Ranking the 10 best outfielders in MLB for 2025

When compiling a listing of the sport’s prime abilities, how do you weigh a younger participant coming off a breakout season towards a veteran with an extended observe document of success?

The query applies in all places however particularly within the outfield, with Jackson Merrill and Jarren Duran coming off big years at a time when a few of the recreation’s elite outfielders have been both restricted by harm (Ronald Acuña Jr., Mike Trout, Fernando Tatis Jr., Kyle Tucker, and so on) or took a step again offensively (Corbin Carroll, Julio Rodriguez). Trout, for example, nonetheless stays extremely productive when he is on the sector, however he has now performed in simply 41% of his workforce’s video games during the last 4 years. Availability, in any case, needs to be taken into consideration.

One factor we do know: The highest outfield tandem within the sport is evident, even when that duo will not be teammates once more in 2025.

Our eight-part place sequence continues with the highest 10 outfielders coming into the 2025 season.

2024 stats: .231/.322/.428, 22 HR, 107 wRC+, 4.0 fWAR
2025 ZiPS projection: .256/.345/.449, 21 HR, 120 wRC+, 4.3 fWAR

Was Carroll’s abysmal first half (.213/.301/.334, 5 house runs) only a blip? His spectacular play after the All-Star break (.259/.351/.568, 17 homers) would recommend so. He completed with a 20-30 season, but it surely definitely wasn’t the Rookie of the Yr follow-up many anticipated. This will probably be an vital 12 months for the speedster to construct off his sturdy second half and cement his standing as certainly one of MLB’s prime abilities.

2024 stats: .285/.342/.492, 21 HR, 129 wRC+, 6.7 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .262/.324/.455, 18 HR, 114 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR

A member of the 2024 All-MLB Second Staff and the All-Star Sport MVP, Duran is coming off a profession 12 months by which he put all his instruments collectively to submit a 20-30 season whereas main the majors in doubles and triples and rating fifth in hits. He destroyed right-handed pitching and took a large leap ahead each offensively and defensively to complete eighth in AL MVP voting and prime 10 within the majors in WAR.

2024 stats: .292/.326/.500, 24 HR, 130 wRC+, 5.3 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .281/.322/.461, 21 HR, 119 wRC+, 4.4 fWAR

Had Merrill performed within the American League, you are trying on the runaway Rookie of the Yr. Transferring off his pure place of shortstop to play heart area for the primary time professionally, the 21-year-old didn’t look misplaced. He was dynamic each offensively and defensively in an All-Star season by which he launched 24 homers, stole 16 bases, registered an .826 OPS and completed prime 10 in MVP voting.

2024 stats: .276/.340..492, 21 HR, 135 wRC+, 3.2 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .276/.346/.527, 29 HR, 144 wRC+, 4.8 fWAR

There aren’t many hitters in baseball who strike extra worry in an opponent come October. Tatis at all times appears to show his recreation up a notch when the lights are brightest, however the query is whether or not he can keep wholesome over the course of a full 12 months to totally understand the potential he flashed in 2019, when he launched 42 homers as a 22-year-old. The underlying numbers final 12 months have been even higher than the .833 OPS he produced, and if he can keep on the sector, the perfect ought to nonetheless be forward for the 26-year-old.

2024 stats: .273/.325/.409, 20 HR, 116 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .281/.338/.469, 27 HR, 135 wRC+, 5.8 fWAR

Rodriguez’s spectacular protection in heart gives such a excessive ground that he is virtually sure to be probably the most productive outfielders no matter what he does on the plate. That mentioned, whereas final 12 months marked a 3rd straight 20-20 marketing campaign, his OPS has steadily declined since he was named Rookie of the Yr in 2022. When he will get scorching, although — as he did with a 1.122 OPS final July — he is able to carrying a workforce. Can he put his offensive instruments collectively for a full season? If he does, we’re speaking a couple of potential MVP.

2024 stats: .250/.351/.365, 4 HR, 105 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .294/.393/.526, 26 HR, 154 wRC+, 5.1 fWAR

Can we anticipate one other 40-homer, 70-steal season coming off one other ACL tear? In all probability not. The reality is we do not know what model of Acuña we’ll get after his second main knee harm in a three-year span, however he demonstrated as soon as that he can bounce again and be probably the most productive gamers within the sport. Even when he isn’t fairly as daring on the basepaths upon his return, I am not going to be the one who doubts the dynamic 27-year-old.

2024 stats: .289/.408/.585, 23 HR, 180 wRC+, 4.2 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .263/.355/.472, 23 HR, 131 wRC+, 3.6 fWAR

One of the crucial unheralded superstars within the recreation, Tucker performed solely 78 video games final 12 months and was nonetheless price greater than 4 wins. He completed with a 181 OPS+ and was on an almost 9.0 WAR tempo, coming off three straight years by which he was price principally 5.0 WAR each season. The Cubs will want that sort of constant star manufacturing to hold their offense in what might be his lone season in Chicago.

2024 stats: .308/.392/.567, 35 HR, 168 wRC+, 5.3 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .300/.392/.576, 36 HR, 171 wRC+, 5.5 fWAR

Alvarez could not get an entire lot of time within the outfield, however the worth he brings along with his offense makes him worthy of a top-three spot right here regardless. Whereas his physique has not at all times been variety to him, his bat has. Alvarez has launched greater than 30 homers in every of the final 4 seasons and has logged an OPS over .950 in every of the final three seasons. Over these final three years, Aaron Judge is the one certified MLB participant with a better wRC+.

2024 stats: .288/.419/.569, 41 HR, 180 wRC+, 8.1 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .277/.426/.521, 33 HR, 166 wRC+, 6.5 fWAR

Bear in mind when everybody questioned how Juan Soto might probably flip down that $440 million extension supply from the Nationals just a few years in the past? Nicely, wager on yourselves, children. The perfect ought to nonetheless be forward for the richest participant within the sport. Soto has the very best on-base proportion in MLB since debuting as a youngster in 2018 and has completed within the prime 10 in MVP voting in 5 of the final six seasons. During the last 5 years, he has drawn 582 walks; no different participant has greater than 417.

2024 stats: .322/.458/.701, 58 HR, 218 wRC+, 11.2 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .282/.409/.600, 46 HR, 180 wRC+, 7.7 fWAR

I imply, duh. It appeared preposterous that he might match the worth he supplied throughout his absurd 2022 season, when he broke Roger Maris’ single-season A.L. house run document. But two years later, he recorded extra hits, knocked in additional runs and recorded higher slash line numbers throughout the board whereas main the majors in homers, RBI, on-base proportion, slugging and OPS in 2024 to earn his second MVP award in three seasons. He missed 56 video games in 2023 and but nonetheless has not less than 25 extra house runs than any participant during the last three years.

Honorable Mentions: Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels), Jose Altuve (Houston Astros), Riley Greene (Detroit Tigers), Michael Harris II (Atlanta Braves), Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee Brewers), Wyatt Langford (Texas Rangers), Steven Kwan (Cleveland Guardians), Byron Buxton (Minnesota Twins), Teoscar Hernández (Los Angeles Dodgers), Christian Yelich (Milwaukee Brewers)

Rowan Kavner is an MLB author for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand lined the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved again to the West Coast in 2014. Observe him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.