Updated MLB Position-by-Position Rankings 2 Months Into 2023 Season
May 31, 2023Updated MLB Position-by-Position Rankings 2 Months Into 2023 Season
Who are the best of the best across Major League Baseball during the 2023 season?
That's the question we set out to answer each month with our position-by-position player rankings, casting aside previous production and future expectations to focus solely on production during the current season of play.
Our first rankings of the new season were published on May 6 when roughly one month's worth of games were in the books. And as the calendar gets set to flip to June, it's time for an updated look at the cream of the crop at each position.
How many Tampa Bay Rays made the cut? Did anyone from the Oakland Athletics find their way into the rankings? Is it even possible to narrow down all the relievers in baseball to a simple list of the top 10?
Let the fun begin.
Note: Each player's ranking in the May 6 version of this article is presented in parenthesis immediately following his name.
Catchers
Top 10 Catchers
1. Sean Murphy, ATL (1)
2. Elias Díaz, COL (4)
3. Will Smith, LAD (5)
4. Adley Rutschman, BAL (3)
5. Jonah Heim, TEX (2)
6. Salvador Perez, KC (10)
7. Francisco Álvarez, NYM (NR)
8. Cal Raleigh, SEA (7)
9. J.T Realmuto, PHI (NR)
10. William Contreras, MIL (9)
No. 1 Spot: On track to be a first-time All-Star in 2023, Sean Murphy leads all qualified catchers with a 158 OPS+ to go along with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 38 RBI in his first 45 games in an Atlanta Braves uniform. The former Gold Glove winner is also one of baseball's best pitch-framers.
Rising: After a slow start to the season, Salvador Perez has a .971 OPS with nine home runs and 19 RBI in 23 games in May. The 33-year-old leads all backstops with 102 total bases, and he is now 15 home runs away from becoming the 12th catcher in MLB history to reach 250 for his career.
Top Rookie: Touted prospect Francisco Álvarez started the year at Triple-A, then went 1-for-15 over his first five games once he was promoted, but the young slugger is quickly rounding into form. The 21-year-old entered play on Tuesday riding an eight-game hitting streak, hitting .400/.455/.967 with five home runs and 13 RBI during that hot stretch.
First Basemen
Top 10 First Basemen
1. Yandy Díaz, TB (1)
2. Freddie Freeman, LAD (4)
3. Paul Goldschmidt, STL (3)
4. Pete Alonso, NYM (5)
5. Anthony Rizzo, NYY (8)
6. Matt Olson, ATL (6)
7. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR (2)
8. Nathaniel Lowe, TEX (NR)
9. Rowdy Tellez, MIL (9)
10. Vinnie Pasquantino, KC (7)
No. 1 Spot: At a position loaded with established superstar talent, Yandy Díaz remains the top performer here in 2023. The 31-year-old is hitting .320/.420/.598 for a 186 OPS+ with 11 doubles, 12 home runs and 30 RBI. He leads the AL in on-base percentage and has taken his power production to another level.
Rising: Veteran Freddie Freeman leads the NL in hits (73), doubles (23), OPS (.980) and total bases (125), and he is hitting .377/.443/.698 over 122 plate appearances in May. There's still a lot of season to be played, but he looks like Ronald Acuna Jr.'s biggest competition for NL MVP honors right now.
Top Rookie: A lot has gone wrong for the Oakland Athletics, but claiming Ryan Noda off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers in December has been a nice win. The 27-year-old has a 149 OPS+ on the strength of a terrific 18.9 percent walk rate, and his 1.3 WAR ranks second on the Oakland roster.
Second Basemen
Top 10 Second Basemen
1. Marcus Semien, TEX (3)
2. Luis Arráez, MIA (1)
3. Thairo Estrada, SF (2)
4. Nico Hoerner, CHC (4)
5. Ketel Marte, ARI (8)
6. Jonathan India, CIN (9)
7. Jeff McNeil, NYM (5)
8. Gleyber Torres, NYY (NR)
9. Ozzie Albies, ATL (6)
10. Bryson Stott, PHI (10)
No. 1 Spot: With 3.2 WAR in 53 games, Marcus Semien has been the most valuable player on a Texas Rangers squad that looks like a bona fide title contender. He has a 135 OPS+ with 23 extra-base hits and 47 runs scored, to go along with terrific defensive metrics (7 DRS, 6.1 UZR/150) as usual.
Rising: The established veteran on a young D-backs roster, Ketel Marte is hitting .313/.382/.490 in 24 games this month. The 29-year-old has already surpassed last year's WAR total with 1.7 WAR in 50 games.
