MLB's Top 10 Players at Every Position, July 2024 Update

Who have been baseball's best players at each position over the course of the 2024 season to date?

That's the question at hand each month with our positional player rankings, casting aside previous performance and future expectations to focus solely on production during the current season.

With three months completed and the All-Star break right around the corner, there is now a significant sample size of data to pull from, and hot starts have turned into legitimate breakout seasons for a number of players across baseball.

Let the debate begin.

Note: Included in parenthesis after each player's name is where they ranked in last month's version of this article, which can be found here.

Top 10 Catchers

1. Adley Rutschman, BAL (4)
2. Will Smith, LAD (3)
3. William Contreras, MIL (1)
4. Patrick Bailey, SF (10)
5. Salvador Pérez, KC (2)
6. Logan O'Hoppe, LAA (NR)
7. Connor Wong, BOS (6)
8. Cal Raleigh, SEA (8)
9. Ryan Jeffers, MIN (5)
10. Francisco Alvarez, NYM (NR)

Notes

-Adley Rutschman is hitting .291/.346/.465 with 15 home runs and 55 RBI, and he has also thrown out 10-of-44 base stealers while now allowing a single passed ball. The 26-year-old has comfortably overtaken J.T. Realmuto as the best all-around catcher in baseball.

-Since returning on June 11 from a thumb injury that cost him nearly two months, Francisco Alvarez is hitting .362/.433/.655 with three home runs and 15 RBI in 18 games. The 22-year-old would likely be challenging for a top-five spot at the catcher position if he had not missed so much time, and he should steadily climb this list in the coming months.

Top 10 First Basemen

1. Bryce Harper, PHI (1)
2. Freddie Freeman, LAD (2)
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (6)
4. Christian Walker, ARI (3)
5. Josh Naylor, CLE (4)
6. Ryan Mountcastle, BAL (5)
7. Pete Alonso, NYM (9)
8. Carlos Santana, MIN (NR)
9. Jake Cronenworth, SD (NR)
10. Matt Olson, ATL (10)

Notes

-In his first year as an everyday first baseman, Bryce Harper is having another MVP-caliber season, hitting .303/.399/.582 with 20 doubles, 20 home runs and 58 RBI. He has also posted strong defensive metrics (4 DRS, 1.8 UZR/150) at his new position, and he was the NL's leading vote-getter in Phase 1 of this year's All-Star voting.

-After hitting .337/.396/.565 in June, veteran Carlos Santana quietly has a .765 OPS with 15 doubles, 12 home runs and 39 RBI, making good on a one-year, $5.25 million deal. The 38-year-old has put together an extremely underrated 15-year career.

Top 10 Second Basemen

1. Ketel Marte, ARI (1)
2. José Altuve, HOU (2)
3. Brice Turang, MIL (3)
4. Luis Arraez, SD (5)
5. Jonathan India, CIN (NR)
6. Marcus Semien, TEX (4)
7. Bryson Stott, PHI (8)
8. Andrés Giménez, CLE (6)
9. Ozzie Albies, ATL (9)
10. Nico Hoerner, CHC (10)

Notes

-After a terrific postseason run that included NLCS honors, Ketel Marte is on track for the best season of his career. The 30-year-old is hitting .287/.353/.517 with 19 doubles, 17 home runs and 50 RBI, and his 4.4 WAR ranks second only to Shohei Ohtani among all NL players.

-Jonathan India hit .380/.454/.587 with 13 doubles in June, and he is again looking like an impact table-setter while playing alongside Elly De La Cruz as one of the better middle infield tandems in baseball.

