Top 10 Center Fielders in Major League Baseball for 2025
Featuring some of the most exciting up-and-coming stars in the game, here is Just Baseball's list of the top 10 center fielders for the 2025 season.

Here at Just Baseball, we continue to churn through our lists of the top players at each position for the 2025 season. Today we’ve reached one of the most important positions of them all: center field.
It’s a premier position of value, and given its demanding nature that involves covering so much ground in the field, some of the game’s most talented players reside at this position.
The center field position is chock-full of athletes, and this list features an enticing blend of talented veterans, defensive savants, and some of the game’s brightest young stars.
Here are Just Baseball’s top 10 center fielders for 2025, as well as a handful of honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions: Evan Carter (TEX), Daulton Varsho (TOR), JJ Bleday (ATH), Cody Bellinger (NYY)
This impressive group of honorable mentions highlights just how deep the center field position is heading into 2025.
What Evan Carter did at the tail end of the 2023 season was truly spectacular. Following an early September call-up, Carter hit .306 with a 1.058 OPS in 75 regular season plate appearances for the Texas Rangers.
He carried that momentum into the postseason, where he slashed .300/.417/.500 with a 157 wRC+ in 72 plate appearances as he helped the Rangers secure a World Series title.
Unfortunately, a lumbar sprain forced Carter to miss most of the 2024 season, and the results he posted in 45 games were underwhelming. The talent is prevalent for the 22-year-old though, and Carter will look to build upon his resounding success from 2023 this coming season.
Taking a major step forward in his age-26 season last year was Athletics center fielder JJ Bleday. Among all qualified center fielders, Bleday was tied for fourth in wRC+ (120); sixth in wOBA (.330); and seventh in ISO (.194) and OPS (.762).
It was a struggle defensively though, as Bleday finished the year with -19 defensive runs saved (DRS) and -3 outs above average (OAA). But his impressive step forward at the plate makes him deserving of a spot on the honorable mentions list.
Daulton Varsho has been one of the game’s top defenders in recent years. He’s finished in the 97th percentile or better in OAA in each of the last three seasons, and he’s coming off a 2024 campaign in which he finished with a total of 16 OAA and 28 DRS combined across his time in all three outfield positions.
Offensively, however, the results haven’t been there for Varsho. He’s sporting a career slash line of .225/.297/.414 with a 96 wRC+, and he’s coming off a 2024 campaign in which he hit just .214 to go with a .304 wOBA. Still a valuable player thanks to his reliable glove, Varsho has the ability to move up this list with an uptick in offensive performance next season.
Cody Bellinger rounds out the list of honorable mentions. Now the starting center fielder for the New York Yankees, Bellinger’s tenure with the Chicago Cubs was a tale of two seasons. In 2023, he was mightily productive, turning in a 4.4 fWAR and a 136 wRC+.
The 2024 season was much less inspiring for Bellinger, however. His fWAR was cut in half from the prior season, and he wasn’t nearly as efficient at the plate. Still on the right side of 30, perhaps his move to the Bronx, where he’ll hit with the short porch in right field, could help him return to the level of production he enjoyed back in 2023.
10. Tommy Edman, Los Angeles Dodgers
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 9 | RANK: 11 | RANK: 11 | RANK: 8 | RANK: 9 | RANK: 11 |
2024 Stats: 37 G, .237/.294/.417, 6 HR, 6 SB, 20 RBI, 98 wRC+, 0.9 fWAR
Starting us off is Tommy Edman, who was a key contributor for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their pursuit of a World Series title last season.
Acquired at the trade deadline from the Cardinals, Edman fit in very nicely with his new ball club. In 37 games, he provided a nice boost of depth, defensive value, speed, and power for the Dodgers – which is exactly what they were in the market for.
What’s more, while he was a solid contributor for them in the regular season, Edman took his game to a new level in the playoffs. In 67 postseason plate appearances, Edman slashed .328/.354/.508 with a .180 ISO and a 139 wRC+.
Most notably, Edman helped the Dodgers top the Mets in the NLCS, winning the series MVP honors after going 11-for-27 (.407) with a 1.022 OPS while driving in 11 runs.
