Updated MLB Position-by-Position Rankings Thus Far in 2021
Who are the 10 best MLB players at each position right now?
It sounds like an easy enough question until you start trying to trim the list and are forced to decide whether a few more home runs from Player A earns him a spot above Player B who has a slightly higher OPS+.
Our first positional power rankings of the year were released on May 1, and with another month of games in the books, it's time for an update.
Once again, these rankings will be based solely on what has been accomplished in 2021, with past production prior to this season and future expectations removed from the equation.
In order to make the field of candidates at each position more manageable, a player has to have played 51 percent of his games at a position to be eligible for inclusion there. Players must also have at least 100 plate appearances on the year to be considered for a spot.
Included under the "May" column on the positional charts is a look at where each player was ranked last month to give an idea of who has climbed and who has fallen since the calendar flipped to June.
Let's get to it.
Catchers
1 of 10
Top 10 Catchers
| 1. Buster Posey, SF | 3 |
| 2. Carson Kelly, ARI | 1 |
| 3. Salvador Perez, KC | 9 |
| 4. J.T. Realmuto, PHI | 4 |
| 5. Willson Contreras, CHC | 10 |
| 6. Will Smith, LAD | 6 |
| 7. Mike Zunino, TB | 8 |
| 8. Omar Narvaez, MIL | 2 |
| 9. Tucker Barnhart, CIN | 7 |
| 10. Mitch Garver, MIN | NR |
Position Overview
The Giants have done a great job keeping Buster Posey fresh. The 34-year-old has started 36 of 73 games behind the plate, and he's hitting .315/.403/.585 with 10 home runs and a 32 percent caught-stealing rate.
Still just 26, Carson Kelly is enjoying a breakout season offensively, hitting .287/.426/.491 with 10 extra-base hits in 141 plate appearances. Will he be a first-time All-Star in a deep field of National League catchers?
It's been business as usual for established stars Salvador Perez, J.T. Realmuto and Willson Contreras as they continue to be among the best offensive players at the position and important on-field leaders.
Will Smith has a .378 on-base percentage thanks to a 12.2 percent walk rate, while Mike Zunino is hitting just .207 but with a 139 OPS+ and 12 home runs in 129 plate appearances after re-signing with the Rays on a one-year, $3 million contract during the offseason.
First Basemen
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Top 10 First Basemen
| 1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR | 1 |
| 2. Max Muncy, LAD | 6 |
| 3. Matt Olson, OAK | 3 |
| 4. Yuli Gurriel, HOU | 2 |
| 5. Jared Walsh, LAA | NR |
| 6. Trey Mancini, BAL | NR |
| 7. Jose Abreu, CWS | NR |
| 8. Carlos Santana, KC | 8 |
| 9. Rhys Hoskins, PHI | NR |
| 10. Freddie Freeman, ATL | 7 |
Position Overview
There was a lot of turnover in our first baseman rankings, but the No. 1 spot stays the same as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is putting together an MVP-caliber season. The 22-year-old leads the AL in batting average (.335), on-base percentage (.440), slugging (.665), OPS+ (204), hits (65), home runs (17) and total bases (129).
Just behind him is the MLB leader in WAR among position players Max Muncy who has a 169 OPS+ with 13 home runs, 45 walks and a .428 on-base percentage while providing solid defense at both first base and second base.
Matt Olson has a 169 OPS+ with 13 doubles, 14 home runs and 37 RBI to go along with his usual Gold Glove defense, Yuli Gurriel is hitting .301/.373/.497 with 22 extra-base hits, Carlos Santana has a .387 on-base percentage and 130 OPS+, and Freddie Freeman (116 OPS+, 12 HR) is still putting up top 10 worthy numbers even if he's well off his 2020 MVP pace.
The "NR" next to Jared Walsh is a bit deceiving, as he had played more games in the outfield last time we did these rankings and claimed the No. 4 spot among corner outfielders. With a .300/.362/.558 line and 12 home runs, he now slots in as a top five first baseman.
Trey Mancini (142 OPS+, 11 HR, 44 RBI), Jose Abreu (135 OPS+, 11 HR, 46 RBI) and Rhys Hoskins (136 OPS+, 12 HR, 34 RBI) are the true newcomers to the list, while Jesus Aguilar (No. 4), Nate Lowe (No. 5), C.J. Cron (No. 9) and Eric Hosmer (No. 10) fall out of the rankings after earning a spot a month ago.
