Updated MLB Position-by-Position Rankings, June Edition
Who are MLB's 10 best players at each position two months into the 2022 season?
That's the simple question we set out to answer, and it required casting aside past performance, expectations and long-term projections.
In other words, name recognition and previous success don't mean anything here. We're just looking at how players are performing in 2022.
We'll have monthly updates to paint a more accurate picture of how things stand. With the All-Star Game fast approaching, this can also serve as a preview for who might be suiting up in this year's Midsummer Classic.
Let the debate begin!
Note: Included in parenthesis after each player's name is where they ranked in last month's version of this article, which can be found here.
Catchers
1 of 12
Top 10 Catchers
1. Willson Contreras, CHC (4)
2. Alejandro Kirk, TOR (NR)
3. Jonah Heim, TEX (8)
4. Tyler Stephenson, CIN (NR)
5. Omar Narvaez, MIL (NR)
6. Will Smith, LAD (5)
7. Christian Vazquez, BOS (NR)
8. Keibert Ruiz, WAS (NR)
9. J.T. Realmuto, PHI (2)
10. William Contreras, ATL (NR)
No. 1 Spot: With free agency looming this offseason, Willson Contreras is making a strong case for a lucrative multiyear deal. The 30-year-old is hitting .278/.401/.530 for a 161 OPS+ with nine doubles, nine home runs, 21 RBI and 2.2 WAR to lead all catchers.
Rising: While some Toronto Blue Jays fans started the year looking ahead to the arrival of top prospect Gabriel Moreno, incumbent catcher Alejandro Kirk is doing his best to hold off the up-and-comer. With a .301/.379/.429 line in 153 plate appearances and solid pitch-framing metrics, he has been a bright spot at what is a weak position leaguewide.
Falling: Veteran Travis d'Arnaud was No. 1 on the catcher list last time around, but he hit just .208/.247/.364 in 81 plate appearances during May. That has opened the door for William Contreras to see more time behind the dish.
First Basemen
2 of 12
Top 10 First Basemen
1. Paul Goldschmidt, STL (NR)
2. Ty France, SEA (4)
3. Pete Alonso, NYM (NR)
4. C.J. Cron, COL (5)
5. Freddie Freeman, LAD (7)
6. Luis Arraez, MIN (NR)
7. Josh Bell, WAS (3)
8. Matt Olson, ATL (6)
9. Eric Hosmer, SD (1)
10. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR (8)
No. 1 Spot: Paul Goldschmidt is the NL leader in hits (66), batting average (.349), on-base percentage (.423), slugging (.619) and OPS+ (200) after a red-hot month, and he has added 18 doubles, 11 home runs and 44 RBI. He batted .404 with a 1.288 OPS in May.
Rising: With a 149 OPS+ through 53 games, Pete Alonso is slightly ahead of the 147 OPS+ he posted during his record-breaking rookie season. He also leads the NL in RBI (47) thanks to a terrific .319/.456/.787 line with runners in scoring position.
Falling: After a great first month, Eric Hosmer hit a punchless .255/.318/.316 in 107 plate appearances in May. His overall numbers are still strong enough to earn him a spot in the top 10, but he's trending in the wrong direction.
Second Basemen
3 of 12
Top 10 Second Basemen
1. Tommy Edman, STL (3)
2. Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA (1)
3. Jeff McNeil, NYM (2)
4. Jose Altuve, HOU (NR)
5. Andres Gimenez, CLE (5)
6. Gleyber Torres, NYY (NR)
7. Trevor Story, BOS (NR)
8. Luis Guillorme, NYM (NR)
9. Santiago Espinal, TOR (8)
10. Ketel Marte, ARI (NR)
No. 1 Spot: After a strong 2021, Tommy Edman has taken his game to another level this year, improving his walk rate from 5.5 to 8.9 percent and boosting his on-base percentage from .308 to .347, largely out of the leadoff spot. On top of his offensive improvement, he has also again been elite defensively (7 DRS, 3.7 UZR/150) at second base.
