.jpg?w=1280)
Ranking Shohei Ohtani, Paul Skenes and the Top 25 MLB Players For 2026
As it turns out, when you try to rank the 25 best players in the sport, you wind up with a list of about 50 deserving candidates.
What should be noted: this list isn't just a breakdown of who had the best 2025 season. Last season matters, but so too does 2024. The most important consideration, of course, is 2026, and while past performance is definitely a key factor in making projections, there's room for disagreement when predicting the future.
With all that acknowledged, here's B/R's 2026 countdown of the top 25 MLB players, a list that includes the very best pitchers in the sport and a large swath of position players.
Just Missed
1 of 9
Corey Seager: The only reason the two-time World Series MVP isn't on this list is that he struggles to stay on the field consistently for the Texas Rangers. When healthy, Seager is still one of the best offensive players in the league, as evidenced by the .860 OPS he posted in 102 games a season ago. While this slide isn't necessarily in order, Seager was the first guy out of the top 25.
Matt Olson: An All-Star for the third time in his career in 2025, Olson clubbed 29 home runs and tied for the NL lead with 41 doubles for the Atlanta Braves. He may never match his 54-homer season from 2023, but he's one of the most imposing hitters in baseball.
Roman Anthony: Across his first 71 games, FanGraphs says that Anthony was worth 2.7 WAR, a pretty staggering amount. He's probably already the best position player in Boston and will almost certainly crack this list next season.
Geraldo Perdomo: For Perdomo, the takeaway is simple: Let's see it a second time. Perdomo was always a tremendous defender, and that continued last season with five outs above average at shortstop for the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, he went from a .715 OPS between 2023 and 2024 to a .851 OPS in 2025, a season in which he finished fourth in NL MVP voting. He was probably one of the 10 best position players a year ago. Let's see if that becomes the norm or proves to be an outlier for the 26-year-old.
Trea Turner: His third season with the Phillies was his best one yet. Not only did he win the NL batting title, but Turner had a massive turnaround in the field, going from minus-14 defensive runs saved and minus-three outs above average in 2024 to two DRS and 16 OAA in 2025. In 2026, Turner needs to show he's turned the corner as a defender at shortstop, and also that he can keep his hamstrings healthy as he ages.
Bo Bichette: There's not really much doubt that Bichette is going to hit for the New York Mets, who swooped in and signed him to a three-year, $126 million contract this winter. However, Bichette is moving from shortstop—a position he never graded out well at—to third base. We don't know what Bichette will look like defensively at the hot corner, and with Francisco Lindor at shortstop and Marcus Semien at second base, there's not going to be another defensive position to move him to if it doesn't work out.
Chris Sale: If you could guarantee that the nine-time All-Star would stay healthy, he would be on this list, and not at 25. But he'll turn 37 later this month, and after winning the NL Cy Young Award in 2024, a left ribcage fracture limited him to 125.2 innings last year. Durability concerns are what kept Sale out of the top 25.
Pete Alonso: One of the game's elite sluggers, Alonso landed a five-year, $155 million contract in free agency with the Baltimore Orioles. He has some shortcomings defensively at first base, but he tied for the NL lead with 41 doubles last season with Olson, while hitting 38 homers and driving in 126 runs. The O's will gladly sign up for a repeat of that campaign in 2026.
Bryce Harper: It was probably too honest for his own good, but Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski wasn't wrong when he questioned whether or not Harper is still elite, or just very good. The two-time NL MVP still posted an .844 OPS in 132 games a year ago, but that represents a down year for Harper. Now in his 15th season, it's also fair to wonder if Harper can go a full season without a trip to the injured list at this point.
Junior Caminero: It was very hard to leave someone who hit 45 home runs in his age-21 season off the list. How can the Tampa Bay Rays star force his way onto the 2026 list? Improve both his .311 on-base percentage and minus-five defensive runs saved from a year ago.
Elly De La Cruz: He deserves credit for playing all 162 games in 2025 for the Cincinnati Reds, but De La Cruz posted minus-five defensive runs saved, and his OPS dipped to .777. De La Cruz is one of the game's most electric players, so the best is likely still to come from the 24-year-old.
Pete Crow-Armstrong: With 21 outs above average in center field last year, PCA might be the best defender at any position in baseball. However, he's a bit too dependent on hitting the ball out of the park offensively, and it's hard to forget that he went from an .847 OPS in the first half to a .634 mark after starting in the All-Star Game.