Top Rookie: While his offensive game has left something to be desired for the Milwaukee Brewers, Brice Turang has been one of the best defensive second basemen in the game. His three Defensive Runs saved are tied for fourth at the position and have helped him be a 0.3-WAR player despite a 61 OPS+ in 50 games.
Third Basemen
Top 10 Third Basemen
1. Matt Chapman, TOR (1)
2. Max Muncy, LAD (2)
3. Josh Jung, TEX (5)
4. Isaac Paredes, TB (10)
5. Jeimer Candelario, WAS (NR)
6. Patrick Wisdom, CHC (3)
7. José Ramírez, CLE (4)
8. Austin Riley, ATL (8)
9. J.D. Davis, SF (7)
10. Rafael Devers, BOS (6)
No. 1 Spot: Despite cooling off a bit from his red-hot first month, Matt Chapman is still having a terrific all-around season in a contract year. The 30-year-old is hitting .285/.366/.485 for a 137 OPS+ with 19 doubles, seven home runs and 27 RBI.
Rising: The Washington Nationals signed Jeimer Candelario to a one-year, $5 million deal after he was non-tendered by the Detroit Tigers, and he is enjoying a nice bounce-back campaign with a 113 OPS+, 23 extra-base hits and 1.8 WAR in 51 games. He could be a useful trade chip come July.
Top Rookie: After multiple injury-plagued seasons, Josh Jung is finally healthy and showing why he was the Rangers' No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 draft. The 25-year-old is hitting .283/.332/.505 for a 128 OPS+ with 21 extra-base hits and 35 RBI slotted in the No. 5 spot in the batting order for a potent Texas offense.
Shortstops
Top 10 Shortstops
1. Wander Franco, TB (2)
2. Bo Bichette, TOR (3)
3. Geraldo Perdomo, ARI (5)
4. Dansby Swanson, CHC (6)
5. Xander Bogaerts, SD (4)
6. J.P. Crawford, SEA (9)
7. Orlando Arcia, ATL (NR)
8. Francisco Lindor, NYM (8)
9. Zach Neto, LAA (NR)
10. Bobby Witt Jr., KC (NR)
No. 1 Spot: Just a few months removed from his 22nd birthday, Wander Franco leads the majors with 3.5 WAR, and he is contributing in all facets of the game. The young superstar is hitting .298/.360/.484 for a 138 OPS+ with 24 extra-base hits, 19 steals, and he also leads all shortstops with nine Defensive Runs Saved.
Rising: Breakout 2022 rookie Vaughn Grissom was viewed by many as the shortstop of the future in Atlanta. That might still be the case, but veteran Orlando Arcia is thriving in that position this year. The 28-year-old is hitting .304/.360/.470 for a 122 OPS+ with 1.3 WAR in 33 games.
Top Rookie: Less than a year after he was chosen No. 13 overall in the 2022 draft, Zach Neto made his MLB debut on April 15 and quickly took over as the Los Angeles Angels everyday shortstop. The 22-year-old has a 100 OPS+ with 13 extra-base hits and three steals at the plate and strong defensive metrics (5 DRS, 1.0 UZR/150) in the field.
Left Fielders
Top 10 Left Fielders
1. Randy Arozarena, TB (1)
2. Juan Soto, SD (7)
3. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., ARI (NR)
4. Jarred Kelenic, SEA (2)
5. Corbin Carroll, ARI (5)
6. Masataka Yoshida, BOS (3)
7. Austin Hays, BAL (8)
8. Bryan Reynolds, PIT (4)
9. Ian Happ, CHC (6)
10. Bryan De La Cruz, MIA (NR)
No. 1 Spot: With back-to-back 20/20 seasons, Randy Arozarena was already one of baseball's most productive outfielders heading into the season, and a more disciplined approach has helped him further up his game. The 2021 AL Rookie of the Year is hitting .296/.404/.519 with 11 home runs, 39 RBI and 35 runs scored, and he has raised his walk rate from 7.1 to 12.3 percent.
Rising: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is hitting a blistering .374/.441/.771 with seven doubles and eight home runs in 93 plate appearances in May. The 29-year-old will be a free agent during the offseason as he plays out the final season of the seven-year, $22 million deal he signed after he defected from Cuba in 2016.
