.png?w=1280 "MLB")
Ranking Each MLB Team's Starting Right Fielder for 2026 Season
Welcome to Bleacher Report's 2026 MLB preseason position rankings.
Up next is right field, where Aaron Judge (NYY) headlines an elite group of superstars that also includes Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL), Corbin Carroll (ARI), Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD), Kyle Tucker (LAD).
Wilyer Abreu (BOS), Addison Barger (TOR), Lawrence Butler (ATH), Sal Frelick (MIL) and Matt Wallner (MIN) are among the up-and-comers capable of another step forward in 2026, while Jac Caglianone (KC), Owen Caissie (MIA), Dylan Crews (WAS), Chase DeLauter (CLE) and Cam Smith (HOU) will look to break through as regulars.
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. Offensive and defensive contributions were both considered, and past track records played a major role in determining each player's outlook.
Catch up on the 2026 Preseason Position Ranking here: Catchers, First Basemen, Second Basemen, Shortstops, Third Basemen, Center Fielders
Top Prospects Who Will Eventually Be Starting in 2026
1 of 11
Carson Benge, New York Mets (No. 29 on B/R Top 100)
The Mets brought in Mike Tauchman and MJ Melendez as depth options, but they're just keeping the position warm for Benge after he broke through as one of baseball's top prospects in 2025. The 23-year-old hit .281/.385/.472 with 47 extra-base hits and 22 steals in 116 games while reaching Triple-A in his first full professional season.
Dylan Beavers, Baltimore Orioles (No. 88 on B/R Top 100)
Beavers made a splash as a late-season call-up last year, posting a 120 OPS+ with five doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI in 137 plate appearances. The expensive contract they gave Tyler O'Neill last year likely means he'll get the first crack at starting honors, but Beavers could steadily carve out a bigger role as the season unfolds.
Zach Cole, Houston Astros
Cole leapfrogged Jacob Melton in the organizational picture last year as the club's top outfield prospect. A 10th-round pick in the 2022 draft, he can play all three outfield spots, and after posting a 139 OPS+ with six extra-base hits and 0.6 WAR in 15 games, he has the potential to push his way into a clouded outfield situation.
Nos. 30-28
2 of 11
30. Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals
Offense: 396 PA, 66 OPS+, .215/.278/.306, 20 XBH (6 HR), 10 SB
Defense: 885.1 INN, -11 DRS, -4 OAA
WAR: -1.7
Walker hit .306/.388/.510 with 53 extra-base hits in 119 games as a 20-year-old at Double-A in 2022, and began the following season as a consensus top-five prospect. He won the starting right field job out of camp in 2023, but has yet to find big league success, posting an 88 OPS+ and negative-2.7 WAR in 279 games. The rebuilding Cardinals will give him a long runway, but this looks like a make-or-break year.
29. Jake Fraley, Tampa Bay Rays
Offense: 217 PA, 94 OPS+, .241/.332/.382, 15 XBH (6 HR), 4 SB
Defense: 441.1 INN, 2 DRS, 0 OAA
WAR: 0.3
Fraley had a 15-homer, 21-steal season for the Reds in 2023, and he did it over just 380 plate appearances, so there is some sneaky upside playing on a one-year, $3 million deal. It was the Rays who originally drafted him in the second round of the 2016 draft, trading him to Seattle in the Mike Zunino deal prior to his MLB debut.
28. Luke Raley, Seattle Mariners
Offense: 219 PA, 85 OPS+, .202/.319/.311, 12 XBH (4 HR), 2 SB
Defense: 206.2 INN, 0 DRS, 0 OAA
WAR: -0.3
Raley racked up 5.9 WAR during the 2023 and 2024 seasons while logging a 127 OPS+ and providing valuable versatility while manning both corner outfield spots and first base. An oblique strain and back spasms limited him to 73 games and sapped his power last year, and now he finds himself in a right field platoon with Victor Robles.
