Updated 2021 MLB Position-by-Position Power Rankings, July Edition
Who are the 10 best MLB players at each position in 2021?
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, with the first update published on June 4. With another month of games in the books, it's time for another update.
Once again, these rankings will be based solely on what has been accomplished in 2021, with 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 150 plate appearances on the year to be considered for a spot.
Included under the "June" 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.
Let's get to it.
Catchers
1 of 12
Top 10 Catchers
| 1. Buster Posey, SF | 1 |
| 2. Salvador Perez, KC | 3 |
| 3. Omar Narvaez, MIL | 8 |
| 4. Will Smith, LAD | 6 |
| 5. Willson Contreras, CHC | 5 |
| 6. Mike Zunino, TB | 7 |
| 7. Yasmani Grandal, CWS | NR |
| 8. Carson Kelly, ARI | 2 |
| 9. J.T. Realmuto, PHI | 4 |
| 10. Gary Sanchez, NYY | NR |
The No. 1 Spot: Veteran Buster Posey remains atop the catcher rankings with a .330/.418/.560 line that includes 12 home runs and a career-high .978 OPS in 220 plate appearances. The 34-year-old is making a compelling case for the San Francisco Giants to exercise his $22 million club option next year, and he's on his way to his seventh All-Star appearance.
Rising: Chicago White Sox backstop Yasmani Grandal is having one of the strangest offensive seasons in MLB history. He's hitting just .186, but with a .391 on-base percentage thanks to a stellar 25 percent walk rate. He also has more walks (59) than hits (32), and nearly half of his hits (14) have left the yard. All of that has added up to a 133 OPS+ and 1.6 WAR.
Falling: Injuries have limited Carson Kelly to 50 games and he has begun to slide down the rankings as a result. The 26-year-old was in a breakout season, but he's currently on the shelf with a fractured wrist, and he'll likely miss out on a chance to represent the D-backs in the All-Star Game as a result.
First Basemen
2 of 12
Top 10 First Basemen
| 1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR | 1 |
| 2. Max Muncy, LAD | 2 |
| 3. Matt Olson, OAK | 3 |
| 4. Yuli Gurriel, HOU | 4 |
| 5. Jared Walsh, LAA | 5 |
| 6. Pete Alonso, NYM | NR |
| 7. Freddie Freeman, ATL | 10 |
| 8. Brandon Belt, SF | NR |
| 9. Trey Mancini, BAL | 6 |
| 10. Jonathan Schoop, DET | NR |
The No. 1 Spot: No surprise at the top. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is hitting .339/.442/.675 with 26 home runs and an AL-leading 66 RBI. He also leads the AL in OPS (1.117), OPS+ (200) and total bases (191), and his 4.2 WAR leads all AL position players. It's easy to forget he's still only 22 years old.
Rising: After a middling start to the year, Pete Alonso hit .293/.366/.495 with six home runs and 17 RBI in 29 games during the month of June. He leads a banged up New York Mets team in home runs (13), RBI (40) and OPS+ (133), and he'll take aim at defending his Home Run Derby title later this month.
Falling: The return of Trey Mancini after a battle with colon cancer is one of the best stories of the 2021 season. He was swinging a hot bat over the season's first two months, and he still sports a 113 OPS+ with 16 doubles, 14 home runs and 52 RBI on the year. However, he hit just .208 with a .612 OPS in June.
Second Basemen
3 of 12
Top 10 Second Basemen
| 1. Marcus Semien, TOR | 1 |
| 2. Jake Cronenworth, SD | 3 |
| 3. Jose Altuve, HOU | 6 |
| 4. Adam Frazier, PIT | 5 |
| 5. Ryan McMahon, COL | 2 |
| 6. Ozzie Albies, ATL | 10 |
| 7. Jean Segura, PHI | 7 |
| 8. Kolten Wong, MIL | 8 |
| 9. Whit Merrifield, KC | NR |
| 10. Brandon Lowe, TB | NR |
The No. 1 Spot: What an addition Marcus Semien has turned out to be for the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year, $18 million deal. His 138 OPS+ is right in line with the 140 OPS+ he posted in 2019 when he finished third in AL MVP voting, and with 19 home runs and 51 RBI, he's actually ahead of his pace from that season in the power department. He bet on himself with a one-year deal, and it's going to pay huge dividends this winter.
Rising: Along with his usual solid offensive production, which includes a .287/.335/.436 line and 29 extra-base hits in 346 plate appearances, Whit Merrifield has also been baseball's most effective base stealer. The 32-year-old leads the majors with 22 steals and he's only been caught once.
