This series ranks the top 10 players at each position for the 2025 season. Today, we’ll look at the top 10 MLB second basemen.
These are projections for the upcoming season. If a younger player is on the rise, I could project them to be better than ever before. If an older player is declining, I could project they will be even worse this season. If there is a player who had a freak awful 2024 season after being on the rise, I would project them to be better as long as there are no off-the-field issues.
10. Luis Garcia Jr.
Garcia had an awesome season with the Nationals last year. He was one of the only positive things about the Nationals in 2024. Having a second baseman hit 18 home runs with solid fielding does not happen too often. In addition, he is only 24, so his best has yet to come.
9. Ozzie Albies
Albies is coming off a season in which he only played 99 games and had a sub-100 OPS+. However, given that he was an All-Star and received MVP votes in 2023, I am very confident he will have a bounce-back season, even if it is not as good as in 2023.
Ozzie Albies’ #OpeningDay homer puts the @Braves ahead 😤 pic.twitter.com/STvkJsbbK6
— MLB (@MLB) March 27, 2025
8. Andres Gimenez
Debatably the best fielding second baseman in the league comes in at No. 8. What Gimenez does on the field just makes up for what he does at the plate. Gimenez had one freak season at the plate in 2022, but other than that, he has not had an OPS+ season over 100. However, he is still only 26 and has plenty of time to improve.
7. Jonathan India
The 2021 Rookie of the Year is up next. India has not been anything too special since his rookie season. However, he played over 120 games last year for the first time since then. India also had his most productive season since then. As long as he stays healthy, I would expect him to take another step.
6. Brendan Donovan
The back half of this list is stacked with a bunch of young guys who have potential. After winning a Gold Glove and finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2022, Donovan has taken a slight step back. However, given that he was not healthy in 2023, I think a second healthy season in a row is going to be great for him.
#STLCards Brendan Donovan nails a beautiful 4-6-3 double play to end the #MNTwins rally. 😳 pic.twitter.com/7KbOxY3znK
— Talkin’ Twins (@TalkinTwins) March 27, 2025
5. Jake Cronenworth
Up next, we have one of the most underrated second basemen. Despite being well below average in the field, Cronenworth has been one of the better batters at his position. Even though it has been a slower couple of years, I would project him to bounce back.
4. Jazz Chisholm Jr.
The Yankees’ new second baseman just cracks the top five. For Chisolm, his potential has never been in question. However, his ability to stay on the field. Last season he played his career high in games. Chisholm did not play great in his first 101 games with the Marlins, but was awesome in his last 46 with the Yankees, amassing a 130 OPS+. It will be interesting to see him in a full season at a new position.
3. Nico Hoerner
Hoerner has been very consistent for the last four years. He is just above average at the plate and very good in the field. However, his base running separates him from most other second basemen. He was the only second baseman with top-six RAA and a WRC+ above 100.
Nico Hoerner drives in his first run of the season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tiekO4RGMP
— Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) March 28, 2025
2. Marcus Semien
Up next, we have one of the more interesting players in the league. In all odd years since 2019, Semien has been one of the best hitters in the league, producing OPS+ seasons above 126 in all of them. However, in all of his even seasons, he has not amassed over 106 in any of them. Even if the trend of him being elite in odd years does not continue, he should remain a standout defender. At times, he’s had the best glove in the league.
1. Ketel Marte
Marte was hands down the best second baseman in the league last year. He finished with 6.3 WAR, and the player who ranked second (Semien) finished with 4.2. In fact, there was a bigger gap between Semien and Marte than Semien and Jake Cronenworth, who finished 10th. Marte being second on this list is not meant to disrespect him, but rather to respect the guy who is first.
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