Second Basemen
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Top 10 Second Basemen
| 1. Marcus Semien, TOR | NR |
| 2. Ryan McMahon, COL | 3 |
| 3. Jake Cronenworth, SD | 4 |
| 4. Tommy Edman, STL | NR |
| 5. Adam Frazier, PIT | 8 |
| 6. Jose Altuve, HOU | 10 |
| 7. Jean Segura, PHI | NR |
| 8. Kolten Wong, MIL | 9 |
| 9. Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA | 2 |
| 10. Ozzie Albies, ATL | NR |
Position Overview
Hitting just .211/.290/.368 at the end of April, Marcus Semien was unranked a month ago, but after posting a .368/.429/.702 line with 21 extra-base hits in 28 games in May he has soared to the No. 1 spot among second basemen.
It's going to be interesting to see who gets the starting nod for the National League in the All-Star game. The leading contenders right now are NL West foes Ryan McMahon (111 OPS+, 13 HR, 32 RBI, 2.1 WAR) and Jake Cronenworth (120 OPS+, 17 XBH, 2.4 WAR), but don't sleep on Tommy Edman (18 XBH, 10 SB, 2.3 WAR) who has done a nice job stepping into the leadoff spot in the St. Louis lineup.
Assuming he is not traded first, Adam Frazier will be a strong candidate to represent the last-place Pirates at the All-Star Game. The 29-year-old leads the NL in hits (71) and doubles (19), and his .335 average is good for third on the leaderboard.
Jose Altuve (134 OPS+, .302 BA, 1.6 WAR) has rebounded from a mediocre 2020 season, Jean Segura (130 OPS+, .322 BA, 1.4 WAR) remains a solid top-of-the-order catalyst, and Kolten Wong is providing his usual mix of solid contact ability and elite defense.
A hamstring strain limited Jazz Chisholm Jr. to eight games during the month of May or he would rank higher. The 23-year-old is hitting .272/.333/.482 with 11 extra-base hits and nine steals in 31 games.
After a slow start, Ozzie Albies is hitting .343/.425/.743 with three doubles, one triple, three home runs and 12 RBI in his last nine games and his overall numbers are now good enough to crack the top 10.
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Third Basemen
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Top 10 Third Basemen
| 1. Yoan Moncada, CWS | 5 |
| 2. Rafael Devers, BOS | 3 |
| 3. Joey Wendle, TB | 6 |
| 4. Austin Riley, ATL | 10 |
| 5. Jose Ramirez, CLE | 7 |
| 6. Nolan Arenado, STL | NR |
| 7. Evan Longoria, SF | 4 |
| 8. Alex Bregman, HOU | 9 |
| 9. Eduardo Escobar, ARI | NR |
| 10. Justin Turner, LAD | 1 |
Position Overview
Allow me to formally apologize for doubting Yoan Moncada heading into the 2021 season. The 26-year-old is hitting .301/.429/.432 with 16 extra-base hits and terrific defense at third base (3 DRS, 4.4 UZR/150), and beneath his surface-level numbers he has significantly raised his walk rate (+4.7%) and trimmed his strikeout rate (-4.2%). His 2.7 WAR leads all third basemen.
Rafael Devers has a career-high 152 OPS+ with 17 doubles, 14 home runs and 43 RBI in 52 games, and he is somehow still not 25.
Ahead of a number of usual suspects at the hot corner, Joey Wendle (143 OPS+, 23 XBH, 2.2 WAR) and Austin Riley (141 OPS+, .303/.393/.520, 10 HR) are quietly having breakout offensive seasons.
Jose Ramirez (139 OPS+, 13 HR) continues to do the heavy lifting in Cleveland, Nolan Arenado (136 OPS+, 11 HR) is settling in with the Cardinals, Evan Longoria (144 OPS+, 9 HR) is benefiting from regular rest, and Alex Bregman (134 OPS+) has offset his diminished power production with a .388 on-base percentage.
Ranked among the second basemen last time, Eduardo Escobar has now played more games at the hot corner. He has a middling 99 OPS+ and a .283 on-base percentage, but he's slugged 13 home runs and leads the NL with 39 RBI.
Justin Turner was the No. 1 player on this list after hitting .330/.409/.596 with 13 extra-base hits in April, but after hitting just .213 with a .632 OPS and five extra-base hits in May he is on the cusp of falling out of the top 10.