Top 10 Third Basemen

1. José Ramírez, CLE (1)
2. Rafael Devers, BOS (5)
3. Alec Bohm, PHI (4)
4. Jordan Westburg, BAL (3)
5. Isaac Paredes, TB (2)
6. Josh Smith, TEX (8)
7. Ryan McMahon, COL (7)
8. Matt Chapman, SF (9)
9. Joey Ortiz, MIL (6)
10. Austin Riley, ATL (NR)

Notes

-Offensively, it's extremely close between José Ramírez (.879 OPS, 23 HR, 76 RBI) and Rafael Devers (.937 OPS, 18 HR, 47 RBI) for the top spot among third basemen, and both players should find their way onto the AL All-Star team even with a deep field of candidates.

-Slugger Austin Riley hit .289/.373/.536 with six home runs and 13 RBI in June, putting a slow start to the season in the rearview as he looks to make it four straight 30-homer, 5-WAR seasons in the middle of the Atlanta lineup.

Top 10 Shortstops

1. Gunnar Henderson, BAL (1)
2. Bobby Witt Jr., KC (3)
3. Mookie Betts, LAD (2)
4. Elly De La Cruz, CIN (8)
5. Carlos Correa, MIN (NR)
6. CJ Abrams, WAS (NR)
7. Trea Turner, PHI (NR)
8. Francisco Lindor, NYM (NR)
9. Corey Seager, TEX (4)
10. Anthony Volpe, NYY (5)

Notes

-Gunnar Henderson (.983 OPS, 95 H, 26 HR, 58 RBI, 13 SB) and Bobby Witt Jr. (.901 OPS, 108 H, 13 HR, 55 RBI, 22 SB) have emerged as two of the game's brightest young superstars, and further down the list Elly De La Cruz, CJ Abrams, Anthony Volpe, Ezequiel Tovar and Masyn Winn are also impact up-and-comers.

-Since moving into the leadoff spot in the batting order on May 18, Francisco Lindor is hitting .305/.361/.533 with 24 extra-base hits in 183 plate appearances. That has not entirely erased his glacial start to the season, but it's more than enough to move him into the Top 10 with a clear up arrow next to his name.

Top 10 Left Fielders

1. Steven Kwan, CLE (2)
2. Jarren Duran, BOS (2-CF)
3. Jurickson Profar, SD (1)
4. Brandon Nimmo, NYM (NR)
5. Riley Greene, DET (3)
6. Christian Yelich, MIL (4)
7. Teoscar Hernandez, LAD (4-RF)
8. Bryan Reynolds, PIT (10)
9. Tyler O'Neill, BOS (7)
10. Brandon Marsh, PHI (NR)

Notes

-With 20 walks, 20 strikeouts and three hit-by-pitches in 256 plate appearances, Steven Kwan has put the ball in play in 83.2 percent of his trips to the plate this season. He is hitting .362/.420/.526 overall, and he has already surpassed his previous career high with seven home runs while raising his slugging percentage more than 150 points.

-Jarren Duran (391.2 INN in LF, 349.1 INN in CF) and Teoscar Hernández (388.1 INN in LF, 335.0 INN in RF) both join the left fielders list after having more innings played at another spot in the outfield in last month's version of these rankings. That now makes left field the deepest of the three outfield positions.

Top 10 Center Fielders

1. Aaron Judge, NYY (1)
2. Jackson Merrill, SD (NR)
3. Heliot Ramos, SF (NR)
4. JJ Bleday, OAK (3)
5. Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA (6)
6. Cody Bellinger, CHC (5)
7. Brenton Doyle, COL (8)
8. Jake Meyers, HOU (4)
9. Andy Pages, LAD (NR)
10. Blake Perkins, MIL (NR)

Notes

-Aaron Judge is leading the AL in doubles (23), home runs (32), RBI (83), on-base percentage (.440), slugging percentage (.718), OPS (1.158), OPS+ (221), total bases (219) and WAR (6.3) through 85 games played. Could he be on his way to another 60-homer season?

-Rising stars Jackson Merrill (310 PA, 123 OPS+, 24 XBH, 12 HR, 42 RBI, 2.3 WAR) and Heliot Ramos (217 PA, 160 OPS+, 21 XBH, 10 HR, 38 RBI, 2.6 WAR) have quickly become two of baseball's most production center fielders, giving the position a boost while guys like Julio Rodríguez, Michael Harris II and Corbin Carroll have gotten off to slow starts.

