Definitive List of MLB Players Who Deserve to Be Called a 'Superstar' in 2024
Where do you draw the line between "star" and "superstar" when it comes to the best and brightest across Major League Baseball?
That's the question I set out to answer with my definitive list of players who deserve to be called superstars in 2024.
Fair or not, being a superstar athlete is about more than just on-field performance, as major market exposure, marketability and highlight-reel skills can all help elevate a talented player to that next tier of stardom.
With all of that taken into account, I landed on a list of 15 players who check all the boxes to be considered superstars going into the 2024 MLB season.
Along with that list, you'll also find a rundown of some notable players who just missed the cut and why, some rising stars who are on the cusp of superstardom, and some past-their-prime former superstars who still deserve a quick mention in this conversation.
Let the debate begin.
Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
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Ronald Acuña Jr. is a 26-year-old reigning NL MVP honors fresh off the first 40-homer, 70-steal season in MLB history.
He is also the face of the franchise for an Atlanta Braves team that has won six straight NL East titles and currently sits behind only the free-spending Los Angeles Dodgers for the best World Series odds in 2024.
Throw in the fact that he ranked second in jersey sales in 2023, trailing only Shohei Ohtani, and there is little doubt Acuña is one of the game's biggest superstars, and he is just now entering the prime of his career.
Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
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Love him or loathe him, Jose Altuve has been one of the most recognizable players in baseball since the Houston Astros first made the jump from rebuilding to contending in 2015, and he has been a fixture in October for the better part of a decade.
The 33-year-old has launched 27 career home runs in the playoffs, a total that trails only Manny Ramírez (29) for the all-time record. He has been front-and-center for a Houston team that has reached the ALCS seven years in a row, winning four AL pennants and two World Series titles during that stretch.
For better or worse, the sign-stealing scandal only increased his profile on a national level, and he remains one of the best offensive players in the American League and the catalyst for an Astros squad that will again be on a short list of title contenders.
Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Mookie Betts has the personality that many of baseball's biggest stars lack, and he has been one of the game's most marketable superstars since his days with the Boston Red Sox.
The 31-year-old is locked into a 12-year, $365 million contract that will keep him in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform through the 2032 season. And he's coming off one of the best seasons of his career, hitting .307/.408/.579 with a career-high 39 home runs and an NL-leading 8.3 WAR to finish runner-up to Ronald Acuña Jr. in NL MVP voting.
His move from right field to shortstop this year will shine even more light on his overflowing toolbox of skills, and he is on a clear Hall of Fame trajectory with 64.5 WAR through the first 10 seasons of his career.
Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
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Spoiler: Gerrit Cole is the only pitcher on this list.
Whether it's the fact that starting pitchers only play every fifth day, the general lack of consistent high-level performance from pitchers or the greater risk of injury that comes with the position, it's significantly harder for a pitcher to break through as a superstar.
Aging veterans Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer all fit the bill at various points in their career, but with Father Time approaching, they no longer belong in the conversation.
With a record-setting nine-year, $324 million contract playing for the highest-profile team in the sport and a long-awaited Cy Young performance in 2023, Cole is the most recognizable elite-level pitcher in baseball.
Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
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All due respect to Atlanta Braves slugger Matt Olson, but Freddie Freeman is still the best all-around first baseman in the game.
He has been performing at an elite level for significantly longer, has a more well-rounded offensive game and hasn't lost a step heading into his age-34 campaign.
He hit .331/.410/.567 with 29 home runs and 102 RBI last season in the middle of a high-powered offense, and he came one double shy of joining the exclusive 60-double club while also racking up a career-high 211 hits.
With six straight finishes in the top 10 in NL MVP voting and a likable personality that has endeared him to fans outside of his own market, Freeman is one of a handful of superstars on baseball's most stacked roster.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
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A baseball prodigy with a Hall of Fame father, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been in the spotlight since before he even made his MLB debut, ranking as the No. 1 prospect in baseball heading into the 2019 season.
He turned in a peak performance during the 2021 season, hitting .311/.401/.601 with 48 home runs and 111 RBI to finish runner-up to Shohei Ohtani in AL MVP voting. And while he has failed to duplicate that level of production in the years since, he has continued to rake.
The cover athlete for MLB The Show 24 and the defending Home Run Derby champion, Guerrero is one of baseball's most entertaining players, and at 24 years old, he already has a 131 OPS+ and 130 home runs over five big league seasons.
Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
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Faced with the impossible task of being dubbed "Baseball's Chosen One" on the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was only 16 years old, Bryce Harper has lived up to those lofty expectations.
Not only is he one of the most recognizable faces in the sport, but he also has the production to back it up with 306 home runs, 46.2 WAR, seven All-Star selections and two MVP awards in his 12-year career.