Shortstops
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Top 10 Shortstops
| 1. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD | 3 |
| 2. Trea Turner, WAS | 1 |
| 3. Xander Bogaerts, BOS | 2 |
| 4. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, TEX | 10 |
| 5. Bo Bichette, TOR | 8 |
| 6. Brandon Crawford, SF | NR |
| 7. Carlos Correa, HOU | 4 |
| 8. Javier Baez, CHC | 7 |
| 9. Miguel Rojas, MIA | NR |
| 10. Tim Anderson, CWS | 6 |
Position Overview
Even with his oft-mentioned 14 errors, Fernando Tatis Jr. still earns the top spot among shortstops thanks to a staggering 199 OPS+ and 16 home runs in just 165 plate appearances. He has also swiped 12 bases, putting him on track for a run at a 30/30 season.
Trea Turner (140 OPS+, 10 HR, 13 SB) and Xander Bogaerts (149 OPS+, 10 HR) are both having excellent offensive seasons in their own right. Turner gets the slight edge thanks to better defensive metrics and his NL-leading stolen base total.
The surprise name here is Isiah Kiner-Falefa who slid from third base to shortstop after the Rangers traded Elvis Andrus. The 26-year-old leads all shortstops in runs saved (8 DRS) and WAR (2.8), and he's more than just a glove with a 104 OPS+ and 17 extra-base hits.
Rising star Bo Bichette has a 117 OPS+ with 12 doubles, 11 home runs and 34 RBI, and he has also taken a significant step forward defensively. His four DRS are tied with Francisco Lindor for third among all shortstops.
Carlos Correa (129 OPS+, 2.2 WAR) and Javier Baez (123 OPS+, 1.8 WAR) have an opportunity to improve their free agency standing while Corey Seager is sidelined, while Brandon Crawford (136 OPS+, 1.6 WAR) is also set to hit the open market this winter and having his best offensive season in years.
Miguel Rojas hit .302/.368/.523 with 12 extra-base hits in 95 plate appearances in the month of May to climb into the rankings, while a .291 average and 110 OPS+ is enough for Tim Anderson to hold on to the No. 10 spot.
Corner Outfielders
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Top 10 Corner Outfielders
| 1. Ronald Acuna Jr., ATL | 1 |
| 2. Nick Castellanos, CIN | 5 |
| 3. Kris Bryant, CHC | NR |
| 4. Jesse Winker, CIN | 2 |
| 5. Aaron Judge, NYY | 8 |
| 6. Mark Canha, OAK | 9 |
| 7. Austin Meadows, TB | 6 |
| 8. Mitch Haniger, SEA | NR |
| 9. Mookie Betts, LAD | NR |
| 10. Tyler O'Neill, STL | NR |
Position Overview
There is a significant deficit in terms of depth of talent in left field relative to right field, and some players bounce between the two positions, so we have once again combined the two spots into simply "corner outfielders" for these rankings.
Ronald Acuna Jr. leads the NL in home runs (17) and runs scored (43), and he's hitting .287/.386/.630 for a 165 OPS+. The biggest step forward he has taken with his game this year is slashing his strikeout rate from 29.7 to 20.5 percent.
Teammates Nick Castellanos (173 OPS+, .361 BA, 29 XBH) and Jesse Winker (164 OPS+, .341 BA, 24 XBH) are currently first and second in the NL batting title race, and there's a strong case to be made that the Reds have the most productive outfield in baseball.
Kris Bryant has not played third base since April 20. He still has more innings at the hot corner (121.2) than any one position, but his total time spent in left field (91.1) and right field (103.0) combined make him a better fit here. The free-agent-to-be has an NL-leading 177 OPS+ with 15 doubles and 12 home runs.
AL East sluggers Aaron Judge (162 OPS+, 13 HR) and Austin Meadows (155 OPS+, 13 HR) are once again pacing their teams offensively, while AL West foes Mark Canha (143 OPS+, .382 OBP, 44 R) and Mitch Haniger (142 OPS+, 14 HR) are putting up equally impressive numbers in more spotlight-adjacent roles.
In a down year by his standards, Mookie Betts is still hitting .264/.378/.451 with 23 extra-base hits, and his 1.9 WAR is tied for fourth among all corner outfielders.