Top 10 Right Fielders

1. Juan Soto, NYY (1)
2. Kyle Tucker, HOU (2)
3. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD (3)
4. Anthony Santander, BAL (8)
5. Wilyer Abreu, BOS (5)
6. Seiya Suzuki, CHC (NR)
7. Adolis García, TEX (6)
8. Starling Marte, NYM (NR)
9. Alec Burleson, STL (NR)
10. Jake McCarthy, ARI (NR)

Notes

-With free agency looming this offseason, Juan Soto is making a strong case for a record-setting contract this winter. The 25-year-old is hitting .300/.435/.562 for a 180 OPS+ with 20 home runs and 61 RBI, and he is on track to be a starter in the All-Star Game for the first time in his career.

-Alec Burleson hit .271/.310/.514 with seven home runs and 20 RBI in June, and he now has a 119 OPS+ with 13 home runs and 40 RBI on the year as he has established himself as the primary right fielder and No. 2 hitter in the St. Louis lineup.

Top 10 Designated Hitters

1. Shohei Ohtani, LAD (1)
2. Marcell Ozuna, ATL (2)
3. Yordan Alvarez, HOU (4)
4. Brent Rooker, OAK (3)
5. J.D. Martinez, NYM (9)
6. Kyle Schwarber, PHI (6)
7. Joc Pederson, ARI (5)
8. Ryan O'Hearn, BAL (NR)
9. Giancarlo Stanton, NYY (7)
10. Andrew McCutchen, PIT (10)

Notes

-Even without setting foot on the mound, Shohei Ohtani is still leading the NL with 4.9 WAR while serving exclusively as a designated hitter. He is hitting .320/.402/.646 and leading the NL in home runs (27), runs scored (69), OPS+ (195) and total bases (212).

-With 2,000 hits, 400 doubles, 300 home runs, 1,000 RBI, 1,000 runs scored and 200 steals, Andrew McCutchen has put together an impressive career over his 16 seasons in the big leagues. The 37-year-old is still going strong with a 107 OPS+ and 12 home runs in 306 plate appearances.

Top 10 Utility Players

1. David Fry, CLE (1)
2. Willi Castro, MIN (8)
3. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, TOR (NR)
4. Luis Rengifo, LAA (3)
5. Spencer Steer, CIN (NR)
6. Edmundo Sosa, PHI (2)
7. Dylan Moore, SEA (5)
8. Davis Schneider, TOR (4)
9. Richie Palacios, TB (9)
10. Mauricio Dubón, HOU (10)

Notes

-With multiple starts at catcher, first base and both corner outfield spots, David Fry has been an extremely valuable piece of the puzzle for the Guardians. The 28-year-old was acquired as the player to be named in the deal that sent J.C. Mejía to Milwaukee prior to the 2022 season, and he is hitting .303/.414/.511 for a 163 OPS+ in 215 plate appearances.

-The two-year, $15 million deal Isiah Kiner-Falefa signed with the Toronto Blue Jays is shaping up to be one of the best bargains of the offseason. He has a 117 OPS+ with 17 extra-base hits and 3.1 WAR in 82 games, and he has posted terrific defensive metrics at second base (246.2 INN, 4 DRS, 9.3 UZR/150) and third base (290.0 INN, 5 DRS, 15.3 UZR/150).

Top 10 Right-Handed Starting Pitchers

1. Seth Lugo, KC (1)
2. Corbin Burnes, BAL (6)
3. Tanner Houck, BOS (2)
4. Logan Gilbert, SEA (NR)
5. Zack Wheeler, PHI (4)
6. Tyler Glasnow, LAD (5)
7. Ronel Blanco, HOU (NR)
8. Reynaldo López, ATL (8)
9. Paul Skenes, PIT (NR)
10. Joe Ryan, MIN (NR)

Notes

-Logan Gilbert was the biggest riser among pitchers who were unranked last month thanks to posting a 1.51 ERA, 0.62 WHIP and a brilliant 31-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 35.2 innings. His 0.88 WHIP in 112.1 innings this season leads all qualified starters in both leagues.