Rising: Don't look now, but Gleyber Torres is hitting .295/.329/.577 with six home runs and 12 RBI in his last 21 games. It's easy to forget that he's still only 25 years old, and moving off shortstop has allowed him to focus more on his offensive game.
Falling: Ozzie Albies has not hit a home run since April 23, and his lack of on-base ability (.298 OBP) means that his offensive value relies greatly on his power production. That said, he has always been streaky, and he's capable of getting hot and quickly climbing back into the top 10.
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Third Basemen
4 of 12
Top 10 Third Basemen
1. Manny Machado, SD (3)
2. Jose Ramirez, CLE (1)
3. Rafael Devers, BOS (10)
4. Nolan Arenado, STL (2)
5. Austin Riley, ATL (4)
6. Ke'Bryan Hayes, PIT (5)
7. Josh Donaldson, NYY (NR)
8. Yandy Diaz, TB (6)
9. Patrick Wisdom, CHC (NR)
10. Alex Bregman, HOU (NR)
No. 1 Spot: The debate between Manny Machado (185 OPS+, 3 DRS, 3.3 rWAR), Jose Ramirez (194 OPS+, -3 DRS, 2.5 rWAR), Rafael Devers (170 OPS+, -2 DRS, r2.5 WAR) and Nolan Arenado (148 OPS+, 9 DRS, 2.7 WAR) for the No. 1 spot among third basemen is one of the most compelling at any position.
Rising: Despite leading the NL with 68 strikeouts, Patrick Wisdom still sports a 117 OPS+ with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 27 RBI. The 30-year-old has been a diamond-in-the-rough find for the retooling Chicago Cubs.
Falling: Sheldon Neuse was a surprise early bright spot for the Oakland Athletics, hitting .328/.394/.469 over the first month of the season. However, after hitting just .170/.232/.210 in 108 plate appearances last month, he fell from No. 7 to out of the rankings entirely.
Shortstops
5 of 12
Top 10 Shortstops
1. Tim Anderson, CWS (4)
2. J.P. Crawford, SEA (1)
3. Xander Bogaerts, BOS (3)
4. Jeremy Pena, HOU (8)
5. Francisco Lindor, NYM (5)
6. Trea Turner, LAD (NR)
7. Dansby Swanson, ATL (NR)
8. Wander Franco, TB (2)
9. Corey Seager, TEX (7)
10. Willy Adames, MIL (6)
No. 1 Spot: Chicago White Sox star Tim Anderson leads all shortstops in OPS+ (159) as he's hitting .356/.393/.503 with 14 extra-base hits and eight steals. Beneath the surface, he has trimmed his strikeout rate to a career-low 11.6 percent, and he has not sacrificed any quality of contact.
Rising: Free-agent-to-be Dansby Swanson hit .304/.357/.490 with five home runs and 17 RBI in May, and that came on the heels of an ugly .216/.293/.361 line over the first month of the season. His free-agent earning power will depend on which version shows up the rest of the way.
Falling: Growing pains are inevitable for a young player, and that's what we saw from Wander Franco last month. The Tampa Bay Rays wunderkind posted a .566 OPS in May, down from a .912 OPS over the first month of the 2022 campaign.
Left Fielders
6 of 12
Top 10 Left Fielders
1. Andrew Benintendi, KC (2)
2. Austin Hays, BAL (8)
3. Joc Pederson, SF (4)
4. Trevor Larnach, MIN (NR)
5. Mark Canha, NYM (5)
6. Ian Happ, CHC (3)
7. Jurickson Profar, SD (9)
8. Chris Taylor, LAD (NR)
9. Brandon Marsh, LAA (NR)
10. David Peralta, ARI (NR)
No. 1 Spot: With a .337/.402/.431 line through 204 plate appearances, Andrew Benintendi is the top player at a relatively weak position. The 27-year-old will be a free agent this offseason, and with the Kansas City Royals planted in the AL Central cellar, he could be a hot commodity at the trade deadline.
Rising: The No. 20 pick in the 2018 draft, Trevor Larnach is enjoying a breakout season with the Minnesota Twins. He's hitting .282/.361/.485 for a 148 OPS+ in 119 plate appearances, and he leads all left fielders with seven defensive runs saved.
