Ranking Every MLB Team's Starting Center Fielder for the 2024 Season
Welcome to Bleacher Report's 2024 MLB position rankings series.
With the beginning of a new baseball season right around the corner, we'll be ranking each team's starter at every position in the coming weeks to provide a full position-by-position preview for the 2024 campaign.
The top spot among center fielders has belonged to Mike Trout for the past decade-plus, but after missing significant time in each of the past three seasons, he is no longer a lock to be No. 1 on this list.
Rising stars Julio Rodríguez, Michael Harris II and Luis Robert Jr. are all ready to make their case as baseball's best, while Aaron Judge is also part of the conversation now after the New York Yankees added Juan Soto and shifted Judge to center field.
Players were ranked based on expectations for the 2024 season. Offensive and defensive contributions were both considered, and past track record played a major role in determining each player's outlook.
Let the debate begin.
Catch up on the 2024 Position Ranking series: Catchers, First Basemen, Second Basemen, Shortstops, Third Basemen, Left Fielders
30. Myles Straw, Cleveland Guardians
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The Cleveland Guardians acquired speedy Myles Straw from the Houston Astros at the 2021 trade deadline in exchange for young catcher Yainer Diaz in a deal that is shaping up to be a lopsided mistake.
Straw made a good initial impression in Cleveland, tallying 1.8 WAR in 60 games after the trade while showing elite speed on the bases and standout defense in center field. The Guardians signed him to a five-year, $25 million extension that offseason that includes club options in 2027 and 2028.
He won a Gold Glove in 2022, but has hit a punchless .229/.296/.284 for a 67 OPS+ over the past two seasons, tallying 3.8 WAR almost exclusively on the strength of his defense. The 29-year-old could be pushed into a fourth outfielder role if former New York Yankees top prospect Estevan Florial makes a case for a significant role.
29. Victor Robles, Washington Nationals
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"From his athleticism to his immense physical tools and his baseball savvy, [Victor] Robles has the makings of becoming a true franchise player for the Nationals, one who has the upside of a perennial All-Star and possibly an MVP candidate," MLB.com wrote prior to the 2018 season.
The following year, he was the starting center fielder for a Washington Nationals team that won the World Series. He racked up 4.4 WAR in 155 games with 33 doubles, 17 home runs and 28 steals to finish sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting and looked like a star on the rise.
In the four years since, he has tallied a combined 1.3 WAR in 327 games, hitting .225 with a 73 OPS+ while taking multiple trips to the injured list.
Still only 26 years old, he is now entering a make-or-break contract year with free agency looming next offseason.
28. Esteury Ruiz, Oakland Athletics
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In a season when stolen bases were up across baseball thanks to larger bases and new pickoff rules, Esteury Ruiz racked up an AL-leading 67 steals in 80 attempts as a rookie for the Oakland Athletics.
His impact on the bases came as no surprise following a 2022 season when he tallied 85 steals in 114 games in the upper levels of the minors, but he needs to show he can impact the game in other ways.
The 25-year-old hit .254/.309/.345 for a lackluster 88 OPS+ and was below average defensively in center field (-17 DRS, -13.5 UZR/150), which could end up leading to a shift to left field this season if the A's prefer JJ Bleday in center.
27. Kyle Isbel, Kansas City Royals
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Strong defensive metrics (13 DRS, 11.5 UZR/150) in center field helped Kyle Isbel stake his claim to the starting job for the 2024 season, but he needs to show more offensively to solidify his starting role.
The 27-year-old hit .240/.282/.380 for an 80 OPS+ with 22 doubles, five home runs and 34 RBI in 313 plate appearances, and with Hunter Renfroe and MJ Melendez both offering plus run production potential at the corner spots, he only needs to be an average offensive contributor to be a solid everyday player.
After tallying 2.1 WAR in 91 games last season, he has some breakout potential, but there is a wide range of potential outcomes for his 2024 season.
26. Parker Meadows, Detroit Tigers
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Parker Meadows took four years to advance above the High-A level in the Detroit Tigers system, but he has proved worth the wait, turning in a breakout 2022 campaign before emerging as the center fielder of the future in 2023.
