Top 10 Best Players in the NL West for the 2026 MLB Season

The National League West is the most stacked division in Major League Baseball in terms of superstar talent.

With so much star power packed into one division, ranking the 10 best players in the NL West entering 2026 was no easy task. In fact, many of the honorable mentions on this list would likely crack the top 10 in other divisions around the league, which speaks to how loaded the NL West is when it comes to position player talent.

From established, longtime veterans to up-and-coming stars in the league, here are the top 10 position players in the NL West for the 2026 season.

Who Just Missed the Top 10?

San Francisco Giants – Willy Adames, Matt Chapman

Adams came in ranked No. 10 on Just Baseball’s top shortstops for 2026, and entering his age-30 season and his second year in the Bay, Adames just misses the cut here.

If this ranking were based purely on mesmerizing defense, Adames’ left-side infield mate and Just Baseball’s No. 2 third baseman for 2026 might be much higher on this list. But heading into the new season, Chapman just misses out on cracking the top 10.

San Diego Padres – Manny Machado

Now entering his 15th major-league season, Just Baseball’s No. 4 third baseman for 2026 remains the heartbeat of the Padres. However, a steady decline in defense slightly hurts his value heading into his age-32 season. Machado is likely a slam-dunk top-10 option in any other division.

Arizona Diamondbacks – Geraldo Perdomo

A year ago, few people would have imagined Perdomo landing anywhere near a list like this. After previously profiling as a defense-first shortstop with solid on-base skills, Just Baseball’s No. 6 shortstop for 2026 suddenly emerged as one of the most productive players at the position in the entire league.

His 7.1-fWAR season put him in contention for the top 10, but we will need to see him do it again before he passes up some of the names ahead of him.

10. Rafael Devers, San Francisco Giants

2025 Stats: 163 G, .252/.372/.479, 35 HR, 109 RBI, 135 wRC+, 3.3 fWAR

Just Baseball’s No. 7 first baseman for 2026 was involved in one of the most shocking trades of 2025 — when the Red Sox shipped Devers to San Francisco in June.

The Red Sox ultimately decided to move on from the three-time All-Star after months of positional drama, and the Giants pounced on the opportunity to land one of baseball’s most dangerous left-handed bats.

Even in a year that featured an initial fallout in production following the midseason move, Devers still managed to put together the kind of year-end offensive numbers teams dream about.

What continues to stand out about Devers is his increasing ability to control the strike zone, as evidenced by walk rate climbing into elite territory — the 98th percentile at 15.4% — in 2025.

Devers is under contract with San Francisco for the next eight years, and if he fully settles into life there, especially under a new manager, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him climb higher on this list entering 2027.

9. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers

2025 Stats: 110 G, .296/.404/.497, 17 HR, 61 RBI, 153 wRC+, -8 FRV, 4.1 fWAR

Being underrated on a roster full of superstars is basically the Will Smith experience.

For years now, Just Baseball’s No. 4 catcher for 2026 has been one of the best offensive catchers in baseball, combining elite on-base skills with legitimate, somewhat unassuming power, thanks to a compact swing and an innate ability to pull his hands in and turn on an inside fastball. 

While Smith’s defensive metrics have slipped a bit from earlier in his career, his bat more than makes up for it. Last season, he ranked second among catchers with 250 plate appearances in wRC+ and first in on-base percentage. He also tied for third in fWAR despite being 25th in games played. 

Smith has made it a habit of grinding through at-bats until pitchers make a mistake. And when they do, he makes them pay.

Moments like his Game 7 World Series homer last fall remind everyone just how valuable he is. When the stakes are highest, Smith tends to show up.

Now a veteran, three-time World Series champion and World Baseball Classic participant, Smith is exactly the kind of player championship teams need behind the plate.

8. Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres

2025 Stats: 115 G, .264/.317/.457, 16 HR, 67 RBI, 1 SB, 116 wRC+, 3.0 fWAR

Just Baseball’s No. 2 center fielder for 2026 might also just be one of the most fascinating young players in baseball.

After bursting onto the scene with an incredible rookie season in 2024, Merrill experienced the classic sophomore adjustment period in 2025. But even with that step back and some injuries sprinkled in, he still managed to produce a three-win season.

The former shortstop prospect has transitioned beautifully to center field, showing excellent instincts and range despite learning the position on the fly. Since his debut, he already grades out with +14 outs above average, which is ninth among all center fielders in that time.

Offensively, Merrill’s contact ability, improving plate discipline, speed, and gap power give him a well-rounded offensive profile that should age nicely.

The scary part is he’s still just getting started. If Merrill gets back to his 2024 production or better at the plate, proving last year really was the league adjusting to him, this ranking could look very different next year.

7. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers

2025 Stats: 150 G, .258/.326/.406, 20 HR, 8 SB, 82 RBI, 104 wRC+, 3.4 fWAR

Only Mookie Betts could move to shortstop at age 32 and make it look normal. 

Just Baseball’s No. 8 shortstop for 2026, and one of the greatest players of his generation, shifted to the position full time for the first time in his career in 2025. 

The offensive production certainly dipped, but learning one of the most demanding positions in baseball while still performing at the plate is no small feat. Plus, the illness that caused him to drop over 10 pounds before Opening Day was a sore kickoff to his season.

Betts may have hovered around a league-average WRC+ in 2025, but he finished the season red-hot, and after capturing the fourth World Series ring of his career, he will look to hush any doubters with a strong bounce-back season in 2026.

