Everyone loves a good list, and a couple of big ones have been unveiled in recent weeks: MLB Pipeline’s preseason Top 100 Prospects list, and the Top 100 Players Right Now list.
But do you know what’s better than one list? Ten lists!
That’s what we’ll get until Feb. 10 as MLB Network continues its annual tradition of ranking the Top 10 Players Right Now at every position.
Using rankings based on past performance, various offensive and defensive metrics (including both advanced statistics and traditional numbers) and analysis by the MLB Network research team, “The Shredder” produces its list of the 10 best players at each position right now.
The 10-show rollout continued with the top third basemen on Wednesday. Here is the schedule of when the remaining top 10 lists will debut on MLB Network (all times ET):
Feb. 9, 7 p.m.: Top 10 relief pitchers
Feb. 10, 7 p.m.: Top 10 first basemen
TOP 10 THIRD BASEMEN
José Ramírez sticks at No. 1 for the second consecutive season. He has been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 at the hot corner for each of the past five years. The Guardians rewarded their franchise icon recently with a seven-year extension, while three players on this list joined new teams via free agency this offseason: the Cubs’ Alex Bregman (3), the Mets’ Bo Bichette (7), and the Reds’ Eugenio Suárez (9).
Max Muncy climbs six spots to No. 2 after registering a 137 wRC+ in 100 games with the Dodgers. Junior Caminero, at just 22 years old, makes his Top 10 Right Now debut at No. 6 following a 45-dinger season with the Rays, one shy of the franchise record.
1. José Ramírez, CLE (Last year: 1)
2. Max Muncy, LAD (8)
3. Alex Bregman, CHC (3)
4. Matt Chapman, SF (6)
5. Manny Machado, SD (4)
6. Junior Caminero, TB (not ranked)
7. Bo Bichette, NYM (not ranked)
8. Isaac Paredes, HOU (9)
9. Eugenio Suárez, CIN (10)
10. Austin Riley, ATL (5)
TOP 10 RIGHT FIELDERS
The amount of talent here is staggering; five right fielders are ranked no lower than No. 15 on the Top 100 Players Right Now list. Aaron Judge is No. 1 at this position for the second straight year and for the fifth time in his career. His former Yankees teammate, Juan Soto, is at No. 2 after his 43-homer, 38-steal season with the Mets. Fellow 30-30 threats Kyle Tucker, Corbin Carroll, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Fernando Tatis follow from Nos. 3-6.
George Springer returns to the top 10 following a resurgent 32-homer campaign with the pennant-winning Blue Jays. And Mike Trout, who was the No. 1 center fielder for many years before changing positions prior to last season, comes in at No. 9.
1. Aaron Judge, NYY (Last year: 1)
2. Juan Soto, NYM (3)
3. Kyle Tucker, LAD (2)
4. Corbin Carroll, AZ (6)
5. Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL (7)
6. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD (4)
7. Seiya Suzuki, CHC (5)
8. George Springer, TOR (not ranked)
9. Mike Trout, LAA (No. 5 CF)
10. Wilyer Abreu, BOS (not ranked)
TOP 10 CATCHERS
Cal Raleigh rises to the top spot after authoring the best power-hitting season by a catcher in MLB history. He was also the biggest riser on this year’s Top 100 Right Now. He knocks the Brewers’ William Contreras down to No. 2, and they are followed by the Dodgers’ Will Smith, who recorded a .901 OPS and a 153 wRC+ in 110 games for the back-to-back World Series champs.
National League Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin is directly behind those veterans and four spots ahead of Braves teammate Sean Murphy. The top five is rounded out by Alejandro Kirk. The Blue Jays backstop compiled a career-best 4.7 FanGraphs WAR, the second most among catchers, trailing only Raleigh’s 8.6.
1. Cal Raleigh, SEA (Last year: 4)
2. William Contreras, MIL (1)
3. Will Smith, LAD (3)
4. Drake Baldwin, ATL (not ranked)
5. Alejandro Kirk, TOR (8)
6. Gabriel Moreno, AZ (7)
7. Yainer Diaz, HOU (6)
8. Sean Murphy, ATL (9)
9. Iván Herrera, STL (not ranked)
10. Shea Langeliers, ATH (not ranked)
TOP 10 CENTER FIELDERS
Julio Rodríguez, coming off his second career 30-30 season, is front and center of this list for the second consecutive year. He has never ranked lower than third following any of his four MLB seasons. Another 30-30 club member from last season, the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong, enters at No. 5.
PCA is one of five newcomers on this list, and that quintet is led by Wyatt Langford at No. 2. He has spent most of his young career in left field, but his athleticism could make him the Rangers’ everyday center fielder. Langford posted 22 homers with 22 steals and was a Gold Glove finalist last year.