Falling: Rookie Steven Kwan was No. 1 on this list in our May rankings, but after hitting .173/.271/.253 with three extra-base hits in 85 plate appearances last month, he has fallen out of the top 10. The 24-year-old could be in danger of losing his starting job.
Center Fielders
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Top 10 Center Fielders
1. Mike Trout, LAA (1)
2. George Springer, TOR (3)
3. Brandon Nimmo, NYM (4)
4. Daulton Varsho, ARI (8)
5. Julio Rodriguez, SEA (NR)
6. Luis Robert, CWS (NR)
7. Byron Buxton, MIN (2)
8. Cedric Mullins, BAL (NR)
9. Bryan Reynolds, PIT (NR)
10. Myles Straw, CLE (6)
No. 1 Spot: Healthy once again after an injury-plagued 2021, Mike Trout is hitting .292/.396/.613 for a 188 OPS+ that trails only Paul Goldschmidt (200), Aaron Judge (195) and Jose Ramirez (194) among all qualified hitters.
Rising: Top prospect Julio Rodriguez has shaken off a rough start to his MLB career to hit .313/.357/.503 with eight doubles, six home runs, 22 RBI and 11 steals in his last 38 games. It looks like he'll give Jeremy Pena a run for his money in the AL Rookie of the Year race.
Falling: After showing some signs of life early on, Cody Bellinger is back to struggling at the plate with a .184 average, 28.8 percent strikeout rate and only one home run in his last 125 plate appearances. Will he be non-tendered this winter?
Right Fielders
8 of 12
Top 10 Right Fielders
1. Mookie Betts, LAD (10)
2. Aaron Judge, NYY (2)
3. Taylor Ward, LAA (1)
4. Juan Soto, WAS (3)
5. Mike Yastrzemski, SF (NR)
6. Kyle Tucker, HOU (7)
7. Manuel Margot, TB (NR)
8. Max Kepler, MIN (5)
9. Starling Marte, NYM (NR)
10. Ronald Acuna Jr., ATL (NR)
No. 1 Spot: Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts has vaulted into the NL MVP conversation thanks to a .342/.411/.746 line in May that included 10 doubles, 12 home runs and 27 RBI in 28 games. His 3.2 WAR trail only Manny Machado (3.3) among position players.
Rising: Mike Yastrzemski missed the opportunity to play in the All-Star Game during his breakout 2020 season since it was canceled, but he's making a strong case once again this year. The 31-year-old is hitting .293/.401/.466 with 15 extra-base hits and 1.2 WAR in 41 games.
Falling: Chicago Cubs rookie Seiya Suzuki was the talk of baseball over the first few weeks of the season, going 12-for-28 with four home runs and 11 RBI in his first 10 games. Since then, he's hit just .198/.274/.306 with 40 strikeouts in 124 plate appearances.
Designated Hitters
9 of 12
Top 10 Designated Hitters
1. J.D. Martinez, BOS (2)
2. Yordan Alvarez, HOU (1)
3. Bryce Harper, PHI (4)
4. Giancarlo Stanton, NYY (NR)
5. Trey Mancini, BAL (NR)
6. Shohei Ohtani, LAA (NR)
7. Daniel Vogelbach, PIT (3)
8. Miguel Cabrera, DET (NR)
9. Mitch Garver, TEX (NR)
10. Edwin Rios, LAD (NR)
No. 1 Spot: It's a coin toss between J.D. Martinez (174 OPS+, .360/.422/.555, 5 HR, 23 RBI) and Yordan Alvarez (171 OPS+, .272/.367/.574, 14 HR, 31 RBI) for the No. 1 spot among designated hitters. With an AL-leading .360 average, Martinez gets the slight edge despite his less impressive power numbers.
Rising: Trey Mancini quietly hit .363/.449/.461 in 118 plate appearances last month, and with free agency possibly coming this winter (mutual option), he has a chance to boost his stock considerably with more of the same.
