The Top 10 DH’s in Major League Baseball for 2026

We have officially reached that time of year you have all been waiting for…

It’s RANKING SEASON!

Over the coming weeks, Just Baseball will be revealing our rankings of the top players at each position as we gear up for the 2026 season. And this year, we are opening up with a bang! Or at least a whole lot of slug.

It is hard to believe we are only entering our fifth year with the universal DH, as it feels like a lifetime ago that we were watching pitchers trying to leg out infield singles. Now the DH has become a home for some of the best stars in the game.

Either those in their prime, whose other position is pitcher, so they can’t play the field (Shohei Ohtani). Or those who may be a bit past their prime as far as playing a position, but can find new life as a DH. We saw it with George Springer last year, who came out of nowhere to become one of the very best hitters in the game once again, leading the Blue Jays throughout that World Series run.

Some teams prefer to cycle multiple hitters through the DH position, rather than have it held down by one guy. But those are also typically the teams that don’t get the most out of their DH spot. If you have one devoted slugger to hold down the DH, it likely is a pretty special hitter.

So without further ado, let’s dive into our first set of rankings, breaking down the best the DH position has to offer for the 2026 MLB season.

The voting group for Just Baseball’s 2026 position lists comprised editors Ryan Finkelstein, Leo Morgenstern, Eric Treuden, and Joey Peterson, as well as Just Baseball’s Aram Leighton, Peter Appel, Peyton Ginas and Jack McMullen.

Each individual ranked players 1-15, and those outside of their top 15 received a numerical value of 20. The rankings were then averaged out, with the lowest mean score being best.

Honorable Mentions:

Giancarlo Stanton (New York Yankees)

Marcell Ozuna (Free Agent)

Ryan O’Hearn (Pittsburgh Pirates)

Jorge Polanco (New York Mets)

Samuel Basallo (Baltimore Orioles)

Stanton endured yet another injury-riddled season in 2025. The former MVP hasn’t played a full season since 2018, his first year with the Yankees. Despite missing over half of last season, he still managed to smack 24 long balls.

Ozuna regressed dramatically last year following a fourth-place MVP finish in 2024. The 35-year-old slugger remains a free agent just a few weeks before the start of Spring Training.

O’Hearn earned himself a two-year deal with Pittsburgh following an All-Star campaign split between Baltimore and San Diego in 2025. His deal marked the first multi-year deal handed out by the Pirates this decade.

Polanco likely saved his big-league career in 2025 with a major bounce-back season. The switch-hitter cut his strikeout rate down by a historic 13.6% and was rewarded with a two-year, $40 million deal from the Mets.

After just 31 games in the majors, Basallo earns a mention on this list. The Orioles’ top prospect, according to Just Baseball, is projected to see significant playing time in his rookie season.

10. Kerry Carpenter (Detroit Tigers)

Average Ranking: 10.38

2025 Stats: 130 G, .252/.291/.497, 26 HR, 62 RBI, 3.9 % BB%, 22.8 % K%, 115 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR

Last year marked the closest that Carpenter has come to playing a full season in his young career. He set a career-high with 26 home runs and 18 doubles, leading to an exceptional .497 slugging percentage.

Despite Detroit doing its best to shield Carpenter from same-sided left-handed pitching, he showed improvement in that area with his limited opportunities. He went from 3-for-28 with one home run in 2024 to 13-for-60 with three long balls in 2025.

The 28-year-old’s postseason heroics continued in 2025, as he batted .400 in the Wild Card series against Cleveland and launched two home runs in the ALDS versus Seattle.

9. Ivan Herrera (St. Louis Cardinals)

Average Ranking: 8.38

2025 Stats: 107 G, .284/.373/.464, 19 HR, 66 RBI, 9.5% BB%, 18.6% K%, 137 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR

After a promising 72-game showing in 2024, Herrera fully broke out for the Cardinals last season. He led St. Louis with a 137 wRC+, cementing himself as a bat that is here to stay.

The Cardinals find themselves in the midst of a rebuilding period as they enter 2026. Undoubtedly, Herrera, just 25 years old, should be a part of Chaim Bloom’s plan to transition the historic franchise into the next era of Cardinal baseball.

8. Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels)

Average Ranking: 7.88

2025 Stats: 130 G, .232/.359/.439, 26 HR, 64 RBI, 15.6% BB%, 32.0% K%, 120 wRC+, 1.8 fWAR

It’s stunning that arguably the best player of the last fifteen years finds himself not only relegated to designated hitter, but also outside the top five of this list.

Trout has regressed significantly over the past three seasons as he enters his mid-30s. Last year marked the first time since 2022 that the three-time MVP played more than 100 games. Despite that, it was Trout’s worst season since he burst onto the scene with the Angels in 2012.

There are plenty of reasons to believe that a move to DH can benefit Trout. His batted-ball data remained strong in 2025, and he continued to walk at an elite rate.

However, strikeouts and swing-and-miss issues were major areas of concern. With a slightly reworked approach, the surefire Hall of Famer could revive his career in 2026.

