Ranking the ten best MLB players heading into the 2025 season

Ranking the 10 best MLB players heading into the 2025 season was no easy task. Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Juan Soto were obvious locks, and a few others were guaranteed top-10 spots – but finding the right order was tricky.

How do you weigh the value of an ace against a five-tool infielder? How much should an elite hitter be penalized for poor defense? And what do you do with players who missed significant time due to injury?

Take Ronald Acuña Jr., for example, as he was left off the list after suffering his second ACL injury. He could easily be back in the top five by the All-Star break.

Only two pitchers made the cut this time. That could change quickly if Spencer Strider and Jacob deGrom stay healthy all year.

With Opening Day upon us, let’s dive into our ranking of the top 10 players in baseball for 2025.

1. Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani has won three MVPs in four seasons. Last year, he became the first designated hitter to win MVP, launching 54 homers and leading the National League with a 190 OPS+.

Set to return to the mound in 2025, Ohtani isn’t just the best player in the game – he has a very real shot at retiring as the greatest player in baseball history, especially if he returns to his 2022-level dominance on the mound.

2. Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge’s wRC+ since the start of the 2022 season is 28 points better than any other hitter. He’s won two MVP awards in that span and has amassed 7.6 more fWAR than anyone else.

Since 2020, Judge has only had one season with fewer than 148 games. The injury concerns from earlier in his career have waned, and he’s cemented himself as the best hitter in the sport.

3. Juan Soto

After blasting a career-high 41 homers in 2024, Juan Soto received the largest contract in MLB history from the New York Mets. Soto, who ranks fourth in wRC+ over the last three seasons, has frequently drawn comparisons to Ted Williams.

Soto is on that kind of trajectory, posting a 160 OPS+, 201 home runs, and 36.4 bWAR – all before his 27th birthday.

4. Tarik Skubal

Coming off a season where he won the Cy Young and led the league in ERA, wins, and strikeouts, Tarik Skubal was a lock for this list. It was just a question of how high he’d rank.

Since returning from injury midway through 2023, Skubal has a 165 ERA+, a 6.73 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 8.4 bWAR. He’s rightly the clear favorite to win the AL Cy Young again in 2025.

5. Bobby Witt Jr.

A batting title, 32 homers, 31 stolen bases, a 171 OPS+, and a Gold Glove season at shortstop would win MVP in most years. Bobby Witt Jr. had to settle for runner-up in 2024 thanks to Judge’s historic campaign.

Backed by stellar underlying metrics – his Baseball Savant page is covered in red—Witt looks primed for another MVP-caliber season that could surpass even his 6.1 fWAR projection.

6. José Ramírez

José Ramírez isn’t the first star to be underrated because he plays in a small market, but make no mistake—he’s been one of MLB’s elite players for almost a decade and is on course to become just the ninth member of the 300-300 club.

Just three players have more fWAR since the start of the 2016 season. That number only rises to four if we start in 2021. ZiPS doesn’t foresee a drop-off either, projecting the Guardians infielder to post the eighth-most fWAR this season.

7. Zack Wheeler

Zack Wheeler hasn’t won a Cy Young – though he came close last year – but he leads all pitchers in fWAR over the last three seasons. He owns a 142 ERA+ as a Phillie, and only four starters have posted a lower ERA over that span – and none have come close to Wheeler’s innings total.

His peak might not match the primes of Kershaw, deGrom, Verlander, or Scherzer, but his combination of durability and dominance earns him a well-deserved place in the top 10.

8. Gunnar Henderson

Gunnar Henderson hit 37 homers and stole 21 bases last season while playing above-average shortstop defense. His season was somewhat overshadowed by the exploits of Witt and Judge, but Henderson is unquestionably among the 10 best players in baseball.

His 10.8% walk rate and 11.25% barrel rate suggest this level of production is sustainable. ZiPS projects the Orioles star will tie Witt with 6.1 fWAR in 2025, good for fifth-most in the majors. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Henderson break into the top five of this list in 12 months.

9. Yordan Alvarez

Yordan Alvarez’s career 166 OPS+ ranks 15th all-time.

Since his first All-Star season in 2022, only Judge has posted a higher wRC+. Yet Alvarez barely cracks the top 10 in fWAR due to his limited defensive value.

He was one of the toughest players to rank – his offensive numbers are top-five worthy – but Henderson, Witt, and Ramírez provide more value on the basepaths and in the field, placing the Astros slugger ninth.

10. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Deciding between Alvarez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Francisco Lindor, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Bryce Harper for the final spot was nearly impossible. A compelling case can be made for any of them.

Thanks to a torrid post-All-Star break stretch in 2024 (1.127 OPS), Guerrero earns the final spot. Since 2021, only Betts, Freeman, and Harper – each now in their 30s – have posted a higher wRC+ among players not already ranked. Guerrero’s still just 26, and despite some inconsistency, he remains an elite hitter with room to grow.

Closing Thoughts

Metrics evolve, projections update, and narratives shift—but right now, these are the ten players shaping the game’s present and future. By the time October rolls around, this list may look very different—but as of Opening Day, these are baseball’s elite.

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