Every MLB Team's Top 5 Position Players in 2024 Regular Season

With the 2024 MLB regular season winding to a close, now is the perfect time to highlight some of the individual position-player standouts from each team.

Around this time last year, I wrote an article picking each team's best position player of the 2023 season.

However, with so many obvious choices for the top spot, we've decided to expand things to a top-five list this time around.

Whether it's a club headed for the postseason or a team that has been out of the race for months, every team has at least a few standout players.

Offensive production, defensive metrics and the role they played in their team's success were all considered when compiling each team's list.

Players who were traded were not eligible to be included for their previous team.

We'll also highlight each team's best pitcher later in the week, but for now, let's dive into the cream of the crop from the position-player side of each team's roster.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

2B Ketel Marte 2.

OF Corbin Carroll 3.

3B Eugenio Suarez 4.

1B Christian Walker 5.

DH Joc Pederson - Ketel Marte has posted career-high marks in OPS+ (157), home runs (35) and RBI (93) while racking up 6.0 WAR for the second time over his 10 seasons in the big leagues.

The 30-year-old should show up on plenty of NL MVP ballots.

-Offseason additions Eugenio Suarez and Joc Pederson have provided a huge boost to the D-backs offense this year, logging a combined 52 home runs and 5.8 WAR in the middle of the lineup.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

DH Marcell Ozuna 2.

1B Matt Olson 3.

3B Austin Riley 4.

OF Michael Harris II 5.

C Travis d'Arnaud -Slugger Marcell Ozuna is hitting .310/.384/.561 for a 160 OPS+ with 31 doubles, 39 home runs and 102 RBI in a 4.6-WAR season.

The Braves have a $16 million club option on him for the 2025 season that should be a no-brainer to exercise this winter.

-A year after five different Braves players launched 30 home runs, only one has reached that mark this year.

First baseman Matt Olson is close to giving them a second with 29 home runs and 98 RBI in a down year relative to his fantastic 2023 campaign.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS Gunnar Henderson 2.

OF Anthony Santander 3.

C Adley Rutschman 4.

OF Colton Cowser 5.

3B Jordan Westburg -Rising star Gunnar Henderson cooled off a bit after a terrific second half, but he is raking once again with a .333/.409/.593 line and 12 extra-base hits in 93 plate appearances in September.

The 23-year-old has a 160 OPS+ with 31 doubles, 37 home runs, 21 steals and 8.9 WAR in 155 games.

-The final spot for the Orioles also could have gone to Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins or Ryan O'Hearn, but Jordan Westburg has turned in a breakout season in his first full year in the big leagues with a 134 OPS+ and 2.6 WAR in 103 games.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

OF Jarren Duran 2.

3B Rafael Devers 3.

OF Tyler O'Neill 4.

OF Wilyer Abreu 5.

SS/OF Ceddanne Rafaela -After taking a step forward last year, Jarren Duran has emerged as a legitimate superstar this year, hitting .285/.343/.495 with 47 doubles, 14 triples, 21 home runs, 75 RBI, 108 runs scored, 34 steals and 8.7 WAR while also playing terrific defense in the outfield.

-His .274 on-base percentage and 148-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio needs work, but Ceddanne Rafaela has been an extremely valuable piece for the Red Sox in his rookie season.

The 24-year-old has bounced between shortstop and center field while tallying 23 doubles, 15 home runs, 75 RBI and 19 steals at the bottom of the batting order.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

OF Seiya Suzuki 2.

OF Ian Happ 3.

1B Michael Busch 4.

SS Dansby Swanson 5.

OF Cody Bellinger - Seiya Suzuki is having a quietly excellent season for the Cubs, hitting .281/.361/.482 with 27 doubles, 21 home runs, 73 RBI, 16 steals and 3.4 WAR in his third season in the majors.

The 30-year-old has two seasons remaining on his five-year, $85 million deal, and he has developed into one of the better corner outfielders in the National League.

-With rookies Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong occupying the two positions Cody Bellinger has played in the past, the front office might be rooting for him to opt out this offseason rather than staking claim to his $27.5 million salary for 2025.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

1B Andrew Vaughn 2.

OF Luis Robert Jr.

3.

OF Andrew Benintendi 4.

OF Gavin Sheets 5.

2B Nicky Lopez -First baseman Andrew Vaughn leads the White Sox in OPS+ (101), hits (135), doubles (30), home runs (19), RBI (67), runs scored (54) and total bases (224), but his middling on-base percentage and poor defense have made him just a 0.4-WAR player.