1. Julio Rodríguez, SEA (Last year: 1)
2. Wyatt Langford, TEX (not ranked)
3. Byron Buxton, MIN (3)
4. Jackson Merrill, SD (2)
5. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CHC (not ranked)
6. Andy Pages, LAD (not ranked)
7. Trent Grisham, NYY (not ranked)
8. Daulton Varsho, TOR (7)
9. TJ Friedl, CIN (not ranked)
10. Oneil Cruz, PIT (9)
TOP 10 SHORTSTOPS
Bobby Witt Jr.’s climb up the Top 10 Shortstops Right Now list is complete. Witt, who debuted on the list at No. 9 in 2024, goes from No. 4 to No. 1 after pacing the big leagues in hits for the second consecutive season.
The D-backs’ Geraldo Perdomo checks in at No. 6 after a surprising breakout year that included 20 homers as well as 7.1 FanGraphs WAR, which ranked fifth in the Majors. Through his first four big league seasons, Perdomo had a total of 14 homers and 4.8 WAR.
The Astros’ Jeremy Peña (.840 OPS) and the Angels’ Zach Neto (26 HRs, 26 SBs) also make it into the top 10 for the first time in their careers.
1. Bobby Witt Jr., KC (Last year: 4)
2. Corey Seager, TEX (2)
3. Francisco Lindor, NYM (3)
4. Gunnar Henderson, BAL (1)
5. Mookie Betts, LAD (5)
6. Geraldo Perdomo, AZ (not ranked)
7. Trea Turner, PHI (10)
8. Jeremy Peña, HOU (not ranked)
9. Elly De La Cruz, CIN (8)
10. Zach Neto, LAA (not ranked)
TOP 10 STARTING PITCHERS
The top four starters from last year’s top 10 are back on the list for 2026 and back into the top four, just in a different order. Reigning Cy Young Award winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes ascend to Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. The Phillies’ Zack Wheeler, the top starting pitcher heading into the 2025 season, slips to No. 3, and the Braves’ Chris Sale drops one spot to No. 4.
Five of the next six hurlers make the cut for the first time in their careers. That group is headed by Cy Young runners-up Cristopher Sánchez and Garrett Crochet. They each finished last season inside MLB’s top six in innings, ERA, FanGraphs WAR and pitching run value.
1. Tarik Skubal, DET (Last year: 2)
2. Paul Skenes, PIT (4)
3. Zack Wheeler, PHI (1)
4. Chris Sale, ATL (3)
5. Cristopher Sánchez, PHI (not ranked)
6. Garrett Crochet, BOS (not ranked)
7. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, LAD (not ranked)
8. Hunter Brown, HOU (not ranked)
9. Max Fried, NYY (not ranked)
10. Hunter Greene, CIN (not ranked)
TOP 10 LEFT FIELDERS
Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez sat atop this list for the past three years, but he drops to No. 7 after recording a relatively pedestrian .797 OPS during an injury-marred campaign. The Red Sox’s Jarren Duran hops up to the No. 1 spot, and he’s backed by teammate Roman Anthony, who looked like a superstar in the making during his 71-game MLB debut.
Cody Bellinger and James Wood also crack the top five after not being included in last year’s list. Bellinger hit 29 home runs in his walk year with the Yankees, which earned him a five-year deal to return to the Bombers. Wood bashed 31 homers and stole 15 bases in his age-22 season.
1. Jarren Duran, BOS (Last year: 2)
2. Roman Anthony, BOS (not ranked)
3. Cody Bellinger, NYY (not ranked)
4. Riley Greene, DET (5)
5. James Wood, WSH (not ranked)
6. Ian Happ, CHC (3)
7. Yordan Alvarez, HOU (1)
8. Kyle Stowers, MIA (not ranked)
9. Jackson Chourio, MIL (7)
10. Brandon Marsh, PHI (No. 6 CF)
TOP 10 SECOND BASEMEN
D-backs star Ketel Marte reigns atop the keystone position for the second straight year and for the fourth time in his career. (He was also No. 1 entering the 2020 and ‘22 seasons.) His 149 wRC+ since the start of 2024 ranks sixth in the Majors. The Cubs’ Nico Hoerner jumps up five spots to No. 3 after winning his second career Gold Glove.
The two newcomers to this top 10 -- the Marlins’ Xavier Edwards and the Brewers’ Brice Turang -- each finished last season with at least a .280 average and 20 stolen bases while providing plus defense.
1. Ketel Marte, AZ (Last year: 1)
2. Jazz Chisholm Jr., NYY (5)
3. Nico Hoerner, CHC (8)
4. Brendan Donovan, STL (4)
5. Marcus Semien, NYM (3)
6. Jose Altuve, HOU (2)
7. Gleyber Torres, DET (10)
8. Xavier Edwards, MIA (not ranked)
9. Brandon Lowe, PIT (7)
10. Brice Turang, MIL (not ranked)