Ranking MLB's top 100 players in 2024: Yankees, Dodgers, Braves stars headline, how far does Mike Trout fall?

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

The 2024 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 thundering about to the uncaring heavens above 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 would provide the most value in 2024. 

While a player's performance in 2023 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 (although there's obviously some overlap).

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. 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 Marcus Aurelius: "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."

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100	Steven Kwan Cleveland Guardians LF
Kwan may be the best defensive corner outfielder around, and he pairs that skill with elite bat-to-ball skills and base-running.
99	Bryan Reynolds Pittsburgh Pirates LF
Reynolds put up quality numbers in his age-28 campaign, but if you look at the underlying quality of his batted balls you'll find he deserved even better. Expect a modest uptick in production from the outfielder this season.
98	Kodai Senga New York Mets SP
Senga's first stateside season went swimmingly, as he notched a sub-3.00 ERA, struck out 29.1% of opposing batters -- a strong figure for a starting pitcher -- and reached a qualifying number of innings. He'd likely be in the top half of this list if spring shoulder problems weren't going to cost a month or more of the upcoming regular season.
97	Edouard Julien Minnesota Twins 2B
Julien as a professional has done nothing but produce at the plate. He came into his rookie campaign of 2023 with a career slash line of .285/.437/.487 across parts of three minor-league seasons, and then he went out and put up a 130 OPS+ for the AL Central champs. Those on-base skills plus solid pop make him a special player, especially as a middle infielder.
96	Ian Happ Chicago Cubs LF
A two-time Gold Glover and one-time All-Star, Happ comes into his age-29 campaign with a 113 career OPS+. For his career, he's averaged 24 home runs per 162 games played.
95	Walker Buehler Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Normally, Buehler and his career ERA+ of 136 would be a lot higher on this list, but 2024 occasions his return from Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers at this writing aren't sure when he'll be able to make his debut, and beyond that there is some performance uncertainty in his first year back. This conservative ranking for Buehler reflects those realities.
94	Jesus Luzardo Miami Marlins SP
The 26-year-old lefty has leveled up on the Marlins' watch. In two seasons with Miami, Luzardo has an ERA+ of 124 across a tidy 40 starts. He's also coming off a 2023 in which he topped 200 strikeouts.
93	Chris Bassitt Toronto Blue Jays SP
Here's another who probably doesn't quite get the credit he deserves. Bassitt for his career has an ERA+ of 118, and three times in the last four years he's finished in the top 10 of the Cy Young vote.
92	Adolis Garcia Texas Rangers RF
García is more than "just" a postseason hero for the champion Rangers. He's seen his offensive game improve steadily over the years, and last year he was good for 39 homers and a 123 OPS+. His strong exit-velo numbers suggest he'll keep it up.
91	Gerrit Cole New York Yankees SP
No other pitcher would be facing such a lengthy absence (Cole is likely out until mid-May or later) and still crack this list. Cole, however, is a different case. The reigning AL Cy Young winner and best pitcher in baseball (when healthy) still merits a spot even with the elbow troubles. If he were healthy, he'd be the highest-ranked pitcher of all.

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90	Yainer Diaz Houston Astros C
While Diaz's framing needs work, he's mobile behind the plate with a knack for controlling the running game. He's also a very good hitter as catchers go. In his rookie season of 2023, he smacked 23 homers in 104 games and slugged .538.
89	Tyler Glasnow Los Angeles Dodgers SP
If stuff, dominance, and run prevention were all that we cared about, then Glasnow would be near the top of this list. However, durability matters, and only the fact that Glasnow's career high in innings is 120 puts him this low.
88	Randy Arozarena Tampa Bay Rays LF
The Rays' left fielder is coming off his first All-Star selection, and he's been a remarkably consistent producer at the plate over the last three seasons. Arozarena enters his age-29 campaign with a career OPS+ of 126.
87	J.P. Crawford Seattle Mariners SS
A shortstop with newfound power and an AL-leading 94 walks a season ago? Yep, Crawford has earned his top-100 spot going into 2024.
86	Justin Verlander Houston Astros SP
It's a bit perilous putting a 41-year-old on this countdown. Verlander, however, is perhaps the best pitcher of his generation, and he's coming off a 2023 in which he ran a 3.22 ERA with a 3.20 K/BB ratio in a qualifying number of innings.
85	Brandon Lowe Tampa Bay Rays 2B
He's a quality producer at the plate, especially as middle infielders go, and he's also an asset with the glove at second base.
84	Cedric Mullins Baltimore Orioles CF
Statcast calls him one of the best defensive center fielders in the game, and that estimation certainly passes the eye test. Mullins is also an above-average hitter and base-runner.
83	Alejandro Kirk Toronto Blue Jays C
Kirk suffered a dip at the plate last season, but the larger body of work remains strong. He's also a quality defender behind the plate when it comes to framing and blocking pitches.
82	Joe Musgrove San Diego Padres SP
Musgrove was limited to 17 starts last year because of a toe fracture followed by shoulder problems, but he topped 180 innings in each of the prior two years. Over that three-season span, he has an ERA of 3.05 with a K/BB ratio of 4.14.
81	Cody Bellinger Chicago Cubs CF
Bellinger remains a standout defender and good baserunner. Last season, he traded hard contact for more contact, and the result was a promising bounce-back season. Finally getting healthy probably also helped matters.

