Ranking MLB's top 100 players in 2025: Shohei Ohtani is No. 1, but how do baseball's other stars stack up?

The 2025 MLB regular season is upon us (even though Opening Day is technically still more than a week away), and it's time for us -- on pain of termination -- to rank the top 100 players in baseball.

The rankings you'll soon be thundering about to the uncaring heavens above and double-birding are based upon reasonable expectations for 2025, 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 2025. While a player's performance in 2024 is very relevant 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. 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).

Winter and spring 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 Aurelias: "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." 

100-91

100	Sean Murphy Atlanta Braves C
Murphy will open the season on the injured list because of cracked ribs, and he's coming off a disappointing 2024 in which an abdominal strain cost him time. As well, he didn't produce in line with recent norms. Murphy is still a plus defender at catcher, and we'll project a bounce-back year at the plate once he gets healthy.
99	Oneil Cruz Pittsburgh Pirates SS
Coming off a 20-20 season in which he also had 34 doubles, Cruz and the Pirates are hoping that a move to center from short might afford better health. Few can compare to Cruz's bat speed and ability to hit the ball hard.
98	Patrick Bailey San Francisco Giants C
Bailey is just OK as a hitter by positional standards, but he's already established himself as one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.
97	Brenton Doyle Colorado Rockies CF
Doyle has two Gold Gloves in as many seasons as the Rockies' center fielder. This past season, he also put up a quality offensive campaign and stole 30 bases.
96	Colton Cowser Baltimore Orioles RF
The runner-up for AL Rookie of the Year honors last season, Cowser spent time at all three outfield positions while slashing .242/.321/.447 (123 OPS+) with 24 homers.
95	Luis Castillo Seattle Mariners SP
Now in his thirties, Castillo has been a rotation bedrock for years. He lost a bit of velocity last season, and his run-prevention numbers also slid a little. For now, though, we'll bet on the track record and a bit of a rebound in 2025.
94	Zachary Neto Los Angeles Angels SS
A promising young Halos player? Yes indeed, believe it or not. Neto, 24, enjoyed good production and solid quality of contact, at least by positional standards, in 2024. Leading defensive metrics are at odds over his defense at the six, but split the difference and you still get an asset.
93	Isaac Paredes Houston Astros 3B
The Astros' new third baseman brings with him to Houston a career OPS+ of 112, a 30-homer reason in his recent past, and strong plate discipline. Paredes is still just 26 years old.
92	Cristopher Sanchez Philadelphia Phillies SP
Sánchez has added across-the-board velocity in recent years, and that's helped him take the next step. Now 28, he's building off a 2024 campaign that saw him top 180 innings with an ERA+ of 122 and an FIP of 3.00.
91	Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels CF
The injuries continue to afflict Trout across the second half of his career. Perhaps the move to a corner outfield spot will help him stay on the field. Either way, Trout can still punish the ball until further notice. This ranking reflects the expectation that Trout will continue to deal with injury issues.