Falling: St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Tommy Edman was No. 4 on this list last month, but his offensive production has steadily dwindled as the season has unfolded. He hit .221 with a .229 on-base percentage during the month of June, and he was recently moved out of the leadoff spot in favor of rookie Dylan Carlson.
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Third Basemen
4 of 12
Top 10 Third Basemen
| 1. Rafael Devers, BOS | 2 |
| 2. Jose Ramirez, CLE | 5 |
| 3. Yoan Moncada, CWS | 1 |
| 4. Nolan Arenado, STL | 6 |
| 5. Justin Turner, LAD | 10 |
| 6. Kris Bryant, CHC | NR |
| 7. Joey Wendle, TB | 3 |
| 8. Manny Machado, SD | NR |
| 9. Josh Donaldson, MIN | NR |
| 10. Austin Riley, ATL | 4 |
The No. 1 Spot: It's time we start lumping Rafael Devers in with the game's rising superstars. He's only one year older than Ronald Acuna Jr. and still improving in his fifth MLB season. The 24-year-old is hitting .282/.355/.571 with 24 doubles, 19 home runs and 64 RBI, and he is quietly posting the best defensive metrics (2 DRS, -1.0 UZR/150) for the first time in his career at the hot corner.
Rising: After hitting .308/.350/.549 with 10 extra-base hits and 19 RBI in June, Manny Machado has climbed into the top 10 for the first time this season. He still has a ways to go to reach the level of production he showed last year when he finished third in NL MVP voting, but he's trending in the right direction.
Falling: Following a brilliant month of May, Austin Riley crashed back to earth a bit with a .238/.281/.362 line and just three home runs in June. The 24-year-old is still working on finding a balance between cutting down his strikeout rate and making consistent hard contact, but this season has been a positive step forward overall.
Shortstops
5 of 12
Top 10 Shortstops
| 1. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD | 1 |
| 2. Xander Bogaerts, BOS | 3 |
| 3. Carlos Correa, HOU | 7 |
| 4. Trea Turner, WAS | 2 |
| 5. Brandon Crawford, SF | 6 |
| 6. Bo Bichette, TOR | 5 |
| 7. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, TEX | 4 |
| 8. Javier Baez, CHC | 8 |
| 9. Willy Adames, MIL | NR |
| 10. J.P. Crawford, SEA | NR |
The No. 1 Spot: Detractors are going to point to the 17 errors as a reason Fernando Tatis Jr. should not be No. 1 among shortstops, but he is more than making up for it with a huge season at the plate. The 22-year-old is hitting .300/.387/.705 while leading the NL in home runs (26), RBI (56) and OPS+ (205). His 4.5 WAR leads all position players leaguewide.
Rising: Since he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on May 21, Willy Adames is hitting .280/.362/.523 with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 28 RBI in 37 games. The trade cost the Brew Crew a pair of solid bullpen arms in J.P. Feyereisen and Drew Rasmussen, but it has added an impact bat to the lineup and halted a revolving door at shortstop.
Falling: It was more a case of being overtaken by other players than doing anything to warrant slipping out of the rankings for Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. The 2020 AL Silver Slugger winner is hitting a rather hollow .293/.329/.407 with 19 extra-base hits in 286 plate appearances and a middling 103 OPS+, but he's still capable of catching fire at any time.
Left Fielders
6 of 12
Top 10 Left Fielders
| 1. Jesse Winker, CIN | 4 |
| 2. Michael Brantley, HOU | NR |
| 3. Kyle Schwarber, WAS | NR |
| 4. Mark Canha, OAK | 6 |
| 5. Tyler O'Neill, STL | 10 |
| 6. Randy Arozarena, TB | NR |
| 7. Tommy Pham, SD | NR |
| 8. Alex Verdugo, BOS | NR |
| 9. Andrew McCutchen, PHI | NR |
| 10. Robbie Grossman, DET | NR |
The No. 1 Spot: At a time when batting average has taken a backseat to power production, Jesse Winker is one of just three qualified hitters with a .300 average, .400 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage, joining Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bryan Reynolds. The 27-year-old is hitting .325/.404/.596 with 19 home runs, and he's on his way to the first All-Star selection of his career.
Rising: There is not a hotter hitter on the planet right now than Kyle Schwarber, who is batting .356/.431/1.156 with 12 home runs in his last 11 games. That type of power production alongside Trea Turner and Juan Soto is exactly what the Washington Nationals were hoping for when they signed him to a one-year, $10 million deal.