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80	Ke'Bryan Hayes Pittsburgh Pirates 3B
Given Nolan Arenado's possible decline in the field (more on that below), is Hayes now the best defensive third baseman in baseball? He might be. He also showed good progress at the plate down the stretch last season. He'll break out in a big way in 2024.
79	Justin Steele Chicago Cubs SP
Steele isn't much of a hard thrower, but that's about the only thing lacking in his game. He's a control artist with strong ground-ball tendencies, and he boasts a 3.30 ERA across parts of three MLB seasons. Steele made big strides and the command-and-control level last season, and that's a promising sign.
78	Shane Bieber Cleveland Guardians SP
Bieber's been working hard to gain back some of his fastball's lost velocity, and the early indicators are promising. He's in his walk year and not that far removed from being one of the best starting pitchers in baseball. Bieber's also still just 28 years of age.
77	Isaac Paredes Tampa Bay Rays 3B
Paredes has enjoyed a steady trajectory of improvement since arriving in the majors, and last season for the Rays it really came together. In 143 games, he boasted a 131 OPS+, 31 home runs, and a WAR of 4.2. Paredes just recently turned 25.
76	Sonny Gray St. Louis Cardinals SP
A hamstring injury will delay the start to Gray's first season in St. Louis, but barring further malady he should be able to put together a mostly full campaign. Armed with one of the best breaking balls around, Gray is coming off a 2023 season with the Twins in which he finished runner-up in the AL Cy Young vote.
75	Nolan Jones Colorado Rockies LF
Herein lies one of the few reasons to watch a Rox game. The 25-year-old Jones is coming off a rookie 2023 season in which had an OPS+ of 138 with 20 homers and 20 steals in just 106 games.
74	Tarik Skubal Detroit Tigers SP
The guess here is that Skubal is in line for a big 2024. He returned from elbow surgery last season in time to pitch the second half, and he flashed improved velocity and a tweaked pitch mix. Across 15 starts, Skubal was dominant: 2.80 ERA, 7.29 K/BB ratio, 102 strikeouts in 80 1/3 innings. He's arrived.
73	Jordan Montgomery Texas Rangers SP
The master of the "deathball" pitch has been a bedrock in recent years. Over the last three seasons combined, Montgomery has an ERA+ of 121 and a K/BB of 3.60 and has averaged 175 innings per year. He's an established rotation stabilizer, and he's inexplicably still a free agent at this writing.
72	Dylan Cease San Diego Padres SP
The Padres' new frontline presence in the rotation still has standout stuff and an ace's ceiling. Cease struggled on the run-prevention front last year, at least by his standards, but that was largely driven by bad luck. Expect a solidly sub-4.00 ERA with a qualifying number of innings and an impressive strikeout total.
71	Pete Alonso New York Mets 1B
Alonso, 29, is a three-time All-Star. Across parts of five MLB seasons, he boasts an OPS+ of 136, and he's racked up 192 home runs in 684 games.