Nos. 27-25
3 of 11
27. Mike Tauchman, New York Mets
Offense: 385 PA, 112 OPS+, .263/.356/.400, 27 XBH (9 HR), 0 SB
Defense: 571.0 INN, 3 DRS, 0 OAA
WAR: 1.9
Tauchman has quietly posted an OPS+ above 100 in three straight seasons, and his 112 OPS+ last year trailed only upstart rookies Colson Montgomery and Kyle Teel on the White Sox roster. Despite the solid production, he settled for a minor league deal during the offseason, and looks like the leading candidate to hold down the fort until Carson Benge is ready.
26. Tyler O'Neill, Baltimore Orioles
Offense: 209 PA, 92 OPS+, .199/.292/.392, 16 XBH (9 HR), 4 SB
Defense: 295.0 INN, -7 DRS, -4 OAA
WAR: -0.6
O'Neill had a 135 OPS+ and 31 home runs for the Red Sox in 2024, and he turned that into a three-year, $49.5 million from the Orioles as they signed him to replace Anthony Santander. He made three separate trips to the IL and played just 54 games in his O's debut, and Dylan Beavers is going to push him for playing time, but his contract and past production will earn him another chance at a prominent role.
25. Owen Caissie, Miami Marlins
Offense: 27 PA, 62 OPS+, .192/.222/.346, 2 XBH (1 HR), 0 SB
Defense: 38.1 INN, 0 DRS, 1 OAA
WAR: -0.1
The Marlins acquired Caissie as the centerpiece in the deal that sent Edward Cabrera to the Cubs, and after playing for Team Canada in the WBC this spring, he should plug right into the starting lineup on Opening Day. The 23-year-old has hit .281/.380/.507 with 41 home runs in 226 games at Triple-A over the last two years, and he is a dark horse in the NL Rookie of the Year race.
Nos. 24-22
4 of 11
24. Chase DeLauter, Cleveland Guardians
Offense (AAA): 149 PA, .278/.383/.476, 14 XBH (5 HR), 0 SB
DeLauter made his MLB debut in the postseason last year, and he has been one of the top prospects in the Cleveland system since going No. 16 overall in the 2022 draft. The 24-year-old has had a tough time staying on the field, playing just 138 total games since starting his pro career. Steven Kwan shifting to center field should mean a less demanding defensive load for him in right field.
23. Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals
Offense: 232 PA, 49 OPS+, .157/.237/.295, 14 XBH (7 HR), 1 SB
Defense: 402.1 INN, -4 DRS, -7 OAA
WAR: -1.3
Caglianone hit .419/.544/.875 with 35 home runs during his junior season at the University of Florida, also tossing 73.2 innings with 83 strikeouts thanks to a 100 mph fastball. He turned his full attention to hitting after going No. 6 overall in the 2024 draft, and had a 1.025 OPS with 20 home runs and 72 RBI in 66 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year. Now he'll look to translate those skills to the big leagues for a Royals team that could use the power production.
22. Cam Smith, Houston Astros
Offense: 493 PA, 87 OPS+, .236/.312/.358, 33 XBH (9 HR), 8 SB
Defense: 1,079.1 INN, 12 DRS, 1 OAA
WAR: 1.9
Smith was a surprise inclusion on the Opening Day roster last year after coming over as the centerpiece in the deal that sent Kyle Tucker to the Cubs. He had a .765 OPS with 25 extra-base hits during the first half of the season, but struggled to a .154/.247/.242 line in 170 plate appearances after the break. Still only 23 years old, he has middle-of-the-order upside and proved better than expected defensively.
Nos. 21-19
5 of 11
21. Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals
Offense: 322 PA, 79 OPS+, .208/.280/.352, 20 XBH (10 HR), 17 SB
Defense: 601.0 INN, 3 DRS, 3 OAA
WAR: 0.3
It's easy to forget that Crews was a candidate to go No. 1 in the 2023 draft, ahead of LSU teammate Paul Skenes. In fact, he edged the Pirates ace out for Golden Spikes honors, hitting .426/.567/.713 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI in 71 games. The Nationals fast-tracked him through the minors and he began last season as one of the NL Rookie of the Year favorites, but he has yet to find his footing in the big leagues.
