Earlier than a brand new baseball season commences, it was vital for us to provide you with a rating of the ten finest MLB gamers in 2024. Clearly, any rating of the perfect gamers in MLB is topic to vary in the course of the course of the season. However that doesn’t imply we couldn’t take a crack at creating our personal top-10 record.
Rating MLB’s 10 Greatest Gamers Forward of 2024 Season
To provide you with a listing of the highest baseball gamers at the moment, we couldn’t simply take a look at every participant’s observe file. We needed to challenge what every participant will do in the course of the upcoming season. Evidently, baseball predictions are exhausting to get proper. However, right here is our preliminary rating of the ten finest MLB gamers in 2024.
10. Bryce Harper
It appears to be like like Bryce Harper is lastly beginning to win the Trout vs Harper debate. With Mike Trout getting older and battling accidents lately, Harper is best arrange for an enormous yr in 2024.
The harm that sidelined Harper for the primary a part of 2023 is behind him. Upon his return, he managed to hit .293 with an OPS of .900 whereas settling into a brand new place within the area. With the harm clearly within the rearview mirror, we’re anticipating Harper to bounce again in an enormous approach and maintain his title within the dialogue among the many prime gamers in baseball.
9. Matt Olson
After a season with 54 residence runs and 139 RBI, it’d be not possible to not embrace Matt Olson on this record. Even when he produces 80% of that, he’ll be a top-10 participant.
Remember that Olson isn’t some ageing veteran who had an excellent season. He’s solely turning 30 the day after Atlanta’s residence opener, so he’s in his prime proper now. Olson additionally has two Gold Gloves on his resume, bringing extra to the desk than simply energy.
8. Corey Seager
Now a two-time World Collection MVP, Corey Seager has made it clear that he belongs to be talked about among the many better of the perfect.
His 2023 common season was one thing particular, batting .317 with 33 homers and 96 RBI. That was greater than sufficient to make him a First-Workforce All-MLB participant and earn his third Silver Slugger. There may be some concern that there may very well be a drop-off after a shorter offseason, however there aren’t many causes to doubt Seager whereas he’s within the prime of his profession.
7. Francisco Lindor
Is Francisco Lindor the perfect shortstop in baseball? He’s definitely the perfect two-way shortstop.
He was robbed of a Gold Glove in 2023 as a result of he had an exceptional season defensively within the first yr with the brand new shift guidelines. On the intense facet, Lindor gained the Silver Slugger Award. He additionally joined the 30-30 membership for the primary time with 31 residence runs and 31 stolen bases. In different phrases, the 30-year-old nonetheless suits the definition of a five-tool participant, and he’s doing it whereas taking part in a premium defensive place. That makes Lindor a much more helpful participant than what his offensive numbers may need you consider.
6. Shohei Ohtani
It’s not possible to not record the reigning AL MVP and the $700 million man on a listing of the perfect gamers in baseball. After all, Shohei Ohtani would have been a lock for the no. 1 spot if he had been wholesome sufficient to pitch this season.
Sadly, being a DH – and maybe occasional outfielder – precipitated him to drop just a few spots. That being mentioned, Ohtani’s bat is sufficient to make him a top-10 participant. In spite of everything, the man led the AL with 44 residence runs final yr whereas additionally batting over .300. If not for an indirect harm late within the yr, his quantity might have been even increased. Now that he’s focusing totally on hitting in 2024, we count on an enormous yr offensively from Ohtani.
5. Julio Rodriguez
While you mix what he’s completed within the huge leagues and the truth that he’s solely 23, there ought to be no debate that Julio Rodriguez is an elite participant. He’s a two-time all-star and two-time Silver Slugger.
Once more, he solely turned 23 this previous December. It virtually boggles the thoughts how good he’s at this age. As talked about, a part of placing this record collectively is projecting the season forward, and we envision that the child with 32 homers, 103 RBI, and 37 stolen bases final season shall be even higher in 2024 and be talked about among the many finest gamers in baseball proper now.
4. Aaron Choose
A number of journeys to the IL restricted Aaron Judge to only 106 video games in 2023, retaining him from correctly defending the MVP and residential run king honors he gained in 2022. That being mentioned, when Choose was wholesome sufficient to play, he nonetheless seemed like the most effective within the recreation.
He nonetheless posted a 1.019 OPS and hit 37 residence runs. In equity, we’re not anticipating Choose to return to his 2022 kind; that was a profession yr for him. He’ll even be 32 in April, so he may be on the bottom of his prime years. Nevertheless, Choose remains to be an elite participant who’s able to hitting 50-plus homers with 100-plus RBI and not less than flirting with .300. He’s nonetheless on the shortlist of gamers who’re able to doing that.
3. Freddie Freeman
Now 34, Freddie Freeman isn’t displaying any signal of slowing down. He’s put collectively a resume that can doubtless take him to Cooperstown sooner or later, forging a spot among the many greatest baseball players ever. Freeman earned MLB First-Workforce honors in 2023, making it clear that he’s nonetheless the perfect first baseman in baseball.
He’s hit .300 or higher in seven of the final eight seasons along with his .331 common in 2023 being the second better of his profession. Additionally, final yr was simply the fourth time that he eclipsed 100 RBI. As talked about, there are not any indicators of Freeman slowing down, which is why we count on one other robust marketing campaign from Freeman in 2024.
2. Mookie Betts
It doesn’t matter if the Dodgers need to play him at second base or within the outfield, Mookie Betts remains to be the most effective gamers in baseball. He’ll be an elite fielder at any place and stays one of many nice catalysts in baseball on the prime of the batting order.
A yr in the past, Betts hit .307 with 80 extra-base hits, together with a career-high in residence runs. It was the perfect season of his profession exterior of his MVP yr in 2018. We’re not anticipating a lot of a drop-off from him in 2024. With the Dodgers placing loads of expertise round him and itching to win a World Collection, Betts is certain for one more huge yr.
1. Ronald Acuna Jr.
Final yr, Ronald Acuna Jr. reminded us of simply how good he’s when he’s capable of keep wholesome. Accidents obtained the higher of him in 2021 and 2022, however nothing was stopping Acuna in 2023.
He hit .337 with an OPS of 1.012, 41 residence runs, and 106 RBI. He rightly took residence MLB First-Workforce and NL MVP honors. Don’t overlook that Acuna additionally stole 73 bases in 2023 and was profitable on almost 84% of his makes an attempt. That’s a component to his recreation that just about no different elite participant can match and why we consider he’ll be the perfect MLB participant in 2023. The opposite purpose is that he’s simply 26 years outdated. He ought to be proper in the course of his prime years, so except he’s hit by the harm bug, Acuna would be the finest that MLB has to supply this yr.
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