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Ranking Every MLB Team's Starting Second Baseman for 2026 Season
Welcome to Bleacher Report's 2026 MLB preseason position rankings.
Up next is second base, where Ketel Marte (ARI) has earned back-to-back All-MLB honors and stands as the most impactful player at the position, but an interesting collection of elite defenders, contact-driven offensive players, and a rare 30/30 player are ready to challenge for the top spot.
It was also a position that saw significant offseason shuffling, with Marcus Semien (NYM), Brandon Lowe (PIT), Jeff McNeil (ATH), Luis Arraez (SF), and Gavin Lux (TB) all finding new homes, and some intriguing prospect talent is also on the horizon.
Each team's projected primary starter for the 2026 season is included in the rankings. Players are ranked based on expectations for the coming campaign. Both offensive and defensive contributions were considered, and past track records played a major role in determining each player's outlook.
Catch up on the 2026 Preseason Position Ranking here: Shortstops, Third Basemen
Top Prospects Who Will Eventually Be Starting in 2026
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Travis Bazzana, Cleveland Guardians (No. 25 on B/R Top 100)
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, Bazzana reached Triple-A in his first full professional season, posting an .813 OPS and a healthy .389 on-base percentage in 374 plate appearances over three levels. He will displace someone from the glove-first tandem of Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias at some point in 2026, though playing for Team Australia in the World Baseball Classic might actually work against his chances of making the Opening Day roster.
JJ Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals (No. 7 on B/R Top 100)
While Bazzana is something of a long shot to break camp in Cleveland, Wetherholt has a very real shot to head north with the Cardinals, especially after incumbent second baseman Brendan Donovan was traded to Seattle. The 23-year-old hit .306/.421/.510 with 28 doubles, 17 home runs, and 23 steals in 109 games between Double-A and Triple-A. It's just a question of service time vs. PPI pick potential for a rebuilding Cardinals club.
Nos. 30-28
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30. Ryan Ritter, Colorado Rockies
Offense: 207 PA, 69 OPS+, .241/.296/.337, 13 XBH (1 HR), 18 RBI
Defense: 242.0 INN, 1 DRS, 0 OAA
WAR: 0.3
A red-hot start in the minors and an injury to Ezequiel Tovar paved the way for Ritter to make his MLB debut last June, and now he's part of a wide-open competition for the starting second base job. Expect a lot of moving parts on the Rockies' infield, but a .303/.405/.610 line with 16 home runs and 50 RBI in 55 games at Triple-A last season showed Ritter has legitimate offensive upside, if he can win a job.
29. Cole Young, Seattle Mariners
Offense: 257 PA, 78 OPS+, .211/.302/.305, 12 XBH (4 HR), 24 RBI
Defense: 621.0 INN, 1 DRS, -9 OAA
WAR: 0.5
Young is essentially in a spring roster battle with top prospect Colt Emerson, and if Emerson wins the starting third base job, Brendan Donovan will shift back to second base and Young will be the odd-man out. With a top prospect pedigree himself and a .279/.388/.432 line over 1,473 plate appearances in the minors, Young deserves a longer look than he got in 2025 even after proving very little.
28. Christian Moore, Los Angeles Angels
Offense: 184 PA, 81 OPS+, .198/.284/.370, 13 XBH (7 HR), 16 RBI
Defense: 411.2 INN, -3 DRS, -2 OAA
WAR: 0.1
Moore hit .375/.451/.797 with 34 home runs in 72 games during his junior season at the University of Tennessee while helping lead the Volunteers to a national championship, and the Angels scooped him up at No. 8 overall in the 2024 draft. Like many of their recent top picks, he was put on the fast track to the majors, but he might benefit from a longer run in the minors. He enters camp looking to hold off Vaughn Grissom for the starting job.