Center Fielders
Top 10 Center Fielders
1. Mike Trout, LAA (2)
2. Brandon Nimmo, NYM (5)
3. Luis Robert Jr., CWS (NR)
4. Kevin Kiermaier, TOR (NR)
5. Cedric Mullins, BAL (10)
6. Brandon Marsh, PHI (1)
7. Riley Greene, DET (NR)
8. Cody Bellinger, CHC (4)
9. TJ Friedl, CIN (NR)
10. Julio Rodríguez, SEA (NR)
No. 1 Spot: With a 143 OPS+ that includes 11 doubles, 12 home runs and 1.7 WAR in 51 games, it has been business as usual for Mike Trout this season, though the gap between him and everyone else at the position has seemingly narrowed. The 31-year-old sits at 84.0 career WAR, and he recently surpassed Ken Griffey Jr. (83.8) on the all-time list.
Rising: Julio Rodríguez has raised his OPS more than 100 points over his last eight games, hitting .471/.486/.853 with four doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI in 35 plate appearances while tallying seven multi-hit games during that stretch. How high will he climb by the next update?
Top Rookie: An unsightly 35.0 percent strikeout rate has caught up to James Outman and he is hitting just .171 with a .564 OPS in May. That said, he still has a 112 OPS+ with 20 extra-base hits and six steals in 54 games, and he has been one of the most productive rookies in baseball thus far.
Right Fielders
Top 10 Right Fielders
1. Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL (1)
2. Aaron Judge, NYY (8-CF)
3. Josh Lowe, TB (2)
4. Mookie Betts, LAD (5)
5. Alex Verdugo, BOS (3)
6. Adolis García, TEX (6)
7. Nick Castellanos, PHI (4)
8. Michael Conforto, SF (NR)
9. Kyle Tucker, HOU (7)
10. Lane Thomas, WAS (NR)
No. 1 Spot: If the season ended today, Ronald Acuña Jr. would likely be the unanimous NL MVP winner. After a lackluster 2022 season in his return from a torn ACL, he is back to being one of the game's brightest young stars, hitting .327/.408/.561 for a 158 OPS+ with 15 doubles, 11 home runs and 30 RBI. He also leads the NL in runs (48) and steals (22).
Rising: Looking to rebuild his stock after missing the entire 2022 season recovering from shoulder surgery, Michael Conforto is rounding into form in the first season of a two-year, $36 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. Over his last 17 games, he is hitting .365/.417/.730 with seven home runs and 17 RBI in 72 plate appearances.
Top Rookie: In two different brief stints on the Twins MLB roster this season, Matt Wallner has gone 7-for-19 with one double, one home run and four RBI. The 25-year-old posted a .953 OPS with 32 doubles, 27 home runs and 95 RBI in 128 games in the upper levels of the minors last season, and he could be the right fielder of the future if Max Kepler is moved.
Designated Hitters
Top 10 Designated Hitters
1. Yordan Álvarez, HOU (5)
2. Nolan Gorman, STL (4-UT)
3. Jorge Soler, MIA (NR)
4. Brent Rooker, OAK (1)
5. J.D. Martinez, LAD (NR)
6. Shohei Ohtani, LAA (3)
7. Harold Ramirez, TB (2)
8. Charlie Blackmon, COL (NR)
9. Byron Buxton, MIN (4)
10. Andrew McCutchen, PIT (NR)
No. 1 Spot: Yordan Álvarez has proved time and again that he can flat-out hit, and with a .284/.397/.598 line and 171 OPS+ he has again been one of baseball's most productive offensive players. That six-year, $115 million extension he signed last year is going to be an absolute steal.
Rising: After homering in five straight games last week, Jorge Soler now sports a 139 OPS+ with 17 home runs and 35 RBI on the year. It's easy to forget he's just a few years removed from launching an AL-leading 48 long balls during the 2019 season with the Kansas City Royals.
Utility Players
Top 10 Utility Players
1. Zach McKinstry, DET (NR)
2. LaMonte Wade Jr., SF (2)
3. Taylor Walls, TB (1)
4. Owen Miller, MIL (NR)
5. Ezequiel Duran, TEX (NR)
6. Ha-Seong Kim, SD (NR)
7. Luke Raley, TB (NR)
8. Joey Gallo, MIN (NR)
9. Tommy Edman, STL (7-SS)
10. Brian Anderson, MIL (5)
No. 1 Spot: The Detroit Tigers acquired Zach McKinstry from the Chicago Cubs just before Opening Day, and he has, arguably, been the team's best infielder. Splitting his time between second base (22 games) and third base (12 games) while also making a handful of starts at shortstop and the corner outfield spots, he is hitting .296/.412/.448 for a 143 OPS+ with 11 extra-base hits, 10 steals and WAR in 45 games.