Tyler O'Neill got the nod for the final spot over a number of other worthy candidates thanks to a 156 OPS+ and 12 home runs in 37 games. The 2020 Gold Glove winner also has strong defensive metrics (2 DRS, 13.1 UZR/150) once again.
Center Fielders
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Top 10 Center Fielders
| 1. Adolis Garcia, TEX | NR |
| 2. Mike Trout, LAA | 2 |
| 3. Trent Grisham, SD | 5 |
| 4. Ramon Laureano, OAK | NR |
| 5. Bryan Reynolds, PIT | NR |
| 6. Cedric Mullins, BAL | 3 |
| 7. Randal Grichuk, TOR | NR |
| 8. Dylan Carlson, STL | 7 |
| 9. Tyler Naquin, CIN | 9 |
| 10. Michael A. Taylor, KC | NR |
Position Overview
Blasphemy!
Mike Trout was hitting .333/.466/.624 for a 198 OPS+ with eight home runs in 36 games when was sidelined with a calf strain. His 2.1 WAR still ranks among the MLB leaders, but he's no longer the top dog in center field based solely on 2021 production.
That honor belongs to 28-year-old rookie Adolis Garcia, who has slugged 16 home runs in 47 games after spending the first 10 games of the season at the alternate site. That power production, coupled with his strong defense in center field (7 DRS, 8.6 UZR/150), has been worth 2.8 WAR—tied for fourth among all position players.
Trent Grisham (156 OPS+, 2.1 WAR), Ramon Laureano (139 OPS+, 1.9 WAR), Bryan Reynolds (139 OPS+, 2.0 WAR), Cedric Mullins (134 OPS+, 2.0 WAR) and Dylan Carlson (127 OPS+, 1.4 WAR) are all 26 or younger, so the future of the center field position is in good hands, and that's without mentioning the injured Luis Robert.
Randal Grichuk looked like the odd-man out in the Toronto outfield when the season began. Injuries to George Springer have opened the door for him to be the starting center fielder and he's hitting .286/.318/.515 with 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 41 RBI.
Tyler Naquin has been one of the steals of the offseason with a 113 OPS+ and 11 home runs after signing a minor-league deal. The 30-year-old fits better at a corner spot with his limited range (-29.2 UZR/150), but he's done a respectable job filling a void in center.
The final spot goes to Michael A. Taylor on the strength of his defense. His 5 DRS are tied for fifth among all qualified outfielders, and he also has a respectable 94 OPS+ with 11 extra-base hits and four steals.
If you're wondering where Byron Buxton is, he falls just short of the 100 plate appearances required for inclusion.
Designated Hitters
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Top Five Designated Hitters/Utility Players
| 1. J.D. Martinez, BOS | 2 |
| 2. Shohei Ohtani, LAA | 4 |
| 3. Yordan Alvarez, HOU | NR |
| 4. Nelson Cruz, MIN | 3 |
| 5. Yermin Mercedes, CWS | 1 |
Position Overview
The side-by-side comparison of J.D. Martinez and Shohei Ohtani makes for a compelling argument:
Ohtani has the edge in power production, but Martinez has been the better all-around performer he gets the narrow edge for the No. 1 spot.
After a lost 2020 season, Yordan Alvarez is hitting .311/.347/.524 with 20 extra-base hits. The fact that his walk rate has cratered to 2.8 percent is worth keeping an eye on, but he's still producing at a high level.
Playing on a one-year, $13 million contract, Nelson Cruz is raking once again with a 141 OPS+ and 10 home runs in his age-40 season. If the Twins continue to struggle, he'll be an attractive rental option at the deadline.
Rookie Yermin Mercedes was hitting .415/.455/.659 when the month of April came to a close, but he hit just .221/.292/.326 with five extra-base hits in 106 plate appearances in May. Can he adjust now that pitchers have started to adjust to him?
Starting Pitchers
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Top 10 Starting Pitchers
| 1. Brandon Woodruff, MIL | 7 |
| 2. Jacob deGrom, NYM | 1 |
| 3. Kevin Gausman, SF | NR |
| 4. Gerrit Cole, NYY | 4 |
| 5. Tyler Glasnow, TB | 3 |
| 6. John Means, BAL | 9 |
| 7. Carlos Rodon, CWS | 6 |
| 8. Joe Musgrove, SD | 5 |
| 9. Corbin Burnes, MIL | 2 |
| 10. Shane Bieber, CLE | 8 |
Position Overview
I don't expect most people to agree with this choice, but hear me out.