The 31-year-old will make the full-time move to first base this season, but that should do nothing to detract from his superstar profile. And with eight seasons remaining on his 13-year, $330 million contract, he will be the face of the franchise in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
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There is a case to be made that Aaron Judge established himself as a superstar when he launched a rookie-record 52 home runs during the 2017 season, as success in Yankee pinstripes tends to carry more weight on a national level than anywhere else.
Injuries have limited the 31-year-old to just three seasons with at least 120 games played, but he has made the most of his time on the field, crushing 257 home runs in eight seasons and setting the AL single-season record with 62 home runs and 131 RBI on his way to AL MVP honors in 2022.
That earned Judge a massive nine-year, $360 million contract, and while it remains to be seen how that deal will age in the coming years, there is no doubt he is one of the game's biggest superstars.
Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
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With eight seasons remaining on his 10-year, $341 million contract and back-to-back 5-WAR seasons under his belt, Francisco Lindor has a chance to go down as the most productive position player in New York Mets franchise history.
He still has a ways to go before he catches the likes of Darryl Strawberry, David Wright, Mike Piazza and Carlos Beltran, but he is capable of overtaking all of them as he enters his 30s still producing at an elite level.
Lindor had the first 30/30 season of his career in 2023, and outside of his statistical production, his exuberance and love for the game also make him an extremely easy player to root for on a team that continues to fight for its market share in the state of New York.
Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
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With seven 30-homer seasons over 12 years in the big leagues, Manny Machado has been one of baseball's most consistent middle-of-the-order threats since he first broke into the big leagues as a 20-year-old with the Baltimore Orioles.
The 31-year-old signed a megadeal with the San Diego Padres the same winter that Bryce Harper joined the Philadelphia Phillies, and where those two superstars would land in free agency was one of the biggest offseason storylines of the past decade.
With 1,737 hits, 313 home runs, 944 RBI and 54.9 WAR, Machado stands to surpass some major milestones before his time in San Diego is over, especially after he inked a new 11-year, $350 million extension prior to last season.
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
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A once-in-a-generation talent who impacts the game like no one before him, Shohei Ohtani is the face of baseball right now and an easy choice for the No. 1 spot on any list of the game's biggest superstars.
The two-way standout won't take the mound in 2024 after undergoing elbow surgery to repair a UCL tear in his right elbow, but he remains an MVP candidate simply for his production in the batter's box.
It's up to the Los Angeles Dodgers to figure out how to squeeze the most out of his unique combination of skills in the coming years, whether it's limiting his innings on the mound, using him in a non-traditional role or simply hoping for the best and letting him air it out.
Regardless, Ohtani is the most compelling player in baseball and one of the best-known superstars in any sport right now.
Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
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Corey Seager joined the Hall of Fame trio of Reggie Jackson, Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax as the only players in MLB history to win multiple World Series MVP awards when he helped lead the Texas Rangers to the 2023 World Series title.
The 29-year-old also finished runner-up to Shohei Ohtani in AL MVP balloting, racking up 75 extra-base hits and a career-high 6.9 WAR, despite the fact that injuries limited him to only 119 games.
With Ohtani not pitching in 2024 and a clean bill of health, it's not out of the question to think he could be the best player in baseball during the upcoming season, and his 10-year, $325 million contract looks like money well spent.
Juan Soto, New York Yankees
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Juan Soto is still only 25 years old, or to put it another way, he's only four years older than Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Paul Skenes who was taken No. 1 overall in the 2023 draft last summer.
While Skenes is getting ready for his first full professional season, Soto has already played six years in the majors and established himself as an offensive force, and now he is set to take aim at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium in a contract year.
Whether he inks a lucrative, long-term extension with the New York Yankees or signs elsewhere in free agency next winter, his elite plate discipline, 30-homer power and signature "Soto shuffle" will ensure he maintains his superstar status wherever he winds up playing in 2025 and beyond.
Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
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Are fans willing to forget the 80-game PED suspension that Fernando Tatis Jr. served late in the 2022 season and into the 2023 campaign?
The 25-year-old was a superstar on the rise and one of the most dynamic players in the sport before his suspension, and he didn't miss a beat in his return to action last year.
He posted a 113 OPS+ with 33 doubles, 25 home runs and 29 steals in a 5.5-WAR season while also taking home Platinum Glove honors in his first full season as an outfielder.
The PED cloud will likely follow Tatis for the rest of his career, but that doesn't preclude him from the superstar conversation.
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
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Injuries have limited Mike Trout to 237 games over the past three seasons, and that has dealt a blow to talks of him potentially establishing himself as baseball's GOAT once the dust settles on his career. But he's still a superstar.