A utility man for the majority of his time in St. Louis, Edman will now be utilized as the Dodgers’ primary center fielder in 2025.
He might not blow you away in the box score, but Edman can flirt with 10 home runs, he has the ability to steal 30 bases, and he puts together solid at-bats with strong bat-to-ball skills. All while still providing above-average defense in center field.
The combination of his consistency and his ability to contribute in so many facets of the game gives him such a high floor. You know what you’re going to get from Edman each season, and that’s exactly why he comes in at No. 10 on this list.
9. Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 10 | RANK: 9 | RANK: 9 | RANK: 9 | RANK: 8 | RANK: 10 |
2024 Stats: 100 G, .224/.278/.379, 14 HR, 23 SB, 35 RBI, 84 wRC+, 1 OAA, 0.5 fWAR
The 2024 season was one to forget for Luis Robert Jr. On top of missing 62 games due to a hip flexor strain, his production was subpar when he was on the field. With that said, it’s fair to assume that playing on the worst team in the modern era diminished his level of buy-in, which likely had an impact on his performance.
In 2024, Robert’s strikeout rate rose to a career-high 33.2% clip. His overall quality of contact also took a step back, as was highlighted by the 5.5% drop in barrel rate from 2023. In turn, he finished with a dreadful wOBA of .285.
But he is still in his prime at 27 years old, and Robert has too much talent to not be considered a top-10 center fielder in 2025.
Back in 2023, Robert put together his most complete season as a big leaguer, and it showed what he’s capable of when he’s on the field. Robert played in a career-high 145 games, and he hit a whopping 38 homers, stole 20 bases, and ended with a career-high 4.9 fWAR. He was in the 98th percentile in OAA (13) as well.
That version of Robert can be one of the best center fielders in the sport if he can remain bought in and stay off the injured list. Unfortunately, we just haven’t seen that version of Robert too often.
Robert desperately needs a bounce-back season to re-boost his stock. Alternatively, another down year where he struggles to stay on the field would add to an increasingly concerning track record.
Robert has a wide range of outcomes in 2025, and this upcoming season is going to be very important for determining his overall value moving forward.
8. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 8 | RANK: 8 | RANK: 8 | RANK: 10 | RANK: 6 | RANK: 7 |
2024 Stats: 123 G, .237/.286/.384, 10 HR, 27 SB, 14 OAA, 87 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR
With Cody Bellinger no longer in the picture, it’s Pete Crow-Armstrong’s time to shine in Chicago.
Crow-Armstrong is one of the most tooled-out defenders the game has to offer. In 2024, he was in the 97th percentile in OAA with 14 (T-5th among center fielders), and his arm strength was one of the best in baseball as well.
Among all qualified center fielders in 2024, Crow-Armstrong had the best Defensive Runs Above Average (DEF), per FanGraphs, at 14.1. His natural feel for the position is second to none, and it’s evident when watching him roam the outfield.
The problem for Crow-Armstrong is that the offensive potential he displayed in the minor leagues hasn’t yet translated to the big league level.
In 410 plate appearances in 2024, he hit just .237 with a subpar walk rate of 5.1%. He had a whiff rate near 30% and an enormous out-of-zone swing rate of 41.4%, which was the sixth-highest in all of MLB (min. 400 PA). Those suboptimal metrics contributed to his wOBA of just .289 and wRC+ of 87.
Now, PCA is still adjusting to big league hitting and still developing at the plate. He’ll be 23 by Opening Day, and he’s still one of the fastest players in the sport who can steal upwards of 30 bases for the Cubs.
At the bare minimum, Crow-Armstrong is an ultra-talented defender with plenty of room for growth offensively. He’s going to provide elite defense in center field, so any step forward at the plate would drastically improve his overall value in 2025.
7. Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 7 | RANK: 6 | RANK: 7 | RANK: 7 | RANK: 7 | RANK: 9 |
2024 Stats: 102 G, .279/.335/.524, 18 HR, 56 RBI, 3 OAA, 142 wRC+, 3.7 fWAR
Everyone is aware of what the Byron Buxton experience entails at this point. He’s a freakish athlete who, when on the field, is capable of making plays that few other players have the ability to make.