Nos. 27-25
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27. Brayan Rocchio, Cleveland Guardians
Offense: 383 PA, 75 OPS+, .233/.290/.340, 25 XBH (5 HR), 44 RBI
Defense: 418.1 INN, -3 DRS, 1 OAA
WAR: -0.3
The Guardians could just as easily go with Gabriel Arias at second base and Brayan Rocchio at shortstop, but both would slot similarly into the rankings as glove-first players with limited offensive impact. Rocchio did show marked improvement in his hard-hit rate (22.3 to 35.5 percent) and average exit velocity (84.6 to 88.0 mph) relative to his rookie season, but he still ranked near the bottom of the league in those categories.
26. Thomas Saggese, St. Louis Cardinals
Offense: 295 PA, 82 OPS+, .258/.299/.342, 19 XBH (2 HR), 25 RBI
Defense: 289.0 INN, -3 DRS, -5 OAA
WAR: 0.4
Acquired in the 2023 deadline deal that sent Jordan Montgomery to the Rangers, Saggese split his time between second base (34 starts), shortstop (25 starts), and third base (12 starts) last season, and he is expected to get some run in the outfield this spring. Long-term, he's a valuable utility piece, but he is also the leading candidate to hold down the fort at second base if JJ Wetherholt doesn't win the job.
25. Marcelo Mayer, Boston Red Sox
Offense: 136 PA, 85 OPS+, .228/.272/.402, 13 XBH (4 HR), 10 RBI
Defense: 57.0 INN, -1 DRS, 1 OAA
WAR: 0.2
The Red Sox are still working to nail down their best infield alignment, but early on, it's been newcomer Caleb Durbin at third base and Mayer at second base, so that's how we're slotting them in the rankings. Mayer, 23, hit at every level of the minors and has the pedigree as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft, but he is still unproven after his debut was cut short by a wrist injury.
Nos. 24-22
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24. Chase Meidroth, Chicago White Sox
Offense: 505 PA, 84 OPS+, .253/.329/.320, 20 XBH (5 HR), 23 RBI
Defense: 450.1 INN, -1 DRS, 0 OAA
WAR: 1.3
One of the "other" prospects acquired in the Garrett Crochet trade package that Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery headlined, Meidroth beat them both to the majors when he made his MLB debut last April. The 24-year-old served as the primary shortstop before shifting to second base when Colson Montgomery was promoted, and an OBP-centric offensive game that is lacking pop will fit better at the keystone.
23. Jonathan India, Kansas City Royals
Offense: 567 PA, 89 OPS+, .233/.323/.346, 38 XBH (9 HR), 45 RBI
Defense: 591.0 INN, -2 DRS, -6 OAA
WAR: 0.4
A clear non-tender candidate heading into the offseason, the Royals decided to run it back with India after a disappointing 2025 campaign for the former NL Rookie of the Year. An even worse season from Michael Massey, who was his primary competition at second base heading into the year, made banking on a bounce-back season more of a necessity. With a 101 OPS+ for his career, the 29-year-old is more than capable of a return to usefulness.
22. Luke Keaschall, Minnesota Twins
Offense: 207 PA, 128 OPS+, .302/.382/.445, 18 XBH (4 HR), 28 RBI
Defense: 360.0 INN, 1 DRS, -2 OAA
WAR: 2.0
Keaschall put up loud numbers in his debut, even as he navigated a fractured forearm, but significant gaps between his real-life batting average and slugging percentage (.302, .445) and the expected metric for those stats (.263, .378) is a significant regression red flag. The 23-year-old has a wide range of potential outcomes in 2026.
Nos. 21-19
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21. Luis García Jr., Washington Nationals
Offense: 526 PA, 97 OPS+, .252/.289/.412, 45 XBH (16 HR), 66 RBI
Defense: 1,077.1 INN, -17 DRS, -7 OAA
WAR: 0.4
Unless the Nationals sign a stopgap veteran at first base like Rhys Hoskins, it could end up being García who fills that void, given his ugly defensive metrics. However, he is significantly more valuable as an offensive-minded second baseman, so any sign of improvement this spring could be enough to keep him at the keystone. The 25-year-old is just a year removed from a 114 OPS+ and 2.2 WAR.