Entering healthy and avoiding World Baseball Classic participation could give him the smooth runway to produce the types of numbers we are used to associating with his name. Betts is a world-class athlete who is obsessed with being elite and honing his craft. 

I wouldn’t want to bet against him this year.

6. Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks

2025 Stats: 126 G, 28 HR, 72 RBI, 4 SB, .283/.376/.517, 145 wRC+, 4.6 fWAR

Ketel Marte has truly separated himself from the pack at his position, coming in unanimously ranked No. 1 on Just Baseball’s list of the top second basemen for 2026.

While the position across baseball has struggled offensively in recent years, Marte continues to produce like the middle-of-the-order bat that he is. In 2025, Marte led all qualified primary second basemen in OBP, SLG, and wRC+, and he trailed only Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, and Juan Soto in the NL in those same categories.

For years now, Marte’s impressive consistency has provided the Diamondbacks with a steady offensive engine. Few second basemen in baseball can impact the game offensively the way Marte does.

5. Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers

2025 Stats: 147 G, .295/.367/.502, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 139 wRC+, 3.8 fWAR

Deep into his 30s now, Just Baseball’s No. 2 first baseman for 2026 refuses to slow down.

Freeman continues to churn out elite seasons with remarkable consistency like butter. His approach and complete offensive profile remains one of the most polished in baseball.

Freeman doesn’t need to hit 30-40 home runs to dominate. He piles up timely hits, puts the ball in play with men on, and consistently finds ways to get on base.

And when October rolls around, Freeman has shown time and again that he’s built for the moment. His postseason heroics during the Dodgers’ recent championship runs have only strengthened his legacy as one of the defining hitters of this era.

4. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres

2025 Stats: 155 G, 691 PA, .268/.368/.446, 25 HR, 71 RBI, 131 wRC+, 6.1 fWAR

When Just Baseball’s No. 6 corner outfielder for 2026 is healthy, he’s one of the most electric players in baseball. The 2025 season was a strong reminder of just how dangerous Tatis Jr. can be.

Tatis hit for power. He ran the bases aggressively (32 stolen bases). And he played Platinum Glove Award defense in the outfield.

Few players combine tools the way Tatis does. His improved plate discipline last season (career-best 12.9% walk rate + 18.7% strikeout rate) showed that he’s still evolving as a hitter, which is scary considering the raw talent he already possesses.

If everything clicks again in 2026, Tatis absolutely has MVP-caliber upside in his age-27 season.

3. Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers

2025 Stats: 136 G, 597 PA, .266/.377/.464, 22 HR, 73 RBI, 136 wRC+, 4.5 fWAR

Yes, it seems unfair that Just Baseball’s No. 5 corner outfielder for 2026 joined the Dodgers this offseason.

The perennial All-Star finds himself surrounded by one of the most stacked lineups the sport has ever seen. Plus, with his left-handed swing and approach, Chavez Ravine could treat him extremely well in year one out west.

Tucker hits for power, draws walks, and he rarely chases outside the strike zone. On top of that, despite lacking elite footspeed, Tucker is one of the best baserunning threats among star hitters.

When Tucker is locked in, he looks like a legitimate MVP candidate.

Nagging injuries stunted his post All-Star break production with the Cubs last year, but with protection throughout the lineup and plenty of opportunities to drive in runs, Tucker could easily produce one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2026.

2. Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks

2025 Stats: 143 G, 642 PA, .259/.343/.541, 31 HR, 84 RBI, 139 wRC+, 6.5 fWAR

Speed, power, defense, baserunning — Just Baseball’s No. 3 corner outfielder does everything at an elite level. After a slight dip in production in 2024, Carroll exploded back into form last season with the seventh-best fWAR and his first 30-home run, 30-steal campaign.

He also finished in the 90th percentile or better in hard-hit rate, barrel rate, and average exit velocity. Doing all that while grading out with eight defensive runs saved +10 outs above average is rare.

Carroll’s ability to impact the game in so many different ways makes him one of the most valuable players in the sport. When healthy, Carroll is an MVP-caliber talent and the centerpiece of Arizona’s future. He should be ready to go for Opening Day following successful surgery on his broken hamate bone in his right hand on February 11.

1. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

2025 Stats: 158 G, .282/.392/.622, 25 2B, 9 3B, 55 HR, 102 RBI, 146 R, 20 SB, 15.0% BB%, 172 wRC+, 7.5 fWAR

In a historic Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS, Ohtani delivered perhaps the greatest individual performance in MLB history, hitting three home runs while pitching six-plus shutout innings with 10 strikeouts.

Do we even need to mention Ohtani ranks No. 1 on Just Baseball’s top designated hitters list for 2026?

The reigning three-time MVP (four MVPs overall) continues to redefine what’s possible at the major league level. Even after returning to the mound midway through last season, his offensive numbers somehow remained among the most dominant in the sport, headlined by a career-high mark in home runs. 

Ohtani’s ability to dominate both as a hitter and a pitcher while helping lead a Dodgers dynasty only adds to the legend. If he captures another MVP in 2026 (-115 at BetMGM), he’ll join an incredibly exclusive club in baseball history.

And honestly, despite the ludicrous price, betting against him at this point feels moronic.

The post Top 10 Best Players in the NL West for the 2026 MLB Season appeared first on Just Baseball.