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90	Tyler Glasnow Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Glasnow is one of the most dominant starting pitchers around when not injured, but he simply can't stay healthy. The stuff is among the best in the game, but he's never managed more than 134 innings in a season (last year's tally). In other words, Glasnow would be in a much loftier spot if one could be confident about his durability and workload. One, however, cannot be confident about such things.
89	Mark Vientos New York Mets 3B
Vientos is a bit miscast as a third baseman, but he can punish the ball at the plate. This past season as a 24-year-old, Vientos slashed .266/.322/.516 with 27 homers in just 111 games. He was in the 92nd percentile in barrel rate. Give him a full season of plate appearances, and he could top 40 homers.
88	Alejandro Kirk Toronto Blue Jays C
Kirk's a useful hitter by the standards of his premium position, and he's a valuable and broad-based defender behind the plate.
87	Jazz Chisholm New York Yankees CF
Chisholm turned in another season of plus offensive production, positional flexibility, and standout base-running. Now 27 and in line to be the Yankees' regular second baseman, he's poised for another such year.
86	George Kirby Seattle Mariners SP
The 27-year-old righty has a rare combination of skills. He's a control artist who's also adept at getting swings on pitches outside the strike zone. He has an ERA+ of 110 in two big-league seasons, and for his career he owns a sparkling K/BB ratio of 7.56. He led the majors in that critical category in 2023 and 2024. A case of shoulder inflammation, which will land him on the IL for the start of the season, means a drop in the rankings for Kirby.
85	Masyn Winn St. Louis Cardinals SS
Winn is already in the discussion for best defensive shortstop in the game, and last season at the plate he had an OPS+ of 102 as a 22-year-old rookie.
84	Daulton Varsho Toronto Blue Jays LF
Varsho hasn't hit as hoped since joining Toronto, but the glove-work remains exceptional. Last season, he made the jump to center and was one of the most valuable fielders in all of MLB.
83	James Wood Washington Nationals OF
Wood has big-time power and patience, an excellent minor-league track record of putting up big numbers against much older peer groups, and a 122 OPS+ as a rookie last season. He'll take the next step toward stardom in 2025.
82	Shota Imanaga Chicago Cubs RP
Imanaga in his first MLB season notched a sub-3.00 ERA, worked a qualifying number of innings, and backed it up with an NL-best K/BB ratio of 6.21. A high rate of stranded baserunners could come back on him this season, but he'll still be an asset in the Chicago rotation.
81	Cody Bellinger New York Yankees CF
Bellinger's capacity to play center for the Yanks means Aaron Judge can finally move to a corner spot. Bellinger enjoyed a productive season for the Cubs last season, and he ranked in the 89th percentile of major-league hitters for pulled-fly ball rate. That tendency should make him an excellent fit for Yankee Stadium and that short right-field porch.

80-71

80	Matt Olson Atlanta Braves 1B
Olson didn't produce up to his highest standards last season (unlike 2023, when he blasted 54 homers). Trend or blip? It's probably a blip, but we'll acknowledge the possibility that decline is setting in as he's now in his thirties.
79	Bo Bichette Toronto Blue Jays SS
Bichette struggled badly at the plate last season, but it's impossible to ignore the shortstop's much larger body of work. Coming into last season, Bichette had to his credit a career OPS+ of 126. We'll bet on a renaissance for the 27-year-old.
78	Anthony Santander Toronto Blue Jays RF
Santander probably isn't going to repeat his 44-homer performance from a season ago, but he'll remain a reliable power threat. Last season, Santander notched his first All-Star selection and first Silver Slugger Award.
77	Tanner Bibee Cleveland Guardians SP
The 26-year-old Bibee in two MLB seasons has to his credit an ERA+ of 128 and an FIP of 3.54. This past season, he reached new heights in workload as he made 31 starts and worked 173 ⅔ innings. He gets good extension on a fastball that averages almost 95 mph.
76	Teoscar Hernandez Los Angeles Dodgers RF
One of the Dodgers' lineup linchpins last season, Hernández in 2024 batted .272/.339/.501 with 33 homers and 12 steals. That earned him his second Silver Slugger and third All-Star appearance.
75	Jordan Westburg Baltimore Orioles 2B
Yes, it's yet another impressive young Baltimore infielder. Westburg, 26, last season slashed .264/.312/.481 with 18 homers and 26 doubles in 107 games for the O's while also seeing significant time at third and second. He's a former first-round draft pick.
74	Dansby Swanson Chicago Cubs SS
The 31-year-old Swanson continues to pair solid right-handed pop and production with plus fielding at the vital position of shortstop. Last season, he also swiped 19 bags in 22 attempts and hit into just seven double plays.
73	Pablo Lopez Minnesota Twins SP
López suffered some bad luck on batted balls in 2024, but he still topped 180 innings for the third straight year and put up good strikeout and command numbers. He'll enjoy a run-prevention rebound in 2025.
72	Justin Steele Chicago Cubs SP
Steele isn't much of a hard thrower, but that's about the only thing lacking in his game. He's a control artist with strong ground-ball tendencies, and he boasts a 3.24 ERA across parts of four MLB seasons. Steele's made strides at the command-and-control level over the last two seasons. On the downside, he landed on the IL in both 2023 and 2024 with arm troubles.
71	Sonny Gray St. Louis Cardinals SP
Gray since 2019 has an ERA+ of 132 and an FIP of 3.30 over 153 starts. In 2024, he was one of just three qualifiers to strike out at least 30% of opposing batters. The other two were Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale, who each won the Cy Young.