- Luis Robert Jr.

is the team leader among position players with 1.1 WAR, even though he is hitting just .224/.276/.379 for an 86 OPS+ in 97 games after missing time early in the season with a hip flexor strain.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS Elly De La Cruz 2.

OF Spencer Steer 3.

C Tyler Stephenson 4.

2B Jonathan India 5.

OF TJ Friedl -Modest improvements to his walk rate (8.2% to 10.2%) and strikeout rate (33.7% to 31.2%) helped Elly De La Cruz take another big step toward superstardom in his first full season in the big leagues.

He has a 120 OPS+ with 35 doubles, 25 home runs, 74 RBI, 104 runs scored and 65 steals in a 5.1-WAR season.

-There is a fairly steep drop-off after the top four players on the Reds list, with TJ Friedl edging out Jake Fraley, Jeimer Candelario, Stuart Fairchild and Will Benson for the No.

5 spot.

The 28-year-old has dealt with a broken wrist, fractured thumb and hamstring strain this year, but has still tallied 13 home runs and 55 RBI in 81 games.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

3B Jose Ramirez 2.

OF Steven Kwan 3.

1B Josh Naylor 4.

2B Andres Gimenez 5.

UT David Fry -With a late power surge, Jose Ramirez could quietly join the 40/40 club.

He is currently hitting .275/.332/.521 for a 137 OPS+ with 37 doubles, 37 home runs, 112 RBI, 40 steals and 6.2 WAR for the AL Central champions, and he should finish in the Top 10 in AL MVP voting for the seventh time in his career.

- Steven Kwan and David Fry have slumped since the All-Star break, but they both still have an OPS+ north of 120.

They have been key offensive contributors for a Guardians lineup that has been vastly improved this year, while Josh Naylor has put together the first 30-homer, 100-RBI campaign of his career.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

OF Brenton Doyle 2.

SS Ezequiel Tovar 3.

3B Ryan McMahon 4.

1B Michael Toglia 5.

2B Brendan Rodgers -Center fielder Brenton Doyle (104 OPS+, 24 2B, 22 HR, 71 RBI, 29 SB, 3.9 WAR) and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar (101 OPS+, 44 2B, 25 HR, 74 RBI, 3.7 WAR) have both enjoyed breakout seasons offensively, giving the team a pair of homegrown stars to build around in the coming years.

- Ryan McMahon earned his first All-Star selection with a terrific first half, but he is hitting just .191/.290/.312 since the break.

The front office took a firm stance on not making him available at the trade deadline, but they might have missed their chance to sell high.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

OF Riley Greene 2.

DH Kerry Carpenter 3.

UT Matt Vierling 4.

2B Colt Keith 5.

OF Parker Meadows -The No.

5 overall pick in the 2019 draft and the No.

4 prospect in baseball at the start of the 2022 season, Riley Greene has steadily improved over his three seasons in the big leagues en route to a breakout 2024 campaign.

The 23-year-old has a 134 OPS+ with 25 doubles, 24 home runs, 72 RBI and 5.3 WAR in 132 games.

- Kerry Carpenter suffered a lumbar spine stress fracture in late May that ended up costing him 66 games or we might be talking about him as one of the breakout stars of the 2024 season.

The 27-year-old is hitting .287/.348/.594 for a 161 OPS+ with 16 doubles, 17 home runs and 52 RBI in 282 plate appearances over 83 games.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

DH Yordan Alvarez 2.

2B Jose Altuve 3.

C Yainer Diaz 4.

3B Alex Bregman 5.

OF Kyle Tucker -Another year, another brilliant offensive season for Yordan Alvarez who is hitting .308/.392/.567 with 34 doubles, 35 home runs, 86 RBI and 5.3 WAR in 147 games.

The 27-year-old has a 166 OPS+ over six MLB seasons, which ranks third among all active players with at least 2,000 career plate appearances, behind only Mike Trout (173) and Aaron Judge (173).

- Kyle Tucker ranks second on the Astros with 4.6 WAR, but he has only played 76 games this season, so it was difficult to decide where to place him in the rankings.

It feels like everyone in the No.

2 through No.

5 spot on this list could be slotted in any order.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS Bobby Witt Jr.

2.

C Salvador Perez 3.

1B Vinnie Pasquantino 4.

3B Maikel Garcia 5.

2B Michael Massey -In the first three seasons of his MLB career, Bobby Witt Jr.

has gone from 0.9 WAR to 4.4 WAR to 9.4 WAR, delivering on the hype that came with being one of the top prospects in baseball heading into his rookie season.

