With the place stacked with proficient, two-way gamers, deciding on MLB’s prime middle fielders in 2024 isn’t any straightforward activity. A number of the greatest middle fielders in 2024 are additionally among the many greatest gamers in baseball proper now at any place.
Plus, when all is claimed and carried out, a few of right now’s middle fielders will likely be listed among the many greatest center fielders in MLB history.
Rating the ten Finest MLB Heart Fielders for the 2024 Season
For proper now, we wish to restrict our listing to the highest middle fielders for 2024. Who’re the middle fielders who’re poised for a superb season forward no matter what they’ve carried out up to now?
As we talked about, answering that query isn’t straightforward. However, we took a detailed have a look at the candidates and created an inventory of the ten greatest middle fielders in 2024.
10. Bryan Reynolds
We might have simply put Brandon Marsh or Jarren Duran on this spot, however we’ll shut out our listing with Bryan Reynolds, who’s a reliable veteran who figures to be Pittsburgh’s major middle fielder this yr.
Whereas 2023 wasn’t his greatest season, Reynolds has a powerful observe file and has a number of seasons hitting over .300 within the huge leagues. That makes him a dependable middle fielder who nonetheless has the upside to be an all-star once more.
9. Byron Buxton
In some ways, Byron Buxton stays an anomaly. He’s handled numerous accidents and coming off a dreadful season through which he batted simply .207. The Twins stored him out of the sector final season and the damage bug nonetheless received him.
It’s additionally a foul signal that Minnesota traded for Manuel Margot to offer them some protection in middle subject. That being mentioned, the 30-year-old Buxton nonetheless has the instruments to be an elite middle fielder if he can simply keep wholesome and discover some consistency.
8. Jung-hoo Lee
Admittedly, we don’t know a lot about Lee. However the Giants wouldn’t give him a six-year, $113 million deal if he wasn’t able to be a top-notch middle fielder within the huge leagues.
Remember he’s solely 25 and was a five-time Gold Glove winner within the KBO, to not point out the league’s MVP in 2022. Lee needs to be an elite defensive middle fielder straight away whereas his offensive profile signifies that he is also a .300 hitter proper off the bat as properly.
7. James Outman
We don’t know the way the Dodgers maintain doing it, however James Outman is one other proficient participant they’ve plucked from their farm system. In his first full season within the majors, Outman hit .248 with an OPS of .790. With 23 homers and 16 stolen bases, he clearly has 20-20 potential. The 26-year-old additionally has loads of room for enchancment, which is why we anticipate him to have a powerful 2024 season.
6. Michael Harris II
At age 23, Michael Harris II is simply scratching the floor of what he can do. That’s excessive reward for a participant who hit .293 with an OPS of .808 final yr, protecting in thoughts these numbers had been down from his Rookie of the Yr marketing campaign in 2022.
Harris isn’t far-off from being a 20-20 participant who hits .300 or higher and performs above-average protection. He’s not there simply but, however when he does, he’ll be a top-five middle fielder.
5. Cody Bellinger
Following an offseason of uncertainty, Cody Bellinger is again with the Cubs. Equally vital, he’s now among the many greatest middle fielders in baseball. We all know that Bellinger had some poor seasons after successful MVP in 2019. However he began to get again on observe final season, becoming a member of the 20-20 membership for the primary time whereas hitting a career-best .307.
Bellinger isn’t fairly again to an MVP degree. However he’s nonetheless solely 28 and has the upside of somebody who might probably win one other MVP within the subsequent few years, so we have now excessive hopes for him in 2024.
4. Luis Robert
It’s nearly laborious to consider that Luis Robert is simply 26. That’s why it’s just a little simpler to forgive and neglect a few injury-plagued seasons. Till late September, Robert managed to keep away from getting damage final season, permitting him to hit .264 with an OPS of .857 due to 38 homers and 36 doubles.
Only for good measure, Robert additionally stole 20 bases to hitch the 20-20 membership. Don’t neglect that he received a Gold Glove again in 2020, so he’s an elite defensive middle fielder as properly. If he can keep wholesome in 2024, he’ll be probably the greatest outfielders in baseball, no questions requested.
3. Mike Trout
It saddens us to say that Mike Trout is not the premier middle fielder in baseball. Whereas he stays one of many all-time greats, Trout has struggled with accidents in three straight seasons. Additionally, his .263 common and .857 OPS in 2023 had been each properly beneath his profession averages.
In equity, if he’s wholesome, Trout remains to be among the many greatest huge leaguers on the market. Sadly, it’s laborious to consider that Trout will keep wholesome for all of 2024 and replicate his MVP type from a number of years in the past.
2. Aaron Choose
It seems to be just a little uncommon, however Aaron Judge is now a bonafide middle fielder. That’s the place the Yankees plan to play him nearly day by day in 2024. Naturally, he’s going to be probably the greatest at that place if he can keep wholesome.
Choose is simply two years faraway from his magnificent 62-homer season. Additionally, regardless of lacking time with accidents final season, he produced an OPS of 1.019. Lastly, Choose can maintain his personal defensively in middle subject, so don’t suppose that he doesn’t have the vary for the place.
1. Julio Rodriguez
There was a altering of the guard with Julio Rodriguez now the perfect middle fielder in MLB. In simply two seasons, Rodriguez is a two-time all-star and a two-time Silver Slugger winner. In some way, he solely turned 23 final December.
That was after he had a 30-30 season with 32 homers and 37 stolen bases whereas posting an OPS of .818. Rodriguez has already completed a lot, and but he’s poised to maintain getting higher, which implies the sky is the restrict for him in 2024 in what will likely be simply his third season within the majors.
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