Ranking Every MLB Team's Starting Second Baseman for the 2025 Season
Welcome to Bleacher Report's 2025 MLB preseason position rankings!
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 2025 campaign.
Ketel Marte (ARI) and Marcus Semien (TEX) are the best players at a position that is somewhat lacking in star power, though guys like Jazz Chisholm Jr. (NYY), Ozzie Albies (ATL), Brandon Lowe (TB) and Matt McLain (CIN) are capable of top-tier production with healthy seasons.
Looking to the future, Jackson Holliday (BAL), Tyler Fitzgerald (SF), Brooks Lee (MIN), Juan Brito (CLE) and Hyeseong Kim (LAD) are some of the up-and-comers capable of rising the ranks.
Players were ranked based on expectations for the 2025 season. Offensive and defensive contributions were both considered, and past track records played a major role in determining each player's outlook.
Included on each slide is also a look at the next man up at second base. This is who would take over as the starter if the current starter were to miss significant time. In some cases, it's a minor leaguer or bench player, and in others, it's a starter moving over from a different position.
Catch up on the 2025 Position Rankings Series: First Basemen, Shortstops, Third Basemen
Nos. 30-26
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30. Thairo Estrada, Colorado Rockies
Next Man Up: Kyle Farmer
The Rockies non-tendered Brendan Rodgers at the start of the offseason, then signed Estrada to a one-year, $3.5 million deal to replace him at second base. The former Giants second baseman struggled last year, but he posted a 103 OPS+ while averaging 24 doubles, 14 home runs, 56 RBI, 22 steals and 2.0 WAR during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
29. Brendan Rodgers, Houston Astros
Next Man Up: Jose Altuve
Jose Altuve has been one of the worst defensive players in baseball over the past three years (-41 DRS), and the Astros are set to shift him to left field in 2025. That creates a void at second base, and Rodgers looks like the favorite to fill it after signing a minor league deal. The 2022 NL Gold Glove winner has averaged 33 doubles, 16 home runs, 71 RBI and 2.1 WAR per 162 games in his career, though he has topped 110 games played just twice.
28. Juan Brito, Cleveland Guardians
Next Man Up: Gabriel Arias
The Guardians have an open position battle at second base this spring after Andrés Giménez was traded to the Blue Jays, and the favorites are glove-first utility man Gabriel Arias and Brito who has yet to make his MLB debut. The 23-year-old hit .256/.365/.443 with 40 doubles, 21 home runs, 84 RBI and 13 steals in 144 games at Triple-A last year.
27. Josh Rojas, Chicago White Sox
Next Man Up: Lenyn Sosa
Rojas was one of the more surprising non-tenders at the start of the offseason following a 2.2-WAR season with the Mariners in 2024. The 30-year-old provides a nice mix of power, speed and defensive versatility, and he has a chance to be a nice bargain on a one-year, $3.5 million deal and a potential summer trade chip if he gets off to a strong start.
26. Dylan Moore, Seattle Mariners
Next Man Up: Donovan Solano
Moore logged a career-high 2.2 WAR and won utility player Gold Glove honors last year while starting double-digit games at second base, shortstop, third base and in left field. The 32-year-old also posted a 104 OPS+ with 23 doubles, 10 home runs, 42 RBI and 32 steals in 441 plate appearances on top of his stellar defense, and now he will get a shot at an everyday role.
Nos. 25-21
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25. Nick Gonzales, Pittsburgh Pirates
Next Man Up: Nick Yorke
Gonzales went No. 7 overall in the 2020 draft after hitting .448/.610/1.155 with 12 home runs in 16 games during his COVID-shortened junior year at New Mexico State. After a strong pro debut at the High-A level, he struggled a bit making the jump to the upper levels of the minors. However, he put together a solid run in the big leagues last year with a .270/.311/.398 line and 29 extra-base hits in 94 games to emerge as the favorite for the starting second base job.