But he’s guaranteed to miss an ample amount of time every season, and the Twins need to manage his workload so they can maximize his performance when he is available.
On the bright side, while he still missed 60 games, the 102 games that Buxton played in this past season was his most since 2017 and the second-most of his 10-year career. In those 102 games (388 plate appearances), he did plenty of damage as well.
Among center fielders with at least 350 plate appearances, Buxton finished second in wRC+ (142), OPS (.859), slugging percentage (.524), and wOBA (.366). Posting an ISO of .245 as well, Buxton hasn’t ended a season with an ISO below .230 since 2018 when he played just 28 games.
Outstanding quality of contact metrics played a big role in that impressive level of production. Buxton was in the 86th percentile in hard-hit rate (48.1%), the 89th percentile in barrel rate (13.2%), and the 87th percentile in average exit velocity (91.7 mph). In turn, he was near the top of the league in expected wOBA, expected slugging percentage, and expected batting average.
The fact that Buxton racked up an fWAR of 3.7 (T-8th among center fielders with at least 350 PA) in 102 games speaks to his ability to impact the game when he’s available.
At this point in his career, hoping for anything more than 102 games played feels like wishful thinking given his track record. But on a per-game basis, Buxton still has the tools to get after it in center field and makes his power presence felt when he is in the lineup.
6. Brenton Doyle, Colorado Rockies
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 6 | RANK: 7 | RANK: 6 | RANK: 6 | RANK: 5 | RANK: 6 |
2024 Stats: 149 G, .260/.317/.446, 23 HR, 72 RBI, 16 OAA, 97 wRC+, 3.7 fWAR
Just two seasons into his major league career, Brenton Doyle has already established himself as one of the top defenders in all of Major League Baseball.
Doyle was a Gold Glove winner in 2023 and 2024 after putting up 19 DRS and 15 OAA in 2023 and 11 DRS and 16 OAA in 2024.
Since the beginning of the 2023 season, Doyle is fourth in all of MLB in OAA (31), only behind Dansby Swanson, Andrés Giménez, and Marcus Semien. Over that stretch, Doyle is second in DRS among qualified center fielders. He is the perfect fit to roam the vast outfield of Coors Field.
However, it was the strides that Doyle made offensively in his sophomore season that catapulted him up these rankings to the No. 6 spot.
In 2024, Doyle was more selective at the plate, increased his zone-contact rate by 6.5%, and dropped his overall whiff rate by a substantial margin. In turn, he cut his strikeout rate by an outstanding 9.6% while boosting his walk rate by 2.5%.
His batting average jumped over 50 points, his on-base percentage rose by an even wider margin, and his quality of contact improved along with the bump in the contact department. Doyle’s barrel rate jumped nearly two ticks in 2024, up to 10.5%. Likewise, his hard-hit rate rose over five percent from the previous season to 41.4%.
Considering all of those offensive improvements, it’s no surprise to see Doyle go from having the worst wOBA in MLB in 2023 (min. 400 PA) to posting an above-average wOBA of .328 in 2024.
His impressive defensive acumen combined with the leap he made at the plate this past season increased Doyle’s stock substantially heading into 2025.
5. Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 5 | RANK: 5 | RANK: 5 | RANK: 5 | RANK: 4 | RANK: 5 |
2024 Stats: 110 G, .264/.304/.418, 16 HR, 10 SB, 48 RBI, 8 OAA, 99 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR
Michael Harris II set sky-high expectations for himself heading into 2024 after what he accomplished in the two preceding seasons. From 2022-23, Harris slashed .295/.334/.494 for a 124 OPS+ to go with 40 stolen bases, an ISO of .199, and a combined 8.6 fWAR.
He has the ability to hit for both contact and power, he’s one of the most dynamic defenders at his position, and he has the speed to be a consistent threat on the base paths.
Unfortunately, a left hamstring sprain forced him to miss two months right in the middle of the 2024 season, stunting his ability to gain any momentum last year.
This past season, in 110 games, Harris hit .264 with 16 bombs while stealing 10 bases. He finished right around league average in wRC+ and ended with a modest wOBA of .312. Despite the nagging hamstring injury, however, Harris still put up a great defensive season, finishing in the 93rd percentile in OAA with 8 to go with 11 DRS, which was a career-high.