William Contreras: After posting an .828 OPS over his first two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, Contreras dipped to a .754 mark last season. However, the .833 OPS he posted after the Midsummer Classic suggests he'll be back in the top 25 next year.
Manny Machado: Since finishing runner-up in NL MVP voting in 2022 with a 157 OPS+, Machado has a 117 OPS+ over the last three seasons. That's still well above the league average of 100, and Machado has shown during the World Baseball Classic that his arm remains a weapon at third base. At 33, Machado is still valuable, just not quite as much as he used to be.
Freddie Freeman: At 36, Freeman is aging pretty gracefully. Since posting a career-high 7.7 WAR in 2023, Freeman has been worth 7.9 WAR the last two seasons combined, per FanGraphs. Still, he's been an All-Star in each of those campaigns and has added two more World Series rings. Freeman may be closer to the 18th hole than the first, but he's definitely not at 18 yet.
Nos. 25-22: Nick Kurtz, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Mookie Betts and Logan Webb
2 of 9
No. 25: Nick Kurtz — 1B, Athletics
2025 Stats: .290 batting average, 36 HR, 86 RBI, 1.002 OPS, 4.6 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 23
Nick Kurtz didn't make his MLB Debut until April 23, but still did enough to not only win AL Rookie of the Year, but also push many established veterans off this list.
Highlighted by a four-homer performance in Houston on July 25, Kurtz clubbed 36 home runs in a season that ultimately earned him the Silver Slugger Award for AL first basemen. There's a bias against rookies in MVP voting, or else Kurtz probably would have finished much higher than 12th in junior-circuit voting a year ago.
The pitching for the A's is a long way away, but Kurtz highlights a lineup that may quietly be one of the better in the sport this season. The AL Rookie of the Year last season was likely the first of many awards he'll win in his career.
No. 24: Yoshinobu Yamamoto — RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
2025 Stats: 12-8, 2.49 ERA, 2.94 FIP, 173.2 IP, 5.0 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 27
Just based on Yoshinobu Yamamoto's regular-season performance—in which he posted a 2.49 ERA across 170+ innings en route to finishing third in NL Cy Young Award voting—he arguably deserves to be on this list.
Add a legendary playoff run and there was little doubt that Yamamoto deserved one of the top 25 spots.
Not only did Yamamoto toss complete games in Games 2 of the NLCS and World Series, but he closed out the World Series for the Dodgers, pitching 2.2 innings of shutout ball in Game 7 the night after a six-inning start.
No. 23: Mookie Betts — SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
2025 Stats: .258 batting average, 20 HR, 82 RBI, .732 OPS, 3.4 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 33
2025 was unquestionably a down year for Mookie Betts, who never seemed to completely recover from a preseason stomach bug that reportedly saw him shed 15-20 pounds.
However, Betts is one of the greatest players in modern history, as evidenced by his .902 OPS over five seasons with the Dodgers. Even if he didn't hit how we're accustomed to last year, he continued to be an elite defender, posting 17 defensive runs saved in his largest sample size at shortstop yet.
The bet here (no pun intended) is the eight-time All-Star will have an offensive resurgence in 2026. And it would hardly be shocking if 2026 ends with Betts' team winning the World Series for the fifth time in his Cooperstown-bound career.
No. 22: Logan Webb — RHP, San Francisco Giants
2025 Stats: 15-11, 3.22 ERA, 2.60 FIP, 207 IP, 5.5 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 29
Logan Webb hasn't won an NL Cy Young Award, but he's done just about everything else as an individual.
For the third consecutive season, Webb led the NL in innings pitched a season ago at 207. He also struck out an NL-best 224 batters, while earning his first career Gold Glove Award.
Webb finished runner-up in the NL Cy Young Award voting in 2023, before sixth and fourth-place finishes the last two years. One of these years, it seems like the ace in San Francisco will get over the hump and take home the honor.
Nos. 21-19: Ketel Marte, Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Schwarber
3 of 9
No. 21: Ketel Marte — 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 Stats: .283 batting average, 28 HR, 72 RBI, .893 OPS, 4.6 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 32
The Diamondbacks flirted with trading Ketel Marte this offseason, following a 2025 season in which there seemed to be some in Arizona who were frustrated with the three-time All-Star.
Ultimately, the Snakes held onto the two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and they'll be a better team this year for doing so. Among NL players, Marte's 15.3 WAR since the start of the 2023 season is tied with the aforementioned Betts for the third-best mark, per FanGraphs.