Brandon Woodruff leads all of baseball with 3.9 WAR, and he has rattled off 10 straight quality starts on his way to a 1.27 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 83 strikeouts in 71 innings.
Meanwhile, Jacob deGrom has not yet made 10 starts total, and the 20 fewer innings he has pitched represent a significant gap relative to the sample size. With a 0.71 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and 82 strikeouts in 51 innings, he has been utterly dominant, but the time he missed is enough to keep him at No. 2 for now.
Kevin Gausman (11 GS, 6-0, 1.40 ERA, 83 K, 70.2 IP) has been well worth his one-year, $18.9 million qualifying offer, and he's going to cash in with a huge payday this winter if he keeps it rolling.
Gerrit Cole (1.93 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 102 K, 74.2 IP), Tyler Glasnow (2.69 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 106 K, 77 IP) and Shane Bieber (3.08 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 117 K, 79 IP) were the first three pitchers to reach the 100-strikeout mark, which should come as no surprise.
Despite a strong start to his career, few expected John Means (2.05 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 70.1 IP) to take a significant step forward. Even less was expected of left-hander Carlos Rodon (1.98 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 80 K, 54.2 IP) who was non-tendered by the White Sox at the start of the offseason before eventually re-signing on a one-year deal.
Joe Musgrove ranks third among qualified starters in WHIP (0.76) and fifth in batting average against (.158 BAA) as he has been one of the hardest pitchers to hit, while Corbin Burnes is having a season that would rank much higher had he not missed time. The 26-year-old has a 2.24 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 81 strikeouts in 52.1 innings.
Among the toughest omissions were Trevor Bauer, Walker Buehler, Yu Darvish, Jack Flaherty, Kyle Gibson, Clayton Kershaw, Freddy Peralta, Julio Urias and Taijuan Walker.
Relief Pitchers
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Top 10 Relief Pitchers
| 1. Josh Hader, MIL | 3 |
| 2. Aroldis Chapman, NYY | 1 |
| 3. Alex Reyes, STL | NR |
| 4. Mark Melancon, SD | 9 |
| 5. Craig Kimbrel, CHC | 8 |
| 6. Richard Rodriguez, PIT | 4 |
| 7. Liam Hendriks, CWS | NR |
| 8. Tejay Antone, CIN | 10 |
| 9. Ian Kennedy, TEX | NR |
| 10. Matt Barnes, BOS | 7 |
Position Overview
Narrowing the entire MLB landscape of relievers down to just 10 was extremely difficult, so in an effort to trim the field, relievers were required to have pitched at least 20 innings on the year to be eligible for inclusion.
Dominant as usual, Josh Hader is a perfect 12-for-12 on save chances with a 0.83 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 15.4 K/9 in 22 appearances.
He narrowly edges out Aroldis Chapman, who has one blown save in 13 chances, for the No. 1 spot. The Yankees flame-thrower has struck out 42 of 81 batters he has faced with a 0.41 ERA and 0.77 WHIP.
Alex Reyes has been walking a tightrope with 26 walks in 29 innings, but he has earned his place on this list by converting all 16 of his save chances with a 0.62 ERA and 12.4 K/9 in 27 appearances.
Mark Melancon (23 G, 17/19 SV, 0.74 ERA) and Craig Kimbrel (23 G, 13/15 SV, 0.78 ERA) continue to add to their resumes as two of the most effective closers in MLB history, while Liam Hendriks (23 G, 13/15 SV, 2.05 ERA) has righted the ship after a rocky start to his three-year, $54 million contract with the White Sox.
Expect Richard Rodriguez (21 G, 6/7 SV, 1.61 ERA, 0.58 WHIP) to be a hot commodity at the trade deadline. He has faced 79 batters and allowed just 11 hits and two walks. Ian Kennedy (20 G, 11/12 SV, 1.77 ERA, 0.93 WHIP) is also a safe bet to be on the move in July.
A budding star in the Cincinnati bullpen who can chew up multiple innings, Tejay Antone has a 1.61 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 37 strikeouts in 28 innings while tallying three saves and five holds in 17 appearances.
The strikeout stuff of Matt Barnes and his 12 saves in 13 chances makes it possible to overlook at 2.62 ERA that is not quite in line with the other guys on this list. He has a 41-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 24 innings of work.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, and accurate through Wednesday's games.
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