70-61

70	Nico Hoerner Chicago Cubs 2B
Hoerner's broad value lands him a spot. He's a solid hitter by middle-infield standards, a plus threat on the bases, and an outstanding defender at the keystone. Over the last three seasons, Hoerner has amassed a total of 13 WAR.
69	Ian Happ Chicago Cubs LF
A three-time Gold Glover and one-time All-Star, Happ comes into his age-30 campaign with a 115 career OPS+. For his career, he's averaged 25 home runs per 162 games played.
68	Roki Sasaki Los Angeles Dodgers SP
There's no doubting the 23-year-old incoming rookie's stuff, as he blends elite fastball velocity with a devastating splitter (among other offerings). There's also no doubting his track record of dominance in Japan. Sasaki does, however, have a somewhat concerning recent health history.
67	Marcus Semien Texas Rangers 2B
Semien's offensive performance declined last season. However, he remains a defensive force at second base, and he's still quite adept at taking the extra base. That gives him a foundation of value for 2025 even if he doesn't rebound at the plate.
66	Zac Gallen Arizona Diamondbacks SP
Gallen wasn't quite up to his usual standards last season, and he missed almost a month with a hamstring injury. However, the 29-year-old righty isn't far removed from back-to-back finishes in the top five of the NL Cy Young vote in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, Gallen also topped 200 innings and 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career.
65	Brandon Nimmo New York Mets CF
Nimmo slipped a bit at the plate last season, and his days in center appear to be behind him. However, he still has strong quality-of-contact indicators, and that portends a rebound with the bat in 2025. Last season, he stole a career-best 15 bases without getting caught. For his career, Nimmo has hit into just 38 double plays in more than 900 games.
64	Logan Gilbert Seattle Mariners SP
A control artist with strong velocity and excellent extension off the mound, Gilbert going into his age-28 season is looking like an ace for years to come. Last season his 5.95 K/BB ratio was good for third in the AL, and he notched his first All-Star selection and first top-10 finish in the Cy Young vote.
63	Matt McLain Cincinnati Reds SS
A former No. 17 overall pick out of UCLA, McLain enjoyed a standout rookie half-season-and-change in 2023 before losing all of his 2024 season to a shoulder injury. The guess here is that McLain's age-25 campaign yields better health and a return to those 2023 levels of production.
62	Jose Altuve Houston Astros LF
Altuve is adding left field to his toolbag this season, but he still may see some occasional time at his old position of second base. The move to a less premium position must be taken into account when assessing Altuve's value moving forward, but the bat is still a potent one. Last season, Altuve batted .295/.350/.439 (126 OPS+) with 20 home runs and 22 stolen bases.
61	Spencer Strider Atlanta Braves SP
When healthy, Strider is simply the most overwhelming starting pitcher in MLB today. However, he's coming off an internal brace procedure performed on his throwing elbow. He could be ready to rejoin the Atlanta rotation by late April, and a swift return to dominance would hardly be surprising. Given the injury of note, though, some hedging is in order.