That massive 11-year, $288.8 million extension he signed in February is starting to look like a steal.

-It's clear the Royals need to find some help for the trio of Witt, Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino , as there is a steep drop-off in offensive production beyond that trio of impact bats.

After the unexpected success they've found this season, the front office might be a bit more willing to spend this winter.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS Zach Neto 2.

OF Taylor Ward 3.

C Logan O'Hoppe 4.

1B Nolan Schanuel 5.

IF Luis Rengifo -Shortstop Zach Neto is having one of the most under-the-radar 5-WAR seasons in recent memory, posting a 111 OPS+ with 33 doubles, 23 home runs, 77 RBI and 30 steals while also providing strong defense ( 11 DRS ) at shortstop.

The 23-year-old could be a candidate for an early long-term extension this winter.

-Only four players on the Angels roster have recorded 500 plate appearances this year, which speaks to all the injuries the team has had to navigate.

With a 140 OPS+ and 10 home runs in 29 games, Mike Trout was a legitimate candidate for the No.

5 spot, despite all the time he has missed.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

DH Shohei Ohtani 2.

1B Freddie Freeman 3.

SS/OF Mookie Betts 4.

OF Teoscar Hernandez 5.

C Will Smith - Shohei Ohtani became baseball's first 50/50 player this season in his first year with the Dodgers, and he will almost certainly add a third MVP award to his trophy case.

He is hitting .301/.384/.640 with 53 home runs, 123 RBI, 129 runs scored, 55 steals and 8.5 WAR in what is easily the greatest single-season performance ever by a designated hitter.

-The fact that Teoscar Hernandez has a 135 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 31 home runs and 93 RBI this season and only ranks No.

4 on the Dodgers list is a great illustration of just how rare it is for a team to have three players as good as Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts .

Top 5 Position Players 1.

1B/3B Jake Burger 2.

OF Jesus Sanchez 3.

2B Otto Lopez 4.

SS Xavier Edwards 5.

C Nick Fortes -Slugger Jake Burger leads the Marlins in hits (125), home runs (28), RBI (69), runs scored (64) and total bases (231), and he still has four years of club control remaining, giving the Marlins one of the few offensive building blocks on the roster.

-With Luis Arraez traded to the San Diego Padres in May and Tim Anderson released in early July, the young middle infield tandem of Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards has been a nice bright spot amid early rebuilding efforts.

They have combined for 3.6 WAR in 178 games of action.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

C William Contreras 2.

SS Willy Adames 3.

OF Jackson Chourio 4.

2B Brice Turang 5.

3B Joey Ortiz -The Brewers are starting to look like clear winners in the three-team, nine-player deal in which they acquired William Contreras from the Atlanta Braves that also involved Sean Murphy and several prospects.

The 26-year-old started the All-Star Game this year, and he is hitting .283/.366/.472 for a 132 OPS+ with 37 doubles, 23 home runs and 92 RBI in 151 games.

-Rookies Jackson Chourio and Joey Ortiz have produced a combined 6.5 WAR this season while providing solid offensive production and standout defense, and both players will be key pieces of the puzzle in the years to come.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS Carlos Correa 2.

OF Byron Buxton 3.

UT Willi Castro 4.

1B Carlos Santana 5.

OF Matt Wallner -The Twins were one of the toughest teams to rank because so many of their top players have missed time to injury this year.

Even our top pick Carlos Correa has only played 83 games, though he has hit .308/.382/.510 and racked up 3.6 WAR in that abridged 2024 action.

-It's hard to quantify how valuable Willi Castro has been to the Twins this year with his steady offensive production and defensive versatility.

The 27-year-old has a 104 OPS+ in 619 plate appearances while starting double-digit games at second base, shortstop, third base, left field and center field.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS Francisco Lindor 2.

3B Mark Vientos 3.

1B Pete Alonso 4.

OF Brandon Nimmo 5.

2B Jose Iglesias -If not for a glacial start to the year, Francisco Lindor might have put together an all-time great season for a shortstop.

Since moving into the leadoff spot in the lineup on May 18, he is hitting .302/.372/.548 with 31 doubles, 24 home runs and 21 steals in 104 games.

-The Mets signed Jose Iglesias to a minor league deal in December, and he spent the first 56 games of the season at Triple-A, but he has been an invaluable member of the lineup since he was called up on May 31.

