Determining the best MLB player at each position is no easy exercise, and the results of the number-crunching will never please everyone. But the debate is all part of the fun.
We find ourselves in that place again with MLB’s Network’s annual ranking of the Top 10 Players Right Now at each position. Disagree with the rankings? Take it up with The Shredder, the MLB Network research team’s collective system of research and analysis that uses traditional and advanced metrics and takes into account previous player performance to determine who makes the lists.
For a look the each’s position’s complete Top 10 list, click here. Or, if you only care about who’s No. 1, here’s a breakdown.
Starting pitcher: Tarik Skubal, Tigers
Skubal is the back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner and back-to-back AL ERA champ. He has 469 strikeouts since the start of 2024 — more than any other pitcher — and has played a big part in the Tigers becoming contenders again. Meanwhile, his 0.89 WHIP last season was the best in the Majors and he led AL pitchers with 6.5 bWAR. Overall, Skubal earned it. Pirates righty Paul Skenes would also be justified in this spot. But officially, it’s Skubal.
Catcher: Cal Raleigh, Mariners
Another no-brainer. Raleigh became just the fourth AL player (and first non-Yankee) to club 60 homers in a season, and he also drove in an AL-best 125 runs, leading to a second-place finish in the AL MVP race. And 49 of those homers came as a catcher, the most in one season for a primary backstop. Meanwhile, his .948 OPS was tops among all qualified primary catchers. Raleigh was also highly durable. He played in 159 games, including 121 behind the plate.
First baseman: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
Freeman just keeps doing his thing at a high level, maintaining his crown as MLB’s top first baseman. The 16-year veteran and nine-time All-Star led all primary NL first basemen in average (.295) and on-base percentage (.367) and finished second in OPS (.869). Freeman enters 2026 as the active leader among all players in hits (2,431), runs (1,379), doubles (547), RBIs (1,322) and total bases (4,145). Meanwhile, Freeman’s 12 games with three or more hits in 2025 was the second-highest total among all primary first basemen.
Second baseman: Ketel Marte, D-backs
Marte has become the offensive standard by which modern second basemen are measured, as evidenced by his second straight No. 1 ranking. The three-time All-Star led all qualified second sackers last season in on-base percentage (.376), OPS (.893) and extra-base hits (56). Meanwhile, his 145 OPS+ was easily the highest of anyone at the position. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaged nearly 30 homers, 83 RBIs and an .887 OPS.
Third baseman: José Ramírez, Guardians
Ramírez is again ranked as the top third baseman as he continues to lead the way as the total package at the hot corner. He led his qualified peers in on-base percentage (.360), OPS (.863) and stolen bases (44), and finished tied for the highest bWAR in the group (5.8). Meanwhile, his seven outs above average on defense ranked in MLB’s 93rd percentile. Not to mention that he recorded a second straight (and third overall) 30-30 season and finished third in AL MVP voting.
Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
Like Ramírez at third, Witt is an elite five-tool player at shortstop. His 184 hits last season not only led his positional peers, but were the most of any MLB player, as were his 47 doubles. Among shortstops, Witt led in OPS (.852), slugging (.501), extra-base hits (76), stolen bases (38) and bWAR (7.1). On defense, Witt’s 21 OAA were the most among MLB shortstops. It was all good for a second-straight top-five finish in the AL MVP race.
Left field: Jarren Duran, Red Sox
Duran brings a potent combo of speed and extra-base pop to the left-field spot. For a second straight season, he produced double digits in triples (an AL-best 13) to go with 41 doubles and 16 homers. This came after he led all of MLB in triples (14) and doubles (48) in 2024. All those extra bases are fueled by exceptional sprint speed (29.1 mph), which ranks in MLB’s 91st percentile. On defense, his throwing arm is valued among MLB’s best (93rd percentile), having prevented six extra runs since the start of 2024 — tied for the third most among outfielders during that span.
Center field: Julio Rodríguez, Mariners
Rodríguez is No. 1 again after he posted his third All-Star campaign in 2025, matched his career high in homers (32), led all AL players in plate appearances (710) and led all primary center fielders in hits (174) and total bases (309). He also recorded his second 30-30 season. In the field, Rodríguez possesses elite range, posting 11 OAA and ranking in MLB’s 97th percentile, while his throwing arm averages 92.6 mph and ranks in the 95th percentile. Put it all together and his 6.8 bWAR was highest among primary center fielders.
Right field: Aaron Judge, Yankees
Judge’s 2025 season only added to the prevalence of black ink on his Baseball Reference page: He led all MLB hitters in average (.331), on-base percentage (.457), slugging percentage (.688), OPS (1.145) and OPS+ (215). Related: He hit 53 homers and drove in 114 runs on his way to a second straight and third overall AL MVP Award. Judge’s hard-hit rate in 2025 was in MLB’s 99th percentile and his 24.7 percent barrel rate was the best in baseball. So, it’s no wonder that he takes this spot again. With offense that good, defense shouldn’t matter. But Judge remains strong in right field, accounting for four OAA in 2025.
Relief pitcher: Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox
Chapman had his best overall season in more than a decade in 2025, posting a 1.17 ERA in 67 relief appearances for the Red Sox and notching 32 saves. In his age-37 season — and his first All-Star season since 2021 — the lefty held opponents to a .132 average and had a 0.70 WHIP, both the best marks among relievers with at least 40 appearances. From July 23 to Sept. 10, Chapman retired 50 consecutive batters — the equivalent of nearly two perfect games. Overall last season, he was worth a career-high 3.5 bWAR, which was also the highest among MLB relievers.
