Ranking MLB's top 100 players for 2023: Shohei Ohtani at No. 1; Padres, Yankees, Angels all have two in top 10

Who will be the best players in the upcoming season? Let's rank 100 before Opening Day

The 2023 regular season is nearly upon us, and it's time for us -- on pain of termination -- to rank the top 100 players in baseball.

The rankings you'll soon be yelling about and double-birding are based upon reasonable expectations, using things like age, trajectory, scouting profile, and recent performance history to arrive at those expectations. In essence, we're making educated guesses at which players will provide the most value in 2023. While a player's performance in 2022 is very relevant to these rankings, it's not the sole consideration. Again, these are in essence predictions of which players will be the very best in the season to come, and there's more to it than just eyeballing last year's outputs.

As for what matters, with position players it's a mix of batting, defense, and baserunning. On offense, we're not concerned with things like RBI. Getting on base and hitting for power matter above all, as do playing time, context of the player's home ballpark, and production relative to positional peers (e.g., the offensive bar is lower for shortstops and catchers than it is for first basemen and DHs). For pitchers, run prevention and workload will be the drivers, but we'll also give some consideration to underlying fundamental indicators like strikeouts and walks. We're ranking players based on actual baseball considerations as opposed to anything having anything to do with fantasy (elves! orcs!), although there's obviously there's quite a bit of overlap.

Obviously, winter and spring injuries have a major bearing here, and if a player because of health concerns figures to lose a major chunk of his season, then he'll lose a spot he otherwise would've earned. To cite a pair of conspicuous examples, Bryce Harper of the Phillies and José Altuve of the Astros would under normal circumstances be firmly lodged near the top of the list to come. However, injuries figure to reduce their 2023 value a significant amount, and that's why they've been left off. Others suffering injuries not quite so serious will see their ranking drop based on those worries, but they'll still make the cut. 

Before we begin, a necessary reminder for the potentially outraged page-viewer from former Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcua Aurelias: 

"You are not compelled to form any opinion about this matter before you, nor to disturb your peace of mind at all. Things in themselves have no power to extort a verdict from you." 

Moderating wisdom in hand, let us proceed with the ranking of humans. 

What does Dansby Swanson's first season in Chicago have in store? Getty Images

Nos. 100-91

100	Daulton Varsho Toronto Blue Jays RF
Varsho brings much-needed left-handed pop to the Toronto lineup. Given the catching depth in place, he's not likely to see much time behind the plate, which reduces his value. That said, he's going to be a plus-plus glove in left, and on a non-contextualized level he should benefit greatly from the new Rogers Centre dimensions.
99	Dansby Swanson Chicago Cubs SS
While some regression with the bat is likely in order, Swanson has good pop and is a standout fielder at short.
98	Bobby Witt Kansas City Royals SS
The ballyhooed former prospect acquitted himself quite well as a rookie last season, and he figures to continue his development in 2023. Witt Jr. is a future All-Star at short or (eventually) third, and he's a valuable contributor in the here and now.
97	Kyle Schwarber Philadelphia Phillies LF
Sure, Schwarber paced the majors in strikeouts and batted just .218, but he offset those shortcomings (and then some) by cracking an NL-leading 46 home runs and drawing 86 walks. He's got a career OPS of .884 against right-handed pitching.
96	Jeremy Pena Houston Astros SS
As a rookie in 2022, Peña put up good offensive numbers and sparkled defensively before reaching a higher level in the postseason. The guess here is that he notches his first All-Star appearance in 2023.
95	Triston McKenzie Cleveland Guardians SP
McKenzie's 2022 breakout in what was his age-24 campaign certainly looks sustainable. That's thanks largely to good fastball elevation and a curve that complements his power pitches and gets swings and misses.
94	Tommy Edman St. Louis Cardinals 2B
Edman has solid bat, is excellent on the bases, and his transition to primary shortstop when exceptionally well from a defensive standpoint.
93	Hunter Greene Cincinnati Reds SP
The former No. 2 overall pick and owner of one of the biggest fastballs around, Greene turned in a perfectly respectable rookie campaign last season. We're betting the 23-year-old takes the next step toward ace-dom in the season to come.
92	Pablo Lopez Minnesota Twins SP
López since the start of the 2020 campaign has to his credit a 119 ERA+ with a 3.59 K/BB ratio. His fastball-changeup combo plays up thanks to the impressive extension he gets in his delivery.
91	Marcus Stroman Chicago Cubs SP
Since the start of the 2019 season, Stroman has an ERA of 3.23 with a K/BB ratio of 3.16. Over those three seasons (he opted out of the COVID-abbreviated 2020 season), he's averaged 30 starts per year.