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70	Matt McLain Cincinnati Reds SS
McLain is a former No. 17 overall pick out of UCLA, and coming up through the Reds' system he was a consensus top-100 prospect. All of that leads to heavy expectations, and McLain in his rookie season of 2023 comfortably exceeded. McLain batted .290/.357/.507 with 16 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 89 games while spending time at short and second. The Reds' infield situation is a bit unwieldy this year, but McLain figures to be a productive fixture for years to come. (McLain is still gathering opinions on a shoulder issue, and this ranking is under the assumption he won't miss a significant chunk of the season.)
69	Ha-seong Kim San Diego Padres SS
One of the top defensive second basemen in MLB now shifts to shortstop, where Kim should remain a plus with the glove. His good on-base skills and value running the bases will stand out even more among his peers at the most premium position on the diamond.
68	George Kirby Seattle Mariners SP
The 26-year-old righty has a rare combination of skills. He's a control artist who's also adept at getting swings on pitches outside the strike zone. He has an ERA+ of 116 in two big-league seasons, and last year he led the majors with a K/BB ratio of 9.05. Yes, Kirby had more than nine times as many strikeouts than walks.
67	Blake Snell San Francisco Giants SP
Yeah, Snell walks a lot of batters and is too often a stranger to pitching past the sixth inning. However, he's also a two-time Cy Young winner with excellent stuff and elite strikeout numbers.
66	Willson Contreras St. Louis Cardinals C
Contreras' defense was a source of consternation during his first season in St. Louis, but an occasional lack of accountability in the rotation had a little something to do with that. While he's not a premium defender in terms of pitch-framing, he's good at keeping the running game in check. Most importantly, he's still in the discussion for best-hitting catcher in the game today.
65	Gleyber Torres New York Yankees 2B
Torres, now 27, has established himself as a steady source of power as middle infielders go. For his career, he's averaged 27 home runs per 162 games played. He's going into his walk year.
64	Nico Hoerner Chicago Cubs 2B
Hoerner is a standout glove-man at the keystone, and he's a league-average hitter. Being a league-average hitter when you're a Gold Glover in the middle infield is indeed a good thing. Hoerner's also coming off a 2023 season in which he swiped 43 bases.
63	Matt Chapman San Francisco Giants 3B
Chapman is not quite the hitter he was during his peak years with Oakland. However, he's still a solidly above-average producer at the plate, and with the glove he's still among the best at the hot corner.
62	Paul Goldschmidt St. Louis Cardinals 1B
Goldbird's numbers took a significant dip compared to his MVP season of 2022. However, bad luck was a main culprit, and his quality-of-contact indicators remain excellent. A rebound season in 2024 seems likely.
61	Cal Raleigh Seattle Mariners C
Since becoming Seattle's regular behind the plate, Raleigh has put up a 116 OPS+ over the last two seasons with 57 homers in 264 games. Defensively, he's a strong pitch framer and also controls the running game well.

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60	Vladimir Guerrero Toronto Blue Jays 1B
VGJ saw a dip in production last season, but his batted-ball authority suggests bad luck was the driver. Still just 25 years of age, he's primed for better outputs in 2024.
59	Ozzie Albies Atlanta Braves 2B
Albies tends to get overlooked in the overstuffed Atlanta lineup, but that's a mistake. He is and has been for some time a rare combination and power, speed, and plus fielding at a middle-infield position.
58	Nolan Arenado St. Louis Cardinals 3B
Arenado is probably in decline, but he remains enough of a producer that his spot on this list is secure for now. His defense slipped last season, but he got back to something close to his typical level in the field after restoring his typical preparatory efforts. Arenado had scaled back on them in an effort to combat fatigue, but he determined that loss of routine was a factor in his struggles with the glove early in the 2023 season.
57	Logan Gilbert Seattle Mariners SP
A control artist with strong velocity and excellent extension off the mound, Gilbert going into his age-27 season is ready to take the next step toward ace-dom. Last season his 5.25 K/BB ratio was good for third in the AL.
56	Yandy Diaz Tampa Bay Rays 1B
The veteran corner infielder claimed the AL batting title in 2023 and also hit a career-best 22 home runs. For his career, Díaz boasts an OBP of .381 with 302 walks against 371 strikeouts.
55	Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels CF
Yes, it's jarring to see Trout anywhere but high on this list, but, well, time is a fire that burns us all. He's still a strong producer on a rate basis, but it's impossible to ignore his recent injury history. Durability will be only more of a concern as he moves deeper into his thirties.
54	Max Fried Atlanta Braves SP
Injuries remain a worry for the lefty -- he missed major time in 2023, mostly because of a forearm strain -- but he's an elite starting pitcher when healthy. His career 144 ERA+ speaks to that fact. Despite the injuries, he's reached a qualifying number of innings in three different seasons.
53	Dansby Swanson Chicago Cubs SS
Swanson is a big reason why the Cubs have the best middle-infield defense in all of baseball. He remains an elite-fielding shortstop, and he's topped 20 homers in three straight seasons.
52	Aaron Nola Philadelphia Phillies SP
Nola showed some concerning signs last season when it comes to strikeout numbers, but he remains a true workhorse by the standards of the current era. As well, we're betting on some improvement thanks to better luck on batted balls in 2024.
51	Ketel Marte Arizona Diamondbacks 2B
Here's another player who should meet everyone's definition of "underrated." Marte has been an All-Star only once, but that tally should be three.