Rising: The Milwaukee Brewers recently designated Luke Voit for assignment, due in part to the emergence of Owen Miller as a right-handed hitting option off the bench. The 26-year-old is hitting .366/.403/.620 with 10 extra-base hits over 77 plate appearances in May, and he has played multiple games at first base, second base, third base and both corner outfield positions.
Right-Handed Starting Pitchers
Top 10 Right-Handed Starting Pitchers
1. Sonny Gray, MIN (1)
2. Spencer Strider, ATL (6)
3. Joe Ryan, MIN (7)
4. Marcus Stroman, CHC (NR)
5. Nathan Eovaldi, TEX (NR)
6. Shohei Ohtani, LAA (5)
7. Luis Castillo, SEA (4)
8. Bryce Elder, ATL (10)
9. Logan Webb, SF (NR)
10. Cristian Javier, HOU (NR)
No. 1 Spot: Free-agent-to-be Sonny Gray is the MLB leader in ERA (1.94) and the AL leader in FIP (2.19), which is a great sign that no major regression is looming. The 33-year-old has yet to allow a home run in 60.1 innings pitched, and the addition of a cutter to his repertoire has helped him get off to a dominant start.
Rising: The Texas Rangers rank second in the majors with a 3.11 ERA from their starting rotation, and Nathan Eovaldi has been the best of the bunch with a 2.42 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in an AL-high 74.1 innings. In his last six starts he has a 0.77 ERA with a pair of complete games.
Top Rookie: After pitching his way onto the postseason roster as a September call-up last year, Hunter Brown has made a seamless transition into the Houston Astros rotation. The 24-year-old has gone 5-1 with a 3.12 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 57.2 innings over 10 starts, and his contributions have helped ease the loss of Justin Verlander in free agency.
Left-Handed Starting Pitchers
Top 10 Left-Handed Starting Pitchers
1. Shane McClanahan, TB (4)
2. Eduardo Rodríguez, DET (3)
3. Framber Valdez, HOU (7)
4. Justin Steele, CHC (2)
5. Clayton Kershaw, LAD (1)
6. Drew Smyly, CHC (8)
7. MacKenzie Gore, WAS (NR)
8. Jesús Luzardo, MIA (NR)
9. Patrick Sandoval, LAA (NR)
10. Logan Allen, CLE (NR)
No. 1 Spot: After a 2022 season where he earned his first All-Star selection and finished sixth in AL Cy Young balloting, Shane McClanahan is proving his breakout was the real deal. The 26-year-old is 8-0 with a 1.97 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 75 strikeouts in 64 innings, and his eight quality starts are tied for third in the American League.
Rising: MacKenzie Gore was the No. 6 prospect in baseball at the start of the 2020 season. The Washington Nationals acquired him last summer as part of the Juan Soto blockbuster with the San Diego Padres, and he looks like a potential long-term building block for the rebuilding franchise. The 24-year-old struck out a career-high 11 batters over seven innings of three-hit, one-run ball last time out.
Top Rookie: Injuries opened the door for Cleveland prospects Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee to reach the majors a bit earlier than expected, and both have impressed in the early going, Allen, 24, has a 2.72 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 39.2 innings since making his MLB debut at the end of April. Who will be the odd-man out with Triston McKenzie and Aaron Civale both on the mend?
Relief Pitchers
Top 10 Relief Pitchers
1. Josh Hader, SD (1)
2. Devin Williams, MIL (NR)
3. Yennier Cano, BAL (2)
4. Carlos Estévez, LAA (5)
5. Alexis Díaz, CIN (10)
6. Camilo Doval, SF (NR)
7. Phil Maton, HOU (NR)
8. Alex Lange, DET (NR)
9. David Bednar, PIT (3)
10. Evan Phillips, LAD (NR)
No. 1 Spot: After a brief hiccup during the second half last season, Josh Hader is back to being one of the most overpowering relievers in baseball history. The left-hander has nailed down 13-of-15 save chances with a minuscule 0.82 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 13.1 K/9 in 22 games, and a massive payday awaits in free agency this coming winter.
Rising: The Detroit Tigers bullpen remains a strength even after Joe Jiménez and Gregory Soto were traded during the offseason. New closer Alex Lange is thriving in the ninth-inning role, converting 9-of-10 save chances with a 1.21 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 12.1 K/9 in 22 appearances.
Top Rookie: Even with a few more hits allowed of late, Yennier Cano still has a pristine 0.98 ERA and 0.54 WHIP with four saves and 10 holds in 22 appearances for the Orioles. The 29-year-old leads all relievers with 1.8 WAR and has been an integral part of one of the best bullpens in baseball.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Monday's games.