Clayton Kerhsaw is entering Year 16 with the Dodgers. Getty Images

Nos. 90-81

90	Yu Darvish San Diego Padres SP
Darvish is now 36, and the usual age-related caveats apply. That said, he's coming off a 2022 campaign in which he approached 200 innings pitched with a 3.10 ERA and a 5.32 K/BB ratio. He still boasts big-time spin on the fastball.
89	Jazz Chisholm Miami Marlins CF
One of the most engaging players in baseball, Chisholm is also very good at his craft. He has the speed and tracking instincts to make the transition to center field work well, and the strides he made last season in terms of hitting the ball with authority suggest he's a real power threat moving forward.
88	Starling Marte New York Mets RF
Marte's ongoing recovery from core-muscle surgery bears monitoring, but he produced at a vintage level when healthy last season. For now, the bet here is that Marte puts up a customary year in 2023.
87	Gleyber Torres New York Yankees 2B
Last season,Torres, still just 26, re-established himself as a rich source of power – particularly as middle infielders go.
86	Amed Rosario Cleveland Guardians SS
He's made good strides defensively since the trade to Cleveland, and he's settled in as a quality hitter by positional standards.
85	Yandy Diaz Tampa Bay Rays 3B
In four seasons with Tampa Bay, Diaz has an OPS+ of 125, and in 2022 he put up his strongest quality-of-contact numbers to date. Ideally, he'll spend most of his time at first rather than third, where he's stretched defensively.
84	Luis Arraez Miami Marlins 1B
Last year's AL batting title winner brings to the Marlins multi-positional infield chops and top-of-the-scale contact skills. Across 389 games at the highest level, Arraez has an OPS+ of 120.
83	Nestor Cortes New York Yankees SP
Prior to the 2021 season, Cortes swapped out his curve for a cutter, and since then he's got an ERA of 2.61 across 42 starts and eight relief appearances.
82	Cedric Mullins Baltimore Orioles CF
Thanks to good plate production, big value on the bases, and plus fielding, Mullins, 28, has put up a combined WAR of 9.5 over the last two seasons. In more than 1,700 career plate appearances, he's hit into just nine double plays.
81	Clayton Kershaw Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Durability is a major concern for Kershaw at this stage of his career, but when healthy, the future Hall of Famer continues to thrive. He's coped with velo loss over the years thanks to his command of a deep repertoire. The likelihood that his innings will be limited affects Kershaw's ranking, but he'll probably continue pitching like an ace when he's on the mound.

Can Tim Anderson help the White Sox get back to the playoffs in 2023? Getty Images

Nos. 80-71

80	Brandon Lowe Tampa Bay Rays 2B
Lower back problems affected Lowe's availability and probably productivity in 2022. Still, consider that the 28-year-old has a career OPS+ of 130. That's excellent production for a middle infielder.
79	Carlos Rodon New York Yankees SP
The stuff is top-shelf and so are the results when Rodón is healthy (he has a sparkling 157 ERA+ over the last two seasons). Rodón was able to avoid any significant arm problems last season, but his start to 2023 will be delayed by a forearm strain. This ranking reflects those limitations and risks.
78	Zac Gallen Arizona Diamondbacks SP
The most underrated pitcher in baseball today? Gallen has a case. In 81 career starts in the majors, Gallen has a 136 ERA+, which is a highly impressive figure for a starter. He'll notch his first All-Star appearance in 2023, we declare.
77	Gunnar Henderson Baltimore Orioles 3B
Henderson enjoyed a highly successful 34-game debut season in 2022, and with rookie status still intact he's the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball right now. He also seems to have a clear path to regular playing time as Baltimore's starting shortstop.
76	Cal Raleigh Seattle Mariners C
Behind the plate, Raleigh has good framing skills, and in his age-25 season the switch-hitter blasted 27 homers – a tally he backed up with strong quality-of-contact indicators. Of those 27 homers, 24 came against right-handed pitching.
75	Tim Anderson Chicago White Sox SS
Groin and finger injuries took a big chunk out of Anderson's 2022 season, but he was productive when healthy. In addition to pinning down shortstop for Chicago, Anderson has an OPS+ of 122 over the last four seasons.
74	Corbin Carroll Arizona Diamondbacks LF
The former No. 16 overall pick is an easy top-3 prospect in baseball, and he lived up to that during his 32-game taste of the majors in 2022. This season, expect big numbers at the plate from the NL Rookie of the Year preseason favorite.
73	Matt Chapman Toronto Blue Jays 3B
Chapman in 2022 played in more than 150 games for the second straight season, and he again showed pop and good walk rates while grading out as a plus fielder at the hot corner.
72	Randy Arozarena Tampa Bay Rays LF
Arozarena has been a steady and high-level producer since being acquired from the Cardinals. That should continue to be the case in 2023. It certainly was in the recently concluded WBC.
71	Spencer Strider Atlanta Braves SP
In his standout rookie season, Strider and his very cool name kept runs off the board and struck out 202 batters in 131 2/3 innings. He leans heavily on his fastball, and with elite velocity and spin the pitch works for him quite well.

