Do any fast-rising young outfielders beat out these two New York sluggers on our top 10? Let's find out.
Three A's, a whole lot of B's and one F -- but who got them? Final MLB offseason grades for all 30 teams Spring training camps are underway, which means it is time to look at the state of baseball. As part of our 2026 MLB season preview, ESPN's Buster Olney surveyed those around the industry to help him rank the top 10 players at every position as part of his annual positional ranking series.
The objective of this exercise is to identify the best players for the 2026 season, not who might be best in five years or over their career. We will roll out a position per day over the next two weeks. Here's the rest of the schedule: starting pitchers and close in on 300 for his career. Soto led the majors in walks for the fifth time last year, with 127, and reached base 282 times; he has already reached base via hit, walk or hit by pitch 2,001 times in his eight-year career.in his right hand, particularly early in the year as he regains the strength in his swing. But Carroll has already demonstrated his ability to dig himself out of an early-season hole with the way he bounced back from a slow start in 2024. He is an offensive machine:Tatis detailed last season how his father -- a former big leaguer -- had spoken to him bluntly about his approach at the plate, asking him: Do you think you're a great hitter? And when Tatis Jr. said yes, his father countered by noting how many at-bats he had given away by swinging at pitches out of the strike zone. Tatis Jr. took that to heart and made the kind of overnight improvement last year that you rarely see in a hitter's plate discipline -- he drew a career-high 89 walks, reached base more than 250 times and scored 111 runs. And his defense in right field remains excellent -- he was in the top 10 in a wide range of next-level metrics.When he returned to the field last season, he was great again, posting an adjusted OPS of 163, with 21 homers and 71 walks in 95 games. Now, we are destined to hear lots about Acuña's contract situation -- he's nearing the end of that very long-term deal he signed at the outset of his career. He'll make $17 million this year, and then the Braves hold options for 2027 and 2028 at $17 million per season. There have been calls on social media for Atlanta to get ahead of this by negotiating a new long-term deal. That is not typically how the Braves have operated; typically, head of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has declined to pay big deals to retain free agents, letting the likes ofdepart. The Braves might well choose to go year-to-year through the end of Acuña's deal -- decisions that are bound to be scrutinized and debated.As Tucker moved into free agency, there were teams concerned about his recent absences from the field -- he missed 84 games for the Astros in 2024 and then 26 more games with the Cubs last year. Is that going to be a thing for him, as he nears his 30th birthday? We'll see. What cannot be questioned is that when he plays, he is exceptional, with a 179 OPS+ in 2024 and 143 while playing in the challenging conditions of Wrigley Field in 2025. When he plays, he is a difference-maker, and the Dodgers areBoston manager Alex Cora has already announced that he intends to keep Anthony in the leadoff spot, a nod to his ability to get on base -- he had a .396 OBP in his rookie season -- and to give him as many plate appearances as possible. Some evaluators believe that the Red Sox would be best served to keep Anthony in center field, but Cora is blessed with an abundance of outfield riches, with Anthony started 32 games in right field last year, 17 in left and another 17 games at DH. But his best position, some evaluators say, is in center."He really does have incredible instincts out there," said one, before mentioning that Anthony would benefit from playing as much as possible and collecting experience in Fenway's quirky center field.Greene blasted 36 homers last year and won a Silver Slugger Award, with an adjusted OPS of 120. This is his age-25 season, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of adjustments he makes in the future: His strikeout rate was a whopping 30.7% -- he led the AL in strikeouts with 201 -- and his walk rate dropped from 11% to 7%. He could be another player who benefits from a deeper Detroit lineup as Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark eventually establish themselves in the big leagues. Bellinger texted with Judge throughout his free agency, with the two of them hoping for Bellinger's return to the Bronx because he was a perfect fit for the Yankees -- big-market experience, a swing suited for Yankee Stadium , excellent defense and versatility. Bellinger, 30, needs 25 more home runs for 250 in his career.Chourio turns 22 in the next couple of weeks, and there is great stuff ahead for him after two impressive seasons to start his major league career. He has gone 20-20 in homers and steals in each of his first two years. It hurts to leave Stowers out of the top 10 after his breakthrough 2025 in which he posted a 149 OPS+ -- but sadly, because we're combining left and right fielders, we must. Miami's head of baseball operations Peter Bendix has demonstrated an ability to deal at peak value, and Stowers will be an interesting test of that. He's 28 years old, not 22 or 23, and he's also a really popular player who will be eligible for arbitration for the first time next winter. Will the Marlins capitalize on his place in the trade market, or will they sign him to a long-term deal?His average exit velocity was 94.3 mph, which is like a pitcher throwing 101 mph. Let's put that into perspective by comparing him to other great hitters: With Kyle Tucker moving on from the Cubs, we'll rank Suzuki among the right fielders. He struggles defensively, but he clubbed 32 homers last year and had an OPS+ of 130. He might be the most important hitter in the Cubs' lineup, with Chicago's need for power and He might get some run in center field this year, but we'll rank him in the place where he appeared the most last season. Langford appears on the verge of a breakout entering his age-24 season, as he learns to command the strike zone.Three A's, a whole lot of B's and one F -- but who got them? Let's hand out offseason report cards. He'll be eligible for free agency next fall, having demonstrated remarkable consistency -- his adjusted OPS over the past four seasons has been, in order, 117, 118, 120 and 120. Plus, don't forget the great defense.Kwan is taking reps in center field this spring in preparation for what will be a big year for him. He excels defensively, but his numbers fell last year -- he had an OPS+ of 96.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
MLB 2026: Everything to know about MLB's pitch-tipping crazeWith a new rule already in place, MLB front offices are cracking down on another tiny way to get an advantage.
Read more »
Buster Olney's 2026 top 10 at every MLB position: ShortstopsBuster Olney's ranking of the top players at every position continues with the premier infield position: shortstop. Find out who comes out on top of this star-studded field.
Read more »
Buster Olney's 2026 top 10 at every MLB position: ShortstopsBuster Olney's ranking of the top players at every position continues with the premier infield position: shortstop. Find out who comes out on top of this star-studded field.
Read more »
Buster Olney's 2026 top 10 at every MLB position: Third basemenWhere do Jose Ramirez, Alex Bregman and Manny Machado fit among the top 10 at the position?
Read more »
Ranking MLB's best at every position for 2026: Olney's top 10sAs a new baseball season approaches, we compare the elite at every spot on the diamond.
Read more »
Buster Olney's 2026 top 10 at every MLB position: Corner outfieldersDo any fast-rising young outfielders beat out these two New York sluggers on our top 10? Let's find out.
Read more »