20. Jordan Beck, Colorado Rockies
Offense: 588 PA, 94 OPS+, .258/.317/.416, 48 XBH (16 HR), 19 SB
Defense: Did not play RF in 2025
WAR: 0.9
Beck hit .111/.149/.200 over his final 47 plate appearances or his 2025 campaign would have read more like a breakout performance. That late slump trimmed 35 points off his OPS, but he was one of the few bright spots on a terrible Rockies team for most of the year. The former first-round pick will now be asked to shoulder the run production load alongside Hunter Goodman and Mickey Moniak.
19. Noelvi Marte, Cincinnati Reds
Offense: 360 PA, 99 OPS+, .263/.300/.448, 33 XBH (14 HR), 10 SB
Defense: 437.1 INN, 5 DRS, -1 OAA
WAR: 1.4
Following an 80-game PED suspension in 2024 and ugly results once he returned, it looked like the door might be closing on Marte's chance to fill a prominent role in Cincinnati. The 24-year-old rebounded with a strong start to the 2025 season, and a full-time move from third base to right field gave him an everyday spot to call home. There is still time for him to level the scales on the deal that sent ace Luis Castillo to the Mariners in 2022.
Nos. 18-16
6 of 11
18. Austin Hays, Chicago White Sox
Offense: 416 PA, 105 OPS+, .266/.315/.453, 36 XBH (15 HR), 7 SB
Defense: Did not play RF in 2025
WAR: 0.8
An All-Star in 2023 with the Orioles, Hays has four seasons with at least 15 home runs and 70 RBI over the last five years. He has crushed left-handed pitching throughout his career, but should fill an everyday role in the White Sox lineup after signing a one-year, $5 million deal that includes a 2027 mutual option.
17. Adolis García, Philadelphia Phillies
Offense: 547 PA, 93 OPS+, .227/.271/.394, 47 XBH (19 HR), 13 SB
Defense: 1,124.0 INN, 16 DRS, 1 OAA
WAR: 2.7
García had a terrific three-year peak that culminated in a 39-homer, 4.5-WAR season in 2023 when he helped lead the Rangers to a World Series title, capturing ALCS MVP honors along the way. However, after posting a sub-100 OPS+ in each of the past two seasons, he was non-tendered ahead of his final year of arbitration. He should be a clear upgrade over Max Kepler for the Phillies, and could prove to be one of the steals of the offseason on a one-year, $10 million deal.
16. Jung Hoo Lee, San Francisco Giants
Offense: 617 PA, 110 OPS+, .266/.327/.407, 51 XBH (8 HR), 10 SB
Defense: Did not play RF in 2025
WAR: 1.7
A dislocated left shoulder and torn labrum limited Lee to 37 games as a rookie in 2024 after he signed a massive six-year, $113 million deal in free agency. The former KBO star returned strong at the plate last year, but his value was undercut by awful defensive metrics (-18 DRS, -5 OAA) in center field. The addition of Harrison Bader in free agency allows him to shift to right field, and he could easily be a 3-WAR player with less defensive drain.
Nos. 15-13
7 of 11
15. Matt Wallner, Minnesota Twins
Offense: 392 PA, 110 OPS+, .202/.311/.464, 41 XBH (22 HR), 4 SB
Defense: 654.1 INN, -6 DRS, -4 OAA
WAR: 0.6
With a strong 6'4", 220-pound frame, natural loft in his left-handed swing and 96th percentile bat speed, Wallner is a 30-homer season waiting to happen. His 22 long balls last season were the second-highest total of a player with fewer than 400 plate appearances, trailing only Giancarlo Stanton (24). Can he make enough consistent contact to fully realize his power ceiling?