20. Gavin Lux, Tampa Bay Rays
Offense: 503 PA, 97 OPS+, .269/.350/.374, 35 XBH (5 HR), 53 RBI
Defense: 124.1 INN, -4 DRS, -3 OAA
WAR: -0.2
After seeing more action at designated hitter and in left field with the Reds last year, Lux is slated to return to the infield as the replacement for Brandon Lowe at second base in Tampa Bay. The former top prospect has shown flashes, posting a pair of 2-WAR seasons for the Dodgers in 2022 and 2024, and he is still only 28 years old. The Rays also have a knack for turning role players into impact performers, and clearly saw something they liked in Lux.
19. Matt McLain, Cincinnati Reds
Offense: 577 PA, 74 OPS+, .220/.300/.343, 33 XBH (15 HR), 50 RBI
Defense: 1,172.2 INN, -6 DRS, 6 OAA
WAR: 0.0
McLain looked like a budding star when he posted a 127 OPS+ with 16 home runs, 50 RBI, 14 steals, and 3.6 WAR in 89 games in 2023, but he spent the entire 2024 season sidelined with a shoulder injury. He returned a shell of his rookie self last season, with little reason for optimism in his batted-ball profile, but getting further removed from that shoulder surgery could be all it takes for him to regain his 20/20 form. For now, this ranking errs on the side of caution.
Nos. 18-16
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18. Tommy Edman, Los Angeles Dodgers
Offense: 377 PA, 82 OPS+, .225/.274/.382, 27 XBH (13 HR), 49 RBI
Defense: 525.1 INN, -1 DRS, 5 OAA
WAR: 1.1
The Dodgers signed Edman to a five-year, $74 million extension following an impressive 2024 postseason, and he provided his usual mix of power, speed, and defensive versatility while navigating injuries in 2025. The 30-year-old is still recovering from November ankle surgery and will start the year on the injured list, which could open the door for Hyeseong Kim or Alex Freeland to make a case for more playing time. In that case, Edman could push Andy Pages in center field.
17. Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles
Offense: 649 PA, 95 OPS+, .242/.314/.375, 41 XBH (17 HR), 55 RBI
Defense: 1,202.2 INN, -10 DRS, -8 OAA
WAR: 1.0
Holliday has not yet delivered on the hype that comes with being the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball, but he is also miles ahead of the normal developmental curve. He will be 22 years old for the entirety of the 2026 season. A broken hamate will sideline him to start the year, and could impact his offensive game once he returns, so a middle-of-the-pack ranking feels appropriate, even if he still has legitimate star potential.
16. Josh Smith, Texas Rangers
Offense: 563 PA, 107 OPS+, .251/.335/.366, 35 XBH (10 HR), 35 RBI
Defense: 22.0 INN, 1 DRS, 1 OAA
WAR: 3.0
Smith went from the fringe of the big league roster to logging back-to-back 3-WAR seasons while serving in a super-utility role, and now he has an everyday spot to call his own in the wake of the Marcus Semien trade. The 28-year-old is not flashy, but he's a rock-solid defender capable of a 30-double, 15-homer, 15-steal season at the plate.
Nos. 15-13
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15. Xavier Edwards, Miami Marlins
Offense: 619 PA, 94 OPS+, .283/.343/.353, 28 XBH (3 HR), 43 RBI
Defense: 814.1 INN, 12 DRS, 9 OAA
WAR: 3.2
Edward swapped positions with Otto López midway through the 2025 season following his return from a back strain, and second base proved to be a much better fit than shortstop as he was a Gold Glove finalist. The 26-year-old will never be a power threat, but his contact skills and speed give him a high batting average floor as a table-setter atop the Miami lineup.
14. Luis Arráez, San Francisco Giants
Offense: 675 PA, 99 OPS+, .292/.327/.392, 42 XBH (8 HR), 61 RBI
Defense: 82.0 INN, -2 DRS, -2 OAA
WAR: 1.2
A preference to play second base led to Arráez's free agency stretching into February. He landed with the Giants on a one-year, $12 million deal and will now look to prove he can provide value beyond just a hollow, albeit elite, batting average. The 28-year-old put the ball in play in an absurd 91.6 percent of his plate appearances last season, and he is a three-time batting champ, but a sub-.400 slugging percentage has capped his value in today's power-driven game.
13. Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
Offense: 667 PA, 89 OPS+, .240/.306/.365, 41 XBH (16 HR), 74 RBI
Defense: 1,387.0 INN, -3 DRS, -4 OAA
WAR: 2.1
Albies was a 5-WAR player as recently as 2023, but he followed up an injury-marred 2024 campaign with a career-low 89 OPS+ and lackluster batted-ball metrics to match last year. He is still only 29 years old with a strong career track record, but nothing in his underlying profile last year suggests he is an elite-level player at this point.
Nos. 12-10
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12. Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres
Offense: 515 PA, 108 OPS+, .246/.367/.377, 32 XBH (11 HR), 59 RBI
Defense: 970.1 INN, -8 DRS, -1 OAA
WAR: 2.4
In a sport where availability is often lacking, Cronenworth is one of only 35 players to log at least 3,000 plate appearances over the last five years. His .367 on-base percentage last season was a career-high, aided by a sharp spike in his walk rate (9.3 to 13.4 percent), and his 107 OPS+ and 15.4 WAR over six MLB seasons speak to his steady production on the right side of the San Diego infield.
11. Jeff McNeil, Athletics
Offense: 462 PA, 111 OPS+, .243/.335/.411, 38 XBH (12 HR), 54 RBI
Defense: 575.2 INN, 2 DRS, 4 OAA
WAR: 2.0
At 33 years old, McNeil will step into the role of veteran leader on a young Athletics team after the Marcus Semien-for-Brandon Nimmo trade pushed him out of the Mets' 2026 plans. His 111 OPS+ last season was the first time since 2022 that he provided above-average offensive production, proving he still has plenty left in the tank entering his mid-30s.
10. Brandon Lowe, Pittsburgh Pirates
Offense: 553 PA, 116 OPS+, .256/.307/.477, 50 XBH (31 HR), 83 RBI
Defense: 1,015.1 INN, -14 DRS, -13 OAA
WAR: 1.9
A flawed player defensively, Lowe remains one baseball's elite offensive second basemen, and that one-sided production makes the No. 10 spot a logical landing place for him in these rankings. The second 30-homer season of his career last year also earned him his second All-Star selection, and now he will look to add some much-needed punch to a Pittsburgh offense that ranked dead last in runs scored (583) and home runs (117) in 2025.
Nos. 9-7
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9. Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
Offense: 654 PA, 112 OPS+, .265/.329/.442, 51 XBH (26 HR), 77 RBI
Defense: 499.1 INN, -8 DRS, 0 OAA
WAR: 0.5
That WAR figure is a bit deceiving for Altuve, as the failed left field experiment (-10 DRS, -5 OAA) was an anchor on his overall value, but there were signs of aging on the offensive side as well. He ranked near the bottom of the league in average exit velocity (4th percentile), hard-hit rate (10th percentile), and bat speed (18th percentile), and while he still managed to slug 26 home runs, maintaining that production could be difficult. The 35-year-old is not at the production cliff just yet, but it might be on the horizon.
8. Marcus Semien, New York Mets
Offense: 534 PA, 97 OPS+, .230/.305/.364, 32 XBH (15 HR), 62 RBI
Defense: 1,108.1 INN, 5 DRS, 7 OAA
WAR: 3.3
Even with a sub-100 OPS+ for the first time since 2020, Semien still logged his fifth straight 3-WAR season, thanks in part to his rock steady defense that earned him AL Gold Glove honors. A .250 BABIP leaves room for some positive regression, and a change of scenery could also do wonders after reports of a strained relationship with teammate Corey Seager in Texas.
7. Bryson Stott, Philadelphia Phillies
Offense: 560 PA, 96 OPS+, .257/.328/.391, 38 XBH (13 HR), 66 RBI
Defense: 1,093.0 INN, 0 DRS, 7 OAA
WAR: 2.2
If you're looking for a contract-year player who is capable of adding a few zeros to his asking price with a career year in 2026, Stott is a prime candidate. The 28-year-old has been a steady performer on a star-studded Phillies roster, providing a nice mix of power (38 XBH, 13 HR), speed (24 SB), and defense (7 OAA) once again last season. He logged an .855 OPS during the second half last season, and that could be a springboard to bigger and better things.
