Latest Position-by-Position Player Rankings, September Edition
Who are the best of the best across Major League Baseball during the 2023 season?
That's the question we set out to answer each month with our position-by-position player rankings, casting aside previous production and future expectations to focus solely on production during the current season of play.
The most recent version of our player rankings was published on Aug. 4, and with another month of baseball completed, there is plenty of shuffling to be done at each position.
The final month of the 2023 season is here, and as playoff and award races heat up across baseball, now is the perfect time to take a look at the leading contenders for this year's All-MLB team with a rundown of the best players at each position.
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
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Top 10 Catchers
1. Sean Murphy, ATL (1)
2. Will Smith, LAD (3)
3. Adley Rutschman, BAL (4)
4. Jonah Heim, TEX (2)
5. William Contreras, MIL (5)
6. Cal Raleigh, SEA (8)
7. Patrick Bailey, SF (7)
8. J.T. Realmuto, PHI (10)
9. Willson Contreras, STL (NR)
10. Yainer Diaz, HOU (NR)
Notes
-Sean Murphy leads all catchers in OPS+ (140) and he is tied with Will Smith for the lead in WAR (3.8), as he has been a legitimate secondary star behind Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson on a loaded Atlanta Braves roster. He has also been one of the most valuable defensive catchers in baseball.
-It looked like Jonah Heim would miss significant time when he suffered a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist at the end of July, but he returned just two weeks later. However, the AL All-Star Game starter is hitting just .150/.209/.225 in 43 plate appearances since he returned to action.
-Rookies Patrick Bailey and Yainer Diaz have both made a major impact for contending teams. Bailey has been arguably the best defensive catcher in baseball, while Diaz has a 122 OPS+ with 19 home runs in 88 games, though he has split his time relatively evenly between catcher and designated hitter.
First Basemen
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Top 10 First Basemen
1. Freddie Freeman, LAD (1)
2. Matt Olson, ATL (2)
3. Yandy Díaz, TB (3)
4. Christian Walker, ARI (5)
5. Paul Goldschmidt, STL (6)
6. Nathaniel Lowe, TEX (4)
7. Pete Alonso, NYM (7)
8. Triston Casas, BOS (10)
9. Josh Naylor, CLE (8)
10. Ryan Mountcastle, BAL (NR)
Notes
-With a .338 average, Freddie Freeman is slowly chasing down Luis Arraez in the NL batting title race, and he leads the NL in hits (178), doubles (51) and total bases (308). He has a real shot at becoming the first player to tally 60 doubles since Joe Medwick and Charlie Gehringer in 1936.
-Slugger Matt Olson leads the NL in home runs (43) and RBI (112), and he has also recorded a career-high 14.7 percent walk rate en route to a .379 on-base percentage. Can he break Andruw Jones single-season franchise record of 51 home runs?
-Ryan Mountcastle is hitting .353/.425/.561 with seven home runs and 25 RBI in 41 games since the All-Star break to push his way into the top 10 at a deep position. The 26-year-old has a 120 OPS+ with 20 doubles, 18 home runs and 65 RBI on the year.
Second Basemen
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Top 10 Second Basemen
1. Marcus Semien, TEX (3)
2. Luis Arraez, MIA (1)
3. Bryson Stott, PHI (5)
4. Ketel Marte, ARI (2)
5. Ozzie Albies, ATL (4)
6. Nico Hoerner, CHC (6)
7. Gleyber Torres, NYY (7)
8. Nolan Gorman, STL (5-UT)
9. Edouard Julien, MIN (10)
10. Jose Altuve, HOU (NR)
Notes
-Marcus Semien has already logged his fourth 5-WAR season in the last five years, posting a 118 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 20 home runs, 81 RBI and 99 runs scored. The 32-year-old has also put together another Gold Glove-caliber season defensively (13 DRS, 2.4 UZR/150) at second base.
-After hitting .383 during the first half of the season, Luis Arraez is batting just .281/.301/.395 since the All-Star break. That said, he still leads the majors with a .349 batting average, and he is hitting an absurd .430 in 111 plate appearances with runners in scoring position.
-Up-and-comer Nolan Gorman bounced around between second base, third base and designated hitter over the first few months of the season. However, the 23-year-old has played exclusively second base since the All-Star break, so we've shifted him to this list to reflect that change.