Of note is that Marte will gain 10-and-5 rights in mid-April, meaning he will have a full no-trade clause if the DBacks choose to revisit the idea of moving him this summer.
No. 20: Yordan Alvarez — DH/LF, Houston Astros
2025 Stats: .273 batting average, six HR, 27 RBI, .797 OPS, 0.5 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 29
When you look at the long list of worthy candidates who just missed out on appearing on this list, Yordan Alvarez could have been someone left off due to a broken right hand and a left ankle sprain that limited him to just 48 games a season ago.
However, this isn't a list of who had the best season in 2025, and the back of Alvarez's baseball card suggests a major resurgence is coming for the former AL Rookie of the Year if he's healthy.
Between 2022 and 2024, his .988 OPS was third among all qualified hitters, trailing only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. If anything, No. 20 might prove to be too low on this countdown if one of baseball's most imposing hitters is healthy in 2026.
No. 19: Kyle Schwarber — DH, Philadelphia Phillies
2025 Stats: .240 batting average, 56 HR, 132 RBI, .928 OPS, 4.9 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 33
Kyle Schwarber seems to be getting better with age, with the best evidence coming in the form of a 56-homer 2025 season that saw him finish runner-up to Ohtani in NL MVP voting.
The three-time All-Star garnered widespread interest in the free-agent market this offseason, before ultimately returning to the Phillies on a five-year, $150 million contract.
Surely, there's some risk in giving a five-year deal to a player entering his age-33 season. But Schwarber is viewed as one of the best clubhouse presences in baseball, and considering he just led baseball with 132 RBI, he seems to actually be getting better with age.
Nos. 18-16: Kyle Tucker, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Francisco Lindor
4 of 9
No. 18: Kyle Tucker — RF, Los Angeles Dodgers
2025 Stats: .266 batting average, 22 HR, 73 RBI, .841 OPS, 4.5 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 29
Kyle Tucker perhaps didn't get the decade-long contract many thought he would at the outset of free agency, but the two-time defending World Series Champions gave him a four-year, $240 million contract with a player opt-out after 2027, showing how highly regarded his skills are.
Per FanGraphs, Tucker has been worth 8.7 WAR over the last two seasons. That's a pretty remarkable number considering a right shin fracture limited Tucker to only 78 games during his final season in Houston in 2024, before he played through a hairline fracture in his right hand as a member of the Chicago Cubs for more than half the 2025 season.
With that in mind, the biggest test for Tucker during his first season in Los Angeles might be just staying healthy for the full season. If he does, the Dodgers have a chance to be one of the greatest teams in MLB history.
No. 17: Fernando Tatis Jr. — RF, San Diego Padres
2025 Stats: .268 batting average, 25 HR, 71 RBI, .814 OPS, 6.1 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 27
The 6.1 WAR that Fernando Tatis Jr. posted last season was his highest single-season total since he finished third in NL MVP voting in 2021. However, Tatis is a different player than he was when he first broke into the majors.
Tatis homered 42 times and drove in 97 runs in 2021, as opposed to more modest totals of 25 home runs and 71 RBI in 2025. The biggest difference in him as a player today is that he's gone from being a below-average shortstop early in his career to a world-class right fielder, one who posted 15 defensive runs saved and eight outs above average a season ago.
And even if Tatis never matches the .975 OPS he posted in 2021, if you combine 32 stolen bases and Gold Glove defense with the .814 OPS he finished 2025 with, that's one of the best overall players in baseball.
No. 16: Francisco Lindor — SS, New York Mets
2025 Stats: .267 batting average, 31 HR, 86 RBI, .811 OPS, 6.3 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 32
From both a personal and team standpoint, 2025 wasn't as good for Francisco Lindor as a magical 2024 season that saw the Mets make an unexpected run to the NLCS and second-place finish in NL MVP voting.
At the same time, the fact that a 6.3 WAR season represents some year-over-year regression is indicative of the fact that Lindor is probably going to be a Hall of Famer once his career concludes.
One thing to monitor as Lindor approaches his mid-30s is his defensive metrics at shortstop. The former Platinum Glove Award winner posted minus-one defensive run saved and five outs above average in 2025, quite the dip from one DRS and 16 OAA the prior campaign.
Nos. 15-13: Corbin Carroll, Cristopher Sánchez and Julio Rodríguez
5 of 9
No. 15: Corbin Carroll — RF, Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 Stats: .259 batting average, 31 HR, 94 RBI, .883 OPS, 6.5 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 25
Corbin Carroll might have been a few spots higher if not for the fact that he's working his way back from a broken hamate bone that he sustained in his right hand on Feb. 11. All indications are he should be good to go for Opening Day, but you do worry about how long it takes him to get back to 100% strength in that hand.
