This young slugger tops Hitter Power Rankings for Division Series

2:11 AM UTC

The 2026 Division Series, which are set to begin Saturday, will feature a ton of difference-making hitters.

Some sluggers helped their teams battle through the Wild Card Series, while others’ clubs received a first-round bye and will be fresh for the DS round. Either way, they appear here in a postseason edition of the Hitter Power Rankings.

Only players from the eight teams left standing were eligible to be selected, taking into account their career track record (regular season and postseason), 2026 results and recent performance. Note: Since we don’t know whether Yankees star Aaron Judge (right calf) will be on the Division Series roster -- or what his role might be if he is -- Judge was not considered.

Here are the 2026 Division Series Hitter Power Rankings.

1. , Rays
After breaking out with 45 home runs, 110 RBIs and an .846 OPS in 2025, Caminero was even better in ’26 as he led the Rays to the top seed in the American League. He posted a .276/.360/.524 slash line (.884 OPS), hit 42 homers and topped 100 RBIs for the second straight season. The 23-year-old, who has minimal postseason experience -- he came off the bench in both games of Tampa Bay’s Wild Card Series loss to the Rangers during his 2023 debut campaign -- will be tasked with leading the Rays’ offensive charge this October.

2. , Yankees
Rice came up big for the Yankees in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Red Sox, hitting two home runs -- including a grand slam -- and going 4-for-5 with six RBIs. He has been leading New York’s offense during Judge’s extended absence, batting .264 with 41 homers (two behind Pete Alonso for the AL lead), 97 RBIs and an .897 OPS. Rice, who earned an everyday role with the Yankees in 2025 thanks to a massive OPS increase (.613 to .836), has become the club’s top hitter in his third MLB season. In 31 career postseason plate appearances, the lefty slugger has a 1.128 OPS.

3. , Padres
It took Tatis all of one swing to make an impact this postseason: He crushed a leadoff homer on the first pitch the Padres saw in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Cubs, leading San Diego to an 8-0 win and an eventual sweep. Tatis has been scorching hot since an uncharacteristic 55-game homerless streak to start the season, batting .307 with 20 homers and a .995 OPS in the second half and finishing with 25 dingers and 38 steals. His blend of contact, power and speed makes him one of the most dangerous and dynamic hitters in the DS round.

4. , Dodgers
It’s rare to see Ohtani as low as fourth on our Power Rankings, but he’s still battling left knee and biceps issues (and won’t be pitching during the postseason). Ohtani returned from the injured list on Sept. 23, but he hasn’t homered since Aug. 18. In 47 games after the All-Star break, he hit a (relatively) pedestrian .245 with eight homers and a .772 OPS. With a .940 career OPS in the postseason -- including a 1.096 mark in 2025 as the Dodgers repeated as World Series champions -- a healthy Ohtani is perhaps the biggest threat at the plate still in the postseason field. Even a limited Ohtani, as he is this October, is dangerous enough to rank fourth here.

5. , Brewers
Bauers has been a postseason star for Milwaukee, slashing .316/.350/.684 with two home runs in 20 playoff plate appearances. In 2026, he took a major leap when it comes to regular season stats, emerging as one of MLB’s premier sluggers with 26 homers, 86 RBIs and an .873 OPS (sixth in the NL). An MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospect prior to both 2017 and 2018, Bauers has finally arrived at just the right time for a Brewers club with the best record in the Majors at 103-59. Can he keep getting it done in the postseason?

6. Miguel Vargas, White Sox
It took until his fifth big league season, but Vargas blossomed into an excellent hitter. His .837 OPS was his career best by more than 100 points, and he hit 33 home runs while going 22-for-24 on stolen-base attempts. Vargas and first baseman were the key bats in the heart of the excellent White Sox offense, and they’ll have to be up for the challenge against a Guardians team that beat them by one game for the AL Central title. Vargas went 0-for-9 with three strikeouts against the Astros in the AL Wild Card Series, but he’s capable of getting hot at any time.

7. , Braves
Olson launched his first home run of the postseason to extend the Braves’ lead in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against the Phillies. Atlanta’s iron man wrapped up his fifth season with the club batting .251 with an .823 OPS while slugging 41 home runs, tied for third in the NL. He has five home runs and 21 RBIs to his name in 22 career postseason games, posting a .200/.330/.400 slash line. Part of a talented lineup including  and , Olson is a threat to go yard at any time and also possesses patience at the plate.

8. , Padres
After posting a .709 OPS from 2022-25 with the Mariners, Reds, Twins and Blue Jays, France returned to his original club and has been a revelation for San Diego. He finished an impressive 2026 batting .295 with 21 homers and an .865 OPS, his best mark since an .868 OPS for the Padres back in 2020. France began his postseason by going 4-for-8 with a double in the Wild Card Series and joins Tatis, and 2024 NL Rookie of the Year runner-up in San Diego’s suddenly tough lineup.

9. , Brewers
Chourio made a sizable offensive jump in his third season, slashing .291/.351/.487 while manning left field for Milwaukee. He logged at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases for the third straight year to begin his career, showing a rare blend of speed and power while remaining consistent at the plate. Just 22 years old, he has already proven himself in the postseason, homering twice in his second career playoff game and owning a career .341/.362/.682 postseason slash line.

10. , Guardians
Kwan certainly wouldn’t have cracked this list three months ago -- his OPS was below .600 as late as July 3 -- but a scorching second half changed the narrative of his fifth Major League season. The Cleveland left fielder batted .353 with an .875 OPS after the All-Star break as the Guardians surged up the AL Central standings, eventually passing the White Sox. With four Gold Glove Awards in his first four seasons, Kwan is a known defensive wizard, but he can make a major impact out of the leadoff spot in the ALDS.

Others receiving votes: Jackson Merrill (Padres), Brice Turang (Brewers), Yandy Díaz (Rays), Luis García Jr. (Yankees), Max Muncy (Dodgers), Michael Harris II (Braves), Chase DeLauter (Guardians), Munetaka Murakami (White Sox), Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Cody Bellinger (Yankees), Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves), Travis Bazzana (Guardians), Chandler Simpson (Rays), Freddie Freeman (Dodgers), Chase Meidroth (White Sox), Jonathan Aranda (Rays), Will Smith (Dodgers), Drake Baldwin (Braves)

Voters: David Adler, Theo DeRosa, Jared Greenspan, Brent Maguire, Brian Murphy, Max Ralph, Manny Randhawa, Andrew Simon