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Third Basemen
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Top 10 Third Basemen
1. José Ramírez, CLE (1)
2. Austin Riley, ATL (5)
3. Isaac Paredes, TB (3)
4. Alex Bregman, HOU (10)
5. Matt Chapman, TOR (2)
6. Jeimer Candelario, CHC (4)
7. Rafael Devers, BOS (9)
8. Nolan Arenado, STL (8)
9. Manny Machado, SD (7)
10. Josh Jung, TEX (6)
Notes
-With a rare mix of power (22 HR), speed (21 SB) and quality defense (3 DRS, 1.6 UZR/150), José Ramírez has been the most well-rounded third baseman in baseball this season. He continues to produce at an elite level, despite limited production around him in the Cleveland lineup
-Alex Bregman is well on his way to his best season since 2019 when he finished runner-up in AL MVP voting. The 29-year-old has a 123 OPS+ with 23 doubles, 22 home runs and 90 RBI in 134 games, and his 4.4 WAR is just a tick below what he posted in 21 more games a year ago.
-Rookie Josh Jung has been sidelined since Aug. 6 with a fractured left thumb, and he has coughed up his status as AL Rookie of the Year front-runner in the process. There is still a chance he could return before the end of the regular season.
Shortstops
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Top 10 Shortstops
1. Corey Seager, TEX (2)
2. Bobby Witt Jr., KC (6)
3. Francisco Lindor, NYM (4)
4. Bo Bichette, TOR (3)
5. Dansby Swanson, CHC (5)
6. Matt McLain, CIN (7)
7. J.P. Crawford, SEA (8)
8. Geraldo Perdomo, ARI (9)
9. Orlando Arcia, ATL (10)
10. Trea Turner, PHI (NR)
Notes
-Despite playing in just 90 of 133 games for the Texas Rangers this season, Corey Seager has put together an MVP-caliber performance. In the second season of a 10-year, $325 million contract, he is hitting .346/.411/.651 for a 185 OPS+ with 35 doubles, 25 home runs and 80 RBI, and he leads all AL position players with 6.0 WAR.
-Former top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. is living up to his superstar potential, hitting .314/.351/.623 with 13 home runs and 11 steals in 42 games since the All-Star break as the biggest bright spot on a bad Kansas City Royals team. He is working on a 27-homer, 38-steal, 4.0-WAR season.
-Veteran J.P. Crawford is quietly having the best season of his career, hitting .268/.385/.421 for a 127 OPS+ with 28 doubles, 12 home runs, 44 RBI and 4.1 WAR. His walk rate has spiked from 11.3 to 15.6 percent this year, and he has been the most consistent offensive performer on the Mariners roster this season.
Note: Wander Franco has been excluded from these rankings, but he would have ranked No. 5 based on his on-field production.
Left Fielders
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Top 10 Left Fielders
1. Corbin Carroll, ARI (2)
2. Juan Soto, SD (1)
3. Randy Arozarena, TB (4)
4. Christian Yelich, MIL (3)
5. Ian Happ, CHC (6)
6. Austin Hays, BAL (8)
7. Bryan Reynolds, PIT (NR)
8. Masataka Yoshida, BOS (5)
9. Tommy Pham, ARI (9)
10. Steven Kwan, CLE (10)
Notes
-The debate between Corbin Carroll (139 OPS+, 56 XBH, 23 HR, 41 SB, 4.9 WAR) and Juan Soto (148 OPS+, 52 XBH, 25 HR, 80 RBI, 4.1 WAR) for the No. 1 spot is a good one. Soto has been the better offensive player, but Carroll has been the better all-around player thanks to his speed and defense.
-Rookie Masataka Yoshida is hitting just .255/.281/.386 since the All-Star break, and his OPS has dropped more than 200 points relative to his stellar first-half production. With limited value outside of what he does in the batter's box, he has been just a 1.3-WAR player this year, which barely cracks the top 20 among left fielders.
-With 19 DRS and 1.6 dWAR, Steven Kwan has been one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball once again this season. The 2022 rookie standout is also hitting .271//.337/.379 for a 101 OPS+ and he has again been one of the league's toughest punchouts with a 10.3 percent strikeout rate.
Center Fielders
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Top 10 Center Fielders
1. Julio Rodríguez, SEA (4)
2. Luis Robert Jr., CWS (1)
3. Chas McCormick, HOU (5)
4. Brandon Nimmo, NYM (6)
5. Michael Harris II, ATL (NR)
6. Brandon Marsh, PHI (9)
7. Lars Nootbaar, STL (10)
8. Mike Trout, LAA (3)
9. James Outman, LAD (NR)
10. Adam Duvall, BOS (NR)
Notes
-It's a coin toss between Julio Rodríguez (130 OPS+, .286/.346/.482, 56 XBH, 35 SB, 5.1 WAR) and Luis Robert Jr. (136 OPS+, .271/.325/.561, 69 XBH, 17 SB, 5.4 WAR) for the top spot among center fielders. With a ridiculous .429/.474/.724 line in August that coincided with the Mariners setting a franchise record for wins in a month, J-Rod gets the nod.