24. Otto López, Miami Marlins
Next Man Up: Javier Sanoja
López took over as the Marlins primary second baseman last year after Luis Arraez was traded to the Padres, and he put together an under-the-radar 2.6-WAR season in 117 games. The bulk of his value came from his defense (9 DRS, 5.8 UZR/150), but the 26-year-old also hit .270/.313/.377 with 30 extra-base hits and 20 steals.
23. Brooks Lee, Minnesota Twins
Next Man Up: Edouard Julien
Lee was a Top 50 prospect in baseball at the start of the 2023 and 2024 seasons after going No. 8 overall in the 2022 draft following a standout collegiate career at Cal Poly. An injury to Carlos Correa opened the door for him to see regular action at shortstop last year, and he also made multiple starts at second base and third base, though he is now expected to settle in at the keystone.
22. Hyeseong Kim, Los Angeles Dodgers
Next Man Up: Enrique Hernández
Kim hit .326/.383/.458 with 26 doubles, 11 home runs, 75 RBI and 30 steals in 127 games for the Kiwoom Heroes last year in his eighth season in the Japanese League. The Dodgers signed him to a three-year, $12.5 million deal during the offseason, then traded Gavin Lux to the Reds to clear a path for him at second base. Versatile veterans Enrique Hernández and Chris Taylor provide some experienced depth.
21. Tyler Fitzgerald, San Francisco Giants
Next Man Up: Brett Wisely
One of the biggest surprises of the 2024 season, Fitzgerald posted a 136 OPS+ with 19 doubles, 15 home runs, 34 RBI, 17 steals and 2.8 WAR in 96 games while seizing the starting shortstop job. He will now shift to second base following the addition of Willy Adames in free agency, and while there are some significant regression red flags in his batted-ball metrics he still stands as a potential low-cost contributor to the Giants starting lineup.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals
Next Man Up: Thomas Saggese
Gorman looked like a star on the rise when he posted a 116 OPS+ with 27 home runs and 76 RBI in 119 games during the 2023 season, but he took a significant step backward last year. The 24-year-old hit .203/.271/.400 for a 85 OPS+ and his 37.6 percent strikeout rate was the second-highest mark in all of baseball among players with at least 400 plate appearances. This could be a make-or-break season for his future in St. Louis.
19. Zack Gelof, Athletics
Next Man Up: Luis Urías
Gelof needed just 69 games to lead the Athletics in WAR during the 2023 season, posting a 134 OPS+ with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 32 RBI, 14 steals and 2.6 WAR in his rookie season. The 25-year-old failed to match that level of production in his first full season in the majors, hitting .211/.270/.362 with an AL-leading 188 strikeouts and a 34.4 percent strikeout rate. Can he bounce back and solidify his status as a long-term building block?
18. Jeff McNeil, New York Mets
Next Man Up: Luisangel Acuña
McNeil is not that far removed from winning the 2022 NL batting title when he hit .326/.382/.454 in a 5.7-WAR season, but he has logged just 3.9 WAR and a 97 OPS+ in 285 games over the past two seasons. The Mets still owe him another $33.5 million over the next two years, and he could be pushed for playing time by Luisangel Acuña with a slow start.
17. Michael Massey, Kansas City Royals
Next Man Up: Jonathan India
Massey was the only regular on the Royals roster aside from the trio of Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino to post an OPS+ over 100 last year. The 26-year-old logged a 105 OPS+ with 17 doubles, 14 home runs and 45 RBI in 356 plate appearances, and while newcomer Jonathan India could see some time at second base, Massey is the superior defender.
16. Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles
Next Man Up: Jordan Westburg
The No. 1 prospect in baseball in 2024, Holliday struggled to find his footing in the big leagues, hitting .189/.255/.311 for a 66 OPS+ with 11 extra-base hits, 23 RBI and 0.1 WAR in 60 games. The 21-year-old will get every opportunity to be the everyday second baseman in 2025, and he still has superstar potential. If he struggles again, Jordan Westburg could shift from third base to second base, opening up playing time for Ramon Urías or prospect Coby Mayo at the hot corner.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Luis Rengifo, Los Angeles Angels
Next Man Up: Kevin Newman
Rengifo might have been on the move at the trade deadline last year if not for injury issues that limited him to just nine games after the All-Star break. The 28-year-old hit .300/.347/.417 for a 116 OPS+ with 20 extra-base hits and 24 steals in 78 games before he was sidelined, and he will be a free agent for the first time next offseason.
14. Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres
Next Man Up: Tyler Wade
Cronenworth has bounced around the San Diego infield since finishing runner-up in 2020 NL Rookie of the Year balloting, with most of his time coming at first base and second base. The two-time All-Star hit .241/.324/.390 with 29 doubles, 17 home runs, 83 RBI and 1.9 WAR in 155 games last year, and he will play primarily second base this year with Luis Arraez manning first base.
13. Bryson Stott, Philadelphia Phillies
Next Man Up: Edmundo Sosa
Stott was a 4.3-WAR player in 2023, and while he failed to match that level of production last year, he again provided a solid mix of power (32 XBH), speed (32 SB) and standout defense (7 DRS). The 27-year-old is one of the younger everyday players on an aging Phillies roster, and with three years of club control remaining he could be an extension candidate.
12. Gleyber Torres, Detroit Tigers
Next Man Up: Colt Keith
After seven seasons and 16.1 WAR as a member of the Yankees, Torres hit the open market this winter and inked a one-year, $15 million deal with the Tigers. The 28-year-old has never come close to matching the 38-homer season he logged in 2019, but he has settled in nicely as a steady defender and perennial 20-homer threat at second base.
11. Luis García Jr., Washington Nationals
Next Man Up: Amed Rosario
García made his MLB debut shortly after his 20th birthday during the 2020 season, and while he showed flashes in the years that followed, he finally put together a true breakout season in 2024. The 24-year-old hit .282/.318/.444 with 25 doubles, 18 home runs, 70 RBI, 22 steals and 2.2 WAR, and he is still controllable through the 2027 season.
Nos. 10-6
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10. Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
Next Man Up: Curtis Mead
Lowe has been an impact offensive player throughout his career when healthy, but he has only played more than 110 games once during his seven seasons in the majors. The 30-year-old had a 121 OPS+ with 19 doubles, 21 home runs, 58 RBI and 2.4 WAR in 107 games last year, and he could be a trade candidate this summer with an $11.5 million club option awaiting in 2026 before he reaches free agency.
9. Matt McLain, Cincinnati Reds
Next Man Up: Gavin Lux
McLain made an immediate splash as a rookie in 2023, hitting .290/.357/.507 for a 127 OPS+ with 23 doubles, 16 home runs, 50 RBI, 14 steals and 3.7 WAR in 89 games. A shoulder injury last spring and subsequent surgery ended up costing him the entire 2024 season, but he shook off the rust with an .876 OPS and four home runs in 13 games in the Arizona Fall League. The 25-year-old could easily crack the top five on this list by season's end.
8. Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
Next Man Up: James Triantos
Hoerner has quietly racked up 13.0 WAR over the past three seasons on the strength of his contact skills, speed and top-tier defense. The 27-year-old hit .273/.335/.373 for a 101 OPS+ with 43 extra-base hits, 31 steals and 3.7 WAR last season, and he has two years and $23.5 million left on his contract. He will skip the season-opening Tokyo Series in Japan to continue recovering from offseason flexor tendon surgery, and Jon Berti will likely serve as his short-term replacement.
7. Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers
Next Man Up: Caleb Durbin
Turang led all players with 22 Defensive Runs Saved during the 2024 season, and he also provided a bit more offensively than he did as a rookie, hitting .254/.316/.349 with 35 extra-base hits and 50 steals in 155 games. The 25-year-old was a 4.7 WAR player in 2024, which trailed only William Contreras (4.9) among all players on the 93-win Brewers roster.
6. Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
Next Man Up: Nick Allen
Still only 28 years old, Albies is a three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger winner and has 21.8 WAR over parts of eight seasons in the big leagues. Injuries limited him to 99 games last season, but he still hit .251/.303/.404 with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, 53 RBI and 1.6 WAR. When healthy, he is an extra-base hit machine and integral part of the Braves lineup.
5. Andres Gimenez, Toronto Blue Jays
6 of 10
Next Man Up: Orelvis Martínez
There is a compelling case to be made that Andrés Giménez is the best defensive player in baseball, and he leads all players in Defensive WAR (8.0) over the past three seasons, ahead of Daulton Varsho (7.8), Ke'Bryan Hayes (6.7), Dansby Swanson (6.3) and Miguel Rojas (6.1).
His 2022 season at the plate might end up being a career outlier, but he still contributed in the batter's box last year, tallying 32 extra-base hits, 30 steals and 64 runs scored as part of a 4.0-WAR season.
With five years and $99.4 million remaining on his contract, the Guardians shipped him to the Blue Jays this offseason in an three-team deal that sent Spencer Horwitz to the Pirates and Luis L. Ortiz to the Guardians.
4. Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox
7 of 10
Next Man Up: Kristian Campbell
As of writing this, the Red Sox projected infield still includes Rafael Devers at third base and newcomer Alex Bregman at second base for the first time in his career. That could change if the Red Sox decide to shift Devers into the full-time DH role against his wishes, in which case top prospect Kristian Campbell would also have a path to the starting second base job.
For now, we'll focus on Bregman, who landed a three-year, $120 million deal as one of the final major free agency dominos following nine seasons and 39.6 WAR with the Astros.
Bregman was the AL Gold Glove winner at third base last year, and he posted a 118 OPS+ with 30 doubles, 26 home runs, 75 RBI and 4.1 WAR in 145 games.
3. Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees
8 of 10
Next Man Up: DJ LeMahieu
With Gleyber Torres gone in free agency, the expectation is that Jazz Chisholm Jr. will return to his natural position of second base this season, though uncertainty at the hot corner means he could still be an option there as well.
In 46 games after he was traded to the Yankees last summer, he hit .273/.325/.500 for a 130 OPS+ with seven doubles, 11 home runs, 23 RBI, 18 steals and 1.5 WAR, and he could be counted on in more of a run production role this year.
The 27-year-old is controllable through the 2026 season, and if he realizes his full potential in pinstripes, that deal last summer could go down as one of the better trades in recent franchise history.
2. Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers
9 of 10
Next Man Up: Josh Smith
Over the first three seasons of his seven-year, $175 million contract, Marcus Semien has racked up 17.0 WAR while earning a pair of All-Star selections, winning a Silver Slugger and helping the club win a World Series title in 2023.
He has played in 482 of 486 games over the last three years and has been one of the most durable players in the sport throughout his career.
The 34-year-old posted a 100 OPS+ with 27 doubles, 23 home runs, 74 RBI, 101 runs scored and his usual stellar defensive metrics (10 DRS, 2.9 UZR/150) in a 4.1-WAR season last year.
1. Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Next Man Up: Jordan Lawlar
Ketel Marte was one of the best offensive players in baseball last year, posting a 155 OPS+ that trailed only Shohei Ohtani (190) among all qualified NL hitters and ranked ninth in the majors.
The 31-year-old hit .292/.372/.560 with 23 doubles, 36 home runs, 95 RBI, 93 runs scored and 6.8 WAR for the second 6-WAR season of his career, finishing third in NL MVP balloting and taking home NL Silver Slugger honors.
On top of all that, he also logged some of the best defensive metrics (10 DRS, 2.1 UZR/150) of his career, and was a Gold Glove finalist. His $16.6 million salary makes him one of the best bargains in baseball in 2025.
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