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50	Andres Gimenez Cleveland Guardians 2B
Giménez may be the best defensive second baseman in all of baseball right now, and he's also a valuable runner on the bases. The bat is solid to good as middle infielders go, and that's especially the case considering all else he does well.
49	Willy Adames Milwaukee Brewers SS
Adames' bat, while inconsistent at times, has been a plus by positional standards, and he's developed into one of the best defensive shortstops in the game today.
48	Brandon Nimmo New York Mets CF
Players who toil in New York should not be underappreciated, but this space attests that Nimmo is just that. He boasts a career OPS+ of 130, and he's still an asset in center field. Nimmo's coming off a 2023 season in which he clouted a career-best 24 home runs.
47	Luis Arraez Miami Marlins 2B
He's easily the best contact hitter in baseball and possibly in a generation. In an era when strikeout rates continue to trend upward, Arraez is the ultimate outlier. He struck out just 34 times last season and has logged more walks than strikeouts in back-to-back seasons. The second baseman also boasts a career OPS+ of 123.
46	Carlos Correa Minnesota Twins SS
Foot and heel problems waylaid Correa in 2023, but we'll say he rebounds at the plate and in the field for 2024.
45	J.T. Realmuto Philadelphia Phillies C
Realmuto is still a frontline defensive catcher, and his career OPS+ of 112 is a strong figure among his positional peers. He's 33 now but still an excellent all-around catcher.
44	Michael Harris Atlanta Braves CF
Harris, who's still just 23, goes and gets it in center field, adds value on the bases, and produces well at the plate, particularly by the standards of up-the-middle defenders. He'll be an All-Star for the first time in 2024.
43	Gabriel Moreno Arizona Diamondbacks C
The 24-year-old catcher claimed the Gold Glove at the catcher position last season, and he also put up an OPS+ of 104 in 111 games. He looks like a fixture behind the plate in Arizona for years to come.
42	Xander Bogaerts San Diego Padres 2B
Bogaerts' production dived after he was hit by a pitch in late April on his troublesome left wrist. However, he was back producing at a standard level after receiving a cortisone shot at the All-Star break. This ranking reflects our expectation that he'll get back to the 2018-22 peak level of performance. He should thrive defensively after the planned shift to second base this season.
41	Jose Altuve Houston Astros 2B
Altuve was limited to just 90 games last season because of spring thumb surgery followed by oblique issues, but at the plate the future Hall of Fame second baseman has been better than ever over the past three years.

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40	Zac Gallen Arizona Diamondbacks SP
The 28-year-old righty has registered back-to-back finishes in the top five of the NL Cy Young vote. Last season, Gallen topped 200 innings and 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career.
39	Pablo Lopez Minnesota Twins SP
López in his first season with Minny cracked the top 10 of the AL Cy Young vote and was a deserving All-Star. He came close to 200 innings, struck out 234 batters, and has run a sub-4.00 ERA and sub-4.00 FIP for four straight seasons. That's a frontline guy.
38	Rafael Devers Boston Red Sox 3B
Another year, another high-quality season for Devers, who's now 27. For his career, he's averaged 33 homers, 43 doubles, and 321 total bases per 162 games played.
37	Manny Machado San Diego Padres 3B
Even hindered by an elbow injury that eventually required surgery, Machado turned in a productive 2023. He may not be fully recovered by Opening Day, but the working assumption is that he gets back to his customary All-Star level for the bulk of 2024.
36	Kevin Gausman Toronto Blue Jays SP
Gausman over the past three seasons has been one of the best starting pitchers in baseball. Over that span, he's got an ERA of 3.10, an FIP of 2.79, and a K/BB ratio of 5.03. He's also topped 30 starts in each of those campaigns.
35	Kyle Tucker Houston Astros RF
Tucker was one homer shy of a 30-30 season in 2023. At age 27, expect more of the same. That he was able to cut his strikeout rate to such an extent last season is a promising sign moving forward.
34	Alex Bregman Houston Astros 3B
Going into his age-30 season, the Astros lifer has a career OPS+ of 135, and he's still a defensive asset at the hot corner. Houston's faith in him is such that a nine-figure extension may soon be headed his way.
33	Zack Wheeler Philadelphia Phillies SP
Wheeler has been nails ever since inking a $118 million pact with the Phillies. Over the first four years of that deal, Wheeler pitched to a sparkling 137 ERA+ with an equally sparkling 5.00 K/BB ratio. He's also put up a WAR of 19.6 over that span, and that total would be even higher if not for the heavily abbreviated 2020 season. It's earned him a contract extension worth $126 million. Given Wheeler's strong fastball velocity and swing-and-miss numbers from last season, it's hard to find any signs of age-related decline.
32	Bo Bichette Toronto Blue Jays SS
Among current shortstops, Bichette is probably the most consistently strong producer at the plate. In 2024, expect more of the same from Bichette, who's going into his age-26 season.
31	Luis Robert Chicago White Sox CF
Robert enjoyed a fine bust-out season in 2023. He combines excellent defense at an up-the-middle position with tremendous power at the plate. That's a rare tandem of skills.

