Latest Power Rankings has an All-Star ballot twist

The All-Star ballot came out last week, and there are many tough decisions to be made. But it’s always important to remember that filling out your All-Star ballot is supposed to be fun. So in this week’s Power Rankings, we take a look at a fun person to vote for on each team this year. This is not necessarily the best player to vote for — though in some cases it will be that, too — but the person who has an All-Star case and also would be a great story if he made it on the team. But fill out the ballot however you want: And more than once, in fact!

These rankings, as always, are compiled from MLB.com contributors whose names you can find at the bottom of this (and every) piece, but the words are mine. If you dislike the rankings, yell at all of us. But if you dislike the words, feel free to yell at me.

1. Braves (previously: 1)
The Braves have been up and down for a variety of reasons the past few years, but one consistent barometer for success has been whether or not Michael Harris II is having a good season. He absolutely is this year, the best of his entire career, and while he has a Rookie of the Year Award, he has yet to be named to an All-Star team. It is time.

2. Dodgers (previously: 2)
Shohei Ohtani obviously. I mean, c’mon.

3. Brewers (previously: 3)
Casual fans are constantly asking how in the world do the Brewers keep winning every year? There are many answers to that question, but honestly, the simplest may be just pointing at Brice Turang and everything he does on a baseball field.

4. Yankees (previously: 4)
Now that Aaron Judge is likely to miss the game, it’s the perfect opportunity to reward Ben Rice, who has in fact put up better numbers so far this season and is someone the Yankees will make sure to have around for a long, long time.

5. Guardians (previously: 6)
You can vote for José Ramírez any time, including this year, if you want. But the future — and, increasingly, the present — of this franchise, one that is in the driver’s seat in the AL Central, is Travis Bazzana.

6. Rays (previously: 5)
You’ve got a lot of choices with the Rays, but no one represents their you never know what you’re gonna get nature better than Jonathan Aranda, who had 92 career RBIs in four seasons heading into the year and has an outside chance to lead the Majors in the category this year.

7. Mariners (previously: 7)
It may have taken him a while to get going, but how in the world do you not want Julio Rodríguez in the All-Star Game?

8. Phillies (previously: 9)
The game seems downright bizarre without Bryce Harper in it, but he didn’t make it last year in what turned out to be the worst year of his career. He’ll be back this year, and very much deservingly so.

9. White Sox (previously: 12)
There are a lot of factors in the White Sox’s stunning success so far this year, but the obvious symbol and manifestation of them is Munetaka Murakami, who may be injured right now but has been as purely enjoyable to watch as we all hoped he’d be.

10. Cardinals (previously: 13)
From one of the worst players in baseball in 2025 to one of the best in 2026, Jordan Walker’s story is one everybody can get behind.

11. Pirates (previously: 14)
Is Ryan O’Hearn the Jayson Werth of the Pirates? Remember when Werth surprised everyone by signing with the Nationals only to show that his arrival was, in fact, a sign that things were starting to turn for the better in Washington? It’d be fun to have O’Hearn be that guy for the Pirates.

12. Cubs (previously: 11)
It wasn’t clear he was even going to make the team out of Spring Training, but it turns out that Michael Conforto has been a life-saver for the Cubs. He’s having his best season since the last (and only) time he made an All-Star team … in 2017.

13. Diamondbacks (previously: 10)
He made the All-Star team every year from 2015-23 and hasn’t made it since. But the resurgence we have seen from Nolan Arenado this year should earn him his ninth overall selection.

14. Nationals (previously: 16)
All love to James Wood here, but one really has to reward the season CJ Abrams is having. He may end up having a 30-30 season and being in the top three of the NL in RBIs.

15. Padres (previously: 8)
With all the stars on this roster, the last person you’d imagine would be the team leader in OPS would be Gavin Sheets, which is why it would be all the more fitting if this is the year the veteran makes his first All-Star Game.

16. Blue Jays (previously: 15)
The Jays have largely disappointed offensively, but one player who hasn’t is Jesús Sánchez, who had been a key cog before his freak injury in the outfield last weekend, when a misunderstanding led to a young fan hitting him with a ball. He’s back in the lineup now, though, and all told, even more likable now.

17. Rangers (previously: 17)
At last, at the age of 28, Josh Jung has become the player the Rangers believed he would be. It should be noted, though, that he has in fact made an All-Star Game before back in 2023, his rookie season.

18. Orioles (previously: 20)
This was the year that all the young Orioles hitters were supposed to be peaking at the same time. That hasn’t really happened, but that shouldn’t make us not notice just how terrific Samuel Basallo has been: He's sporting an .815 OPS, the second-best on the team behind Adley Rutschman.

19. Reds (previously: 19)
As Sal Stewart has cooled off, this slot gets taken by Elly De La Cruz, who is currently on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, but is expected to return by mid-June. At 24, he still hasn’t quite reached the MVP level we’re waiting for, but remains one of the most undeniably enjoyable players in the game.

20. A’s (previously: 18)
There isn’t a wrong answer between Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers -- two downright dominant hitters who are the sort of players franchises build everything around -- but the larger-than-life quality of Kurtz, who will be a part of many ASGs to come, ultimately wins out for me.

21. Astros (previously: 23)
When he’s having a year like the one he’s having, one that could potentially end with a Triple Crown, you sort of have to vote for Yordan Alvarez, don’t you?

22. Mets (previously: 21)
Someday, the Hall of Fame plaque for Juan Soto will list how many All-Star teams he was named to. Right now, that number is somehow four. We’ve got to make sure it’s a lot higher than that.

23. Red Sox (previously: 24)
You can be frustrated with how this season has gone, but no Red Sox fan can complain about what they’ve gotten from Willson Contreras since coming over from St. Louis. And every game is a little bit more interesting when Willson’s on the field.

24. Twins (previously: 22)
Byron Buxton is well on his way to the most games he has ever played in a season, and he may be having his best offensive year. It’d be terrific to reward him with his third All-Star bid.

25. Marlins (previously: 25)
Want to feel like it’s the ‘80s again? How about a slick-fielding shortstop who hits well over .300? Otto Lopez is very much your guy.

26. Royals (previously: 26)
No need to complicate this here: It wouldn’t feel like an All-Star game without Bobby Witt Jr.

27. Tigers (previously: 27)
Not much has gone right in Detroit this year, but Riley Greene is living up to his end of the bargain, leading his team in average (.305), SLG (.401) and OPS (.844). And, at 25, this would in fact be his third All-Star Game.

28. Giants (previously: 29)
Casey Schmitt has never been made an All-Star team before -- I suspect he’s never even been considered for one -- but he already has a career high in homers with 15 and has been the best hitter on the Giants roster to this point.

29. Rockies (previously: 30)
He’s currently on the injured list, but he’s expected to be back in time for the All-Star Game, so this seems a great opportunity to give Mickey Moniak a nod. He has been excellent for the Rockies this year, and it’d be nice to see the Phillies’ former No. 1 pick play in the ASG in front of the fans who once had such hopes for him.

30. Angels (previously: 28)
He has won two All-Star Game MVPs, but he hasn’t actually been selected for a Midsummer Classic since 2023. It’s time for Mike Trout to return … in Philly no less.

Voters: Jason Catania, Scott Chiusano, Dan Cichalski, Jason Foster, Rick Gold Jr., Jared Greenspan, Thomas Harrigan, Sarah Langs, Will Leitch, Brent Maguire, Travis Miller, Arturo Pardavila, Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru, Andrew Simon, Zac Vierrra, David Venn, Andy Werle