The 34-year-old is hitting .336/.379/.456 in 269 plate appearances and has racked up 2.9 WAR in 80 games.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

OF Aaron Judge 2.

OF Juan Soto 3.

C Austin Wells 4.

SS Anthony Volpe 5.

DH Giancarlo Stanton - Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in 2024 will go down as one of the most productive offensive tandems in MLB history.

Now the question is whether it will be a one-and-done experience, or if the Yankees will pay up to keep Soto on a long-term deal that could eclipse $500 million this winter.

-His days as an MVP candidate are behind him, but Giancarlo Stanton has had a solid season offensively with a 114 OPS+ and 26 home runs in 444 plate appearances.

The 34-year-old is only 72 home runs away from 500 for his career, and he is under contract for three more years, so there's a good chance he will be making history in Yankee pinstripes.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

DH Brent Rooker 2.

OF Lawrence Butler 3.

OF JJ Bleday 4.

C Shea Langeliers 5.

2B Zack Gelof -How many people realize Brent Rooker ranks among the top 10 in baseball in home runs (38, sixth), RBI (110, fifth) and OPS+ (166, seventh)? The 29-year-old has backed up last year's out-of-nowhere breakout with an even better 2024 campaign, and with club control through 2027 he will be the face of the A's during this transition period if he doesn't get traded.

-After a slow start to the season led to an early demotion back to Triple-A, Lawrence Butler has been electric since he was recalled from the minors on June 18.

In 80 games since rejoining the big league roster for good, he is hitting .299/.340/.590 with 20 doubles, 20 home runs, 50 RBI and 15 steals.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

1B Bryce Harper 2.

DH Kyle Schwarber 3.

SS Trea Turner 4.

3B Alec Bohm 5.

OF Brandon Marsh -With a home run on Tuesday, Bryce Harper reached 30 in a season for the fifth time in his career.

The move to first base has helped keep him healthy, as his 142 games played are his most since 2019, and he will look to add to an impressive postseason track record in October.

-A step forward from Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh has helped solidify the Philadelphia lineup as one of the most complete top-to-bottom in all of baseball.

Bohm ranks second on the team with 95 RBI, and Marsh has been a steady offensive performer while bouncing between left field and center field defensively.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS/OF Oneil Cruz 2.

OF Bryan Reynolds 3.

DH Andrew McCutchen 4.

C Joey Bart 5.

2B Nick Gonzales -The Oneil Cruz hype seemingly took a backseat to Elly De La Cruz when the Pirates' young star played just nine games during an injury-shortened 2023 season, but he has returned with a breakout performance this year.

The 25-year-old has a 118 OPS+ with 34 doubles, 21 home runs, 76 RBI and 22 steals in 23 attempts, and shifting from shortstop to center field could help maximize his value.

-Was there a better scrapheap move in 2024 than the Pirates acquiring former top prospect Joey Bart from the San Francisco Giants after he was designated for assignment? The 27-year-old has a 123 OPS+ and 13 home runs in 270 plate appearances, and with club control through 2027, he could finally be a long-term answer behind the plate.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

OF Jackson Merrill 2.

OF Jurickson Profar 3.

3B Manny Machado 4.

OF Fernando Tatis Jr.

5.

SS Ha-Seong Kim -Rookie Jackson Merrill playing center field for the first time in his career and former top prospect-turned-journeyman Jurickson Profar back with the Padres on a one-year, $1 million deal in free agency.

Exactly who everyone expected to be the two best players on the Padres roster, right? -The Padres got 15.3 WAR worth of production out of Ha-Seong Kim over the life of the four-year, $28 million deal he signed when he made the move from the KBO to MLB prior to the 2021 season.

That will go down as one of the best signings in franchise history.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

3B Matt Chapman 2.

SS Tyler Fitzgerald 3.

OF Heliot Ramos 4.

OF Mike Yastrzemski 5.

1B LaMonte Wade Jr.

- Matt Chapman has been nothing short of excellent in his first season with the Giants, posting a 126 OPS+ with 36 doubles, 27 home runs and 78 RBI while playing his usual stellar defense at third base.

His 7.1 WAR ranks second in the National League and seventh in all of baseball.

-How much worse would this season have been for the Giants if not for breakout performances from Tyler Fitzgerald and Heliot Ramos ? There is still a lot of work to do assembling a competitive lineup, but those two have a chance to be solid homegrown pieces to build around in the coming years.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

C Cal Raleigh 2.

OF Julio Rodriguez 3.

OF Victor Robles 4.