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30	Yoshinobu Yamamoto Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Sure, there's always a layer of unknown when a player makes the leap from NPB to MLB, but the 25-year-old right-hander shouldn't miss a beat (if you don't count his first start). Yamamoto combines ace stuff and ace results, and the guess here is he's an All-Star and NL Rookie of the Year in 2024.
29	Marcus Semien Texas Rangers 2B
Since his breakout season of 2019, Semien owns an OPS+ of 122 at the plate. He's also a plus baserunner, and he remains one of the best defensive second baseman in all of baseball.
28	Framber Valdez Houston Astros SP
An elite ground-baller with good velocity and strikeout numbers, the lefty Valdez has pitched like a true ace over the last three seasons. He's also a workhorse by contemporary standards.
27	Matt Olson Atlanta Braves 1B
Olson showed serious signs of decline in the field last season, but his most important skill -- in-game power -- remains unassailable. In two seasons with the Braves, he's racked up 88 homers and played in every game.
26	Luis Castillo Seattle Mariners SP
Somewhat quietly, the 31-year-old Castillo remains one of the most consistent frontline starters in baseball. He's coming off a 2023 season in which he notched a top-five finish in the AL Cy Young balloting.
25	Sean Murphy Atlanta Braves C
Murphy has long been one of the top defensive catchers in baseball, and over the last two seasons he's leveled up his offensive game in a big way.
24	Logan Webb San Francisco Giants SP
Notions of overrated and underrated are entirely subjective, but it can plausibly be wondered whether Webb is the most underrated starting pitcher in the game today. Over the last three seasons, he's averaged 186 innings per campaign with a 133 ERA+ and a 4.44 K/BB ratio.
23	William Contreras Milwaukee Brewers C
Contreras has emerged as one of the top hitting catchers in MLB, and behind the plate he grades out as an excellent framer. At age 26, there's plenty more of that to come.
22	Corbin Burnes Baltimore Orioles SP
The freshly minted Baltimore ace wasn't quite up to his peak standards last season, but he remained a true frontline starter who's still on the right side of age 30. Dealing for Burnes was an excellent targeted strike by O's GM Mike Elias.
21	Freddie Freeman Los Angeles Dodgers 1B
The future Hall of Famer continues to show nothing in the way of decline even as he advances toward his mid-thirties. In 2023, Freeman put up a .410 OBP and racked up a career-best 361 total bases.