-This was by far the hardest list to trim down to just 10 names, and the following players represented the next 10, listed alphabetically: Dylan Cease (SD), Jack Flaherty (DET), Luis Gil (NYY), Sonny Gray (STL), George Kirby (SEA), Aaron Nola (PHI), Freddy Peralta (MIL), Gavin Stone (LAD), Logan Webb (SF), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD).

Top 10 Left-Handed Starting Pitchers

1. Ranger Suárez, PHI (1)
2. Tarik Skubal, DET (2)
3. Garrett Crochet, CWS (6)
4. Chris Sale, ATL (4)
5. Cristopher Sánchez, PHI (NR)
6. Cole Ragans, KC (10)
7. Max Fried, ATL (7)
8. Tyler Anderson, LAA (5)
9. Shōta Imanaga, CHC (3)
10. Nick Lodolo, CIN (NR)

Notes

-June was a big month for Cristopher Sánchez, who posted a 1.64 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in 33.0 innings. He also tossed his first complete game shutout less than a week after signing a four-year, $22.5 million extension on June 22.

-The next 10 who just missed the cut, listed alphabetically: Andrew Abbott (CIN), Nestor Cortes (NYY), Bailey Falter (PIT), MacKenzie Gore (WAS), Kyle Harrison (SF), Sean Manaea (SF), Mitchell Parker (WAS), Justin Steele (CHC), Framber Valdez (HOU), Ryan Weathers (MIA)

Top 10 Setup Relievers

1. Bryan Hudson, MIL (5)
2. Hunter Gaddis, CLE (6)
3. Matt Strahm, PHI (1)
4. Griffin Jax, MIN (NR)
5. Jeff Hoffman, PHI (3)
6. Ryan Walker, SF (NR)
7. Jason Adam, TB (NR)
8. Ryan Thompson, ARI (NR)
9. Cade Smith, CLE (NR)
10. JoJo Romero, STL (7)

Notes

-Left-hander Bryan Hudson made his MLB debut as a 26-year-old with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, and the Milwaukee Brewers saw enough to acquire him in an under-the-radar trade in January. He has posted a 0.99 ERA, 0.66 WHIP and 10.3 K/9 while tallying four wins, 11 holds and 2.3 WAR in 30 appearances.

-The Cleveland Guardians bullpen leads the majors with a 2.56 ERA, and while All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase is the face of their relief corps, rookies Hunter Gaddis (41 G, 16 HLD, 1.37 ERA, 9.2 K/9) and Cade Smith (38 G, 14 HLD, 2.65 ERA, 11.8 K/9) have been equally impressive in their setup roles.

Top 10 Closers

1. Emmanuel Clase, CLE (1)
2. Ryan Helsley, STL (6)
3. Mason Miller, OAK (3)
4. Robert Suárez, SD (2)
5. Andrés Muñoz, SEA (4)
6. Trevor Megill, MIL (10)
7. Kyle Finnegan, WAS (7)
8. Kenley Jansen, BOS (NR)
9. Kirby Yates, TEX (9)
10. Evan Phillips, LAD (8)

Notes

-Along with his AL-leading 25 saves, Emmanuel Clase has been virtually unhittable this season, allowing just 21 hits and four walks in 40.1 innings for a 0.62 WHIP and a .152 opponents batting average. Still only 26 years old, he already has 136 career saves under his belt.

-Flame-thrower Ryan Helsley is the MLB leader with 31 saves in 32 chances, and he is on pace to shatter the St. Louis Cardinals single-season record of 48 saves set by Trevor Rosenthal during the 2015 season.