60-51

60	Yainer Diaz Houston Astros C
Diaz's framing needs work, but he's mobile behind the plate and adept at controlling the running game. Most of all, he's a strong hitter as catchers go. Across his young MLB career, Diaz has a 121 OPS+ with even stronger underlying indicators. He could take the next step with the bat in 2025.
59	Sandy Alcantara Miami Marlins SP
The 2022 NL Cy Young winner missed last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he's primed to get back to form in 2025. He's flashed triple digits in spring training, and the pre-surgery track record is one of ace results and ace workloads. This is a highly conservative ranking because, again, Alcantara is coming off major elbow surgery. He has the potential to be much higher.
58	Steven Kwan Cleveland Guardians LF
Kwan may be the best defensive corner outfielder in MLB right now, and he also has to his credit a career OBP of .359 and value on the bases.
57	Alex Bregman Boston Red Sox 3B
Bregman showed signs of offensive decline last season, but decline is rarely a straight-line kind of thing, especially for players as good as Bregman is. As well, playing his home games in Fenway should be a nice fit for his tendencies as a hitter.
56	J.T. Realmuto Philadelphia Phillies C
Realmuto is still a frontline defensive catcher, and his career OPS+ of 115 over the past three seasons is a strong figure among his positional peers. He's 34 now but still an excellent all-around catcher. Will he be able to be more durable in 2025 while still staving off decline with the bat? That's the big question.
55	Michael King San Diego Padres RP
King fared remarkably well in his first season as a full-time starter last year. In 173 ⅔ frames, he put up 2.95 ERA/3.33 FIP with 201 strikeouts and earned a seventh-place finish in the NL Cy Young vote – all with top-shelf stuff to match.
54	Michael Harris Atlanta Braves CF
Harris, who's still just 24, goes and gets it in center field, adds value on the bases, and produces well at the plate, particularly by the standards of up-the-middle defenders. He'll rebound with the bat and be an All-Star for the first time in 2025.
53	Blake Snell Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Yeah, Snell walks a lot of batters and is too often a stranger to pitching past the sixth inning. However, he's also a two-time Cy Young winner with excellent stuff and elite strikeout numbers.
52	Garrett Crochet Boston Red Sox RP
Crochet's conversion from reliever to starter went swimmingly and then some last season, and he's emerged as a true bat–missing dominator with elite stuff. He'll give the Red Sox a frontline presence in the rotation. Health and durability, however, are worth monitoring.
51	Yoshinobu Yamamoto Los Angeles Dodgers SP
When healthy, Yamamoto did not disappoint in his first stateside season. Across 18 starts for L.A., he enjoyed an ERA of 3.00 and a sparkling FIP of 2.61. Over 90 innings, Yamamoto struck out 105 and walked just 22. If we knew he'd be healthy and used accordingly in 2025, he'd maybe be a top-15 guy.

50-41

50	Gabriel Moreno Arizona Diamondbacks C
The 25-year-old catcher claimed the Gold Glove at the catcher position in 2023, and for his MLB career he has a 105 OPS+ across parts of three seasons. He looks like a valuable fixture behind the plate in Arizona for years to come.
49	Seiya Suzuki Chicago Cubs RF
In three MLB seasons, Suzuki has a slash line of .278/.354/.470, which is good for an OPS+ of 128. Per 162 games played, Suzuki for his career has averaged 23 homers, 34 doubles, and 13 steals.
48	Aaron Nola Philadelphia Phillies SP
Nola remains a true contemporary workhorse, coming two outs away from 200 innings in 2024. Throw out the abbreviated 2020 season, and Nola has notched at least 180 innings in each of the last six seasons. Within that span, he's put up three 200-inning campaigns. For his career, Nola has an ERA of 3.70 and an FIP of 3.45.
47	Matt Chapman San Francisco Giants 3B
Chapman is not quite the hitter he was during his peak years with Oakland. However, he's still a solidly above-average producer at the plate, and with the glove he's still among the best at the hot corner.
46	Dylan Cease San Diego Padres SP
Cease, still on the right side of age 30, pitched yet again like an ace this past season. In an MLB-leading 33 starts, he registered a 3.47 ERA and a 3.10 FIP. Cease also topped 200 strikeouts for the fourth straight year and had the best K/BB ratio of his career.
45	Jarren Duran Boston Red Sox CF
What a breakout season for Duran. He manned a stellar center field, played in 160 games, had an OPS of .834, and stole 43 bases. His WAR of 8.7 ranked fourth in the AL last season. More to come for the 28-year-old.
44	Manny Machado San Diego Padres 3B
The 32-year-old Machado enjoyed a healthier and more productive 2024 compared to his 2023 season. The further away he got from his October 2023 elbow surgery, the better he produced. Machado profiles as a future Hall of Famer.
43	Rafael Devers Boston Red Sox 3B
Another year, another high-quality season for Devers, who's now 28. For his career, he's averaged 33 homers, 42 doubles, and 321 total bases per 162 games played. However, it's time for him to move to DH.
42	Chris Sale Atlanta Braves SP
The defending NL Cy Young winner enjoyed a renaissance season for the ages in 2024. Sale still has the stuff and skills to turn in another such gem of a season, but the injury risk for him is always a consideration. Without that, his ranking would be quite higher.
41	Will Smith Los Angeles Dodgers C
Smith remains a steady and strong producer as catchers go. In 128 games for the world-champion Dodgers last season, Smith had an OPS+ of 116 with 20 homers. He won't turn 30 until late March, so decline shouldn't yet be a major concern.