Falling: Alex Verdugo has played all three spots in the Boston outfield, but he's started the most games in left field. A .287/.345/.464 hitter through the first two months, he batted just .257 with a punchless .376 slugging percentage in June. However, he still reached base at a solid .342 clip, and his future remains bright.
Center Fielders
7 of 12
Top 10 Center Fielders
| 1. Cedric Mullins, BAL | 6 |
| 2. Bryan Reynolds, PIT | 5 |
| 3. Trent Grisham, SD | 3 |
| 4. Adolis Garcia, TEX | 1 |
| 5. Chris Taylor, LAD | NR |
| 6. Starling Marte, MIA | NR |
| 7. Ramon Laureano, OAK | 4 |
| 8. Steven Duggar, SF | NR |
| 9. Yonathan Daza, COL | NR |
| 10. Tyler Naquin, CIN | 9 |
The No. 1 Spot: After a red-hot start to the year, Cedric Mullins saw his numbers dip across the board in May, and it seemed like he might be leveling off. Instead, he rebounded to hit a blistering .380/.452/.720 with eight doubles, eight home runs and 16 RBI in 26 games last month. That's enough for him to reclaim the No. 1 spot among center fielders.
Rising: Has there been a more underappreciated breakout in 2021 than Bryan Reynolds in Pittsburgh? The 26-year-old is hitting .316/.406/.542 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs and 45 RBI en route to a 160 OPS+ and 3.6 WAR. It remains to be seen if there will be room on the NL All-Star roster for two Pirates, and second baseman Adam Frazier has an equally compelling case.
Falling: Sidelined since May 17 with a calf strain, Mike Trout no longer has the requisite number of player appearances to qualify for inclusion in this ranking. He was hitting .333/.466/.624 with eight home runs and 2.0 WAR in 36 games at the time of the injury.
Right Fielders
8 of 12
Top 10 Corner Outfielders
| 1. Ronald Acuna Jr., ATL | 1 |
| 2. Nick Castellanos, CIN | 2 |
| 3. Aaron Judge, NYY | 5 |
| 4. Joey Gallo, TEX | NR |
| 5. Mookie Betts, LAD | 9 |
| 6. Juan Soto, WAS | NR |
| 7. Kyle Tucker, HOU | NR |
| 8. Bryce Harper, PHI | NR |
| 9. Teoscar Hernandez, TOR | NR |
| 10. Hunter Renfroe, BOS | NR |
The No. 1 Spot: Despite a disappointing year from the Atlanta Braves, the NL MVP conversation still begins with Ronald Acuna Jr. in his fourth MLB season. The 22-year-old is hitting .280/.386/.601 with 22 home runs and 16 steals, and he leads the NL with 63 runs scored. He's on pace for 45 home runs and 33 steals for those on 40/40 watch.
Rising: After hitting .263/.434/.671 with 10 home runs and 23 walks in 24 games last month, Joey Gallo is lining up to be a hot commodity at the trade deadline. With an AL-leading 62 walks and a .388 on-base percentage, he has developed into more than just an all-or-nothing slugger.
Falling: Seattle Mariners veteran Mitch Haniger was hitting .261/.314/.542 with 14 home runs at the end of May to claim the No. 8 spot in what was then just a list of the top 10 corner outfielders. After hitting .253/.282/.404 with only seven extra-base hits in June, he didn't quite crack the top 10 right fielders once corner outfielders were split.
Designated Hitters
9 of 12
Top Five Designated Hitters
| 1. Shohei Ohtani, LAA | 2 |
| 2. J.D. Martinez, BOS | 1 |
| 3. Nelson Cruz, MIN | 4 |
| 4. Yordan Alvarez, HOU | 3 |
| 5. Austin Meadows, TB | NR |
The No. 1 Spot: On offensive production alone, Shohei Ohtani has been a 3.2-WAR player, a number that ranks ninth among all position players. That's without him providing any defensive value or accounting for his contributions on the mound. The two-way star has slugged an MLB-leading 28 home runs to go along with a .277/.360/.685 line and 174 OPS+ in 303 plate appearances.
Rising: Another year, another stellar offensive stat line for 41-year-old Nelson Cruz. The 17-year MLB veteran hit .380/.457/.759 with eight home runs and 19 RBI in 22 games last month to climb to No. 3 in the DH rankings, and the gap between him and J.D. Martinez for the No. 2 spot is a narrow one.
Falling: The league has successfully adjusted to Yermin Mercedes, who was one of the surprise stars of the season's first month. His numbers dropped off significantly in May, but he still held onto the No. 5 spot in the DH rankings. After hitting .159/.221/.190 with zero home runs last month, he's no longer in the mix.
