Ranking Every MLB Team's Starting Right Fielder 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.
Next up is right field, which is headlined by superstar and former teammates Aaron Judge (NYY) and Juan Soto (NYM), as well as Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL), Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD) and Kyle Tucker (HOU).
Further down the rankings, Mike Trout (LAA) is trying to rejuvenate his injury-plagued career with a shift from center field to right field, while Lawrence Butler (OAK), Matt Wallner (MIN) and Dylan Crews (WAS) are among the up-and-comers to watch.
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 in center field. 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, Second Basemen, Shortstops, Third Basemen, Center Fielders
Nos. 30-26
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30. Will Brennan, Cleveland Guardians
Next Man Up: Jhonkensy Noel
The Guardians would love to pass the starting right field job on to top prospect Chase DeLauter at some point in 2025, but he has yet to prove he can stay healthy for any extended period of time. For now, expect a platoon of Brennan and all-or-nothing slugger Jhonkensy Noel, with Noel capable of carving out a larger role with a bit more plate discipline.
29. Hunter Renfroe, Kansas City Royals
Next Man Up: Nelson Velázquez
Renfroe hit .229/.297/.392 for a 92 OPS+ with 18 doubles, 15 home runs, 52 RBI in 120 games during the first season of a two-year, $13 million deal with the Royals. The 33-year-old has a 106 OPS+ over nine seasons in the big leagues, and he has six 20-homer seasons under his belt.
28. Jake Fraley, Cincinnati Reds
Next Man Up: Rece Hinds
Fraley was acquired in the deal that sent Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker to the Mariners prior to the 2022 season, and he hit .277/.330/.386 with 26 extra-base hits and 20 steals in 116 games last season. The 29-year-old has a 106 OPS+ in 1,009 plate appearances over his three years in Cincinnati.
27. Mike Tauchman, Chicago White Sox
Next Man Up: Dominic Fletcher
The White Sox signed Tauchman to a one-year, $1.95 million deal in December after two seasons suiting up with the crosstown Cubs. The late-bloomer broke through with the Yankees in 2019 in his age-28 campaign, and during his time on the North Side he logged a 106 OPS+ and 3.3 WAR in 217 games.
26. Chas McCormick, Houston Astros
Next Man Up: Ben Gamel
McCormick is just a year removed from posting a 130 OPS+ with 22 home runs and 3.4 WAR during the 2023 season, but he was slowed by hamstring and wrist injuries last year. He hit .211/.271/.306 for a 66 OPS+ with minus-0.6 WAR in 94 games, and now he will look to rebound while replacing Kyle Tucker in right field.
Nos. 25-21
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25. Zac Veen, Colorado Rockies
Next Man Up: Jordan Beck
Even if Veen returns to the minors, expect him to be one of the Rockies primary outfielders in 2025. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 draft posted an .805 OPS with 10 doubles, 11 home runs, 35 RBI and 21 steals in 65 games over four minor league levels last season, and he is hitting .325/.413/.625 with seven extra-base hits, 11 RBI and six steals in 46 plate appearances this spring.
24. Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals
Next Man Up: Michael Siani
Walker peaked at No. 4 on the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list prior to the 2023 season and looked like a rising star when he played his way onto the Opening Day roster that year. However, the 22-year-old has yet to find his footing in the big leagues, despite hitting .255/.317/.423 for a 101 OPS+ in 643 plate appearances the past two years. Will the Cardinals finally give him a full season of playing time and stop shuttling him back and forth to Triple-A?
23. Sal Frelick, Milwaukee Brewers
Next Man Up: Mark Canha
Frelick still has a wealth of untapped potential offensively, and after winning a Gold Glove in right field last year he should have a long runaway to realize that potential while providing significant value defensively. The 24-year-old was a 2.1-WAR player last year while hitting .259/.320/.335 for an 83 OPS+ with 28 extra-base hits and 18 steals in 145 games.
22. Matt Vierling, Detroit Tigers
Next Man Up: Wenceel Pérez
When healthy, the Tigers primary outfield alignment figures to be Riley Greene in left field, Parker Meadows in center field and Vierling in right field. Vierling, 28, was one of the best utility players in baseball last season, hitting .257/.312/.423 with 28 doubles, 16 home runs and 57 RBI in a career-high 567 plate appearances. He split his time between third base and all three outfield spots and will continue to bounce around, but right field should be his primary spot.
21. Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox
Next Man Up: Rob Refsnyder
After an eye-opening debut late in the 2023 season, Abreu won the Red Sox starting right field job last year and finished fourth on the team with 3.4 WAR. The 25-year-old hit .253/.322/.459 for a 114 OPS+ with 33 doubles, 15 home runs and 58 RBI in 132 games, and won AL Gold Glove honors for his work in Fenway Park's tricky right field.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Jesús Sánchez, Miami Marlins
Next Man Up: Griffin Conine
Sánchez is one of the few returning impact offensive contributors for the Marlins, coming off a 2024 season where he hit .252/.313/.417 while setting career-highs in doubles (25), home runs (18), RBI (64) and total bases (204). The 27-year-old will start the year on the injured list with an oblique strain, but is still a solid bet to lead the Marlins in most run production categories.