Nos. 6-4
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6. Gleyber Torres, Detroit Tigers
Offense: 628 PA, 108 OPS+, .256/.358/.387, 38 XBH (16 HR), 74 RBI
Defense: 1,146.1 INN, -4 DRS, -4 OAA
WAR: 2.9
An All-Star for the first time since 2019 last year, Torres opted to accept a qualifying offer from the Tigers rather than pushing for a multi-year deal in free agency, and at 29 years old, a significant payday could still be in his future. He will likely never replicate the 38-homer explosion he turned in as a 22-year-old, but he has settled in nicely as a reliable defender at second base and a solid all-around offensive contributor.
5. Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays
Offense: 588 PA, 95 OPS+, .277/.313/.398, 46 XBH (9 HR), 50 RBI
Defense: 423.1 INN, 10 DRS, 5 OAA
WAR: 4.3
If this ranking feels high, you haven't been paying attention. Clement has racked up 7.7 WAR the past two seasons as one of baseball's best utility players, and given everyday action at second base in the postseason, he batted .411 with 30 hits in 18 games. Defense is his calling card, but he is also an elite contact hitter with some sneaky extra-base pop, and settling in at one position defensively could help take his game to another level.
4. Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees
Offense: 531 PA, 125 OPS+, .242/.332/.481, 47 XBH (31 HR), 80 RBI
Defense: 851.0 INN, 2 DRS, 8 OAA
WAR: 4.2
In his first full season with the Yankees, Chisholm joined Alfonso Soriano, Brandon Phillips, and Ian Kinsler as the only second basemen in MLB history with a 30/30 season. However, his production fell off considerably after the All-Star break, with his OPS dipping from .861 to .763, and he went 4-for-22 in the postseason. The 28-year-old has the tools to be the best second baseman in baseball, but he also has a much lower floor than the three guys ranked above him due to his inconsistency.
Nos. 3-1
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3. Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
Offense: 649 PA, 114 OPS+, .297/.345/.394, 40 XBH (7 HR), 61 RBI
Defense: 1,326.0 INN, 17 DRS, 14 OAA
WAR: 6.2
Cristopher Sánchez, Shohei Ohtani, Paul Skenes, and Geraldo Perdomo. That's a full list of all the NL players who finished with a higher WAR total than Hoerner last season, with $765 million man Juan Soto matching his 6.2 mark. His value is built on elite defense and disruptive speed, but a healthy .333/.375/.467 line in September suggests there might also still be another level offensively.
2. Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers
Offense: 659 PA, 121 OPS+, .288/.359/.435, 48 XBH (18 HR), 81 RBI
Defense: 1,320.2 INN, 7 DRS, -2 OAA
WAR: 5.6
Turang was the 2024 NL Platinum Glove winner, and while his defensive metrics were not quite as otherworldly last year, his offensive game improved by leaps and bounds. His OPS climbed 129 points, he nearly tripled his home run total, and the batted-ball metrics like his hard-hit rate (29.7 to 47.4 percent) lend credibility to those improvements. The 26-year-old is the biggest threat to unseating Ketel Marte for the No. 1 spot.
1. Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
Offense: 556 PA, 145 OPS+, .283/.376/.517, 56 XBH (28 HR), 72 RBI
Defense: 878.0 INN, 1 DRS, 1 OAA
WAR: 4.4
Simply put, no second baseman is as impactful as Marte, even if others are posting stronger WAR totals. The 32-year-old has won back-to-back NL Silver Sluggers, following up a third-place finish in 2024 NL MVP balloting with some down-ballot support again last year, as his 145 OPS+ remained elite. There were some trade rumblings during the offseason as the D-backs prepared for his 10-and-5 veto rights to kick in, but he was pulled off the block and remains one of the D-backs' offensive anchors.