Right-Handed Starting Pitchers
10 of 12
Top 10 Starting Pitchers
| 1. Jacob deGrom, NYM | 2 |
| 2. Kevin Gausman, SF | 3 |
| 3. Brandon Woodruff, MIL | 1 |
| 4. Kyle Gibson, TEX | NR |
| 5. Zack Wheeler, PHI | NR |
| 6. Gerrit Cole, NYY | 4 |
| 7. Max Scherzer, WAS | NR |
| 8. Freddy Peralta, MIL | NR |
| 9. Walker Buehler, LAD | NR |
| 10. Yu Darvish, SD | NR |
The No. 1 Spot: With a 0.69 ERA and 0.53 WHIP in 78 innings, Jacob deGrom is putting together a season for the ages. His 554 ERA+ is unfathomably good from a historical context, and his 122-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio speaks to a pitcher who has truly perfected his craft. Soak it up, baseball fans. We're witnessing something truly special every time he takes the mound.
Rising: Texas Rangers veteran Kyle Gibson allowed four hits, three walks and five earned runs while recording just one out on Opening Day. Since then, he has not allowed more than three earned runs in a start, posting a 1.51 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and .191 opponents batting average in 89.2 innings. If the season ended today, he would be the AL Cy Young winner.
Falling: Cleveland ace Shane Bieber still leads the AL with 130 strikeouts, but his 3.28 ERA doesn't quite stack up to the other standout performers on this list. He's also been sidelined since June 13 with a shoulder strain, opening the door for others to overtake him in the rankings.
Left-Handed Starting Pitchers
11 of 12
Top 10 Starting Pitchers
| 1. Carlos Rodon, CWS | 7 |
| 2. Trevor Rogers, MIA | NR |
| 3. John Means, BAL | 6 |
| 4. Sean Manaea, OAK | NR |
| 5. Clayton Kershaw, LAD | NR |
| 6. Robbie Ray, TOR | NR |
| 7. Wade Miley, CIN | NR |
| 8. Hyun Jin Ryu, TOR | NR |
| 9. Yusei Kikuchi, SEA | NR |
| 10. Cole Irvin, OAK | NR |
The No. 1 Spot: Non-tendered by the Chicago White Sox in December, Carlos Rodon rejoined the team on a one-year, $3 million deal in February, and that was the steal of the winter. The 28-year-old has a 2.06 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 78.2 innings, and he was second to the 2021 no-hitter party when he blanked Cleveland on April 14.
Rising: Can anyone catch Trevor Rogers in the NL Rookie of the Year race? The 23-year-old is living up to being the No. 13 overall pick in the 2017 draft, posting a 2.14 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 110 strikeouts in 92.1 innings, and his 2.62 FIP provides plenty of optimism he can keep it up.
Falling: Los Angeles Dodgers southpaw Julio Urias would have been a no-brainer for a spot on this list had we split the starters into right-handed and left-handed prior to this update. However, he scuffled in June with a 4.85 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in five starts, and that was enough for him to just miss the cut.
Relief Pitchers
12 of 12
Top 10 Relief Pitchers
| 1. Josh Hader, MIL | 1 |
| 2. Alex Reyes, STL | 3 |
| 3. Craig Kimbrel, CHC | 5 |
| 4. Mark Melancon, SD | 4 |
| 5. Kenley Jansen, LAD | NR |
| 6. Emmanuel Clase, CLE | NR |
| 7. Tejay Antone, CIN | 8 |
| 8. Ryan Pressly, HOU | NR |
| 9. Liam Hendriks, CWS | 7 |
| 10. Matt Barnes, BOS | 10 |
The No. 1 Spot: Utter dominance. That's what Josh Hader continues to bring to the table for the Milwaukee Brewers. The left-hander has converted all 20 of his save opportunities with a 0.55 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 15.2 K/9 in 33 appearances. The 27-year-old has struck out 55 of the 121 batters he's faced on the year.
Rising: When Julio Urias recorded the final seven outs in Game 6 of the World Series last year, it looked like the days of Kenley Jansen nailing down saves for the Dodgers had come to an end. Instead, he has rebounded nicely in the final season of a five-year, $80 million contract, converting 20 of 22 save chances with a 1.38 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 10.2 K/9 in 32 games.
Falling: Flame-thrower Aroldis Chapman has been lit up for a 17.47 ERA in his last eight appearances, tallying two losses and two blown saves while allowing 13 hits and eight walks in 5.2 innings. Prior to that, he had a 0.39 ERA through his first 23 games.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, and accurate through Wednesday's games.
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