bat, but his overall value in 2026 should justify this lofty spot.  

24. Corey Seager, Rangers

Even with the penchant for injury, Seager is a highly valuable player. That’s because he hits like an All-Star first baseman while also manning the key position of shortstop. “Elite when healthy” remains his character class heading into his age-32 campaign. 

23. Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks

The 25-year-old fly-catcher erased any concerns about his offensive dip in 2024 with the strongest offensive season of his young career in 2025. In 143 games for the Snakes, Carroll topped 300 total bases, rang up 80 extra-base hits, and stole 32 bags. 

22. Yordan Alvarez, Astros

A broken hand followed by a freak ankle injury undermined Alvarez’s 2025, but the much larger body of work suggests he’ll get back to being a devastating hitter. Coming into last season, he boasted a career OPS+ of 166. 

21. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays

The Jays’ $500 million man put up another strong season at the plate and was even better during Toronto’s deep playoff run. He’ll again be a top-shelf producer in 2026.

20. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers

Across his first 48 MLB starts, Yamamoto, now 27, has an ERA+ of 154 and an FIP of 2.83. He’s the ace of a deep Dodgers rotation and, as established last season, one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.

19. Junior Caminero, Rays

What a 2025 campaign for Caminero, who blasted 45 home runs as a 21 year old with basically even home-road splits. Yes, his plate discipline needs improvement and he also hit into an MLB-leading 31 double plays. Still, you can’t overlook the power outputs at such a young age. 

18. Francisco Lindor, Mets

Lindor is now more than a decade into his big-league career — a career that will probably land him in Cooperstown one day — and he’s still operating at an exceptionally high level. He’s a do-it-all shortstop, and fittingly he’s notched four straight top 10 finishes in the NL MVP vote. Expect more of the same in 2026. We’ll fade him just a little because he’s working his way back from a hamate injury, which may mean his power doesn’t come back right away. Absent that injury, he’d be a top 15 selection. 

17. Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks

The underappreciated Marte is coming off yet another high-quality season. A force at the plate, in the field at second base, and on the bases, Marte has amassed a WAR of 16.0 over the last three seasons.

16. Elly De La Cruz, Reds

De La Cruz was probably on his way to a breakout season at the plate in 2025 before a quad injury greatly compromised his second-half numbers. It says here he’ll take that next step in 2026 and reach a higher tier of stardom. 

15. Kyle Tucker, Dodgers

The newest Dodger star is one of the top performers in MLB when he’s fully healthy. The four-time All-Star is still on the right side of age 30, and he boasts a career OPS+ of 140 and a career WAR of 27.3 across parts of eight big-league seasons. 

14. Fernando Tatís Jr., Padres

Tatís in 2025 enjoyed the healthiest full season of his career, and along the way he tallied 25 homers and 32 stolen bases. He also remains in the discussion for best defensive corner outfielder in all of baseball. At age 27, Tatís should again be a top performer. 

13. Cristopher Sánchez, Phillies

Sánchez has added across-the-board velocity in recent years, and that’s helped him take the next step. He’s coming off a 2025 season in which he led all pitchers in WAR and backed it up with a 2.55 FIP in 202 innings. 

12. José Ramírez, Guardians

He remains one of the most ruthlessly consistent, productive, and durable players in baseball. Ramírez is still a plus with the glove at the hot corner, and he’s managed back-to-back 30-40 seasons on offense.

11. Garrett Crochet, Red Sox

Crochet’s conversion from reliever fully flowered last season, as he rang up an ERA+ of 159 in an AL-leading 205 ⅓ innings. Given the concerns about Crochet’s durability and capacity to handle an ace’s workload, that innings tally was validating in the extreme. Consider him an unknown quantity no more.

10. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles

Even in a down year by his standards on offense, Henderson managed to top 5.0 WAR in 2025. The guess here is that he recoups his power while remaining a defensive asset at the premium position of shortstop and thus re-enters the AL MVP discussion. He doesn’t turn 25 until late June. 

9. Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves

Acuña didn’t make his 2025 season debut until late May thanks to a major knee injury, but then he went on to put up some of the best rate-based offensive numbers of his career and author a WAR of 3.0 in just 95 games. Further removed from surgery in 2026, he’s primed for an MVP-caliber campaign in Atlanta.

8. Julio Rodríguez, Mariners

For as long as he’s been a needle-mover for Seattle, it’s easy to forget that Rodríguez is still just 25 years of age. He’s coming off the best season of his career as measured by WAR and there’s every reason to think he’ll again be among the most valuable players in baseball in 2026 (and beyond). One gets the feeling that J-Rod still hasn’t reached his ceiling as a hitter. 

7. Cal Raleigh, Mariners

It’s almost inevitable that Raleigh in 2026 won’t match his jaw-dropping tally of 60 home runs from last season, but his power, durability, and excellent defensive skills will again make him one of the top performers in MLB. 

6. Juan Soto, Mets

The Mets’ $765 million man is indeed one of the best hitters in all of baseball, and that remains the case even after last year’s slow start. He’s still just 27, and he’s coming off a season in which he led the NL in OBP, led the majors in walks, cracked 43 homers, and stole 38 bases (!).

5. Tarik Skubal, Tigers

With good reason, Skubal won the AL Cy Young Award for a second straight year in 2026. The best-in-class stuff plus the underlying, forward-looking indicators from the past handful of seasons all point toward continued dominance for the 29-year-old ace lefty. The 2026 season will be his walk year. 

4. Paul Skenes, Pirates

The 2025 NL Cy Young winner in 2026 will be the best pitcher in baseball — a seat he’ll occupy for years to come. Skenes has elite velocity, a full repertoire, and one of the nastiest wipeout pitchers around (his “splinker”). Over the first 55 starts of his MLB career, he has an ERA of 1.96 (!) and an FIP of 2.40.

3. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

The most complete position player in baseball today? Witt doesn’t turn 26 until mid-June and he combines broad-based excellence at the plate with elite baserunning and plus defense at the premium position of shortstop. His first MVP award might come in 2026. 

2. Aaron Judge, Yankees

At some point, decline will set in for the hulking slugger, who’s going into his age-34 season. There’s no sign of that yet, though. Indeed, Judge is coming off a 2025 season in which he hit 53 home runs, drew 124 walks, and led the majors in average, OBP, slugging, and OPS+. He remains the best pure hitter in baseball. 

1. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

The owner of three straight MVPs returned to the mound last season and resumed pitching like an ace. At the plate, Ohtani clouted a career-best 55 homers. In other words, he remains like none other and the best baseball player in the world.

---

Painful omissions? There were many, most especially that particular player about whom you’re very mad right now. Speaking of which, the author welcomes your feedback. Feel free to reach out to him at his personal email address, hotmail@hotmail.jpg. He checks it often.