Ranking 2024's 'Top Players Right Now' one year later

Ranking 2024's 'Top Players Right Now' one year later

3:05 AM UTC

Who are the top players at each position as we prepare for the 2025 season? Answering that is why MLB Network's “Top 10 Players Right Now” exists.

The annual program includes positional rankings from MLB Network analysts, guests and baseball fans. But the final word resides with "The Shredder." Its rankings are based on past performance, various offensive and defensive metrics (including both advanced statistics and traditional numbers) and analysis by the MLB Network research team.

This year's 10-show rollout began Tuesday as the top center fielders were announced. The top 10 relievers were unveiled Wednesday.

You can see how The Shredder's rankings at those positions differ from last year's top-10 lists. You can also see how, in hindsight, the No. 1 player at some positions in 2024 may not have lived up to expectations.

Below, we've ranked each of The Shredder's No. 1 players for '24 based on their performance. We've also left some space to mention a player who ultimately deserved the top spot at their position.

1. , CF, Yankees
The top-rated right fielder entering 2023, Judge moved over to center ahead of the 2024 season to make room for Juan Soto and ended Mike Trout's long reign as the position's No. 1 player. He backed up that ranking by turning in simply spectacular numbers. His 58 homers, 144 RBIs, 1.159 OPS and 10.8 bWAR were each the best in the Majors. That OPS was the highest from a qualified AL hitter since Mark McGwire in 1996. Judge took home his second AL MVP award after the season, but unlike in 2022, this one was unanimous.

Who should have been No. 1?: Judge.

2. , LF, Astros
Alvarez's potent bat made him the No. 1 left fielder according to The Shredder for the second year in a row entering 2024. He then recorded a career-high 71 extra-base hits and hit 35 home runs, marking the fourth consecutive year in which he surpassed the 30-homer plateau. He also had a 172 OPS+. He and Judge are the only players to reach 170 OPS+ in each of the past three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances).

Who should have been No. 1?: Alvarez.

3. , 1B, Dodgers
Freeman achieved several full-season career-highs in 2023, including 211 hits, 6.5 bWAR and a 163 OPS+. His 59 doubles not only led the Majors, they set a Dodgers franchise record and were the most from any player since 2000. Although he was solid last year, his numbers were a step down from '23. His OPS declined by 123 points (.977 to .854) while his average fell by 49 points (.331 to .282). It was only the second time since 2015 that Freeman finished with a sub-.300 average. However, no one cared about Freeman's regular-season production by the end of the World Series.

Who should have been No. 1?: , Blue Jays
Guerrero doesn't provide any defensive value, but he was one of the best offensive players in the game by the close of last season. Thanks to a blistering second half, he ended the year as MLB's top first baseman in myriad categories, including on-base percentage (.396), slugging percentage (.544) and extra-base hits (75).

4. , SS, Rangers
Seager earned his No. 1 spot after tallying 33 homers, 42 doubles and 6.9 bWAR in just 119 games. His playing time was capped by injuries once again in 2024, as he missed the final few weeks of the season after undergoing hernia surgery. But he wasn't able to do quite as much in his limited time last year. Although he did hit 30 homers for the third straight season, Seager's OPS dropped 149 points (1.013 to .864) and his doubles total was cut exactly in half despite a nearly equal amount of at-bats (477 in 2023, 475 in '24).

Who should have been No. 1?: , Royals
Witt filled up the box score like no one else last season. En route to celebrating a batting title, the Royals' superstar became the first player to go 30-30 with at least 40 doubles and 10 triples in a single season. He also tied for second among shortstops with 16 outs above average.

5. , 2B, Dodgers
Although Betts was slated to open the 2024 season as the Dodgers' new second baseman, he switched to shortstop during Spring Training and ended up playing only 18 games at the keystone position. Still, Betts looked worthy of his No. 1 rank after a tremendous first couple of months at the plate. He came into June slashing .326/.419/.517 over 267 plate appearances. But a couple of weeks later, he fractured his left wrist when he was hit by a pitch and was shelved for close to two months. He returned on Aug. 12 and wasn't quite as productive during the final weeks of the regular season.