Cristian Javier was part of World Series history for the Astros last year. Getty Images

Nos. 70-61

70	Joe Musgrove San Diego Padres SP
Musgrove has reached new heights since becoming a Padre in January 2021. Over those two seasons, he's logged 362 1/3 innings with an ERA of 3.06 and a 4.03 K/BB ratio. This ranking assumes he'll suffer no ill effects from the broken toe he suffered in the weight room earlier his spring.
69	Shane McClanahan Tampa Bay Rays SP
McClanahan, who turns 26 in late April, has thrived across his first two big-league seasons. The numbers are backed up by excellent fastball velocity, good velo separation on the changeup, and plus spin on his curve.
68	Matt Olson Atlanta Braves 1B
While Olson took a significant step back from his 2021 levels of production in his first season as a Brave, he remains a top-line source of power.
67	Ian Happ Chicago Cubs LF
A defensive asset in left, Happ has a career OPS+ of 113 and has been a plus at the plate every season of his career. The Cubs would be wise to sign him to a long-term extension.
66	Steven Kwan Cleveland Guardians LF
Kwan combines good baserunning and fielding with top-of-the-scale contact skills at the plate. That's a valuable complement of sustainable skills, to say the least
65	Jeff McNeil New York Mets 2B
Fresh off his first batting title, McNeil may take a small step back at the plate in 2023 – such is the nature of batting-average spikes – but he's going to remain a plus producer, particularly as primary second basemen go.
64	Byron Buxton Minnesota Twins CF
Injuries (and lots of them) will always be the leading subplot with Buxton, but few can provide his overall value when he's on the field. If he can get to 140 games played one of these years soon, then he'll win the MVP.
63	Salvador Perez Kansas City Royals C
The veteran slugging catcher is closing in on 10,000 career defensive innings behind the plate. If it could be said with confidence that Perez going into his age-33 season was still capable of 120 games or so, then he'd be higher on this countdown. Things as they are, we'll project a more modest workload behind the plate.
62	Cristian Javier Houston Astros SP
Javier, who soon turns 26, proved himself a highly capable rotation piece with 25 starts for the Astros last season. He's got a career ERA of 3.05, and he's been even better as a starter, both in terms of run prevention and command and control.
61	Logan Webb San Francisco Giants SP
Webb flipped to a sinker-slider-dominant repertoire prior to the 2021 season, and in doing so he leveled himself up in a major way. Over the last two seasons, Webb has a sub-3.00 ERA, a K/BB ratio of 3.78, and strong ground-ball proclivities.

Brewers shortstop Willy Adames is among MLB's most underrated players. Getty Images