The 24-year-old posted an .812 OPS with 27 doubles, 19 home runs, 65 RBI and 19 steals in 114 games at Triple-A last season, and he played well down the stretch after making his MLB debut on Aug. 21, tallying nine extra-base hits, eight steals and 0.9 WAR in 37 games.
His terrific defense in center field should give him a long runway to settle in at the plate, and while he may never hit for a high average, he does have 20-homer potential and good speed in the field and on the bases.
25. Jake Meyers, Houston Astros
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Jake Meyers has been a productive fourth outfielder for the Houston Astros over the past three seasons, tallying 3.3 WAR in 213 games with 30 doubles, 17 home runs and 76 RBI in 664 plate appearances.
Now the 27-year-old will get a chance to show what he can do with more consistent playing time.
The Astros named him the starting center fielder back in January, squashing any rumors that they could be in the market for an outside addition in the outfield while making sure Meyers would not be looking over his shoulder this spring.
Utility man Mauricio Dubón gives the team a quality insurance option and Chas McCormick could always shift back over from left field, but it's Meyers' job to lose heading into the 2024 season.
24. Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox
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Ceddanne Rafaela emerged as a top prospect in the Boston Red Sox system during the 2022 season when he hit .299/.342/.539 with 32 doubles, 10 triples, 21 home runs, 86 RBI and 28 steals in 116 games between High-A and Double-A.
Originally developed as a middle infielder, he has spent the bulk of his time in center field the last two seasons, and he appears to be hitting his way onto the Opening Day roster this spring following a decent showing as a September call-up last year.
The 23-year-old could actually see some time at second base to open the year with Vaughn Grissom on the injured list, but he is viewed as a future Gold Glove contender in center field, and when Grissom returns he will push Jarren Duran to a corner spot.
23. Brenton Doyle, Colorado Rockies
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Brenton Doyle became just the sixth rookie outfielder in MLB history to win a Gold Glove last season, posting elite defensive metrics (19 DRS, 24.0 UZR/150) and making himself a fixture on highlight reels.
The 25-year-old was a bit overmatched at the plate, hitting .203/.250/.343 for a 52 OPS+ in 431 plate appearances, but he did have 16 doubles, 10 home runs, 48 RBI and 22 steals in 27 attempts en route to a 0.9-WAR season
Doyle had a .773 OPS with 22 doubles, 26 home runs and 77 RBI in 132 games during his final full season in the minors in 2022, so while he may never be an offensive star, there is some power-speed upside.
His ceiling might be something close to Michael A. Taylor when all is said and done.
22. Harrison Bader, New York Mets
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Harrison Bader was a 3.8-WAR player and Gold Glove winner for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021, but injuries have limited him to 184 games total over the past two seasons.
The 29-year-old reached free agency for the first time in his career this winter, and he settled on a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the New York Mets. He will serve as the team's starting center fielder, pushing Brandon Nimmo over to left field.
Bader has always been an elite defensive outfielder with sneaky power and 20-steal speed, it's simply a matter of staying healthy for a full season. If he does that, he could end up being one of the best signings of the winter.
21. Michael A. Taylor, Pittsburgh Pirates
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A terrific defensive center fielder who slugged a career-high 21 home runs for the Minnesota Twins last season, Michael A. Taylor was part of a head-scratching list of players who saw their free agency stretch into March.
The 32-year-old finally inked a one-year, $4 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates last week, and he will immediately slot in as the team's starting center fielder, pushing Jack Suwinski to a corner spot opposite Bryan Reynolds.
While he hit just .220 with a .278 on-base percentage and 33.5 percent strikeout rate last season, his combination of defense up the middle and extra-base power has helped him pile up 11.3 WAR over 10 seasons.
20. Alek Thomas, Arizona Diamondbacks
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A Gold Glove finalist in 2022 and 2023, Alek Thomas has quickly established himself as a top-tier defender in center field, but he still has a ways to go offensively before he can climb any higher in these rankings.
The 23-year-old hit .230/.273/.374 for a 75 OPS+ with 17 doubles, five triples, nine home runs and nine steals over 125 games in a 1.1-WAR season last year, and he logged a .734 OPS with four long balls in 17 games during Arizona's run to the World Series.
He hit .313/.394/.559 with 59 extra-base hits in 106 games between Double-A and Triple-A during his last full season in the minors in 2021, so the potential is there for him to take a step forward at the plate.