Who should have been No. 1?: , D-backs
Ranked as the top second baseman before the 2020 and 2022 seasons, Marte was far ahead of all other qualified second basemen in home runs (36), OPS (.932) and bWAR (6.8). He captured his first Silver Slugger Award and was an NL MVP finalist for the first time in his 10-year career.

6. , RP, Yankees
Williams would have been much higher on this list if he had been able to play a full season because he was phenomenal when healthy last year with the Brewers. He owned a 1.25 ERA, a .133 opponents' batting average and a 43.2% strikeout rate during the regular season. However, he pitched only 21 2/3 innings due to a back injury suffered during Spring Training that kept him out of action until July 28.

Who should have been No. 1?: , Guardians
Prior to last year, we hadn't seen a relief pitcher finish among the top three in the Cy Young Award voting since 2008. Then Clase put together a historic season. Besides his AL-high 47 saves, the Guardians' closer gave up just five earned runs in 74 1/3 innings. That 0.61 ERA tied for the third-lowest by a reliever since 1913, when ERA became official in both leagues (minimum 50 innings pitched).

7. , 3B, Braves
From 2021-23, Riley was among the most dependable and consistently productive players in the sport. He logged at least 30 home runs, 70 extra-base hits, a .500 slugging percentage and an .850 OPS while missing no more than three games each year. In 2023, he swatted 37 homers, scored a career-best 117 runs and earned his second Silver Slugger. But the injury bug finally bit Riley this past season. He missed two weeks in May due to an oblique strain and was sidelined for the year after fracturing his right hand on Aug. 18. Along the way, Riley still hit 19 homers in 110 games, but his slugging and OPS fell 55 and 78 points, respectively, from 2023.

Who should have been No. 1?: José Ramírez, Guardians
Ramírez, whom The Shredder ranked No. 2 last year, almost made history in 2024. He stole 41 bases and ended the season one double and one home run shy of a 40-40-40 year. Only Alfonso Soriano in 2006 has done that. Ramírez's .537 slugging percentage was the best at the hot corner, and he struck out in just 12% of his plate appearances.

8. , SP, Yankees
The unanimous winner of the 2023 AL Cy Young Award, Cole's start to the 2024 season was delayed by a right elbow injury. He didn't make his first appearance until June 19 and wasn't nearly as dominant as he had been the year prior. His strikeout rate dropped a couple of points while his walk rate increased. His ERA inflated from an AL-best 2.63 to 3.41. He looked more like a top-tier ace over his final nine regular-season starts as he registered a 2.15 ERA and a .479 opponents' OPS across 54 1/3 innings. But he pitched more than six innings just twice in 17 starts. He did that in 14 of his 33 starts in '23.

Who should have been No. 1?: , Braves; , Tigers
It is tough to choose between 2024's two pitching Triple Crown winners. Neither left-hander made The Shredder's list last year, but they both ended up being the runaway choice for the Cy Young Award in their respective league.

9. , C, Orioles
Rutschman followed up his stellar 2022 debut with a 2023 season in which he was a Silver Slugger winner and had 20 dingers and a 128 OPS+ through 154 games. He continued his upward trajectory during the first half of '24, batting .300 with 15 homers and an .831 OPS through his first 77 games. Then came his mysterious, prolonged slump. Beginning on June 30, Rutschman was one of the worst hitters in baseball over the final three months. He posted a .191/.274/.282 slash line with just four home runs and 14 extra-base hits in his remaining 70 games.

Who should have been No. 1?: , Brewers
Contreras continued looking like one of the best -- if not the best -- offensive catchers in MLB. He won his second Silver Slugger and finished fifth in the NL MVP voting after leading all qualified backstops in runs (99), extra-base hits (62), OBP (.365) and slugging (.466).

10. , RF, Braves
Acuña left jaws on the floor with his 41-homer, 73-steal season in 2023, which brought him the NL MVP Award. He was unable to replicate it, however, as hit only four homers and had a .704 OPS through 48 games before suffering a season-ending left knee injury on May 26.

Who should have been No. 1?: , Mets
You could argue for if not for a fractured shin that left us wondering what could have been for him in 2024. But given Tucker's injury, the top spot should probably go to Soto, who had a walk year for the ages with the Yankees before joining the Mets last month on a record-setting contract.