40-31

40	Ronald Acuna Atlanta Braves RF
Acuña is coming off the second torn ACL of his career, and he probably won't make his season debut until some time in May. We know about the MVP upside, though, and the expectation is that the 27-year-old Acuña will put up big value once he returns.
39	Brent Rooker Athletics DH
Rooker followed up a 30-homer campaign in 2023 with a 2024 season that saw him emerge as one of the best pure hitters around. In 145 games for the Athletics, Rooker batted .293/.365/.562 with 39 homers. That was good enough for a Silver Slugger, a 10th-place finish in the AL MVP vote, and a long-term extension from a skinflint organization.
38	Bryce Harper Philadelphia Phillies DH
Harper in 2024 enjoyed his healthiest full season since 2019. In 145 games, he slashed .285/.373/.525 with 30 homers, 42 doubles, 76 walks. At age 32, Harper is still a big-time producer at the plate.
37	Carlos Correa Minnesota Twins SS
Correa will probably always be bedeviled by injuries, but his potent bat and his plus glove at short means he yields a high level of overall value even in seasons in which he misses significant time.
36	Andres Gimenez Toronto Blue Jays 2B
Giménez is in the discussion for top defensive second baseman in baseball. He's also a solid enough hitter as middle infielders go and an excellent force on the bases.
35	Willy Adames San Francisco Giants SS
The Giants' major winter addition has averaged 28 homers per season over the last four years while manning the coveted role of shortstop. Something along those lines is his outlook for his first season in San Fran.
34	Corbin Carroll Arizona Diamondbacks LF
Carroll's capacity to man center and baserunning provide a strong foundation of value, and he's primed to get back to peak form with the bat in his upcoming age-24 campaign. He hit into just three double plays for all of 2024.
33	Logan Webb San Francisco Giants SP
Over the last four seasons, he's averaged 190 innings per campaign with a 126 ERA+ and a 4.14 K/BB ratio. Webb's now 28, which probably means more of the same to come.
32	Jackson Merrill San Diego Padres SS
Merrill as a 21-year-old last season finished second to Paul Skenes in the NL Rookie of the Year vote. It was deserved. He successfully made the late leap from shortstop to center field, and then he went out and crafted a 127 OPS+ with 24 homers and 16 steals in 156 games.
31	Wyatt Langford Texas Rangers OF
As the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, Langford obviously has big upside, and he's fresh off a distinguished rookie season in 2024. In 134 games for Texas, Lanford put up a 111 OPS+ with 16 homers, 25 doubles, and 19 thefts, and plus fielding in left. He'll take the next step in 2025 as a 23-year-old.

