Just Baseball’s Top 10 Hitter Power Rankings: July 2024

As the season pauses for the All-Star break, Just Baseball is here with the July edition of its top 10 hitter power rankings!

With more than half of this year’s schedule already played out, we’ve got a solid idea of who the best hitters in MLB are. Therefore, don’t expect too much movement among the top half of this list. There are still some new entries, however, which ensure that the rankings remain interesting.

Starting off with No. 10…

(Stats as of July 15, 2024)

10. Trea Turner (not ranked)

2024 stats: 256 plate appearances, .349/.395/.546, 11 HR, .407 wOBA, 165 wRC+

Turner has only played in 57 games this season due to injury, but we simply can’t ignore what he’s been doing at the plate since his return to the Phillies lineup.

In the month of July (12 games so far), the veteran shortstop has eight home runs and a 278 wRC+. You read that right.

That monstrous output comes on the heels of a 122 wRC+ in June. That’s still pretty good, but Turner is simply tearing it up right now. And although he likely won’t stay this prolific, the clip at which he’s currently swinging the bat has earned him a spot here.

These are the July hitter power rankings, after all.

9. Brent Rooker (not ranked)

2024 stats: 344 plate appearances, .291/.369/.573, 21 HR, .399 wOBA, 166 wRC+

It’s time to show some love to Rooker, who is one of MLB’s most underrated mashers and has been for a couple seasons now.

You’re forgiven for not watching a ton of Oakland Athletics baseball in recent years given how bad the team has been, but Rooker has more than pulled his weight despite the circumstances.

To that end, Rooker has the sixth-highest wRC+ in 2024. That means only five other qualified players have been better league-adjusted hitters (by wRC+) than the 29-year-old this season. And considering two of them are Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, that’s saying something.

Dare we say Rooker deserves some down-ballot MVP love if he keeps this up? That wouldn’t be a crazy thought. And if he gets traded at the upcoming deadline, all the better for his chances at receiving that recognition.

8. Steven Kwan (not ranked)

2024 stats: 308 plate appearances, .352/.407/.512, 9 HR, .400 wOBA, 165 wRC+

No player has been more proficient at hitting for contact in 2024 than Cleveland Guardians outfielder Kwan (although the San Diego Padres’ Luis Arraez makes a strong case too).

The contact hitter is a rare breed in baseball, which makes Kwan something of a “throwback” player. But don’t get us wrong: There’s nothing antiquated about hitting .352 halfway through the season with an on-base percentage of over .400.

Kwan may not have the power numbers of other hitters on this list, but that doesn’t seem to matter in the eyes of wOBA or wRC+, so it doesn’t matter to us either. Kwan is a special hitter, no matter how you slice it.

7. Rafael Devers (8)

2024 stats: 361 plate appearances, .294/.377/.597, 23 HR, .405 wOBA, 159 wRC+

Devers opted out of the All-Star Game due to a shoulder injury, but he didn’t get a nod for no reason: The 27-year-old is in the midst of a career-best season at the plate.

The veteran third baseman is also a major reason why the resurgent Boston Red Sox hold the American League’s third Wild Card spot at the break. Whether they can retain that position the rest of the way is another question, but it won’t be because of Devers (unless that shoulder injury worsens).

And side note: His complete dominance of the New York Yankees is something to behold.

6. Juan Soto (4)

2024 stats: 427 plate appearances, .295/.426/.558, 23 HR, .422 wOBA, 179 wRC+

Soto drops two spots in our July hitter power rankings because his production has fallen somewhat, though the 25-year-old still has a 144 wRC+ this month. That’s amazing, but not otherworldly like his June wRC+ of 199.

When you consider the general absence of the New York Yankees’ offense in June, Soto’s 199 wRC+ only looks more impressive in that context. We knew the team’s struggles were never the fault of Soto or outfield teammate Aaron Judge.

And while Soto’s bat has cooled a little in July, his penchants for drawing walks and getting on base (his .426 on-base percentage is second in all of baseball) have not. Those attributes will always be en vogue, no matter what.

5. Bobby Witt Jr. (6)

2024 stats: 425 plate appearances, .323/.369/.558, 16 HR, .391 wOBA, 152 wRC+

The Kansas City Royals’ superstar shortstop finally cracks the top five in our hitter power rankings after what has been a scorching start to July with a 215 wRC+ so far.

There’s little reason to believe Witt will relinquish this top-five ranking going forward, especially not if he continues to hit at such a high clip. And his participation in the 2024 Home Run Derby gave him a chance to show off his talents in front of a captive national audience.

What more could you ask for?

4. Gunnar Henderson (2)

2024 stats: 432 plate appearances, .286/.373/.584, 28 HR, .405 wOBA, 168 wRC+

Henderson, like Witt, also showcased his talents on the Home Run Derby stage in Texas. Is this the beginning of the Henderson versus Witt rivalry for shortstop supremacy in MLB?

Regardless of position, the 23-year-old has become one of baseball’s top talents at the plate and has made the top 10 in each of our hitter power rankings so far. At this point, though, the bar is top five, if not top two or three.

By the way, Henderson’s 28 home runs at the All-Star break already matches his season total from 2023, when he won American League Rookie of the Year honors. Next up? An MVP sometime in the near future.

3. Bryce Harper (7)

2024 stats: 357 plate appearances, .301/.403/.579, 21 HR, .413 wOBA, 169 wRC+

Harper is the biggest mover among those also ranked in June, claiming the third spot in July (up from seventh last month).

Thanks to a massive month of June (219 wRC+) and a similarly huge July so far (187 wRC+), Harper has shaken off a slow start to the season to once again become a formidable MVP threat in the National League.

A recent hamstring injury landed the Phillies’ superstar on the injured list, but because he’s continued to swing a hot bat even in the wake of that disruption, he should still get the credit he deserves.

Of course, this could all change if he were to injure himself again and/or miss any significant chunk of time, but for now, we’re not holding that brief IL stint against him.

2. Shohei Ohtani (3)

2024 stats: 429 plate appearances, .316/.400/.635, 29 HR, .433 wOBA, 186 wRC+

Nothing to see here, just another month in the books for Los Angeles Dodgers’ designated hitter Ohtani.

We’d be more surprised if Ohtani didn’t make the top two or three of these hitter power rankings every month. He’s still the MVP favorite in the National League even though he’s not pitching in 2024, and he also remains on track for his first career postseason appearance in MLB.

1. Aaron Judge (-)

2024 stats: 424 plate appearances, .306/.433/.679, 34 HR, .461 wOBA, 207 wRC+

All rise, here comes the Judge.

We might be standing for a while, because Judge once again takes the top spot in our hitter power rankings. And there doesn’t seem to be any indication that he’ll be on the outs.

The New York Yankees’ captain should cruise to the 2024 AL MVP award, despite Gunnar Henderson and even teammate Juan Soto also making strong cases for the honor.

Judge is simply in a class of his own right now, perhaps the closest player we’ve seen to Barry Bonds since… Bonds himself.

And while that might be a larger-than-life comparison, Judge is worthy of it.