It’s an exercise that generates fierce debates and often results in agreements to disagree. But that’s what makes determining the best players at each position in baseball so great. As has been its annual custom the past several years, MLB Network has ranked the Top 10 Players Right Now at each position on the diamond heading into the 2025 season.
The Shredder — using rankings based on past player performance, a number of offensive and defensive metrics, both advanced data and traditional numbers, and analysis by the MLB Network research team — has spoken. For a look at the full top 10 list for each position, click here. But now, let’s dig into the top player in each category.
Starting Pitcher: Zack Wheeler, Phillies
With names like Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale — the reigning Cy Young Award winners — as well as other prominent hurlers out there, seeing Wheeler atop The Shredder’s list might raise some eyebrows. But consider that the veteran right-hander posted a comparable ERA (2.57) and expected ERA (2.80) to Skubal (2.39, 2.72) and Sale (2.38, 2.80) while throwing more innings last year — Wheeler threw 200 innings, whereas Skubal threw 192 and Sale threw 177 2/3.
Add to that Wheeler’s quiet but consistent excellence — over the past four years (minimum 450 innings), he’s first in fWAR (22.7), fourth in ERA (2.94), first in FIP (2.93), third in innings pitched (758 1/3) and fourth in strikeouts (846) — and you can see why he’s considered the best starting pitcher right now.