30-21

30	Austin Riley Atlanta Braves 3B
Atlanta's hot-cornerman has amassed 127 home runs over the last four seasons, and he's also a plus fielder at the position. The guess here is that he enjoys better health and more customary power outputs in 2025 after a somewhat disappointing 2024.
29	Vladimir Guerrero Toronto Blue Jays 1B
Coming off a disappointing-by-his-standards 2023, Vlad Jr. returned to elite form in 2024 with a 166 OPS+, 75 extra-base hits, and 335 total bases. He may be entering his peak years, and the 2025 season will be his final one before reaching free agency.
28	Riley Greene Detroit Tigers CF
Greene in 2024 continued what looks like a path toward stardom for the Tigers. En route to authoring a 5.4-WAR season as a 23-year-old, Greene had a 133 OPS+ with 24 home runs in 137 games. Along the way, he notched the first of presumably many All-Star selections.
27	Cole Ragans Kansas City Royals RP
The former first rounder enjoyed a nifty breakout campaign for the Royals last season. In 186 ⅓ innings, he put up an ERA of 3.14 with a sub-3.00 FIP and racked up 223 strikeouts. Armed with a wipeout changeup and a 95-mph fastball, Ragans at age 27 should continue dominating.
26	Max Fried New York Yankees SP
Injuries remain something of a worry for the lefty -- he missed major time in 2023, mostly because of a forearm strain -- but he's an elite starting pitcher when healthy. His career 140 ERA+ (!) speaks to that fact. Despite the injuries, he's reached a qualifying number of innings in four different seasons, including 2024. The Yankees got a good one.
25	Freddie Freeman Los Angeles Dodgers 1B
The future Hall of Famer continues to show not much in the way of troubling decline even as he arrives in his mid-thirties. In 2024, Freeman enjoyed an OPS+ of 143 and a WAR of 4.7.
24	Framber Valdez Houston Astros SP
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.
23	Trea Turner Philadelphia Phillies SS
That's more like it. Coming off a down 2023, Turner last season got back to a more typical level of production – meaning he was a special offensive player, especially as shortstops go.
22	Corbin Burnes Arizona Diamondbacks SP
The new ace in the desert lost some strikeout chops during his lone season in Baltimore, but some late-season adjustments yielded more customary results. He fetched more than $200 million on the market for good reason.
21	Fernando Tatis San Diego Padres RF
Tatís endured another injury-compromised season in 2024, but he also once again produced at an exceptionally high level when healthy. Speaking of, he's healthy now, and a healthy Tatis Jr. typically puts up MVP-caliber numbers. Somehow, he's still just 26.

20-11

20	Adley Rutschman Baltimore Orioles C
The O's franchise catcher backslid at the plate a bit last season, but that doesn't do great harm to his outlook for 2025. Expect a rebound for the 27-year-old All-Star.
19	Elly De La Cruz Cincinnati Reds SS
The most electric player in the game today? De La Cruz is the leading candidate for that honor. He's also, you know, very good at baseball. He's fresh off a 5.2 WAR, age-22 season in which he stole an MLB-leading 67 bases; cracked 71 extra-base hits; and spent almost 1,400 defensive innings at shortstop.
18	Kyle Tucker Chicago Cubs RF
Tucker narrowly missed a 30-30 season in 2023, and in 2024 he managed a lofty 4.7 WAR despite missing roughly half the season with a shin injury. The new Cub comes into 2025 with a career OPS+ of 139. Put him on your NL MVP watch-list for this year.
17	Ketel Marte Arizona Diamondbacks 2B
The chronically underappreciated Marte is coming off his best season yet. A force at the plate, in the field at second base, and on the bases, Marte deservingly finished third in the NL MVP vote. Let's expect another high finish in 2025.
16	William Contreras Milwaukee Brewers C
Contreras has emerged as the NL's best catcher, and it's frankly not all that close. Now 27, Contreras over the last three seasons has an OPS+ of 129 with 25 homers and 37 doubles per 162 games played. That's elite production for a solid defensive catcher.
15	Corey Seager Texas Rangers SS
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.
14	Cal Raleigh Seattle Mariners C
The most underrated player in baseball? It might just be the Mariners' backstop. Raleigh is excellent at pitch-framing and controlling the running game, and with the bat he's put up consecutive 30-homer seasons despite playing his home games in the majors' worst park for offense.
13	Zack Wheeler Philadelphia Phillies SP
Wheeler continues to be one of the steadiest frontline aces in baseball. Since joining the Phillies prior to the abbreviated 2020 season, Wheeler has an ERA+ of 142, an FIP of 2.96, and K/BB ratio of 4.81 over 133 starts.
12	Paul Skenes Pittsburgh Pirates SP
It says here the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year will be the 2025 NL Cy Young winner. Skenes has elite velocity and a full repertoire, one of the nastiest wipeout pitchers around (his "splinker"), and a debut season of absolute dominance to his credit.
11	Julio Rodriguez Seattle Mariners CF
Even in a down year in 2024, Julio still put up a 4.3 WAR as a 23-year-old. The bet here is that his bat rebounds in 2025 and that he remains a standout fielder in center and baserunner.