The 32-year-old launched 40 home runs in 119 games during the 2022 season, and he had a 131 OPS+ and 2.9 WAR in just 82 games last year, so when he has managed to take the field he has continued to look like the elite talent that has made him the best all-around player of his generation.
With 85.2 WAR over 13 seasons, Trout could retire tomorrow and would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but there is still plenty left in the tank if he can avoid the injury bug.
No-Doubt Stars, Not Quite Superstars
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Pete Alonso, New York Mets: Alonso leads the majors with 192 home runs since launching a record-setting 53 bombs as a rookie in 2019. However, he is still a tier below Freddie Freeman, Matt Olson and now Bryce Harper at his own position, and his future in New York is up in the air.
Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays: Though he has arguably had a better start to his career than teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and also has MLB bloodlines, Bichette does not have the same national star power. Can he move out of his teammates shadow?
Corbin Burnes, Baltimore Orioles: Burnes has been underappreciated playing in Milwaukee, and the same could be true in Baltimore, but he has consistently been an elite-level starter since breaking out during the 2020 season.
Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins: Despite a down year in 2023, Correa is still on the edge of superstardom thanks to a fantastic postseason track record and a well-rounded set of skills. The 29-year-old looks like a prime candidate for a bounce-back season in 2024.
Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox: Devers has not yet stepped into the clear face of the franchise role that Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts occupied during their time in Boston, and his defensive shortcomings keep him a notch below the game's other elite third basemen.
Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves: Olson has a couple good seasons, a couple great seasons and an epic 2023 campaign where he led the majors in home runs (54) and RBI (139) on his resume, but he is also still playing in the shadow of teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. in Atlanta and his predecessor Freddie Freeman among first basemen.
José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians: A no-doubt superstar based solely on talent, Ramírez remains one of the most underrated guys in the sport playing off the national radar in Cleveland. How many people realize he has finished in the top 10 in AL MVP voting six times in the past seven years.
Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves: It still doesn't feel like Riley gets the recognition he deserves on a national level, even though he has put together three straight elite-level offensive seasons and earned himself a 10-year, $212 million extension.
Blake Snell, Free Agent: The sheer volume of time the national media has spent talking about Snell this offseason amid his ongoing free agency has thrust him into the spotlight. While he has been inconsistent throughout his career, he is also just the seventh pitcher in MLB history to win a Cy Young in both leagues.
Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies: Bouncing from the Washington Nationals to the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Philadelphia Phillies over the past three seasons has kept Turner from putting down roots from a fanbase standpoint. He also got off to a slow start in the first season of an 11-year, $300 million deal with the Phillies, but he posted a .902 OPS with 36 extra-base hits in 67 games after the All-Star break and could make his way onto the superstar list in 2024.
Young Stars on the Cusp
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Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks: Carroll is well on his way to superstardom after a 25-homer, 54-steal, 5.4-WAR season and unanimous NL Rookie of the Year honors, and he can settle in as the face of the franchise for the D-backs with an eight-year, $111 million extension on the books.
Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles: Henderson was similarly impressive in his rookie campaign, racking up 6.2 WAR in 150 games while establishing himself as a foundational piece of what the Orioles are building.
Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox: After battling injuries, Robert finally stayed healthy for a full season in 2023, and the result was a 38-homer, 20-steal, 5.0-WAR performance and a Silver Slugger as one of the few bright spots for the White Sox.
Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners: There is a strong case to be made that J-Rod is already a superstar after two stellar seasons while establishing himself as the face of the franchise for the Mariners. More of the same in 2024 would vault him onto the list.
Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles: All signs point to Rutschman living up to being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, as he debuted with a 5.2-WAR season in 2022 and followed that up with his first All-Star selection and Silver Slugger honors in 2023. Catchers face an uphill battle to superstardom, but he has that level of upside.
Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves: Armed with a high-octane fastball that averaged 97.2 mph and a lethal slider, Strider has piled up 483 strikeouts in 318.1 innings over the past two seasons. The 25-year-old has the type of eye-popping stuff to be the rare pitcher who breaks through to superstardom.
Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals: Witt is on track to be Kansas City's best homegrown player since George Brett, and he took a huge step forward in his second season in the big leagues, posting a 120 OPS+ with 30 home runs, 49 steals, 4.4 WAR and improved defense. The Royals don't get a ton of national attention, but he has the skills to break through.
No Longer Superstars, Still Stars
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Everyone listed below has been a superstar at one point in their career, and some are still legitimate stars for their respective teams, but none crack the superstar conversation heading into 2024:
- Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals
- Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers
- Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
- Zack Greinke, free agent
- Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
- Max Scherzer, Texas Rangers
- Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees
- Justin Verlander, Houston Astros
- Joey Votto, Toronto Blue Jays
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