14. Jo Adell, Los Angeles Angels
Offense: 573 PA, 111 OPS+, .236/.293/.485, 56 XBH (37 HR), 5 SB
Defense: 535.0 INN, -1 DRS, -4 OAA
WAR: 1.2
Adell was miscast as a center fielder (-13 DRS, -8 OAA) last year, and that took a significant bite out of his overall value in a breakout season offensively. With Mike Trout intent on returning to center field, Adell can move back to right field where he profiles as at least an average defender. His 37 home runs and loud batted-ball metrics still give him top 10 upside at the position, even if his on-base skills are lacking.
13. Lawrence Butler, Athletics
Offense: 630 PA, 96 OPS+, .234/.306/.404, 53 XBH (21 HR), 22 SB
Defense: 1,001.2 INN, 2 DRS, 3 OAA
WAR: 1.9
Butler didn't quite take the next step some were expecting after his terrific second half to the 2024 season, but he was still a 20/20 player and a plus defender. The 25-year-old played through knee pain for much of the year and underwent offseason surgery to rectify the issue. He has yet to make his spring debut as he continues to work his way back, but is not far behind schedule and should be full-go in 2026.
Nos. 12-10
8 of 11
12. Addison Barger, Toronto Blue Jays
Offense: 502 PA, 105 OPS+, .243/.301/.454, 54 XBH (21 HR), 4 SB
Defense: 413.0 INN, -4 DRS, -4 OAA
WAR: 1.2
Barger ranked third in home runs (21), fifth in RBI (74) and fifth in total bases (209) for a Blue Jays team that reached the World Series and had one of the best offenses in baseball. The 26-year-old split his time between third base (67 starts) and right field (49 starts), but he is expected to see the bulk of his time in the grass following the Kazuma Okamoto signing.
11. Kerry Carpenter, Detroit Tigers
Offense: 464 PA, 114 OPS+, .252/.291/.497, 49 XBH (26 HR), 1 SB
Defense: 413.2 INN, -1 DRS, -3 OAA
WAR: 1.8
Carpenter has yet to reach 500 plate appearances in a single season, but over his four years in the big leagues, he has a 127 OPS+ in 1,332 plate appearances. He had an .801 OPS and 10 home runs in 52 games after the All-Star break last year, and should open the season slotted alongside Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson in one of the primary run production spots in the Detroit lineup.
10. Ryan O'Hearn, Pittsburgh Pirates
Offense: 544 PA, 125 OPS+, .281/.366/.437, 39 XBH (17 HR), 3 SB
Defense: 149.0 INN, -4 DRS, -1 OAA
WAR: 2.4
O'Hearn picked the perfect time for a career year, turning his first All-Star selection into a two-year, $29 million deal from the Pirates. That stands as the largest free agency contract in franchise history, and with it will come expectations. A platoon player earlier in his career, he actually hit better against lefties (109 PA, .832 OPS) than righties (435 PA, .795 OPS) in 2025.
Nos. 9-7
9 of 11
9. Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox
Offense: 417 PA, 116 OPS+, .247/.317/.469, 39 XBH (22 HR), 6 SB
Defense: 847.1 INN, 15 DRS, 8 OAA
WAR: 3.2
Abreu has won back-to-back AL Gold Glove Awards while navigating a tricky right field at Fenway Park, and his 20 DRS since the start of the 2024 season are tops at the position. The 26-year-old has been shielded from left-handed pitching, tallying just 68 plate appearances against southpaws in 2025, but he does plenty of offensive damage in a strong-side platoon role.
8. Brandon Nimmo, Texas Rangers
Offense: 652 PA, 114 OPS+, .262/.324/.436, 52 XBH (25 HR), 13 SB
Defense: Did not play RF in 2025
WAR: 2.9
The Nimmo-for-Marcus Semien swap has the potential to be a win-win deal, but that's rarely how trades of that nature play out. The homegrown Mets standout set career-high marks in home runs (25) and RBI (92) last season, and he has quietly developed into a reliable power source with three straight 20-homer campaigns.