Nos. 60-51

60	Andres Gimenez Cleveland Guardians 2B
Giménez's first full season in the majors yielded a 141 OPS+ and a much-deserved Gold Glove. The bat may regress a bit in 2023, but the glove won't.
59	Tyler Glasnow Tampa Bay Rays SP
He's pitched to a 136 ERA+ and 4.33 K/BB ratio since being acquired from the Pirates at the 2018 deadline, and in 2023 he should be full go after returning from Tommy John surgery late last season. If not for the spring oblique injury that could delay his first start until May, he'd be much higher on this list.
58	Luis Robert Chicago White Sox CF
Going into his age-25 season, Robert has established himself as an above-average hitter and fly-catcher among center fielders. Now he needs to prove he can stay healthy.
57	Willy Adames Milwaukee Brewers SS
Adames has dealt with injuries to his lower half over the last two seasons, but he's one of MLB's most underrated players when healthy. He's an excellent defensive shortstop with a darn good bat by positional standards.
56	Bryan Reynolds Pittsburgh Pirates CF
Reynolds, who will continue to be subject to much trade speculation, has a potent power bat that will still play when he eventually needs to move to an outfield corner.
55	Luis Castillo Seattle Mariners SP
Since the start of the 2019 season, Castillo has put up an ERA+ of 132 with a K/BB ratio of better than 3.00, all while being fairly durable. Expect more of the same in 2023.
54	Framber Valdez Houston Astros SP
The lefty sinker specialist is perhaps best-in-class when it comes to inducing ground balls and suffocating hard contact off the bat. He's coming off a 2022 season in which put up a sub-3.00 ERA and led the AL in innings.
53	Brandon Woodruff Milwaukee Brewers SP
The second clenched fist of what's one of the best one-two punches in baseball, Woodruff, 30, boasts a career ERA+ of 132 with a K/BB ratio of 4.43.
52	Willson Contreras St. Louis Cardinals C
Contreras, who replaces the legendary Yadier Molina in St. Louis, has worked himself into a solid defensive catcher, and he's the best power hitter among current backstops.
51	Oneil Cruz Pittsburgh Pirates SS
Cruz has one of the most intriguing packages of quick-twitch baseball skills around, and he has impressive power potential – especially as middle infielders go. Don't be surprised if he takes the next step in 2023. The guess here is that he does.

Can Jacob deGrom stay healthy in his first year in Texas? Getty Images

Nos. 50-41

50	Jacob deGrom Texas Rangers SP
He's the best pitcher in baseball when he's able to take the mound. That qualifier is a defining one. Since reaching new heights starting with the 2018 season, deGrom has a 2.05 ERA (!) with a K/BB ratio of 6.90, but he's averaged just 20 starts per season over that span. This low ranking reflects that reality.
49	Marcus Semien Texas Rangers 2B
In his first season with Texas, Semien overcame a slow start at the plate to get to 25 home runs on the season, and he remains one of the top defensive second basemen in baseball.
48	Pete Alonso New York Mets 1B
He's 28 years of age, he gets on base at a good clip, and for his career he has 146 home runs in 530 games. In other words, Alonso is one of the most reliable producers going.
47	Sean Murphy Atlanta Braves C
This major trade acquisition promises to give the Braves elite defensive skills behind the plate and above-average contributions at it.
46	Alek Manoah Toronto Blue Jays SP
Manoah's second season in the bigs yielded an impressive 5.9 WAR and a third-place finish in the AL Cy Young race. Not many teams boast a 25-year-old ace, but the Jays indeed do.
45	Michael Harris Atlanta Braves CF
Harris backed up the advanced praise with a strong rookie season in 2022. He's looking like one of the best young complete threats – he does it at the plate, in the field, and on the bases – in MLB right now.
44	George Springer Toronto Blue Jays CF
At some point, decline will come for the 33-year-old Springer, but there's no sign of it yet. In a mostly healthy 2022, he hit 25 home runs with a 131 OPS+ and spent most of his defensive innings in center.
43	Kevin Gausman Toronto Blue Jays SP
Gausman, while still quite good, was a bit unlucky on the run-prevention front last season. That he led the AL in K/BB ratio and FIP suggests he may enjoy better results in 2023. That's the bet here.
42	Max Fried Atlanta Braves SP
Fried has a 2.68 ERA and 4.11 K/BB ratio over the last seasons, and in 2022 he topped the 180-inning mark for the first time in his career.
41	Dylan Cease Chicago White Sox SP
Cease was the AL Cy Young runner-up last season with good cause. His ERA might endure some regression in 2023, but he'll remain a top-tier frontline starter.

Fernando Tatis Jr. can be back on the field for the Padres before the end of April. Getty Images