What’s more, the month of September was a reminder of how lethal of an offensive weapon Harris can be when fully healthy. In 122 plate appearances that month, Harris slashed .316/.344/.579 for a .923 OPS and a 150 wRC+.
That’s the type of hitter Harris can be when he’s feeling right, and that’s the version fans saw across his first two big league seasons. One of the most well-rounded players at the position, Harris heads into next season as a top-five center fielder and could be in store for a career year in 2025 now that he’s fully healthy.
4. Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 3 | RANK: 1 | RANK: 4 | RANK: 3 | RANK: 5 | RANK: 4 |
2024 Stats: 143 G, .273/.325/.409, 20 HR, 24 SB, 68 RBI, 7 OAA, 116 wRC+, 3.8 fWAR
Few players have as much swagger and star power as Julio Rodríguez. He’s an electrifying talent with MVP upside when at the top of his game, and it’s that level of potential that earned him a No. 1 vote from one of the Just Baseball panelists.
But relative to what his expectations were heading into the year, the 2024 season was a down year for Rodríguez. He still put together a fine season, finishing seventh in fWAR (3.8) and wRC+ (116) at his position. But it was a disappointing step back for someone who put up back-to-back 5.8 fWAR seasons to open his major league career.
Rodríguez’s swing decisions weren’t too far off from 2023, but his in-zone whiff rate dropped by over four percent. His power metrics also took a noticeable step back, as his slugging percentage dropped over 70 points and his ISO went from .209 in 2023 to .136 in 2024.
But expectations were so high for Rodríguez because of what he did as a 21 and 22-year-old. Between those two seasons from 2022-’23, Rodríguez hit .279 with a 137 OPS+ to go with 178 runs driven in, 60 bombs, 62 doubles, and 62 stolen bases.
It’s that version of Rodríguez that we see flashes of, but consistency has been a problem for him.
In 2023, Rodríguez turned in a great season come year’s end. But it was really his performance from July onward that had him finishing fourth in MVP voting.
After slashing a modest .249/.310/.411 (.712 OPS) prior to the All-Star break, Rodríguez tore it up in the second half with a .941 OPS, a 158 wRC+, and 19 homers. Rodríguez accumulated 3.7 fWAR in his final 68 games played.
It was a similar story in 2024. After posting a .690 OPS before the All-Star break (including a month of June where he hit .206 with a .574 OPS), Rodríguez slashed .285/.336/482 (.818 OPS) following the Midsummer Classic.
Ultimately, it’s that type of inconsistency that is holding Rodríguez back from reaching his true ceiling. He’s an immensely talented defender with elite arm strength, so if he can iron out the inconsistency at the plate and put together a complete season, he has the potential to be the best center fielder in the game.
3. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 2 | RANK: 4 | RANK: 3 | RANK: 4 | RANK: 3 | RANK: 2 |
2024 Stats: 29 G, .220/.325/.541, 10 HR, 14 RBI, 139 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR
Mike Trout checks in at No. 3 on this list for the second consecutive season. Following another year of unavailability, Trout has played 83 games or more just once in the past four seasons, and he’s not getting any younger at 33 years old.
But given that he’s the greatest player of our generation, would it be a surprise to anybody if he returned to his old ways next season? Absolutely not, he just needs to shake free of the injury bug that’s hampered him recently.
In the 29 games that Trout did play last season, he made his power presence felt. In 126 plate appearances, Trout slugged .541 to go with a .321 ISO. He racked up 10 home runs, two triples, and a double in just 29 games.
He posted a 17.1% barrel rate in the small sample size and still popped a max exit velocity of 114.5 mph. But you don’t need me to tell you how talented Trout is when he’s on the field. Everyone knows what a healthy Trout is capable of – even at 33 years old.
But small sample sizes have been the unfortunate theme of his career recently, and it’s why he slots in at No. 3 on this list. On the one hand, we’re just two seasons removed from the 2022 version of Trout that launched 40 bombs and accumulated 6.0 fWAR in 119 games.
But only having played 101 games across his two most recent seasons makes it difficult to rank him any higher on this list when compared to the names ahead of him.