7. Sal Frelick, Milwaukee Brewers
Offense: 594 PA, 111 OPS+, .288/.351/.405, 35 XBH (12 HR), 19 SB
Defense: 1,117.0 INN, 9 DRS, 6 OAA
WAR: 3.0
Frelick has followed a similar trajectory to teammate Brice Turang, breaking into the league as a defensive standout with below-average offensive production before developing into a well-rounded contributor. He raised his OPS by 101 points last season, showcasing more of the offensive game that made him the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 draft. A 20/20 campaign and a second Gold Glove are well within reach heading into his third full season in the majors.
Nos. 6-4
10 of 11
6. Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs
Offense: 651 PA, 130 OPS+, .245/.326/.478, 66 XBH (32 HR), 5 SB
Defense: 282.0 INN, -4 DRS, -1 OAA
WAR: 2.6
Suzuki had an .867 OPS with 25 home runs and 77 RBI during the first half last season, and he was the biggest All-Star snub in either league. He slumped coming out of the break, but still finished with his best offensive season stateside, reaching 30 home runs and 100 RBI for the first time. After serving primarily as a DH last year, he will shift back to right field to replace Kyle Tucker.
5. Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks
Offense: 642 PA, 140 OPS+, .259/.343/.541, 80 XBH (31 HR), 32 SB
Defense: 1,189.1 INN, 7 DRS, 9 OAA
WAR: 5.8
There is a case to be made that Carroll belongs as high as No. 2 on this list, but it remains to be seen if there will be any lingering effects of the broken hamate bone he suffered in February. The injury knocked him out of the World Baseball Classic, and it often takes time for a player's power to return following that specific injury. Aside from that, he's a bona fide superstar and was one of only six players to reach 80 extra-base hits in 2025.
4. Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers
Offense: 597 PA, 143 OPS+, .266/.377/.464, 51 XBH (22 HR), 25 SB
Defense: 1,001.2 INN, -1 DRS, -2 OAA
WAR: 4.6
Tucker has rattled off five straight 4-WAR seasons, and his 25.5 WAR total during that stretch trails only Aaron Judge (41.7) and Juan Soto (32.3) among full-time outfielders. He played through a fracture in his hand and also suffered a calf strain last September, but still managed to record his third career 20/20 season. The four-year, $240 million deal he signed with the Dodgers made him one of the highest-paid players in the sport.
Nos. 3-1
11 of 11
3. Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
Offense: 412 PA, 163 OPS+, .290/.417/.518, 34 XBH (21 HR), 9 SB
Defense: 779.2 INN, -12 DRS, -11 OAA
WAR: 3.0
Acuña missed the first 49 games of the 2025 season as he continued his recovery from a torn ACL, but he quickly made up for lost time, going 13-for-38 with three home runs in his first 10 games back. The 2023 NL MVP should be more of a running threat another year removed from the injury, and his combination of plate discipline and power alone make him one of the game's most impactful hitters.
2. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
Offense: 691 PA, 125 OPS+, .268/.368/.446, 54 XBH (25 HR), 32 SB
Defense: 1,299.0 INN, 15 DRS, 8 OAA
WAR: 5.9
Tatis does not have quite the same offensive ceiling as a fully healthy Acuña, but he is arguably the best defensive right fielder in baseball to provide a true five-tool profile alongside his perennial 30/30 potential. His days as a shortstop feel like a distant memory, as does the 2022 season that was lost to injury and a PED suspension.
1. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Offense: 679 PA, 215 OPS+, .331/.457/.688, 85 XBH (53 HR), 12 SB
Defense: 822.1 INN, 3 DRS, 3 OAA
WAR: 9.7
With three AL MVP awards in the last four years, Judge has established himself as a generational talent and a future Hall of Famer. He has also successfully shaken the injury prone label that plagued him earlier in his career, playing in 310 of 324 games over the last two seasons. Adding his first career batting title further cements his standing as the best offensive player in baseball, and the fact that he is a strong defender with a rocket arm is simply icing on the cake.