19. George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays
Next Man Up: Alan Roden
With two years and $48.3 million remaining on his contract, Springer is coming off the worst season of his career. The 35-year-old logged a career-low 92 OPS+ with 19 doubles, 19 home runs, 56 RBI and 16 steals in 145 games, and his batted-ball metrics left little optimism for positive regression. Still, his track record and an improved supporting cast in the lineup could lead to at least a modest uptick in his numbers in 2025.
18. Mike Yastrzemski, San Francisco Giants
Next Man Up: Luis Matos
Yastrzemski logged his sixth straight 2-WAR season in 2024, posting a 110 OPS+ with 16 doubles, 18 home runs, 57 RBI and 60 runs scored in 140 games. The 34-year-old has quietly racked up 14.2 WAR during his time in San Francisco, and he is set to reach free agency for the first time next winter.
17. Victor Robles, Seattle Mariners
Next Man Up: Mitch Haniger
One of the top prospects in baseball during his time in the Nationals farm system, Robles had a 4.2-WAR rookie season in 2019 and won a World Series ring, but he tallied just 1.6 WAR in 341 games over the next five seasons before he was released last June. The Mariners scooped him up and he went on to hit .328/.393/.467 for a 155 OPS+ in 262 plate appearances the rest of the way, inking a two-year, $9.75 million extension in August.
16. Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals
Next Man Up: Alex Call
The 2023 Golden Spikes winner and No. 2 overall pick in that year's draft behind LSU teammate Paul Skenes, Crews spent just 135 games in the minors before making his MLB debut on Aug. 26 last season. The 23-year-old hit .218/.288/.353 for an 82 OPS+ in 132 plate appearances, and while he still has a lot to prove, he has the potential to be a staple in the top 10 on this list in the near future.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Nick Castellanos, Philadelphia Phillies
Next Man Up: Brandon Marsh
Castellanos would almost certainly be a designated hitter if not for the fact that he shares a lineup with Kyle Schwarber, and poor defensive metrics (-11 DRS, -12.8 UZR/150) once again dragged down his overall value in 2024. However, he was once again a productive middle-of-the-order bat, posting a 106 OPS+ with 30 doubles, 23 home runs and 86 RBI while playing in all 162 games.
14. Josh Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
Next Man Up: Richie Palacios
Lowe had a breakout season at the plate in 2023, posting a 128 OPS+ with 33 doubles, 20 home runs, 83 RBI and 32 steals in a 3.7-WAR campaign. The 27-year-old was slowed by a hip, oblique and hamstring injuries. Just entering the prime of his career, the former first-round pick is a good bet to bounce back with a clean bill of health.
13. Matt Wallner, Minnesota Twins
Next Man Up: Emmanuel Rodriguez
With a strong 6'4", 220-pound frame, Wallner looks the part of a middle-of-the-order slugger, but he could end up hitting leadoff for the Twins in 2025. The 27-year-old has flashed serious offensive potential the past two seasons, hitting .254/.371/.515 for a 143 OPS+ with 28 doubles, 27 home runs, 78 RBI and 4.3 WAR in 151 games. He could be one of the breakout offensive players of the 2025 season with 500 plate appearances.
12. Adolis García, Texas Rangers
Next Man Up: Leody Taveras
More than a few players on the Rangers roster endured a World Series hangover, and García saw his OPS drop 152 points as he hit .224/.284/.400 for a 94 OPS+ with 27 doubles, 25 home runs and 85 RBI in a 0.3-WAR season. The 32-year-old had a 113 OPS+ and averaged 32 home runs, 99 RBI and 4.0 WAR over the previous three seasons, so this ranking is banking on a return to that level of production.
11. Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles
Next Man Up: Heston Kjerstad
Somewhat lost in the shuffle of some of the elite prospects in the Orioles system despite his own first-round pedigree, Cowser burst onto the scene last year and finished runner-up in AL Rookie of the Year balloting. The 24-year-old had a 123 OPS+ with 24 doubles, 24 home runs, 69 RBI and 3.1 WAR in 153 games, and while he could eventually slide over to center field if Cedric Mullins walks in free agency next winter, for now he is penciled in as the starting right fielder.
Nos. 10-6
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10. Lawrence Butler, Athletics
Next Man Up: Seth Brown
Butler broke camp with a spot on the Opening Day roster last year, but struggled early before he was demoted to the minors in mid-May. The 24-year-old returned to the big leagues a month later and went on to hit .291/.330/.565 with 20 doubles, 20 home runs, 50 RBI and 15 steals over his final 84 games. The Athletics rewarded that breakout performance with a seven-year, $65.5 million extension, and he has the potential to develop into the face of the franchise.
9. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Next Man Up: Mickey Moniak
Will a move from center field to right field help keep Trout on the field? The three-time AL MVP has played in just 266 games over the past four years, which equates to roughly 41 percent of his team's games. The future Hall of Famer still has a terrific 160 OPS+ when he has managed to take the field during that span, so if he can stay upright for 125 games there is still MVP-caliber upside. However, the nagging injury issues make it tough to rank him any higher.
8. Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates
Next Man Up: Jack Suwinski
Reynolds has been a model of consistency at the plate over the last four seasons, hitting .276/.352/.472 for a 125 OPS+ while averaging 29 doubles, 25 home runs, 81 RBI and 3.7 WAR. The 30-year-old is two seasons into an eight-year, $106.75 million extension that is shaping up to be a nice bargain for the budget-conscious Pirates.
7. Teoscar Hernández, Los Angeles Dodgers
Next Man Up: Andy Pages
Hernández bet on himself with a one-year, $23.5 million deal a year ago, and he delivered by posting a 133 OPS+ and slugging a career-high 33 home runs while hitting cleanup in a stacked Dodgers lineup. The 32-year-old was rewarded with a new three-year, $66 million deal in early January, and he will again be counted on as one of the team's primary run producers.
6. Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks
Next Man Up: Alek Thomas
It took Carroll some time to get going in his second full season in the majors following a fantastic 5.3-WAR rookie campaign that earned him NL Rookie of the Year honors and a fifth-place finish in MVP balloting. The 24-year-old eventually got on track and posted a .919 OPS with 17 home runs, 42 RBI and 17 steals in 64 games after the All-Star break, and he looks like a franchise cornerstone in the desert.
5. Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves
6 of 10
Next Man Up: Jarred Kelenic
How will Ronald Acuña Jr. perform this time around in his return from a torn ACL?
It took him some time to regain his explosiveness last time around, as he hit .266/.351/.413 for a 112 OPS+ with 15 home runs and 29 steals in 119 games during the 2022 season after his 2021 was cut short by the same injury.
Of course, the following year he became baseball's first 40-homer, 70-steal player and took home NL MVP honors, so the dip in production proved temporary.
This might end up being a generous ranking, especially considering he is not expected to return until sometime in May at the earliest, but he has earned that level of respect heading into his age-27 season.
4. Kyle Tucker, Chicago Cubs
7 of 10
Next Man Up: Seiya Suzuki
The Cubs paid a steep price to acquire Kyle Tucker from the Astros with just one year of club control remaining, sending 2024 All-Star Isaac Paredes, 2024 first-round pick Cam Smith and controllable right-hander Hayden Wesneski the other way.
Now the North Siders have a full year to try to convince him to sign a long-term extension.
The 28-year-old would have been in the thick of the AL MVP race last season if not for a fractured shin that cost him three months. In the 78 games he did play, he hit .289/.408/.585 with 23 home runs in 339 plate appearances and 4.7 WAR overall.
That performance was preceded by three straight 5-WAR seasons, during which time he logged a 139 OPS+ and averaged 34 doubles, 30 home runs, 104 RBI and 23 steals.
3. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
8 of 10
Next Man Up: Tirso Ornelas
A shortstop at the onset of his MLB career, Fernando Tatis Jr. spent the 2022 season on the sidelines with an injury and serving a PED suspension, and when he returned to action the Padres shifted him to right field.
He responded by winning Platinum Glove honors in 2023, and he remains one of the most dynamic all-around players in the game with speed, power and now elite defense at a position that better suits his tools.
The 26-year-old hit .276/.340/.492 for a 130 OPS+ with 21 doubles, 21 home runs and 11 steals in 102 games last season, missing time with a stress reaction in his leg.
With a fully healthy season, he is one of the few players in baseball capable of putting together a 30/30 campaign offensively while also taking home Gold Glove honors.
2. Juan Soto, New York Mets
9 of 10
Next Man Up: Starling Marte
The Mets made the splash of the offseason when they inked Juan Soto to a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract, and he will join Francisco Lindor as one of the faces of the franchise for a team looking to win its first World Series title since 1986.
It is almost impossible to believe Soto is still only 26 years old, and he has already laid a solid foundation for a Hall of Fame career, racking up 36.4 WAR with 201 home runs over his first seven seasons in the big leagues.
He hit a career-high 41 home runs last year slotted alongside Aaron Judge in the Yankees lineup, and while he is a perennial candidate for 30 home runs, it is his elite plate discipline that sets him apart.
He had more walks (129) than strikeouts (119) for the fifth year in a row last season, finishing with a .419 on-base percentage and scoring an AL-leading 128 runs. That should help him age better than most sluggers, though he will need to lead the Mets to playoff success to make his contract a successful one.
1. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
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Next Man Up: Everson Pereira
With Juan Soto gone and Cody Bellinger added in a trade with the Cubs, Aaron Judge will shift back to right field this year after seeing the bulk of his action in center field last year.
The 32-year-old won his second AL MVP award in the last three years in 2024, leading the AL in OPS+ (223), home runs (58), RBI (144), walks (133), total bases (392) and WAR (10.8).
More importantly, he stayed healthy after injuries limited him to 106 games in 2023, and that is now three healthy seasons in the last four years after dealing with consistent injury issues early in his career.
With seven years and $280 million remaining on his contract, the Yankees are counting on their captain to lead the way as they chase a return trip to the World Series and their first title since 2009.
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