19. Will Benson, Cincinnati Reds
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The Cincinnati Reds lost 2023 breakout center fielder TJ Friedl indefinitely after he suffered a fractured wrist diving for a ball in Saturday's game, and that leaves the position somewhat up in the air heading into the final days of spring training.
Slugger Will Benson looks like the leading candidate to step into the starting center field job, as he was previously slated for a part-time role in right field with Jake Fraley, while fourth outfielder Stuart Fairchild could also see some starts in center.
Benson, 25, fell short of expectations in Cleveland after going No. 14 overall in the 2016 draft, and the Reds acquired him for a player to be named last February. He posted a 130 OPS+ with 15 doubles, 11 home runs, 31 RBI, 19 steals and 1.6 WAR in 108 games in 2023.
18. José Siri, Tampa Bay Rays
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Viewed as a glove-first center fielder heading into the 2023 season, José Siri posted a 106 OPS+ with 25 home runs in 364 plate appearances to emerge as a solid run producer at the bottom of the Tampa Bay Rays lineup.
He hit just .222 with a .267 on-base percentage and a staggering 35.7 percent strikeout rate, but his ability to find the bleachers with 33 percent of his hits helped elevate his offensive profile and made him a 1.7-WAR player.
His batted-ball metrics suggest there is some regression to come in his power production, so he will need to further refine his approach at the plate if he wants to continue to be an above-average offensive performer.
17. Johan Rojas, Philadelphia Phillies
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Johan Rojas looks like the long-awaited answer to what has been a revolving door in center field for the Philadelphia Phillies after piling up 2.5 WAR in 59 games as a rookie last season while pushing Brandon Marsh to left field.
Rojas, 23, hit .302/.342/.430 for a 111 OPS+ with 13 extra-base hits and 14 steals in 164 plate appearances, and while his poor batted-ball metrics raise major questions about the sustainability of that performance, his defense gives him a high floor.
His 15 Defensive Runs Saved in center field were the 14th-highest total of any player at any position, and he did it in only 392 innings, the least of any player who ranked inside the top 30 in that category.
16. Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres
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Viewed as one of the best pure hitters in the minors, Jackson Merrill has been on the fast track to the majors since going No. 27 overall in the 2021 draft, but it was unclear exactly how the shortstop fit into the team's plans with a crowded infield.
Those questions have been answered this spring, as he has shifted to the outfield to fill a void created when the San Diego Padres traded Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to the New York Yankees this offseason.
The 20-year-old is hitting .351/.400/.595 with three doubles, two home runs and two steals in 40 plate appearances this spring, and he is expected to be named the team's Opening Day center fielder, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
15. Jackson Chourio, Milwaukee Brewers
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The Milwaukee Brewers signed Jackson Chourio to an eight-year, $82 million extension in December, shattering the record for the largest contract ever given to a player with zero MLB experience.
"We are extremely excited to make this unprecedented commitment to a player we believe to be a generational talent who has all the tools to be the face of our franchise," general manager Matt Arnold told reporters. "We are thrilled to have Jackson in a Brewers uniform for many years to come."
The 20-year-old hit .280/.336/.467 with 23 doubles, 22 home runs, 89 RBI and 43 steals in 122 games at Double-A last season before closing out the year with six games at the Triple-A level. Now he is expected to make the jump to the big leagues to kick off the 2024 campaign.
14. Jung Hoo Lee, San Francisco Giants
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The success of Ha-Seong KIm with the San Diego Padres no doubt helped pave the way for fellow KBO standout Jung Hoo Lee to secure a massive six-year, $113 million contract with the San Francisco Giants this offseason.
It's always tough to project how an international player's game will translate stateside, and the KBO has often been viewed as slightly inferior to the Japanese League, but Kim's success helped legitimize the potential of the team's top-tier offensive stars.
Lee, 25, missed a significant chunk of the 2023 season with an ankle injury, but he took home 2022 KBO MVP honors when he hit .349/.421/.575 with 36 doubles, 23 home runs, 115 RBI and more walks (66) than strikeouts (32).
His plate discipline and ability to handle center field defensively help raise his floor and eliminate some of the risk in relying solely on his power production to translate.