-Apologies Atlanta Braves fans, Michael Harris II deserved to be on this list last time around. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year got off to a rocky start this season, but he now has a 110 OPS+ with 22 doubles, 12 home runs, 20 steals and 2.7 WAR in 109 games.
-In 71 games, Adam Duvall has posted a 145 OPS+ with 22 doubles, 18 home runs and 50 RBI, making him one of the most productive run producers in baseball on a prorated basis. The 34-year-old is playing on a one-year, $7 million deal and could be making a case for a multiyear contract this winter.
Right Fielders
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Top 10 Right Fielders
1. Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL (1)
2. Kyle Tucker, HOU (2)
3. Adolis García, TEX (3)
4. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD (4)
5. Lane Thomas, WAS (5)
6. Anthony Santander, BAL (7)
7. Alex Verdugo, BOS (6)
8. Josh Lowe, TB (NR)
9. Teoscar Hernández, SEA (NR)
10. Aaron Judge, NYY (10)
Notes
-Can Ronald Acuña Jr. hold on to win NL MVP honors? The 25-year-old has played at an elite level all season, and he is well on his way to becoming the first 30-homer, 60-steal player in MLB history, hitting .334/.416/.567 with 31 doubles, 29 home runs, 79 RBI, 119 runs scored and 61 steals in a 6.5-WAR season.
-A tip of the cap to Fernando Tatis Jr. for making an absolutely seamless transition to being a full-time outfielder after years as a shortstop. Along with posting a 117 OPS+ that includes 28 doubles, 20 home runs, 67 RBI and 23 steals, he also leads all right fielders with 24 DRS while racking up 11 outfield assists.
-It has been an up and down season for Teoscar Hernández, which is less than ideal for a player set to hit free agency for the first time this winter. That said, he hit .365/.396/.654 with nine doubles, seven home runs and 22 RBI in August, and he could boost his free agency stock considerably with more of the same in September.
Designated Hitters
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Top 10 Designated Hitters
1. Shohei Ohtani, LAA (1)
2. Yordan Alvarez, HOU (2)
3. Bryce Harper, PHI (8)
4. Jorge Soler, MIA (5)
5. Justin Turner, BOS (6)
6. Marcell Ozuna, ATL (NR)
7. Brent Rooker, OAK (4)
8. J.D. Martinez, LAD (3)
9. Brandon Belt, TOR (NR)
10. Andrew McCutchen, PIT (7)
Notes
-Even if he had not thrown a single pitch this season, Shohei Ohtani would still be the AL MVP front-runner. The sport's biggest superstar is hitting .307/.410/.661 for a 183 OPS+ with 25 doubles, eight triples, 44 home runs, 95 RBI, 101 runs scored, 19 steals and 5.9 WAR as a hitter.
-Despite missing 39 games with a right oblique injury, Yordan Alvarez is still an easy choice for the No. 2 spot on this list. The Houston Astros slugger is hitting .292/.397/.572 with 23 home runs and 77 RBI in 87 games, and he is 12-for-24 with two home runs and nine RBI in his last five games as he gears up for a big final month.
-It's been a year of milestones for Andrew McCutchen, who has surpassed 2,000 hits, 1,000 walks, 400 doubles and 2,000 games played over the course of the 2023 season. There is still at least one big milestone on deck, as he sits one home run away from 300.
Utility Players
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Top 10 Utility Players
1. Mookie Betts (1)
2. Ha-Seong Kim, SD (2)
3. Gunnar Henderson, BAL (3)
4. Cody Bellinger, CHC (2-CF)
5. Whit Merrifield, TOR (6)
6. Luke Raley, TB (4)
7. Spencer Steer, CIN (8)
8. Wilmer Flores, SF (9)
9. LaMonte Wade Jr., SF (7)
10. Christopher Morel, CHC (10)
Notes
- It might seem strange to consider Mookie Betts a utility player, but with his 69 starts in right field, 44 starts at second base and 12 starts at shortstop, that is exactly what he has been for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season. Even with all that shuffling around, he has an NL-leading 172 OPS+ and a career-high 36 home runs in a 7.6-WAR season.
- Ha-Seong Kim (81 GS-2B, 25 GS-3B, 14 GS-SS), Gunnar Henderson (58 GS-3B, 46 GS-SS) and Cody Bellinger (72 GS-CF, 27 GS-1B) also feel like they are a tier above the rest of the more traditional utility players, but they have bounced around enough to qualify for this list rather than at one specific position.
