Ranking the 15 best MLB players in the League right now

Ranking the 15 best MLB players in the League right now

Kevin Omuya
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:11 PM

The best MLB players, whether rookies or veterans, regularly demonstrate their talent on the field. These outstanding current Major League Baseball players, who range from ace pitchers to elite shortstops to highlight-reel catching outfielders, have earned their reputations by outperforming everyone else.

Best MLB players in the League
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Several contenders for the title include the defending champion Freddie Freeman who joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason and the reigning NL MVP Shohei Ohtani. Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, two of the most recognizable and celebrated ballers to ever compete, deserve to be high up in the rankings.

Top 15 best-ranked MLB players in the league right now

This list of the top MLB players in 2023 is not solely based on their output. It truly depends more on what they have accomplished over the last three or more years than it does in the previous three or more weeks.

15. Maxwell Scherzer

best MLB players
Max Scherzer of the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on May 8, 2022, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo: Rich Schultz.
Source: Getty Images

14. Gerrit Alan Cole

He is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees. In September 2013, Cole, who had just entered Major League Baseball, was selected NL Rookie of the Month. In addition, he was awarded an MLB All-Star in 2015 and the NL Pitcher of the Month for April. Cole, the 18th pitcher in extensive league history to strike out at least 300 batters in a season, accomplished this feat on September 18, 2019.

13. Cody James Bellinger

He is a first base and outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball in the United States. In addition to being selected an All-Star and the National League's Rookie of the Year in 2017, he also won the league's MVP honours in 2019.

12. Julio Daniel Martinez

best MLB players in 2022
Martinez of the Boston Red Sox looks on after striking out against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Fenway Park on August 24, 2022, in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo; Maddie Meyer.
Source: Getty Images

He is an outfielder and designated hitter in professional baseball for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He has won the Silver Slugger Award three times, making him the first participant to have won it twice in the same season. He has also been chosen twice for the MLB All-Star Game. In a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 4, 2017, Martinez blasted four home runs, making him the 18th best in MLB history.

11. Trea Vance Turner

He is a shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball in the United States (MLB). He is one of Major League Baseball's quickest runners, having at least twice in 2016 been timed at 22.7 mph (36.5 kph). Turner tied the record for the most cycles in a career on June 30, 2021, when he hit the process for the third time.

10. Vladimir Guerrero Ramos Jr.

best MLB player at the moment
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field on September 10, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. Photo: Ron Jenkins
Source: Getty Images

He stands as a third base for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball as a professional baseballer of Canadian and Dominican descent. He is the son of Hall of Famer and former star Vladimir Guerrero Sr.

Regarding international free agents in 2015, Guerrero was ranked first by Baseball America and fourth by MLB.com. In addition, Guerrero was regarded as the best professional baseball prospect.

9. Christian Stephen Yelich

As a professional baseballer in the United States, he is an outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball. Yelich won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 2018, the Silver Slugger Award in 2016 and the Gold Glove Award in 2014.

Yelich participated in the 2017 World Baseball Classic for the American baseball team. He was selected for the All-World Baseball Classic team after the competition. In addition, he was chosen to represent the MLB All-Stars at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.

8. Nolan James Arenado

Who is the greatest MLB player of all-time?
Nolan Arenado of the Colorado Rockies celebrates his solo home run in the first inning on April 10, 2016, in Denver, Colorado. Photo: Doug Pensinger.
Source: Getty Images

He is a third base for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball as a professional baseballer from the United States. Due to his abilities as a hitter who hits for power and average, as well as his defensive versatility and arm strength, Arenado has been regarded as one of the best third basemen in the league. The Rawlings Gold Glove Award has been given to only one other infielder in each of his first eight MLB seasons.

7. Jacob Anthony deGrom

He is an American pitcher for the Major League Baseball New York Mets. The Mets chose him in the ninth round of the MLB draft in 2010, and on May 15, 2014, he made his MLB debut with the team.

DeGrom received two NL Rookie of the Month awards that season and won NL Rookie of the Year honours. He was picked as an MLB All-Star in 2015, 2018 and 2019. He took the Cy Young Award and led the NL in ERA in 2018. He led the NL in strikeouts in 2019 and earned the Cy Young Award for a second consecutive year.

6. Frederick Charles Freeman

best MLB player at each position
Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on first base in the first inning at Citi Field on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, in New York, New York. Photo: Rob Tringali.
Source: Getty Images

He is a first base for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball as a professional baseballer from the United States. A five-time MLB All-Star, he made his MLB debut in 2010.

Freeman received the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 2020, the Silver Slugger Award in 2019, 2020, and 2021, as well as a Gold Glove Award in 2018. As a member of the Braves, Freeman defeated the Houston Astros in the 2021 World Series.

5. Aaron James Judge

best MLB player at each position
Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees runs against the Minnesota Twins on September 5, 2022, at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York. Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn.
Source: Getty Images

He is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Major League Baseball New York Yankees. Aaron came in second place for the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player in 2017 and was chosen as the league's undisputed Rookie of the Year.