When healthy, Carroll is like a racehorse you taught to play baseball. His 17 triples were the most among all players in baseball last year, marking the third consecutive season he led the senior circuit in triples.
In addition to his electricity at the plate and on the basepaths, Carroll has settled into being an elite defender in right field after getting time at all three outfield spots early in his career. Across 1,189.1 innings in right field in 2025, Carroll posted seven defensive runs saved and nine outs above average.
No. 14: Cristopher Sánchez — LHP, Philadelphia Phillies
2025 Stats: 13-5, 2.50 ERA, 2.55 FIP, 202 IP, 6.4 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 29
Over the last two and a half seasons, Cristopher Sánchez has gone from looking like a fringe Major Leaguer to one of the most dominant starters the sport has to offer.
Sánchez followed up an All-Star campaign in 2024 by finishing runner-up to Paul Skenes in NL Cy Young Award voting. He topped 200 innings pitched for the first time in his career, while recording 212 strikeouts, the seventh most among all starters.
The most impressive part about Sánchez is that he's combined power with durability. He utilizes a 95 mph sinker—which probably plays up a bit since he's 6-foot-6—and one of the nastiest changeups in the sport. He tied Webb for the most quality starts a year ago at 22, and didn't seem to pay a price after going deep in games, as some pitchers in today's game do.
No. 13: Julio Rodríguez — CF, Seattle Mariners
2025 Stats: .267 batting average, 32 HR, 95 RBI, .798 OPS, 5.7 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 25
Julio Rodríguez has been a slow starter offensively in recent years, with his .900 OPS after the All-Star Break last year trouncing the .731 he posted in the first half. If he puts together a full season of elite offensive production, Rodríguez may very well win AL MVP.
One thing that's consistent about Rodríguez is his tremendous center field defense, as he posted nine defensive runs saved and 10 outs above average in 2025. He hasn't won a Gold Glove Award yet, but probably will at some point.
Rodríguez has been leapfrogged by Cal Raleigh, understandably, as the face of the Mariners. Still, for as long as he's been around, Rodríguez is only just 25 years old. If there's another level to reach yet, Rodríguez could very well go down as one of the best Mariners ever, which is saying something considering how many all-time greats have suited up for the M's.
Nos. 12-10: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Garrett Crochet and José Ramírez
6 of 9
No. 12: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — 1B, Toronto Blue Jays
2025 Stats: .292 batting average, 23 HR, 84 RBI, .848 OPS, 3.9 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 27
Even as his offensive production has varied from good to great, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has made five consecutive All-Star Game appearances. That's in part because he's become a tremendous defender, with eight defensive runs saved at first base a year ago.
Following a very good regular season at the plate, Guerrero looked like the best hitter on the planet in the postseason, hitting eight home runs and posting a 1.289 OPS as the Blue Jays came up just one victory shy of a World Series title.
As he begins a 14-year, $500 million contract, Guerrero appears in a position to challenge Roy Halladay as the greatest Blue Jay ever.
No. 11: Garrett Crochet — LHP, Boston Red Sox
2025 Stats: 18-5, 2.59 ERA, 2.89 FIP, 205.1 IP, 5.8 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 27
The innings limit that defined his final season with the Chicago White Sox wasn't a factor during Garrett Crochet's first season with the Red Sox, and what transpired was a campaign that saw the lefty combine dominance with being a workhorse.
Crochet finished runner-up to Tarik Skubal in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2025, leading baseball with 255 strikeouts while logging the most innings in the junior circuit at 205.1. While the Red Sox ultimately lost to the division-rival New York Yankees in the ALWCS, Crochet gave Boston a 1-0 series lead by striking out 11 and allowing just one run over a dominant 7.2 inning start in Game 1 of the series.
Crochet will begin a six-year, $170 million extension this year with the Red Sox, which, based on his first season in Boston, looks extremely team-friendly.
No. 10: José Ramírez — 3B, Cleveland Guardians
2025 Stats: .283 batting average, 30 HR, 85 RBI, .863 OPS, 6.3 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 33
Despite not having a ton of other impact offensive players around him in Cleveland, José Ramírez continues to march towards the Hall of Fame.