Baseball is better when Mike Trout is on the field. Hopefully, the 2025 season will be a healthier one for Trout and he can get back to putting up the type of numbers fans of the game have been accustomed to seeing.
2. Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 4 | RANK: 2 | RANK: 1 | RANK: 2 | RANK: 1 | RANK: 3 |
2024 Stats: 156 G, .292/.326/.500, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 11 OAA, 130 wRC+, 5.3 fWAR
It didn’t take long for Jackson Merrill to solidify himself as one of the best center fielders in the game. Merrill checks in at No. 2 after just one year in the big leagues, and it’s easy to see why after the season he put up as a 21-year-old.
Merrill was learning center field for the first time last season, but you wouldn’t have known it by watching him roam the outfield. He was a natural at the position, demonstrating elite range and instinct all throughout the season.
What’s more, he didn’t even remotely look like a rookie in the batter’s box. Not only was he the best hitting rookie last season, but he was one of the top offensive center fielders in all of baseball. Among qualified primary center fielders, Merrill finished third in wOBA (.372) and fWAR (5.3).
Likewise, Merrill was second in batting average (.292), slugging percentage (.500), ISO (.208), and wRC+ (130) at the position. The only player ahead of him in those categories? Aaron Judge.
His approach can be fine-tuned, as he chased at a 34.4% clip and walked less than five percent of the time. But he still maintained an impressive strikeout rate of just 17% thanks to his strong bat-to-ball skills.
His contact rates were impressive, and he did such a great job at doing damage with the bat. He had an 11.3% barrel rate, which led to a whopping 62 extra-base hits that came in the form of 24 homers, 31 doubles, and six triples. And he did so by demonstrating power from foul pole to foul pole and using all fields to his advantage.

Merrill was the total package last season, and he would have been the Rookie of the Year had Paul Skenes not put up historical numbers on the mound for the Pirates. Merrill has a bright future ahead of him with room to grow as he enters his age-22 season.
1. Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks
Finkelstein | Morgenstern | Treuden | Appel | Leighton | McMullen |
RANK: 1 | RANK: 3 | RANK: 2 | RANK: 1 | RANK: 2 | RANK: 1 |
2024 Stats: 158 G, .231/.322/.428, 22 HR, 35 SB, 74 RBI, 107 wRC+, 8 OAA, 4.0 fWAR
Holding the No. 1 spot on this list for the first time in his young career is Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Carroll burst onto the scene in his rookie year in 2023, swiping 54 bases, launching 25 homers, and putting up an fWAR of 5.4. He quickly established himself as one of the best young players in all of baseball with his ability to impact the game at a high level in so many different ways.
But last season didn’t come easy for Carroll, as it was a tale of two halves for the young star.
Slashing just .212/.301/.334 for a .635 OPS in the first half of the season, Carroll didn’t look like the same hitter that unanimously won the Rookie of the Year in 2023.
Most notably, his quality of contact took an enormous dip from the preceding season, and it was clear he had some things to work through in the batter’s box. But being the athlete we know Carroll is, he broke out of the slump in a big way and hit the ground running following the All-Star break.
From July 16th through the end of the regular season, Carroll put up a 3.1 fWAR in 64 games. That was seventh in all of baseball over that stretch and second only to Aaron Judge among center fielders. For reference, Carroll had a 0.9 fWAR in the 94 games prior to the All-Star break.
Carroll was impacting the ball at a much higher level in the second half, and that led to far better results at the plate.
Carroll slugged .568 in the second half, which was a .234-point increase from the first half of the season. He also went from a .122 ISO in the first half to a .309 ISO following the All-Star break, which was second to only Aaron Judge among qualified center fielders.
Over that stretch, Carroll had 17 homers (as opposed to just five in the first half) to go with eight triples and 17 steals. That is the version of Corbin Carroll that fans were expecting to see in 2024, and it was so encouraging to see him rebound to his old ways after the sluggish start to the year.
With the exception of the first couple of months last season, Carroll has done nothing but rake at the big league level. Even in a down sophomore campaign, he still managed to put up a four-win season.
Given that he has such a dynamic skill set that few players in MLB can replicate, Corbin Carroll is Just Baseball’s top center fielder for the 2025 season.