Ranking top 24 players in 2024 MLB playoffs: Yankees duo in top five, Aaron Judge ahead of Shohei Ohtani

24 The Pads’ 21-year-old rookie phenom has not only put together a quality season with the bat, he’s also adapted nicely to center field while in essence learning on the job for a contender. Merrill takes with him to the postseason 24 homers, 16 steals, and an OPS+ of 127 from an up-the-middle position. 23 It’s hard for a reliever to crack any list of top players by virtue of their limited roles. However, lockdown relievers take on more importance in the postseason, particularly given contemporary playoff strategies, and Clase stands alone right now. Armed with elite velocity and a fully commanded cutter-slider lead combo, Clase has suffocated opposing hitters in 2024. In 74 1/3 innings this season, he’s permitted just five earned runs and 10 walks. Along the way, Clase converted 94% of his save opportunities. 22 Tatis missed more than two months with a stress reaction in his leg. However, since returning in early September, he slugged .579 with seven homers in 22 games. That’s peak power form from one of best all-around players in the game. 21 The 31-year-old Profar has enjoyed a career year at the plate, and he’s backed it up with the best quality-of-contact and plate-discipline indicators of his career. He’s been a steady presence in a Padres lineup that’s dealt with injuries and stretches of under-performance from many other spots. 20 Hernández gets a bit overlooked in L.A. thanks to the Ohtani-Betts-Freeman trio, but he’s a rich power source in his own right. The two-time All-Star enjoyed a career campaign in 2024 with 33 homers and a 137 OPS+ in 155 games. 19 One of the best pure hitters in baseball keeps on doing what he does. Alvarez notched a career high in plate appearances this season, and over that span he had an OPS+ of 172 with more than 300 total bases. Among active players, only Aaron Judge and Mike Trout have a higher career OPS+ than Alvarez’s figure of 166. He’d of course be much higher on this list if not for the knee sprain that caused him to miss the final games of the regular season and raises concerns he might not be at 100% or even available for the start of the postseason. 18 Another year, another high-value campaign from Freeman. Normally, you might be concerned about a career first baseman in his mid-30s, but Freeman remains a top-line producer. This season, he’s producing a bit north of career norms with oodles of plate discipline and good power numbers. 17 The veteran slugger doesn’t leap to mind when you think of the Orioles’ best players, but Santander has been among them this season. He earned his first career All-Star selection in 2024 en route to hitting 44 home runs for Baltimore. 16 The veteran slugger keeps on slugging. Ozuna boasts an OPS+ of more than 150, he cracked 39 homers, and he breezed past 300 total bases for the year. He also played in 152 games for Atlanta. He’s been a true force at the plate over the last two seasons. 15 Greene blends pop and on-base chops with strong fly-catching in center field. He’s also hit into just two double plays all year. That’s a near-complete package of value. As will be the case with a certain Detroit ace to be ranked soon, the Tigers don’t make their surprise playoff run without Greene’s contributions. 14 Valdez has been one of the top starting pitchers in baseball over the last half-decade, and 2024 has been no exception. His excellence has been particularly essential to an Astros team that was hit hard by rotation injuries earlier in the year. This season, Valdez boasts an ERA+ of 136 with an FIP of 3.25 across a qualifying number of innings. 13 The two-time NL MVP is still doing what he’s done for more than a decade: getting on base and hitting for power. Harper in his age-31 season put up an OPS+ of 149 with 30 homers, 42 doubles, and 76 walks. He also looked strong with the glove in his first full season as a first baseman. He enters these playoffs with 16 career postseason home runs. 12 The Orioles’ ace and pending free agent has lost a bit of strikeout oomph this season, but otherwise Burns continues to perform at a Cy Young level. He ended the regular season ranking fourth in the AL in ERA and third in innings pitched. 11 With more than 200 strikeouts and an ERA in the mid-2.00s in a sizable number of innings, Wheeler has indeed been the Phils’ ace this season. Atlanta’s Chris Sale will almost certainly take NL Cy Young honors this season, but Wheeler figures to be a worthy second-place finisher in the balloting. 10 In terms of overall value in 2024, Betts isn’t quite up to his usual standards thanks to a hand fracture that cost him almost two months. On a rate basis, though, he’s still among the tops in the game – a 145 OPS+ with 48 extra-base hits in 116 games. Betts was the Dodgers’ primary shortstop before his injury, which speaks to his brilliance as a baseball player, but now he’s back in his established position of right field. 9 The relentlessly consistent Ramírez has turned in yet another standout campaign. This time around, he boasts, oh, 39 home runs, 39 doubles, 41 stolen bases, and as usual plus defense at the hot corner. Ramírez is still near peak at age 32, and he’s looking like he’ll have a compelling Hall of Fame case by the time he’s done. 8 The best-hitting catcher in baseball? It’s hard to argue against Contreras for that honor. In 2024, he’s put up a slash line of .281/.365/.466 with 37 doubles, while the average MLB catcher this season has a line of .234/.300/.379. That’s a huge marginal advantage at the most grueling position on the field. As well, Contreras for the first time in his career topped 1,000 defensive innings behind the plate. 7 The Mets’ best player and leading warrior-poet put up excellent offensive numbers, especially considering he’s a slick-fielding shortstop. Lindor also added value on the bases, and his Monday home run against the Braves – one of 33 he hit in 2024 – may have been the biggest anyone hit during this regular season. 6 The 27-year-old lefty has been the best pitcher in baseball this season, and without him the Tigers wouldn’t be in the playoffs. In 31 starts, Skubal pitched to a 2.39 ERA and 2.49 FIP – both of which led all American League qualifiers. He also paced the AL in ERA+, and he led the majors in pitcher WAR, strikeouts, and wins. Yes, as you may have already surmised Skubal won the pitcher’s Triple Crown this season. 5 The pending best-in-class free agent enjoyed a standout season in the Bronx. Was this Soto’s best campaign ever? Throw out the abbreviated 2020 season, and it’s easy to make that case. He topped 40 homers and again managed to log more walks than strikeouts. For all he’s accomplished, it’s easy to forget that Soto is still just 25 years of age. 4 Henderson’s a defensive asset at short, and he’s smacked 37 homers this season as a 23-year-old while also adding value on the bases. On that latter point, Henderson has seven triples and 21 steals in 25 attempts, and he hit into just two double plays all season. The Witt Jr.-Henderson debate figures to be a compelling and high-level one for the next decade-plus. 3 Not long ago, Witt Jr. became the first shortstop to have multiple 30-30 seasons, and he did that in his third big-league season as a 24-year-old. Hitting, baserunning, plus fielding at a premium position – Witt Jr. truly does it all on the diamond. 2 The singular Shohei Ohtani… He takes a year off from pitching so he can heal from Tommy John surgery, and to make up for the loss of his ace-level mound work he casually authors the first 50-50 season in MLB history and even makes a run at the Triple Crown. He’s been the NL’s best hitter this season, and he remains at peak form with the bat. 1 Judge’s home run pace slacked off just a bit toward the end of the regular season, but his mega-elite combination of power and patience (plus his capacity to man center field) make Judge tops on this list in what’s really an easy call. His sky-scraping OPS+ of 223 is tops in the majors by a whopping margin of 33 points. He also topped the majors in WAR by a comfy margin.