2026 MLB Player Rankings
Welcome to my Top 10 Rankings by position for the 2026 MLB season! My goal for these rankings are projecting the most valuable player at each position by using a blend of past results, projections, and my own intuition. Since these rankings are trying to capture the most valuable players, I bake in injury risk and playing time into my analysis. If a player has consistently missed time with injuries or is expected to be limited during 2026, their placement likely was negatively impacted. For each player I support my rankings and lay out my thoughts as to why I believe their deserved their placement. I also included a list of honourable mentions as well as a list of notable players that were not considered as they fall into a different position bucket.
Projections are provided by Steamer and utilize FanGraphs’ Depth Charts for playing time
Notable Players Not ConsideredBo Bichette (2B)Carlos Correa (3B)Oneil Cruz (CF)2026 Top 10 Shortstops
Here are my Top 10 shortstops for 2026. Click a player’s name to jump to my writeup and reasoning for their ranking.
1) Bobby Witt Jr.
Bobby Witt Jr. would have multiple AL MVP awards if it wasn’t for the best hitter in the world putting up historic numbers for the Yankees. It just goes to show how difficult it is to win the most prestigious accolade in MLB. Witt does everything you want from a baseball player. Elite bat. Elite defense. Elite speed. He is a true 5-tool player and a bona fide superstar.
2) Francisco Lindor
Francisco Lindor wrapped up his second career 30-30 season in 2025 while posting 6.3 fWAR and a stellar 128 wRC+. The Mets superstar is an incredible all-around talent with no discernible flaw in his profile. His consistency is unmatched and is lined up for yet another dominant season in 2026.
3) Gunnar Henderson
Gunnar Henderson took a step back last season after a right intercostal costal strain forced him to miss the start of the year. He only missed a handful of games, but the lingering effects of his injury were apparent from the substantial degradation of his batted ball metrics. I expect Henderson to return to his MVP-calibre form in 2026 and be an driving force for an Orioles team desperately in need of a bounce back.
4) Geraldo Perdomo
Geraldo Perdomo shook the baseball world last season after breaking out as much as someone could possibly break out. His 7.1 fWAR led all NL SS as he improved in early every facet of the game including a massive improvement in his batted ball quality and defense. This performance alone vaulted him into the upper echelon of shortstops in MLB and another similar campaign would cement himself as a superstar,
5) Trea Turner
In one of the most unexpected resurgences in 2025, Trea Turner transformed into an elite defender at SS and made a very strong case to be an MVP finalist. His bat lacks the pop that carried his dominant offensive seasons, but his outstanding glove and blistering speed make up for it as he enters his age 33 season.
6) Corey Seager
Corey Seager wields the best bat of any shortstop in MLB. His phenomenal production is supported by even stronger batted ball metrics and his aggressive approach is the most sound in the league. If Seager could guarantee a full season free from injury, he would find himself in the Top 3 SS. Unfortunately, Seager has missed too much time in recent years that his health works against him for these rankings.
7) Elly De La Cruz
Elly De La Cruz hit 22 home runs in 2026, which included a stretch where he hit just 1 home run in 323 plate appearances. A nagging left quad strain in late July was almost surely the catalyst for Elly’s disappointing 2nd half where he posted a dismal 80 wRC+ and saw his batted ball metrics plummet. Entering his age 23 season with a full winter to recover, I expect Elly to return on his superstar trajectory and flirt with another 5-win season.
8) Zach Neto
Zach Neto did not miss a beat after returning from right shoulder surgery at the start of the 2025. He logged 26 home runs with a matching set of stolen bases to be one of seven shortstops to produce a 20-20 season. His offense was undoubtedly great, but he continues to be the poster child for the DRS vs FRV debate. Since the start of 2024 he has racked up an excellent 24 DRS with a paltry -5 FRV. I feel it is safe to say that his defensive talents sit somewhere in-between and are hovering around average (I generally trust FRV more than DRS). Overall, Neto is a budding star with the power-speed blend to be a force in MLB for a long time.
9) Jeremy Peña
Jeremy Pena underwent a Geraldo Perdomo-esque breakout in 2025 as he seemingly improved in every facet of the game. Pena registered 5.7 fWAR and was on pace for a 7-win campaign before an oblique injury cut his season short. His production, however, feel less concrete than Perdomo’s, hence the disparity in their rankings. Pena’s batted ball quality lagged much further behind his results and his approach was marred by plenty of chase and below average contact rates. His elite speed and strong glove give him a sturdy foundation to build upon, but I do not see him being more than a slightly above average bat in 2026.
10) Mookie Betts
Mookie Betts just had the worst year of his career with a *checks notes* 3.4 fWAR season. If you put it that way, it doesn’t seem so bad, but it was a peculiar year for Betts as he moved to SS full-time and looked incredible at the position. His +6 FRV and +17 DRS were comfortably above average and garnered Betts NL SS Gold Glove finalist honours. A successful move to SS for the future hall of famer did not go without its hiccups though. Betts started the season on a sour note after a stomach illness caused the already slender Betts to lose 20 lbs; an amount weight he was unable to make up throughout the course of the season. His batted ball quality greatly suffered and his 104 wRC+ was by far his worst result in nearly a decade. Betts will have a full offseason to build back his strength, but he is not getting any younger. He is a tricky player to rate entering 2026 which makes me feel comfortable slotting him at #10.
Honourable MentionsMasyn Winn
Masyn Winn is the reigning NL SS Gold Glove winner and is the favourite to win the award again in 2026. His range and arm are both elite and he projects to be an above average hitter. He is a near-lock to post a 3-win season and will be relied on heavily by the retooling Cardinals.
Willy Adames
Willy Adames’ 7-year deal got off on the right foot as he was the first Giants player to hit 30 home runs in a season since Barry Bonds. Adames produced well all-around with a 108 wRC+ and +5 FRV with positive results on the basepaths. I expect Adames to replicate his 2025 season and produce a near 4-win campaign.
Jacob Wilson
Jacob Wilson has the best hit tool in MLB. His bat control rivals that of Luis Arraez and he has enough pop to produce double digit home runs. Projections believe he is a 120 wRC+ bat moving forward, but I have some concern given his high GB% and lack of raw power. Nonetheless, Wilson will rack up a lot of hits for the Athletics and make the most of his home park.
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