7. Christian Yelich (Milwaukee Brewers)

Average Ranking: 7.75

2025 Stats: 150 G, .264/.343/.452, 29 HR, 103 RBI, 9.9% BB%, 25.9% K%, 121 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR

The first full season of Yelich as a DH was a smashing success for the Brewers. He finished 12th in National League MVP balloting and led Milwaukee with 29 home runs.

Last season was the first time Yelich eclipsed 20-plus homers since 2019, when he finished as the runner-up in MVP voting to Cody Bellinger.

Entering his age 34 season, Yelich’s days in the field appear to be behind him. That may be for the best, as 2025 was the first time in three years that he played 150-plus games. The hope is that by keeping him off his feet, he can stay healthy and age more gracefully as his career begins to wind down.

6. George Springer (Toronto Blue Jays)

Average Ranking: 5.5

2025 Stats: 140 G, .309/.399/.560, 32 HR, 106 RBI, 11.8% BB%, 18.9% K%, 166 wRC+, 5.2 fWAR

Following two lackluster seasons in 2023 and 2024, Springer’s time as a productive hitter appeared to be over. That changed in 2025, when he revived his career by posting a career-high 166 wRC+.

Springer’s full-time transition to DH occurred mid-season and, similar to Yelich, kept him healthy and productive at the plate.

On top of a strong regular season, his postseason pedigree was once again on display in October. Springer hit .284 overall in the postseason, including three home runs in the ALCS against Seattle. He was integral in Toronto’s success in winning the American League pennant.

The UConn product enters the final season of his six-year, $150 million deal that he inked prior to the 2021 season.

5. Brent Rooker (Athletics)

Average Ranking: 5

2025 Stats: 162 G, .262/.335/.479, 30 HR, 89 RBI, 9.3% BB%, 22.2% K%, 122 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR

Rooker was one of just six players to appear in every game for their team last year as he put together his third consecutive productive season.

While 2025 was a step back from a monstrous 2024, when Rooker finished tenth in American League MVP voting and earned a Silver Slugger-He still led the A’s with 164 hits and was one of only three American League players to hit 40 doubles.

After a rocky start to his big-league career, Rooker has found a home with the A’s. He is one of many players that general manager David Frost has locked up long-term. The 31-year-old won’t hit free agency until after the 2030 season.

4. Yandy Diaz (Tampa Bay Rays)

Average Ranking: 4.63

2025 Stats: 150 G, .300/.366/..482, 25 HR, 83 RBI, 8.8% BB%, 14.1% K%, 135 wRC+, 2.9 fWAR

Diaz was quietly a monster for Tampa Bay in 2025, finishing as one of just seven qualified hitters to bat north of .300. He added a career-best 25 long balls to go with his high average.

He finished inside the top-20 in MVP voting for the third time in four years, and the underlying numbers support the production. Diaz’s average exit velocity of 93.0 mph ranked him in the 94th percentile. His hard-hit% at 52.5% also ranked him in the 94th percentile among qualified hitters.

Tampa Bay picked up Diaz’s club option for 2026, but trade rumors have circulated all offseason. The Rays have never hesitated to move a player if they can get any sort of value in return. Despite his age, Diaz still projects to be a productive hitter as he moves into his mid-30’s

3. Kyle Schwarber (Philadelphia Phillies)

Average Ranking: 2.63

2025 Stats: 162 G, .240/.365/.563, 56 HR, 132 RBI, 14.9% BB%, 27.2% K%, 152 wRC+, 4.9 fWAR

If it were not for yet another otherworldly season from Shohei Ohtani, Schwarber would have easily taken home the National League MVP in 2025.

It was a dream season for Schwarber, as he set career highs in home runs, RBI’s, wRC+, and WAR -all in one fell swoop. The Indiana product also earned All-Star Game MVP honors at the midsummer classic.

At the Winter Meetings, he inked a brand new five year $150 million deal to stay with the Phillies for 2026 and beyond.

2. Yordan Álvarez (Houston Astros)

Average Ranking: 2.4

2025 Stats: 48 G, .273/.367/.430, 6 HR, 27 RBI, 14.1% BB%, 16.6% K%, 118 wRC+, 0.5 fWAR

Despite playing in just 48 games last season, Alvarez still earns the No. 2 spot for the second consecutive year.

Despite only slugging six home runs in the limited sample, Alvarez’s underlying metrics jump off the page. An average exit velocity of 94.7 mph ranks among the best in the game. On top of that, his expected batting average and slugging percentage were significantly higher than what he actually posted.

When healthy, Alvarez transforms the entire dynamic of the Astros’ lineup. His absence was a key reason why Houston failed to make the postseason for the first time since 2016.

1. Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Average Ranking: 1

2025 Stats: 158 G, .282/.392/.622, 25 2B, 9 3B, 55 HR, 102 RBI, 146 R, 20 SB, 15.0% BB%, 172 wRC+, 7.5 fWAR

The greatest player of this era of baseball reigns supreme at the No. 1 spot.

Ohtani captured his third consecutive MVP in 2025, and his fourth overall. He hit a career-best 55 home runs and won his second straight World Series ring with the Dodgers.

There truly has never been anybody like him-even when he returned to the mound midseason for the first time since 2023, his hitting numbers remained off the charts.

If he can do it again in 2026, Ohtani will become just the second player in baseball history to win the MVP in four consecutive seasons.