Ramírez doubled 34 times, hit 30 home runs and stole a career-high 44 bases in 2025, earning him a third-place finish in AL MVP voting. While Ramírez has never won an MVP, he's now finished fourth or higher on six occasions in his career.
The six-time Silver Slugger Award winner signed a new seven-year, $175 million contract this offseason that will keep him with the Guardians through the 2032 season, which means there's a pretty good shot he'll spend his entire illustrious career in Cleveland.
Nos. 9-7: Gunnar Henderson, Cal Raleigh and Ronald Acuña Jr.
7 of 9
No. 9: Gunnar Henderson — SS, Baltimore Orioles
2025 Stats: .274 batting average, 17 HR, 68 RBI, .787 OPS, 4.8 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 25
Gunnar Henderson had a more pedestrian 2025 after winning AL Rookie of the Year in 2023 and finishing fourth in a loaded AL MVP race in 2024.
Even still, Henderson swiped 30 bags and doubled 34 times a year ago. A 4.8 WAR season might feel like something of a letdown for Henderson after he posted a 7.9 WAR in 2024. If that's the baseline for Henderson, it's indicative of how special a player he is.
With the Orioles having improved the lineup around him with the additions of Alonso and Taylor Ward this offseason, he seems primed for a monster age-25 season.
No. 8: Cal Raleigh — C, Seattle Mariners
2025 Stats: 29
Age During 2026 Season: .247 batting average, 60 HR, 125 RBI, .948 OPS, 9.1 WAR
Cal Raleigh is coming off arguably the greatest campaign a catcher has ever had, as he clubbed 60 home runs, setting a new single-season record for both catchers and switch hitters. Unfortunately for him, that was only good enough to finish runner-up to peak Aaron Judge in AL MVP voting.
The question with Raleigh is how close he can come to replicating that season. Was it an outlier for a player whose previous career high in homers was 34, or are we witnessing a Mike Piazza-type offensive catcher at the height of his powers?
What's so amazing about what Raleigh did a year ago offensively is that he logged over 1,000 innings behind the plate at the most demanding defensive position in the sport. The former Platinum Glove Award winner didn't grade out quite as well as he has in the past defensively, but still received a seven FRV, a Statcast metric that combines throwing, blocking, framing, arm and range.
No. 7: Ronald Acuña Jr. — RF, Atlanta Braves
2025 Stats: .290 batting average, 21 HR, 42 RBI, .935 OPS, 3.5 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 28
The lull that Ronald Acuña Jr. had in 2022 when he returned from his first ACL tear didn't repeat itself in 2025. Last year might have been a disastrous campaign for the Braves as a team, but Acuña was so electric that, despite not making his season debut until May 23, he earned his fifth career All-Star Game appearance.
He would later miss time with right achilles tendon inflammation, a continued reminder of some of the red flags surrounding the former NL MVP. He's torn an ACL in each knee, which does concern you for a player whose game is so predicated on being explosive. Two years after stealing 73 bases, Acuña attempted just 10 a season ago, which may be a sacrifice he has to make moving forward.
Acuña has looked like his typically explosive self in the World Baseball Classic, though, and there's no reason to believe that if he stays healthy for the entirety of 2026, he won't be at the forefront of the NL MVP race.
Nos. 6-4: Juan Soto, Paul Skenes and Bobby Witt Jr.
8 of 9
No. 6: Juan Soto — LF, New York Mets
2025 Stats: .263 batting average, 43 HR, 105 RBI, .921 OPS, 5.8 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 27
When Juan Soto didn't get off to a fast start in the first season of a record-setting 15-year contract, there were some who were quick to try to pile on. By the end of the season, he silenced any doubters, leading the NL in walks (127), on-base percentage (.396) and stolen bases (38), en route to a third-place finish in NL MVP voting.
Now a six-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Soto enters his age-27 season just six home runs shy of 250 for his career, an indication that this is a player with a real shot at 600 home runs in his career and go down as one of the best offensive forces ever.
Defense has been more of a year-to-year proposition for Soto in his career. He'll shift back to left field this season after posting minus-seven defensive runs saved and minus-12 outs above average in his first campaign in Flushing. Frankly, his biggest issue on defense often seems to be that he doesn't have the same hyper focus in the field that he does in the batter's box.
No. 5: Paul Skenes — RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
2025 Stats: 10-10, 1.97 ERA, 2.36 FIP, 187.2 IP, 6.5 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 24
How many pitchers have had better starts to their careers than Paul Skenes? Doc Gooden, and ... who? Certainly, it wouldn't take all five fingers to come up with arms who have burst onto the scene in a more dominant manner than Skenes.
