The Top 25 Outfielders for 2025

Since we're doing 25, i'm gonna keep things brief, because all of these players I could gloss over all of their impressive attributes. Nootbaar has all the potential to be an all-star: elite plate approach, elite exit velocity, and elite defense. The issue is, staying healthy, and putting it all together for a full season.

Suzuki is in my eyes the mold for most slugger right fielders. Sure, you aren't really getting a stellar defender, and he may or may not be the best bat on your team, but he is going to put up a fantastic triple slash, and he is going to have solid production all season long.

There are two things that are true with Donovan: He will not strikeout, and he will not play the same position two days in a row. Realistically, I probably should have left him off the outfield list: If Arenado is gone, he will almost certainly play more infield, whether that be second or third. However, Arenado is still a Cardinal, and Donovan had far more games in the outfield in 2024 than in the infield. If Arenado stays, they are essentially trotting out the same team, and that means a lot of outfield for Donnie. I also had to include the guy, he is far too talented to leave off every list because he is a utility guy. If he were a second baseman, he would be ranked 2nd or 3rd. Donovan puts up great numbers and his advanced analytics support them.

Buxton quietly had an excellent 2024 season. Most people expect him to play at an MVP level for a month, then get hurt, but in 2024, he played 100 games, and for his standard, that's pretty good. Not only did he play 100 games, he hit really well, posting an 137 OPS+. Maybe it's not the best we've ever seen out of Buxton, but if a tamer approach at the plate, in the field, and on the base paths, KEEPS him on the field, then I think the Twins would love several more seasons of this.

Happ is a super consistent left fielder, much like Suzuki in right. Your getting good defense, and a high on base percentage. Not much else jumps out at you other than just solid play.

Santander almost missed the list entirely because there was some concerning stuff. I didn't love his under the hood numbers, and being a corner outfielder not known for defense, I figured his defense would regress entering an age 30 season. However, he hit 44 home runs, and offensively, he will likely put up a similar home run total in 2025, and I think that alone warrants a spot on the list.

Surely everyone knows about Riley Greene, if you don't, please, check him out, he is spectacular, and if you do know who he is, did you know he is only 23 years old. Greene has one of the highest upsides out of any outfielder in the league, with his amazing defense, and now, an elite bat. he gets barrels, and he doesn't swing and miss much at all.

James Wood will be a top 5 outfielder in a handful of years, it is only a matter of time. Quite frankly, him being as good as he was on a struggling Nats team for 80 games, and immediately posting a 122 OPS+ as a 21 year old is rare. Not to mention his physical gifts that still don't even feel like they've translated to the big leagues. There is a great chance that in a year from now, I wouldn't be shocked if Wood already was a top 5 outfielder.

If you think this is low for Teo, then I may be delivering some unfortunate news: He is not very good at defense. In fact, -9 OAA to be exact. Sure, his slugging and his bat more than made up for that in 2024, but there are still some concerns and flashes of the guy that was in Seattle.  There is still a lot of swing and miss in his game, which is fine, all hitters have different plate approaches, but he isn't squaring them up even at a league average level. I wouldn't be shocked if his WAR total regressed in 2025 from 4.3.

You might be thinking, oh your making a breakout pick here. Nope, Butler has already broke out. Mind you, in not even a full season, he hit 22 homeruns, stole 18 bases, and 24 doubles. All while playing above average defense. Butler has the phyiscal tools, an he has displayed them and an elite plate approach as a 23 year old. He has already broke out, but that doesn't mean he won't be even better in 2025.

I think a lot of people are dissapointed in Julio, and I can see why. He has shown glimpses of the top prospect that he was, containing all the tools, and is supposed to be the savior for the Mariners. Well, he actually has played pretty good all things considered, a 4.3 WAR and a 116 OPS+ with good defense is no scrub in the slightest. But I think everyone is wondering when or if he is going to put it all together and have an MVP-type season. Now I can't tell you when, but I still feel confident in his skill set to pull it off; he's only 23.

Profar's revival with the Padres is one of the most baseball things to ever happen. Former top prospect bounces around the league, until he is THE glue guy on a serious playoff contender. Not only the glue guy, but an elite bat at that. It's all thanks to his amazing plate approach, almost sporting a .400 OBP. Now, his defense isn't very good, but that doesn't bring his overall game down. Think if he had the plate approach of Mookie Betts, but nothing really else from him, and is average at everything else.

