TOP 10 Left Fielders 2026

9. Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs

I don't want this to come across the wrong way, but Ian Happ may be the most average player in the MLB. Again, not a bad thing. He isn't bad at really anything, but he also isn't really elite at anything either. It makes analysis of him a bit boring and short. The things he is above average at are his walk rate and his chase rate, which are good things to be above average in. I really don't know what more to say, he is going to be a relatively steady bat in a solid Cubs lineup, and he is going to be a solid glove in left field, but I would say he has a pretty low ceiling.

8. Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers

One of the most odd 2025 seasons we had was Riley Greene. Coming off a fantastic 2024 season, I fully expected him to be the best left fielder in baseball for 2025. and Through April, maybe May, I might've been right. But the season isn't 2 months long, and Riley Greene couldn't square up a baseball. The wheels fell off almost completely. He still registered a solid OPS and finished with a solid season, but he was apart of the Tigers collapse, as his rolling xwOBA fell below league average by the end of the season. I still have him here because he did still show his very solid bat speed and barrel rate in 2025, and there was plenty to like in 2024, so he is extended an olive branch for 2026, but Greene is polarizing because it's going to be hard to know what version of him trots out for the 2026 season.

7. Jackson Chourio, Milwaukee Brewers

Jackson Chourio is going to be a very good baseball player... one day. His development has been a bit slower than many have projected, but he is still 21 years old, so he has more than enough time to flourish into an elite talent. He essentially has all 5 tools, but the only ones that seem to have emerged in his young career is his speed and his ability to hit for average. I still have faith in Chourio, and he could absolutely burn me here by completely breaking out in 2026, but I think its more natural if his progression is slower in the ballplayer he will become. 

6. Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics

Soderstrom is kind of the forgotten name amung the young crew of A's, but his production may have been the most consistent the past few seasons. Soderstrom moved to left field and kept raking. He quietly had a 25 home run season and posted an .820 OPS in 2025. That is production that you will absolutley take from a budding prospect. There is also not really any holes in his game, similar to Ian Happ, but he does have elite power, and he has shown that with his exit velo's, barrel rates, and bat speed. I think the sky is the limit with his bat, and while I don't love his glove, I think he will do fine enough in left. People need to start remembering his name too when they mention Kurtz and Wilson.

5. Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox

According to Fan Graphs, Jarren Duran is the projected left fielder, so that's why he's here and not with the center fielders. I think anyone who watched baseball in 2024, and is familiar with analytics, expected some regression in 2025. That being said, he was still an extremely valuable player for the Red Sox in 2025. He is a very well balanced player, with very solid power, the ability to hit for average, and good baserunning, registering 24 stolen bases. Now Duran isn't exactly a young guy at age 29, but I do think that he if he can have slightly better plate discipline, then I don't see why he can't up his production to similar numbers he put up in 2024. I think regardless this is a player that just prints WAR, and there is certainly room for his game to improve in 2026.

4. James Wood, Washington Nationals

James Wood is a cut and clear case for me. He hits the baseball very, very hard, and very well. There isn't a whole lot of holes to his hitting game. A 23 year old who hits the baseball like that, but also registers a walk rate of 12.3% is certainly enough to be excited about what he can accomplish in 2026. Now, there are a couple holes in his game. His strikeout rate is very high, above 30%. He also registered -7 OAA in left field. I am not worried about these numbers, as I think they will both improve naturally, but the question will be can he improve in these areas, without giving up what makes him special (bat speed, exit velo). Personally, I think he can make that adjustment.

3. Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers

Wyatt Langford is so good at baseball, and I am tired of mainstream media pretending he's not. He is my darkhorse AL MVP candidate. Langford is quietly a 5 tool player, and all it takes is the Rangers being more competitive, which they should be in 2026, for people to see how good this kid is. First of all, he has an elite glove, with 10 OAA in left field. He has an elite sprint speed and swiped 22 bags in 2025. He also has very good plate discipline and barrel rates, arguably the two most important numbers for a hitter. He crushes fastballs, walks a lot, pulls fly balls in the air, he just feels like a breakout waiting to emerge in 2026. I am all in on Langford, and feel like he will almost certainly be an All-Star this season.

2. Kyle Stowers, Miami Marlins

I mean, I could almost copy and paste my feelings about Langford and put them here for Stowers. I am very high on the guy. Now he is a different player, as he isn't as great with the glove, but he is with his arm. He isn't as fast, but he has better barrel rates and hard hit rates. Actually better barrel rates is selling him short, he had a 19% barrel rate, good for 98th percentile in the MLB. He also has an elite: bat speed, walk rate, xwOBA, xSLG, exit velo, and LA sweet spot. He is really good at baseball, registering a .912 OPS and 25 home runs in his first full-ish season in the Bigs. Now the downsides to Stowers is he is 28 years old, and he does have a concerning whiff rate and squared up rate. Now he can certainly improve in those areas, and even if he doesn't, he posted a .912 OPS with those rates, he will be fine. I am very high on Kyle Stowers.

1. Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees

Perhaps this is a stretch, but I feel safest saying Cody Bellinger will be the best left fielder in baseball. He is the veteran I trust to have a strong offensive output to pair with a very very good glove in left field. Now he may not be the guy he used to be, but he does still have the plate discipline, and contact skills to make it all work. He also will benefit from playing in Yankee Stadium, which pairs well with his great rate at pulling flyballs. His under the hood power numbers are relatively pedestrian, but he is only 30, which would be odd for his pop to just disappear. I think a second year with this lineup and team around him is only going to benefit him, and he feels like the safest pick for the top left fielder in 2026.

2/23/26