13. Leody Taveras, Texas Rangers
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After years as a top prospect in the Texas Rangers minor league system, Leody Taveras finally broke through in 2023, seizing the center field job and quietly putting together an impressive breakout season.
The 25-year-old saw sporadic MLB action in 2020, 2021 and 2022, but he finally made his mark last year, hitting .266/.312/.421 with 31 doubles, 14 home runs, 67 RBI and 14 steals in a 2.6-WAR season for the World Series champions.
With club control through 2027, he should hold things down in center field for the foreseeable future, though he does still have something to prove after he went from an .812 OPS in the first half to a .642 OPS in the second half last year.
12. Kevin Kiermaier, Toronto Blue Jays
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Kevin Kiermaier won his fourth Gold Glove Award last season while playing on a one-year, $9 million deal, and he also put together one of the better offensive seasons of his career, logging a 104 OPS+ with 35 extra-base hits and 14 steals in 129 games.
The Toronto Blue Jays brought him back with a slight raise this offseason, inking him to a one-year, $10.5 million pact, and that will allow them to keep Daulton Varsho in left field and again give them one of the best defensive outfields in baseball.
Kiermaier, 33, has quietly compiled 35.5 WAR in 11 seasons, which is the highest total among active players who have never been selected to the All-Star team. Not a bad career for a player who was a 31st-round pick in the 2010 draft.
11. Tommy Edman, St. Louis Cardinals
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Since the start of the 2019 season, Tommy Edman ranks 30th among all position players with 17.1 WAR, ahead of guys like Jose Altuve, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ozzie Albies, Cody Bellinger, Jeff McNeil, Ketel Marte and countless other notable stars.
That total is somewhat inflated by a 6.3-WAR campaign in 2022, but even with a step backward at the plate last year, he was still a 2.1-WAR player thanks to his speed (27 SB), sneaky power (42 XBH, 13 HR) and defensive versatility.
After playing primarily middle infield at the start of his career, he shifted to center field during the second half last season to clear a path for Nolan Gorman and Masyn Winn to be the team's future double-play combination.
The 28-year-old is still recovering from offseason wrist surgery and is expected to start the year on the injured list, but he will be the primary center fielder once he returns.
10. James Outman, Los Angeles Dodgers
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James Outman was one of the biggest stories in baseball during the first month of the 2023 season, posting a .991 OPS with seven home runs and 20 RBI over his first 29 games to sprint out to an early lead in the NL Rookie of the Year race.
A prolonged slump in May and June left him looking like a potential flash in the pan, but he righted the ship after the All-Star break with an .851 OPS and 12 home runs in 68 games during the second half to solidify his standing as a promising young player on the rise.
The 26-year-old ended up finishing third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting, hitting .248/.353/.437 for a 112 OPS+ with 16 doubles, 23 home runs and 70 RBI in 151 games while tallying 3.3 WAR.
9. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Miami Marlins
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Jazz Chisholm only played 99 games last season, and he still finished just one home run shy of a 20/20 campaign, posting a 103 OPS+ with 19 home runs, 51 RBI and 22 steals for the Miami Marlins.
The 26-year-old continues to flash a tantalizing offensive ceiling, but injuries have gotten in the way each of the past two seasons, and he needs to shake the injury-prone label before he can climb any higher on this list.
His glove in center field remains a work-in-progress after he shifted there last season from his natural spot as a middle infielder, but his speed and quick-twitch athleticism could eventually make him a defensive standout.
8. Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
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After an entire season spent exclusively as a designated hitter in 2023, Byron Buxton is set to return to center field where he won Platinum Glove honors in 2017 and is a walking highlight reel, albeit a fragile one.
The 30-year-old has played more than 100 games just once in his nine seasons in the big leagues, but he has made a consistent high-level impact when he has managed to take the field, averaging 5.1 WAR per 162 games.
He had a 4.6-WAR season in 2021 while only playing in 61 games, so he is capable of superstar-level production even if he misses significant time. That makes him extremely difficult to slot in these rankings, but we'll take a cautiously optimistic approach for now and slot him just inside the top 10.
7. Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles
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Before Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and now Jackson Holliday arrived on the scene as the next big thing for the Baltimore Orioles, it was center fielder Cedric Mullins who provided some hope that there was a light at the end of the tunnel in the club's rebuilding efforts.