Nos. 40-31

40	Brandon Nimmo New York Mets CF
The Mets saw fit to commit $162 million to Nimmo, who turns 30 before Opening Day. That's because he's done nothing but hit since becoming a major-league regular.
39	Rafael Devers Boston Red Sox 3B
The recipient of a $313.5 million contract extension with Boston, Devers enters his age-26 campaign with an OPS+ of 132 since the start of the 2019 season. For his career, he's averaged 324 total bases per 162 games played.
38	Max Scherzer New York Mets SP
Scherzer spent time on the IL last season, but at least it wasn't for arm problems. We're duty-bound to discount a 38-year-old moundsman at least a little bit, but the skills appear to be very much intact for the future Hall of Famer.
37	Kyle Tucker Houston Astros RF
The swing looks a bit awkward at times, but it truly does work for him. Tucker's got a career OPS+ of 129, he's an asset in the field and on the bases, and he's still just 26 years of age.
36	Zack Wheeler Philadelphia Phillies SP
Wheeler has a nasty repertoire fronted by a fastball-slider combo, and since joining the Phillies he's got the results to match. He's also been mostly healthy since the start of the 2018 season.
35	Corey Seager Texas Rangers SS
Seager in his first season in Texas made good on the big contract with 33 homers and 151 games played. Over his career, he's been one of the best-hitting shortstops in all baseball.
34	Fernando Tatis San Diego Padres SS
Tatis is in line to return from suspension in the latter half of April, which means he'll be available for the significant majority of the 2023 season provided he's healthy. Yes, health has and probably always will be a concern for Tatis. However, when his body cooperates he's one of the three or four best players in baseball.
33	Aaron Nola Philadelphia Phillies SP
Nola, who's still on the right side of 30, has for his career averaged more than 200 innings per 162 team games played, and since his breakout season of 2017 he's put up an ERA+ of 122.
32	Freddie Freeman Los Angeles Dodgers 1B
Freeman's first season in L.A. went swimmingly, as he led the NL in OBP, led the majors in doubles, and out-played his replacement in Atlanta. No sign of decline yet for the 33-year-old Freeman.
31	Austin Riley Atlanta Braves 3B
Over the past two seasons, Riley, who turns 26 in early April, has evolved into one of the most potent bats in baseball among third basemen. Last season he stacked up 79 extra-base hits while leading the NL in total bases.

Justin Verlander is searching for another late-career ring, this time in Queens. Getty Images

Nos. 30-21

30	Bo Bichette Toronto Blue Jays SS
He's a 25-year-old shortstop with a career OPS+ of 127 across more than 1,700 plate appearances and 159 games played in each of the past two seasons.
29	Vladimir Guerrero Toronto Blue Jays 1B
Guerrero, who just recently turned 24, followed up his 2021 breakout with a season of 32 homers and 35 doubles. He's got a very bright present and future, even if the double-play proclivities are a worry.
28	Will Smith Los Angeles Dodgers C
Smith remains perhaps the top offensive catcher in MLB. For his career, he has an OPS+ of 129 with 33 home runs per 162 games played.
27	Xander Bogaerts San Diego Padres SS
Bogaerts since 2018 has an OPS+ of 133, and last season he made some intriguing progress with his fielding at shortstop. If he's indeed a plus defender moving forward, then Bogaerts will be elevated from "very good" to "great" for the front half of his Padres contract.
26	Paul Goldschmidt St. Louis Cardinals 1B
The reigning NL MVP looked like he might be showing signs of decline at the plate back in 2019. Since then, however, Goldbird has been in peak form.
25	Justin Verlander New York Mets SP
A bit low for a reigning Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer? Perhaps, but the reality is that Verlander is 40 years old. The. skills are still very much intact, but decline can come quickly at such an age. That said, here he is – ranked and everything.
24	Alex Bregman Houston Astros 3B
After a bit of a lull, at least by his standards, with the bat in 2020 and 2021, Bregman got back to form in 2022 with 23 homers, 38 doubles, and more walks than strikeouts. He remains durable and a standout fielder at the hot corner.
23	Wander Franco Tampa Bay Rays SS
Franco seems to be getting overlooked these days, but that would be a mistake. Quad and wrist problems took a sizeable bite out of his 2022 season, but he still has one of the highest ceilings of any young players. He's also still just 22 years of age.
22	Carlos Correa Minnesota Twins SS
Perhaps lost in the very soapy opera of his free agency is that Correa is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. The health concerns will always be there, but when healthy he's an elite combination of hitting and fielding at the premium role of shortstop.
21	Alejandro Kirk Toronto Blue Jays C
The 24-year-old Kirk last season proved he can handle a primary catcher's workload while still putting up big numbers at the plate by positional standards.