10-1

10	Yordan Alvarez Houston Astros DH
Alvarez has injury issues from time to time, but when healthy he's one of the best pure hitters in the game today. Going into his age-28 season, Alvarez boasts a career OPS+ of 166. Among active players, only Mike Trout and Aaron Judge have higher figures.
9	Jose Ramirez Cleveland Guardians 3B
He remains one of the most ruthlessly consistent, productive, and durable players in baseball. Ramírez remains a plus with the glove at the hot corner, and last season he was one homer shy of a 40-40 season.
8	Francisco Lindor New York Mets SS
Lindor is a decade into his big-league career – a career that will probably land him in Cooperstown one day – and he's still at his peak. He's a do-it-all shortstop, and last season he was deserving of his runner-up finish in the NL MVP vote. Expect more of the same in 2025.
7	Mookie Betts Los Angeles Dodgers RF
One of the very best players of his generation, Betts in 2025 will probably top 75 WAR for his career. In other words, he could retire right now and have a strong Hall case. Thankfully, Betts has no such plans, and in 2025 he'll resume being one of the best all-around players in baseball. Rare is the ballplayer who can rotate between right field and shortstop in his thirties.
6	Tarik Skubal Detroit Tigers SP
With good reason, Skubal won the AL Cy Young Award in unanimous fashion last season. The best-in-class stuff plus the underlying, forward-looking indicators from 2024 all point toward continued dominance for the 28-year-old ace lefty.
5	Juan Soto New York Mets RF
The Mets' $765 million man is indeed one of the best hitters in all of baseball. The "take-and-rake" specialist for his career is a .288/.419/.569 hitter with 201 homers and more walks than strikeouts. He's on a Hall-of-Fame trajectory (and then some), and Soto is still just 26 years old.
4	Gunnar Henderson Baltimore Orioles 3B
It's a golden age of shortstops in MLB right now, and Henderson is another example of it. Across parts of three MLB seasons, the young Henderson owns an OPS+ of 141, and he's already amassed 16.2 WAR in 343 career games.
3	Aaron Judge New York Yankees RF
At some point, decline will set in for the hulking slugger, who's going into his age-33 season. There's no sign of that yet, though. Indeed, Judge is coming off a 2024 season in which he posted the highest OPS+ (223) and WAR (10.8) of his career.
2	Bobby Witt Kansas City Royals SS
The most complete position player in baseball today? Witt doesn't turn 25 until mid-June, and he combines broad-based excellence at the plate with elite baserunning, and plus defense at the premium position of shortstop. He might be your AL MVP frontrunner for 2025.
1	Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers DH
The reigning NL MVP is coming off the first 50-50 season in MLB history, and he remains at the top of his offensive game. As well, the 2025 season will occasion his return to the mound barring late setback in his recovery from a Tommy John hybrid procedure. Ohtani remains the best in the business.

MLB top 100 players by team

• 9 players: Dodgers 
• 7 players: Braves, Cubs
• 6 players: Blue Jays, Phillies
• 5 players: Astros, Diamondbacks, Mariners, Padres
• 4 players: Giants, Orioles, Mets, Red Sox, Yankees
• 3 players: Guardians, Rangers
• 2 players: Angels, Cardinals, Pirates, Reds, Royals, Tigers, Twins
• 1 player: Athletics, Brewers, Marlins, Nationals, Rockies
• 0 players: Rays, White Sox
  

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