He turned in the first 30/30 season in Orioles history in 2021, racking up 5.9 WAR while earning an All-Star selection, winning Silver Slugger honors and finishing ninth in AL MVP balloting on a 110-loss team.
The 29-year-old has not quite matched that peak performance the past two seasons, but he has been a steady contributor, tallying 6.6 WAR and serving as a reliable veteran on a young up-and-coming roster.
6. Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs
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With top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong knocking on the door, Cody Bellinger could end up seeing the bulk of his playing time at first base during the 2024 season, but for now he looks like the Chicago Cubs' primary center fielder to open the year.
The 2019 NL MVP signed a one-year deal with the North Siders last season after he was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he rebounded in a big way, hitting .307/.356/.525 with 29 doubles, 26 home runs, 97 RBI, 20 steals and 4.4 WAR in 130 games.
After a drawn out trip to free agency, he eventually found his way back to the Cubs on a three-year, $80 million deal that contains opt-outs after the 2024 and 2025 seasons, and now he will need to prove his struggles during his final seasons in Los Angeles are truly in the rearview.
5. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
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Mike Trout is a generational talent, a sure-fire future Hall of Famer and one of the most productive players to step foot onto a baseball diamond in the last 50 years.
The 32-year-old has also only played in 48.8 percent of the Los Angeles Angels games over the past three seasons, and with a chronic back issue that could plague him off and on for the rest of his career, it's fair to wonder if his peak days are behind him.
He still managed to post a 131 OPS+ and 2.9 WAR in 82 games last season, so with slightly better health it's not hard to see him pushing for a top-three spot in these rankings, but there are enough question marks that the No. 5 spot feels appropriate for now.
4. Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves
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Michael Harris II just turned 23 years old a few weeks ago, and he already has two terrific big league seasons, 8.7 career WAR and NL Rookie of the Year honors on a resume that is sure to grow in the coming years.
He jumped straight from Double-A to the majors in 2022 and piled up 5.3 WAR in 114 games on his way to top rookie honors, edging out teammate Spencer Strider for the award, and while he started off slowly last season, he quickly rounded into form and put together a strong follow-up campaign.
All told, he hit .325/.356/.522 with 34 extra-base hits in 71 games after the All-Star break, and that could be the jumping off point for taking his game to the next level during the 2024 season.
3. Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox
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Finally healthy over a full season for the first time in his career, Luis Robert Jr. was one of the few bright spots on a dumpster fire of a Chicago White Sox roster.
The 26-year-old posted a 128 OPS+ with 36 doubles, 38 home runs, 80 RBI and 20 steals in a 5.0-WAR campaign, and he earned his first All-Star selection in the process while taking home AL Silver Slugger honors.
The next step in his development will be improving on a 5.0 percent walk rate and .315 on-base percentage, and with questionable protection in the South Siders lineup, opposing pitchers will frequently be pitching around him.
2. Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners
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One of baseball's brightest young stars, Julio Rodríguez followed up his 2022 AL Rookie of the Year campaign by finishing fourth in AL MVP balloting last year and cementing his status as the face of the franchise for the Seattle Mariners.
The 23-year-old hit .275/.333/.485 with 37 doubles, 32 home runs, 103 RBI, 102 runs scored, 37 steals and 5.3 WAR in 155 games. He put together an absurd August, leading the red-hot Mariners by hitting .429/.474/.724 with 10 doubles, seven home runs and 30 RBI in 23 games.
There is no reason to believe he won't continue to get better in the coming years, especially with a more well-rounded lineup around him heading into the 2024 season.
1. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
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With Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo set to man the corner outfield spots for the New York Yankees, center field belongs to Aaron Judge in 2024, and he has proved to be a quality defender up the middle when called on in the past.
He also remains arguably the most dangerous offensive player in the game when healthy, and while he played in just 106 games last year, he still posted a 175 OPS+ with 37 home runs and 75 RBI in 458 plate appearances.
The 31-year-old played in 148 and 157 games in 2021 and 2022, respectively, which erased some of the injury concerns that followed him early in his career and helped convince the Yankees to shell out a nine-year, $360 million contract.
Now he needs to prove last year was a fluke and that he can in fact stay healthy; otherwise he risks being knocked out of the top spot.
Statistics via Baseball Reference and Baseball Savant unless otherwise noted.