Across his first two MLB seasons, Skenes has won both NL Rookie of the Year (2024) and the NL Cy Young Award (2025), while taking the ball twice as the starting pitcher for the senior circuit All-Star Team. Skenes is coming off a season where he led all qualified MLB starters in ERA (1.97), ERA+ (217), FIP (2.36) and HR/9 (0.5).
Obviously, what looms over all of this is that the Pirates have wasted two seasons with Skenes. The Buccos should improve in 2026, though it's still questionable whether it will be enough for Skenes to pitch in October. But that day, whether it's in Pittsburgh or elsewhere, is coming. In the meantime, he'll probably mess around and win a second NL Cy Young Award.
No. 4: Bobby Witt Jr. — SS, Kansas City Royals
2025 Stats: .295 batting average, 23 HR, 88 RBI, .852 OPS, 8.0 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 26
How good is Bobby Witt Jr.? He posted what would otherwise be a staggering 8.0 WAR last season, and that represented a significant decline from his 10.5 WAR in 2024. Still, it was the third-highest mark among all position players, per FanGraphs.
Witt's incredible athleticism is his best weapon, as he's reminded fans during the World Baseball Classic. He posted 24 outs above average at shortstop a season ago, while stealing 38 bags. For good measure, he led baseball with 47 doubles.
Ohtani is a unicorn, and Judge is in the midst of a historic peak. In any normal timeline, Witt would be the best player in baseball.
Nos. 3-1: Tarik Skubal, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani
9 of 9
No. 3: Tarik Skubal — LHP, Detroit Tigers
2025 Stats: 13-6, 2.21 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 195.1 IP, 6.6 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 29
No pitcher has ever won the AL Cy Young Award three years in a row. Tarik Skubal—the two-time defending winner of the honor—will try to change that this season. Bet against him at your own peril.
Skubal topped all MLB pitchers last season in WAR (6.6), WHIP (0.891), BB/9 (1.5) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.30). He had to settle for only leading the AL in ERA (2.21), FIP (2.45) and ERA+ (187).
Even with as great as Skenes, Crochet and some of the other arms in the sport are, Skubal is unquestionably the best pitcher the sport has to offer today. Barring injury, he's going to rewrite the record books as a free agent next offseason.
No. 2: Aaron Judge — RF, New York Yankees
2025 Stats: .331 batting average, 53 HR, 114 RBI, 1.144 OPS, 10.1 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 34
Aaron Judge won't end up with the same career totals as an all-time great like Albert Pujols, but it's hard to think of a right-handed hitter who has had a better five-year stretch than Judge.
Since the start of the 2021 season, Judge has hit .306 with 249 home runs, a 1.075 OPS and 42.8 WAR, per FanGraphs. During that period, he's won three AL MVPs, four Silver Slugger Awards and been selected to five All-Star Games. He's become an inner-circle Hall of Famer.
How much longer can Judge keep this up? It's fair to wonder, especially for a guy who has, at times, struggled with injuries in his career. But Judge didn't break into the league until he was 24, with his first full season coming at 25. So he has less wear and tear than the typical 34-year-old superstar.
No. 1: Shohei Ohtani — DH/RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
2025 Offensive Stats: .282 batting average, 55 HR, 102 RBI, 1.014 OPS, 7.5 WAR
2025 Pitching Stats: 1-1, 2.87 ERA, 1.90 FIP, 47 IP, 1.9 WAR
Age During 2026 Season: 31
If you have Shohei Ohtani fatigue, you just don't get it.
Over the past five seasons, Ohtani has won his league's MVP four times. The only time he didn't win MVP was in 2022, when he finished runner-up to Judge, who hit 62 home runs that season. Not only did Ohtani homer 34 times in 2022, but he also finished fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting. And that's his worst year of the last five.
Since joining the Dodgers, Ohtani has found another gear in terms of power, clubbing 109 home runs and posting a 1.025 OPS. What's scary is this is the first year as a Dodger that he's entered the season at 100 percent as a pitcher. The Dodgers aren't going to push Ohtani to 200 innings during the regular season, but it would hardly be a shock if he looks like one of the best pitchers in baseball when he's on the mound in 2026.
Ohtani is one of the game's elite power hitters now, in an era that's not short on star sluggers. Outside of Skubal, Skenes and Crochet, he's probably as talented as any pitcher in the sport. There's never been another player like this, and probably never will be again. Enjoy it while you can.