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20	Trea Turner Philadelphia Phillies SS
We're forecasting a bounce-back season for Turner in 2024. To be sure, Turner was still a darned valuable contributor last season even with a down year offensively, and he'll get back to closer to peak form in his second Phillies campaign.
19	Corey Seager Texas Rangers SS
When healthy, Seager is in the discussion for best player in baseball. The problem, however, is that Seager is no stranger to injuries and health concerns. He's likely to miss most of spring training after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia, so this ranking reflects that somewhat concerning turn of events.
18	Austin Riley Atlanta Braves 3B
Atlanta's hot-cornerman has amassed 108 home runs over the last three seasons, and he's also a plus fielder at the position.
17	Bobby Witt Kansas City Royals SS
With good cause, the Royals signed Witt to a massive extension that's far and away the biggest commitment in franchise history. Witt's combination of power and speed from the shortstop role make him a star in the present and an MVP candidate for years to come.
16	Will Smith Los Angeles Dodgers C
Smith's offensive production slipped a bit last season, while still remaining top-tier among catchers, but the guess here is a rebound is in order. Going into his age-29 campaign, he remains the top batsman among National League catchers.
15	Francisco Lindor New York Mets SS
Lindor in 2023 played almost a full season's worth of games and notched the first 30-30 season of his career, all while remaining a plus fielder at shortstop. He's going into his age-30 campaign, but there are no signs of decline yet.
14	Bryce Harper Philadelphia Phillies DH
His recovery from Tommy John surgery hurt him at the plate for the early weeks of his 2023, but down the stretch and in the postseason Harper was as dangerous as ever at the plate. The guess here is that he puts up MVP-caliber numbers at the dish in 2024 while grading out as a defensive asset at first base.
13	Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers DH
If Tommy John surgery hadn't scuttled his plans to pitch in 2024, then Ohtani would be at or near the top of this list. Instead, the biggest baseball star in the world will be "just" one of the best left-handed hitters in the game for the Dodgers. Come 2025, he'll presumably be back to doing it all.
12	Corbin Carroll Arizona Diamondbacks LF
As a 22-year-old rookie last season, Carroll flashed the full complement of skills that makes him one of the most promising young players in baseball. This past season, he logged 155 games, tallied 65 extra-base hits and 54 stolen bases, and saw time at all three outfield positions.
11	Gunnar Henderson Baltimore Orioles 3B
With Jackson Holliday apparently in need of further seasoning in the minors, Henderson is the O's shortstop for now and maybe the third baseman of the future. Whatever the role, Henderson figures to build on a 2023 season that saw him hit 25 homers and put up a WAR of 6.2 as a 22-year-old rookie.

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10	Yordan Alvarez Houston Astros DH
The best pure hitter in baseball? Alvarez is very much in that discussion. Among active players with at least 2,000 plate appearances, only Mike Trout has a higher career OPS+ than Alvarez's sky-scraping mark of 165. If not for his injury history, he'd be a top-five player.
9	Fernando Tatis San Diego Padres RF
The offensive numbers slipped in his first season back from wrist and shoulder injuries, but he proved more than up to the task defensively as an outfielder. The guess here is that Tatis in 2024 gets back to his customary level of elite production with the bat.
8	Spencer Strider Atlanta Braves SP
Strider's "merely good" ERA of 3.86 last season was probably driven by bad luck. Look beyond it, and you find absolute dominance and stuff to match. In 2023, Strider struck out 36.8% of opposing hitters, which is a sky-scraping figure for a starting pitcher. This space is betting on a Cy Young campaign for Strider in 2024.
7	Jose Ramirez Cleveland Guardians 3B
Cleveland's stalwart third baseman has been one of the most consistently excellent players in baseball for the better part of the last decade. That doesn't figure to change in 2024. He's got a good shot at topping 50 WAR for his career this coming season.
6	Adley Rutschman Baltimore Orioles C
The best catcher in baseball is also the face of the Orioles' resurgence. Rutschman is a quality defender at the most grueling position, and his career OPS+ of 129 is truly special by the standards of that position.
5	Julio Rodriguez Seattle Mariners CF
He's a difference-maker with the glove and on the bases, and the 23-year-old Rodríguez also boasts a career OPS+ of 136 across two MLB seasons. He's a future MVP, maybe as soon as this season.
4	Juan Soto New York Yankees LF
Soto combines power, contact skills, and ruthless patience at the plate. It adds up to one of the most valuable offensive packages in the game today. Expect big things from the 25-year-old in his walk year and his first season in the Bronx.
3	Aaron Judge New York Yankees RF
He's the best pure hitter in baseball when healthy. Judge's 2023 injury was a bit of a fluke, so we're expecting the durability he showed in 2021 and 2022 to be back on the menu. This may be your AL MVP frontrunner for 2024.
2	Mookie Betts Los Angeles Dodgers SS
The future Hall of Famer is coming off one of his best offensive seasons, and in 2024 he'll be putting up big numbers while also manning the premium position of shortstop.
1	Ronald Acuna Atlanta Braves RF
Hard as it is to believe, Acuña's batted-ball data from last season suggests he was actually unlucky at the plate. That means the reigning NL MVP's jaw-dropping slash line of .337/.416/.596 somehow reflects a certain level of misfortune. He's still just 26, and a 50-50 season is a plausible aim for 2024.

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.