Falling: Slugger Daniel Vogelbach was hitting .312/.373/.508 at the end of April, but he batted just .164 with a .666 OPS in May and is on the injured list with a strained hamstring.
Right-Handed Starting Pitchers
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Top 10 Right-Handed Starting Pitchers
1. Corbin Burnes, MIL (3)
2. Sandy Alcantara, MIA (NR)
3. Pablo Lopez, MIA (6)
4. Joe Musgrove, SD (NR)
5. Alek Manoah, TOR (4)
6. Justin Verlander, HOU (2)
7. Paul Blackburn, OAK (NR)
8. Kevin Gausman, TOR (NR)
9. Logan Gilbert, SEA (1)
10. Tony Gonsolin, LAD (NR)
No. 1 Spot: With a 1.95 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 64.2 innings, Corbin Burnes is making a strong case to defend his 2021 NL Cy Young. The 27-year-old had his best start of the season against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 29, allowing two hits while striking out 11 over seven scoreless innings.
Rising: In his last five starts, Sandy Alcantara has gone 4-0 with a 0.69 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 40 strikeouts in 39 innings. With that, he has leapfrogged teammate Pablo Lopez and given the Miami Marlins arguably the best one-two punch in baseball.
Falling: It's been a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde start to the season for Merrill Kelly, who was brilliant in April (5 GS, 1.27 ERA, 28.1 IP) but struggled in May (5 GS, 6.31 ERA, 25.2 IP) to fall off this list after claiming the No. 9 spot last time around.
Left-Handed Starting Pitchers
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Top 10 Left-Handed Starting Pitchers
1. Nestor Cortes, NYY (2)
2. Martin Perez, TEX (NR)
3. Shane McClanahan, TB (10)
4. Tarik Skubal, DET (NR)
5. Framber Valdez, HOU (NR)
6. Max Fried, ATL (9)
7. Jose Quintana, PIT (NR)
8. Eric Lauer, MIL (5)
9. Julio Urias, LAD (6)
10. Carlos Rodon, SF (1)
No. 1 Spot: After seven shutout innings Thursday, Nestor Cortes sports a 1.50 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 68 strikeouts in 60 innings, and his breakout has been one of the biggest stories of the 2022 season.
Rising: Veteran Martin Perez signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Texas Rangers during the offseason after posting a 4.74 ERA in 114 innings with the Boston Red Sox last year. The 31-year-old leads the majors with a 1.42 ERA in 63.1 innings through 10 starts.
Falling: Carlos Rodon still ranks among the MLB leaders with 70 strikeouts in 55 innings, but his ERA climbed from 1.17 at the end of April to 3.60 at the end of May. A clunker against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 15 (3.2 IP, 10 H, 8 ER) is largely to blame.
Relief Pitchers
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Top 10 Relief Pitchers
1. Josh Hader, MIL (1)
2. Clay Holmes, NYY (NR)
3. J.P. Feyereisen, TB (NR)
4. Ryan Helsley, STL (3)
5. David Bednar, PIT (NR)
6. Brock Burke, TEX (10)
7. A.J. Minter, ATL (NR)
8. Edwin Diaz, NYM (NR)
9. Jordan Romano, TOR (2)
10. Taylor Rogers, SD (4)
No. 1 Spot: Left-hander Josh Hader has appeared in 18 games and gone a perfect 18-for-18 on save opportunities. Along the way, he's allowed just four hits and six walks while striking out 26 of the 61 batters he has faced. Not only is he baseball's best reliever, but he's a bona fide NL Cy Young candidate.
Rising: With Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Loaisiga both off to slow starts and on the injured list, Clay Holmes has become the guy in the New York Yankees bullpen. The sinkerballer has a 0.35 ERA and 0.70 WHIP with four wins, seven saves and seven holds in 24 appearances.
Falling: Veteran David Robertson began the year with 11 scoreless innings and five saves in five opportunities for the Chicago Cubs to claim the No. 5 spot on this list last month. The 37-year-old has a 4.32 ERA with two blown saves in four chances since May 7.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant and accurate through Thursday's games.
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