Aaron had a rookie season that set records after making his major league debut in 2016 and hitting a home run in the first at-bat of his career. He became the first rookie to win the Home Run Derby and was selected as an All-Star.

With 52 home runs, Judge broke Mark McGwire's 49-homer MLB rookie record and the 29-homer full-season rookie mark set by the Yankees. In addition, he received the American League (AL), Player of the Month Award in September and the AL Rookie of the Month Awards in April, May, and June making him the best MLB player.

4. Ronald José Acuña Blanco Jr.

best MLB players
Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on September 09, 2022, in Seattle, Washington. Photo: Steph Chambers.
Source: Getty Images

He stands as an outfield for the Major League Baseball team Atlanta Braves. In 2018, the year of his MLB debut, he was named the National League Rookie of the Year. The following year, Acuna received his first Silver Slugger Award and was selected as an MLB All-Star.

The Braves promoted Acuna to the major leagues on April 25, 2018. He was, after that, the youngest Major League Baseball participant

3. Markus Lynn "Mookie" Betts

He is a right fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball professional baseball player in the United States. He made MLB history in 2018 by becoming the first player to win the World Series, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, and batting crown in the same season. Additionally, Betts bowls tenpin professionally for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA).

2. Shohei Ohtani

Best MLB players in 2022
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels at Progressive Field on September 14, 2022, in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo: Jason Miller.
Source: Getty Images

He is a pitcher and a designated hitter for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. The Fighters selected Ohtani first overall in the 2012 draft. His 165 kph pitch is officially the fastest thrown by a Japanese pitcher in NPB history (102.5 mph). In addition, he received the American League Rookie of the Year award for 2018.

Who is currently the best MLB player?

Mike Trout is the current best MLB player. Let us look at his achievements;

1. Michael Nelson Trout

As a professional baseballer from the United States, he stands at the centre field for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. Trout has been selected to the MLB All-Star team eight times, has won the Silver Slugger Award six times, and was named the American League's Most Valuable Player in 2014 and 2016 after placing second in the voting in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2018.

He received a unanimous vote for 2012 AL Rookie of the Year. He is recognized as one of the greatest young players in baseball history as well as one of the top players in the MLB right now.

Who is the greatest MLB player of all time?

Statistically, Willy May is the greatest baseballer after Babe Ruth. However, he is most well-known for his magnificent play in the Polo Grounds.

Who is the greatest MLB player of all-time?
Willie Mays with the media at Petco Park on April 8, 2004. Photo: Steve Grayson
Source: Getty Images

Best MLB player at each position

  • Top first baseman: Freddie Freeman
  • Top shortstop: Fernando Tatis Jr.
  • Top catcher: J.T. Realmuto
  • Starting pitchers: Jacob deGrom
  • Top relief pitcher: Josh Hader
  • Right fielders: Juan Soto
  • Left fielders: Jesse Winker
  • Top centre fielder: Mike Trout

Who is statistically the best baseball player ever?

Babe Ruth competed for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. So the fact that "The Sultan of Swat" is ranked first on our list of all-time great baseballers should not come as a surprise. In his first five seasons with the Boston Red Sox, he produced stats worthy of the Hall of Fame (981 OPS, 190 OPS+).

Who is the 2nd best baseball player of All time?

Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers has the MLB record for batting average, and the second on the list of all-time hits (4,189), and in 1911 and 1912, he had a batting average of.400. During Cobb's time, MLB players got a lot of hits, but he was the king with the most batting titles ever (12).

Who has won the most MLB All-Star games?

Who has won the most MLB All-Star games?
Trout of the Los Angeles Angels at Progressive Field on September 14, 2022, in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo: Jason Miller
Source: Getty Images

Since the first one was held in 1933, 92 Major League Baseball All-Star Games have taken place. The American League has a 378-372 run edge over the National League and currently leads the series with 47 victories.

Who has the most MLB All-Star game MVPs?

Only five players have received the Most Valuable Player Award for the All-Star Game more than once, with Willie Mays being the first. The other players are Mike Trout, Cal Ripken Jr., Steve Garvey, and Gary Carter.

Who has the most MLB All-Star MVPs?

MLB All-Star Game MVP honours have only ever been numerous for five players. Trout, Cal Ripken Jr., Gary Carter, Willie Mays, Steve Garvey, and Gary Garvey all got awards twice. Trout is the only player in league history to reach the honour in each of the seasons 2014 and 2015. He did so in those years.

Major League Baseball is still America's favourite sport, and its players are still famous. Based on what they have done, there are more than 100 best gamers. The best MLB players have net worths that match their fame.

READ ALSO: Ranking the top 10 players with the most steals in an NBA game

Sportsbrief.com recently published an article about the top 10 ranked players with the most deals in an NBA game. Allen Iverson is the only player with nine or more values in a playoff game since the campaign began in 1973–74.

Players with the most steals in an NBA game are mostly not found on the box score, but that does not make them any less impactful. Follow the link above to discover the top 10 players with the most steals in an NBA game.

Authors
Kevin Omuya photo
Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.