Constantly, constantly, constantly underrated, in fact, I'm probably underrating him right here. All the praise that Arraez gets, should be tenfold for Kwan. He has the batting average and approach of Arreaz, but he also has the launch angle to actually slug, the speed, and elite defense in left field. He is also going to walk more than Arreaz. Basically what I am saying, is that Steven Kwan is more of a modern day Tony Gwynn than Arreaz is.

Before Yelich got hurt, he was arguably having his best season of his career: Offensively. If the Brewers reserve an outfield spot for Yelich, which I imagine they will, he will continue to develop further as a hitter. Now there is a chance that he plays way more DH, but even so, Yelich posted a 900 ops; for a guy like him, that's not a fluke.

Thank Benton Doyle for making the Colorado Rockies watchable. His numbers may not jump out at you, but his play on TV does. Elite top end speed and defense, with a very solid bat. Nothing concerning about his bat, especially for a young guy, is huge. 

Corbin Carroll is still one of the best young players in the sport, period. He is the fastest player, to go along with every other tool as well. Sure you could look at 2024 was a bad year, but he just kept heating up as the year went on. His numbers in the second half were essentially second to none in the sport, and him only being 23 years old, I am immensely excited to see how he plays.

Where did Jarren Duran come from? Like Seriously? And why is he so good at baseball? If you were to craft the ideal leadoff hitter that plays center field, Duran is literally what you come up with. He led the league in doubles, triples, had the most plate appearances in the league and still posted a 129 OPS+. Not to mention, his under the hood stats are terrific all around. Durran is for real.

I don't think there is enough appreciation for the people in the Padres system that made the decision to call him up to start the year. Here's a referesher: He was a AA shortstop. A top prospect, sure, but he was in AA and played a completely different position. But the Padres saw something in him, and had to get him in their big league lineup, and boy did it pay off. In a 21 YEAR OLD season at a brand new position, while never taking an AB in AAA, he was the best rookie position player in the sport. un. real. Yeah, he's a guy that is a top 10 outfielder.

I know I just called Merrill the best rookie, but I think Chourio is going to be slightly better next season. He is a little more of a finished product, and that showed in his slow start all the way to his red hot final months of the season. He is the ideal top prospect, essentially the Brewer version of Ronald Acuna Jr.

Fernando's biggest issue is staying on the field. We know who he is when he plays, he is El Nino. But he misses so much time almost every season, it hurts his overall production. Regardless, it should be clear by now that all top 10 Outfielders are the best of the best when it comes to advanced analytics, so I don't need to dive into that anymore. You know they are all good. I just simply worry about the impact the injuries have on Tatis's play.

I kind of don't know why this offseason trade isn't talked about more? Like, the Cubs just poached a potential top 5 hitter in the sport to an already loaded team with talent. Regardless, Tucker is one of the most under-appreciated players in the league because he is constantly is compared to Soto. It's not even like Soto's numbers are really all that much better than Tucker's either, he is going to put up nutty numbers. Oh, and he's still 24.

We just have to admire what Mookie does for the sport of baseball. He played shortstop last season, he was the leadoff hitter for the World Series Champions, and he hit amazing. You know Mookie, you know he's good.

This may come as a suprise to not have him at number 2. I won't deny, he is likely the best hitter in the sport, but I tend to look at the players all around value, and despite being the best hitter, he is a pretty bad defender, and baserunner. Sure, that doesn't matter as much when your OPS is nearly 1.000, but it's something to just sort of keep an eye on, he's a little too young to be this bad at defense.

This is quite the leap of faith, but I believe when healthy, Acuna is a top 3 player in the sport. The only reason I don't have the guts to put him at 1, is he is coming off a ACL injury, and not another MVP like number 1 is. But seriously, let's not forget how good Acuna Jr is, even if he is a little shaky coming off injury, he is still going to provide enough value to be a top 5 outfielder at least. He is the model that teams base their prospects off of for a reason.

I mean, it was a pretty easy call. When you have the most home runs, RBI's, WAR, walks, OBP, SLG, OPS, and OPS+. The numbers quite literally, speak for themselves.