Trea Turner was the NL champs' star offseason acquisition. Getty Images

Nos. 20-11

20	J.T. Realmuto Philadelphia Phillies C
He's one of the best defensive catchers in MLB, and he's coming off one of his best seasons with the bat. Strides in quality of contact suggest Realmuto can keep raking in the near-term.
19	Julio Urias Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Urías has been on another level – an ace level – since the start of the 2021 season. His fastball-curveball combo at the front of his pitch mix doesn't boast elite velocity, but it does boast elite spin.
18	Shane Bieber Cleveland Guardians SP
After the pandemic-compromised 2020 season and an injury compromised-2021 season, Bieber in 2022 returned to the 200-inning mark and matched with excellent numbers from the run-prevention and command-and-control standpoints. If there's a concern moving forward, then it's the ongoing loss of fastball velocity.
17	Trea Turner Philadelphia Phillies SS
He's a solid-fielding shortstop and perhaps the best baserunner in the game today. Turner's development of power -- on full display during the WBC -- has taken him to an even higher tier.
16	Yordan Alvarez Houston Astros DH
Alvarez was already an accomplished young slugger coming into 2022, but then he reached new heights – a 187 OPS+ with 37 home runs and 78 walks in 135 games. He's one of the best left-handed hitters in the game today.
15	Francisco Lindor New York Mets SS
Lindor's first season in Queens wasn't quite up to his usual standards, but things got back to normal in 2022: 26 homers, 16 thefts, and plus fielding at the premium position of shortstop.
14	Corbin Burnes Milwaukee Brewers SP
Milwaukee's 28-year-old bedrock ace over the last three seasons has an ERA+ of 156 and a K/BB ratio of 5.18.
13	Ronald Acuna Atlanta Braves RF
Last season, Acuña probably wasn't fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered in July 2021, and he indeed dealt with knee pain during the year. Further removed the injury and surgery, Acuña in 2023 may get back to his 2019 form, when he threatened the 40-40 mark.
12	Julio Rodriguez Seattle Mariners CF
Coming off a standout rookie season that rose to meet the hype, it's time for Rodríguez to become one of the best players in baseball. He'll be just that starting with 2023.
11	Adley Rutschman Baltimore Orioles C
Is the 25-year-old "sophomore" already the best catcher in baseball? Indeed he is. In 2023, Rutschman will build off his impressive rookie campaign and wind up as an AL MVP candidate.

How will Aaron Judge follow up his MVP season? Getty Images

Nos. 10-1

10	Sandy Alcantara Miami Marlins SP
The reigning NL Cy Young winner authored a season to remember in 2022, especially from a stamina and durability standpoint. With elite fastball velocity and a devastating changeup at the front of his repertoire, the 27-year-old right-hander should remain at the top of his guild.
9	Manny Machado San Diego Padres 3B
For the time being, he's Nolan Arenado's stiffest challenge when it comes to National League third basemen. The Padres' investment in Machado has been a major win for the organization.
8	Gerrit Cole New York Yankees SP
Cole remains a model of consistency in terms of workload, stuff, and results. Starting pitchers aren't often known quantities year after year, but Cole is perhaps the closest to that among current aces.
7	Jose Ramirez Cleveland Guardians 3B
The ruthlessly consistent Ramirez boasts an OPS+ of 141 since his breakout season of 2017.
6	Nolan Arenado St. Louis Cardinals 3B
Arenado remains in the top tier of fielders at any position, and as a hitter he's laid to waste the notion that he'd have any difficulties adjusting to life after Coors Field.
5	Juan Soto San Diego Padres RF
Last year's numbers were down a bit from his usual sky-scraping standards, but it says here that Soto will return to vintage form in 2023. Consider him to be a strong NL MVP candidate.
4	Mookie Betts Los Angeles Dodgers RF
Betts, 30, remains the most complete player in the game today. He'll almost certainly top 60 WAR for his career this season, which means he's squarely on a Hall of Fame track.
3	Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels CF
Injuries remain a concern for Trout, especially as he moves deeper into his thirties. However, when healthy he's still among the very best in baseball. Last season, he enjoyed a nice bounceback defensively while smacking 40 home runs in 119 games.
2	Aaron Judge New York Yankees CF
The 2022 season will likely stand as Judge's career year, but even if he takes a modest step back this year he's going to remain MLB's leading force of nature at the plate.
1	Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Angels DH
The two-way super(duper)star has performed at a high level at the plate and on the mound over the last two seasons. Ohtani in particular made impressive strides as a pitcher at the command-and-control level last season. Undaunted prediction: His walk year of 2023 will yield his second AL MVP award.

Outraged by that upon which you have just lain jaundiced eyes? As always, reach out to the author at his personal email address -- hotmail@hotmail.jpg -- with all your complaints. He looks forward to vigorous and lasting engagement on this matter.