1B/OF Luke Raley 5.

SS J.P.

Crawford -With a 116 OPS+ and 31 home runs this season, Cal Raleigh joined Rudy York, Roy Campanella, Mickey Tettleton, Mike Piazza and Todd Hundley as the only catchers in MLB history with back-to-back 30-homer seasons.

He is also one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.

-Remember early when we posited that Joey Bart to the Pirates might have been the best scrapheap pluck of the 2024 season? The Mariners scooping up Victor Robles after he was cut loose by the Washington Nationals is also a strong candidate, as he has hit .329/.395/.463 with 21 extra-base hits, 28 steals and 2.9 WAR in 74 games with the Mariners.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS Masyn Winn 2.

UT Brendan Donovan 3.

C Willson Contreras 4.

3B Nolan Arenado 5.

1B Paul Goldschmidt - Masyn Winn looked completely overmatched in his first taste of the big leagues last year, hitting .172 with a 28 OPS+ in 137 plate appearances, but he has been fantastic in his first full season in the majors.

The 22-year-old is hitting .266/.313/.411 with 29 doubles, 15 home runs, 55 RBI and 11 steals, and he has also been one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball.

-It was tough leaving off Alec Burleson, who has broken through with a 101 OPS+ and 21 home runs in 148 games.

Outfielder Lars Nootbaar has also had a solid all-around season since getting healthy, so there are viable candidates if excluding Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt is the preferred approach.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

2B Brandon Lowe 2.

1B Yandy Diaz 3.

SS Jose Caballero 4.

OF Jose Siri 5.

OF Josh Lowe -Will this offseason be the end of the line for Brandon Lowe in Tampa Bay? The 30-year-old has been his usual productive self when healthy this year, posting a 123 OPS+ with 21 home runs in 103 games, but he has a $10.5 million club option for next year that could be too rich for the small-market Rays.

They may opt to exercise the option and then shop for a trade partner rather than simply cutting him loose.

-It will be interesting to see what this list looks like a year from now.

Junior Caminero has the potential to develop into a franchise player, while Christopher Morel and Dylan Carlson will also look to make the most of their change of scenery.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS Corey Seager 2.

2B Marcus Semien 3.

IF Josh Smith 4.

OF Wyatt Langford 5.

1B Nathaniel Lowe -Another year, another extremely productive season for both ends of the Texas Rangers' double-play tandem.

Corey Seager (5.0) and Marcus Semien (3.6) have racked up a combined 8.6 WAR and 52 home runs, and the high-priced veterans continue to earn their hefty salaries.

-Rookie Wyatt Langford has not generated the same buzz as some of the other top newcomers in the 2024 class, but he has put together a solid first season in the big leagues.

The 2023 first-round pick is hitting .251/.322/.401 with 25 doubles, 13 home runs, 69 RBI and 16 steals in 129 games while also providing strong defensive metrics ( 11 DRS, 8.4 UZR/150 ) in the outfield.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

2.

OF Daulton Varsho 3.

SS/3B Ernie Clement 4.

1B/2B Spencer Horwitz 5.

C Alejandro Kirk -It has been a tough year for the Blue Jays, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

is having his best season since 2021.

The 25-year-old is hitting .324/.397/.548 with 43 doubles, 30 home runs, 102 RBI and 6.2 WAR in 155 games, and he will be entering a contract year in 2025, so an offseason extension could be in the works.

-With Bo Bichette missing time to injury and a revolving door at third base, Ernie Clement has made the most of an expanded opportunity this year.

The 28-year-old has a 94 OPS+ with 21 doubles, 11 home runs, 49 RBI, 12 steals and 3.7 WAR in 135 games.

Top 5 Position Players 1.

SS CJ Abrams 2.

2B Luis Garcia Jr.

3.

OF James Wood 4.

OF Jacob Young 5.

C Keibert Ruiz -Prior to getting demoted to Triple-A for an " internal issue " after he was spotted at a local casino until 8 a.m.

on the same day he had a day game, CJ Abrams was having a breakout season for the Nationals.

The 23-year-old has a 110 OPS+ with 55 extra-base hits, 31 steals and 3.4 WAR in 138 games, and he was an All-Star for the first time.

-A seventh-round pick in 2021 who never ranked higher than the No.

18 prospect in the Nationals system, Jacob Young has been one of the most surprising rookie standouts of the season.

The 25-year-old has 32 steals, 74 runs scored and elite defensive metrics ( 13 DRS, 4.0 UZR/150 ) in center field..

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