After one of many nice seasons in baseball historical past — a season we’ll be speaking about for the remainder of our lives — Main League Baseball has a tricky act to observe in 2026. Thankfully, it has a deep solid of stars and compelling figures, all fundamental characters in a plotline we’ll be obsessive about all season, to maintain the thrill going.
The brand new yr will convey with it numerous surprises. However listed here are the ten gamers who we anticipate to outline it.
Elly De La Cruz, SS, RedsWe’ve all been predicting that De La Cruz will likely be an MVP since he entered the league in June 2023 — actually, since all of us first checked out him, for crying out loud. However whereas De La Cruz has made the All-Star Recreation and acquired down-ballot MVP votes in each of his two full seasons, he hasn’t fairly elevated his recreation to that actually top-tier stage … but.
His OPS was truly down 34 factors from 2024 to ‘25, and he led the Majors in errors for the second season in a row. (To be truthful, he apparently was coping with a nagging quad damage all through the season.) There have been nonetheless indicators of enchancment — the strikeout charge was down and the stroll charge was up — however the Reds want Elly to take that subsequent massive step ahead. The excellent news is that he’ll solely be 24 years previous on Jan. 11. There are lots of, many steps left to be made.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue JaysThe 2025 season primarily started in the very best approach, with Guerrero signing a contract extension that kicked off the Blue Jays’ greatest season in additional than 30 years, one which culminated in a World Collection that may simply have been one of the best one this century. Sadly, that historic Collection led to historic heartbreak for Toronto.
The staff clearly is pushing even tougher to return to the Fall Basic, as evidenced by its Scorching Range exercise. However whoever is added to the roster, the chief right here stays, as ever, Vladdy. He’s the emotional coronary heart of the staff in addition to, in fact, a man with thunder in his bat. Is he going to return to near-MVP type? After that World Collection, this may be a beautiful time for it.
Bryce Harper, 1B, PhilliesIt has been a tumultuous offseason for Harper. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made some public feedback about Harper’s 2025 season and standing as an elite participant within the recreation — feedback that sparked some unfounded commerce rumors — earlier than clearing the air with the staff’s longtime star.
Harper is 33 now and nonetheless has seven years left on his contract, and though he’s nonetheless Bryce Harper, in the event you did occur to level out that his numbers have been decrease throughout the board final yr than they’ve been in a decade, you wouldn’t be improper. Of all of the veterans on the Phillies, Harper is the one in most determined want of a title to lastly full his eventual Corridor of Fame plaque. However Philadelphia wants him to appear to be the previous Harper … quite than an previous Harper. There are causes for each optimism and concern right here, however it doesn’t matter what, this will likely be a narrative that bears watching.
Aaron Choose, RF, YankeesIs he one of the best right-handed hitter of all time? Possibly. In all probability! However he’s additionally a Yankee, which signifies that if he finally ends up not profitable a hoop within the Bronx, that reality will likely be proper there atop his résumé with all these homers.
The Yankees have implied that they won’t be up for including as a lot this offseason as they’ve previously, which can put much more burden on Choose to hold this offense, once more. Thankfully, he’s Aaron Choose: If anybody can carry a complete offense, it’s quite clearly him. However time is working out. He’s, in any case, even older than Harper.
Shohei Ohtani, DH/RHP, DodgersI’m unsure this one requires all that a lot clarification. Ohtani will likely be on the heart of each dialog in 2026, and 2027, and for so long as he’s a Main Leaguer. There received’t be one among us who dares look away.
Julio Rodríguez, CF, MarinersRodríguez had an impressive yr in 2025, an enchancment on his disappointing 2024 and, in fact, one which ended with a division title and a visit to the ALCS. However the signature star of the Mariners’ resurgence since he received the AL Rookie of the 12 months Award in 2022 was, the truth is, not the signature star of the Mariners this yr: That will be Cal Raleigh, the Massive Dumper.
Rodríguez nonetheless seems like the way forward for this franchise, although, and it could assist if the issues he nonetheless struggles with (plate self-discipline, strikeouts) moved a bit bit extra in the suitable path. And don’t neglect his final at-bat of the season — a chased strike three to finish the ALCS — which was what nonetheless frustrates about Julio in microcosm. All of us thought he’d win an MVP sometime. Is he nearer to that than he was in 2022, or additional away? An enormous step ahead might make him the signature star once more … even with the Massive Dumper round.
Paul Skenes, RHP, PiratesEverything Skenes has carried out in his profession has been forward of schedule. He was dominant from his very first second within the league, and final yr, in his second season, he was even higher, profitable his first of presumably many Cy Youngs. Two years in, he one way or the other nonetheless has a profession ERA underneath 2.00, which is nearly essentially the most absurd factor possible. The foremost questions:
1. Can he get even higher?
2. Are the Pirates going to have the ability to benefit from having one of the best pitcher in baseball?
That final query could be the key one, at the very least for what drives the dialog about Skenes. Will we be speaking about what he’s doing … or the place he will likely be doing it subsequent?
Tarik Skubal, LHP, TigersOnly 4 pitchers have received three Cy Younger Awards and are usually not within the Corridor of Fame: Roger Clemens (who has seven and isn’t there for causes separate from his profession stats) and Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander, who all determine to be there as quickly as they’re eligible.
Skubal will go for his third in a row in 2026 and, ERA fluctuations apart, primarily had the identical season in 2025 as he did in 2024. If he does it once more, he’ll win that third Cy. That’s … if he’s nonetheless in American League. Yep, one of many main questions on Skubal stays: Is he going to be a Tiger on Opening Day? After the Commerce Deadline? This time subsequent yr?
Juan Soto, RF, MetsSoto’s first season in Flushing led to disappointment, however you certain can’t blame him for it. He was all of the Mets had paid for and extra, hitting a career-high 43 homers and, amazingly, tied for the NL lead in stolen bases, with 38. (Much less surprisingly, he led the Majors in walks as nicely, for the fourth time previously 5 years.)
For all of the justified love for Francisco Lindor, that is going to change into an increasing number of Soto’s staff because the years go alongside. With that, Soto can hope to place the staff’s fraught late-season historical past behind it and lead a transition to the following period of Mets baseball. He’s a future Corridor of Famer already. Now it’s time to change into, to steal a moniker, Mr. Met.
Kyle Tucker, OF, free agentThe consensus prime free agent of the offseason stays out there, and the place he decides to go might shift your complete stability of energy in both league. However wherever he finally ends up, the most important query will likely be if he can stay a bit bit more healthy than he was in Chicago in 2025, or in his remaining yr in Houston in 2024. If that’s the case, he’s a possible MVP-level addition to a lineup and can make his new fanbase very, very comfortable.