- Others who were considered for this list include José Caballero (SEA), Brendan Donovan (STL), Mauricio Dubón (HOU), Ezequiel Durán (TEX), Zach McKinstry (DET), Luis Rengifo (LAA), Taylor Walls (TB).
Right-Handed Starting Pitchers
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Top 10 Right-Handed Starting Pitchers
1. Gerrit Cole, NYY (1)
2. Luis Castillo, SEA (3)
3. Zac Gallen, ARI (6)
4. Logan Webb, SF (10)
5. Spencer Strider, ATL (5)
6. George Kirby, SEA (NR)
7. Kyle Bradish, BAL (NR)
8. Sonny Gray, MIN (NR)
9. Kevin Gausman, TOR (4)
10. Zack Wheeler, PHI (NR)
Notes
-Gerrit Cole has finished runner-up in Cy Young voting twice, and inside the top five three other times, so he has been knocking on the door to take home the hardware for most of his career. With a 2.95 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 188 strikeouts in an AL-leading 174 innings, he enters September as the AL front-runner.
-With a 2.54 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 51 strikeouts in 49.2 innings since the All-Star break, Kyle Bradish has emerged as the staff ace the Baltimore Orioles were lacking during the first half of the season. The 26-year-old was acquired in the deal that sent Dylan Bundy to the Los Angeles Angels prior to the 2020 season.
-The next 10, listed alphabetically: Tanner Bibee (CLE), Corbin Burnes (MIL), Zach Eflin (TB), Logan Gilbert (SEA), Merrill Kelly (ARI), Pablo López (MIN), Charlie Morton (ATL), Shohei Ohtani (LAA), Kodai Senga (NYM), Justin Verlander (HOU).
Left-Handed Starting Pitchers
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Top 10 Left-Handed Starting Pitchers
1. Blake Snell, SD (1)
2. Justin Steele, CHC (4)
3. Framber Valdez, HOU (2)
4. Clayton Kershaw, LAD (7)
5. Eduardo Rodríguez, DET (6)
6. Jordan Montgomery, TEX (8)
7. Jesús Luzardo, MIA (5)
8. Andrew Abbott, CIN (9)
9. Shane McClanahan, TB (3)
10. Max Fried, ATL (NR)
Notes
-Blake Snell has not allowed more than three earned runs in a start since May 19, going 10-3 with a 1.38 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 104 innings over his last 18 starts. That impressive run has positioned him as the NL Cy Young front-runner and sent his stock soaring ahead of his first trip to free agency this winter.
-Is there a more underappreciated starter in baseball than Jordan Montgomery? The 30-year-old has been a reliable middle-of-the-rotation innings eater for multiple seasons, and he has a 3.19 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 138 strikeouts in 152.1 innings.
-The next 10, listed alphabetically: Logan Allen (CLE), Braxton Garrett (MIA), MacKenzie Gore (WAS), Yusei Kikuchi (TOR), Wade Miley (MIL), James Paxton (BOS), Cristopher Sánchez (PHI), Tarik Skubal (DET), Ranger Suárez (PHI), Brandon Williamson (CIN)
Relief Pitchers
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Top 10 Relief Pitchers
1. Félix Bautista, BAL (1)
2. Devin Williams, MIL (5)
3. Josh Hader, SD (2)
4. Alexis Díaz, CIN (3)
5. Yennier Cano, BAL (7)
6. David Bednar, PIT (4)
7. Bryan Abreu, HOU (10)
8. Jordan Romano, TOR (NR)
9. Tanner Scott, MIA (NR)
10. Héctor Neris, HOU (NR)
Notes
-The Orioles bullpen was dealt a blow when Félix Bautista was sidelined by a UCL injury, but it's been a brilliant year for the All-Star closer. The 28-year-old has struck out 110 of the 237 batters he has faced while posting a 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 16.2 K/9 with 33 saves in 56 games.
-Left-hander Tanner Scott is having one of the best seasons that no one is talking about. In 60 appearances, he has 24 holds with a 2.48 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 12.3 K/9 while limiting opposing hitters to a .198 average. His 2.5 WAR ranks fifth among all relievers.
-The next 10, listed alphabetically: Adbert Alzolay (CHC), Matt Brash (SEA), Aroldis Chapman (TEX), Camilo Doval (SF), Jhoan Durán (MIN), Raisel Iglesias (ATL), Kenley Jansen (BOS), Chris Martin (BOS), Joel Payamps (MIL), Evan Phillips (LAD).
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Wednesday's games.
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