Ranking the Top 25 Outfielders of the 2024 MLB Season

It's time to put a bow on the 2024 MLB season with Bleacher Report's final positional rankings of the year.

Throughout the 2024 campaign, we released monthly updates to our position-by-position rankings, selecting the top 10 players at each spot. Now it's time to finalize that exercise while expanding the list to the 25 best at each position.

Just like the regular-season rankings, past production and future expectations played no part in deciding the order. This is simply a rundown of the best and brightest of 2024.

There were no specific qualifications for inclusion, though each player was only eligible to appear in these rankings at one position.

Now let's dive into the top 25 outfielders of the 2024 season.

Catch up on the Top 25 in 2024 series: First Basemen, Second Basemen, Third Basemen, Shortstops

These outfielders received preliminary consideration but fell short of earning a spot in the Top 25:

Randy Arozarena, TB/SEA
Cody Bellinger, CHC
JJ Bleday, OAK
Byron Buxton, MIN
Kerry Carpenter, DET
Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA/NYY
Michael Conforto, SF
Pete Crow-Armstrong, CHC
Brendan Donovan, STL
Sal Frelick, MIL
Randal Grichuk, ARI
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., ARI
Michael Harris II, ATL
Brandon Marsh, PHI
Jake McCarthy, ARI
Parker Meadows, DET
Garrett Mitchell, MIL
Cedric Mullins, BAL
Brandon Nimmo, NYM
Ceddanne Rafaela, BOS
Luke Raley, SEA
Heliot Ramos, SF
Spencer Steer, CIN
Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
Matt Vierling, DET
Matt Wallner, MIN
Taylor Ward, LAA
Jesse Winker, WAS/NYM
James Wood, WAS
Mike Yastrzemski, SF
Christian Yelich, MIL
Jacob Young, WAS

25. Victor Robles, Washington Nationals/Seattle Mariners

Robles was one of the top prospects in baseball during his time in the minors and a 4.4-WAR player during his rookie season in 2019, but he never lived up to expectations with the Nationals. The 27-year-old was designated for assignment and ultimately released on June 1, and the Mariners took a flier on him three days later. He went on to hit .328/.393/.467 for a 155 OPS+ with 24 extra-base hits, 30 steals and 3.2 WAR in 77 games. The M's signed him to a two-year, $9.75 million extension in August.

24. Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros

Tucker missed 79 games with a shin fracture in 2024 or he would rank significantly higher on this list. In the 78 games he played, he hit .289/.408/.585 for a 181 OPS+ with 23 home runs and 4.7 WAR in 339 plate appearances. With free agency on the horizon after the 2025 season, he could be a candidate for an extension this winter, or he could find himself on the trade block next summer if the Astros fall out of the playoff race.

23. Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers

Considering he played only 44 games in the minors before earning a spot on the 2024 Opening Day roster, Langford more than held his own a year after going No. 4 overall in the 2023 draft. The 23-year-old hit .253/.325/.415 for a 111 OPS+ with 25 doubles, 16 home runs, 79 RBI and 19 steals in 134 games. With a .784 OPS and 11 home runs in 62 games after the All-Star break, he improved as the season unfolded.

22. Tyler O'Neill, Boston Red Sox

O'Neill looked like a budding superstar when he slugged 34 home runs and won a Gold Glove in a 6.1-WAR season for the Cardinals in 2021, but injuries limited him to 168 games in the following two seasons. The Red Sox acquired him in a buy-low deal last offseason, and while he again missed time, he finished with a 132 OPS+ and 31 home runs in 473 plate appearances over 113 games. The 29-year-old is one of the bigger boom-or-bust players on the free-agent market this winter.

21. Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates

Over the past four seasons, Reynolds has been one of MLB's most consistent offensive players, hitting .276/.352/.472 for a 125 OPS+ while averaging 29 doubles, 25 home runs, 81 RBI and 3.7 WAR during that span. He led the Pirates in OPS+ (119), hits (171), home runs (24), RBI (88) and total bases (278) in 2024 while earning his second career All-Star selection.

20. Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox saw enough in Abreu's 28-game debut in 2023 to leave him a clear path to the starting right field job, and he put together a strong overall rookie season. The 25-year-old posted a 114 OPS+ with 33 doubles, 15 home runs and 58 RBI in 132 games, and he also took home AL Gold Glove honors for his stellar work navigating a tricky right field at Fenway Park.

19. Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles

The runner-up in AL Rookie of the Year balloting, Cowser started the season on fire, cooled off significantly, then made the necessary adjustments as the season progressed. The 24-year-old finished the year with a 123 OPS+ while tallying 24 doubles, 24 home runs and 69 RBI in 153 games, and his 3.1 WAR ranked fourth on a 91-win Orioles team.

18. Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks

After an elite rookie season that ended in unanimous NL Rookie of the Year honors and a fifth-place finish in NL MVP balloting, Carroll was slow out of the gates in his follow-up campaign. He eventually rounded into form to post a .919 OPS with 17 home runs, 42 RBI and 17 steals in 64 games after the All-Star break, but his slow start keeps him from ranking any higher on this list.

17. Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs

Suzuki has steadily improved during his three seasons with the Cubs, and he hit .283/.366/.482 for a career-high 138 OPS+ with 27 doubles, 21 home runs, 73 RBI and 16 steals in a 3.5-WAR season in 2024. The 30-year-old has two years and $38 million remaining on his contract, and with an increasingly crowded outfield situation on the North Side, it's not out of the question to think he could hit the trade block this winter.

16. Lawrence Butler, Oakland Athletics

Butler was on Oakland's Opening Day roster, but he was optioned to the minors in mid-May after hitting just .179/.281/.274 through his first 83 games. The 24-year-old returned to the majors a month later and really hit his stride at the beginning of July. Over the final three months of the season, he hit .302/.346/.597 with 18 doubles, 20 home runs, 49 RBI and 14 steals in 301 plate appearances. Now Oakland looks to have a budding star on its hands in the outfield.

15. Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs

Happ has quietly developed into one of the most well-rounded outfielders in baseball, posting his third straight season with at least 3.0 WAR, an OPS+ over 100, at least 50 extra-base hits and a Gold Glove win in left field. The 30-year-old has two seasons remaining on a three-year, $61 million extension and has become a cornerstone player for the Cubs.

14. Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners

It speaks to how great J-Rod has been to begin his MLB career that a third straight 20/20 campaign and 4.3-WAR season was a disappointment relative to the lofty bar he set in 2022 and 2023. The 23-year-old hit .328/.349/.546 with five doubles, seven home runs and 22 RBI in 26 games over the final month of the season to help give his final numbers a nice boost.

13. Daulton Varsho, Toronto Blue Jays

Varsho led all outfielders with 28 Defensive Runs Saved and won his first Gold Glove in 2024, posting a 5.1-WAR season on the strength of his elite defense in the grass. The 28-year-old also came a bit closer to providing league-average offensive production, raising his OPS+ from 84 to 98 while hitting .214/.293/.407 with 21 doubles, 18 home runs and 58 RBI in 136 games. He is a unique player in how he provides value, but an extremely valuable one nonetheless.

12. Brenton Doyle, Colorado Rockies

After hitting .203 with a 53 OPS+ in 431 plate appearances as a rookie, Doyle took a massive step forward offensively in 2024, hitting .260/.317/.446 for a 104 OPS+ with 24 doubles, 23 home runs, 72 RBI, 30 steals and 4.0 WAR in 149 games. The 26-year-old slashed his strikeout rate from 35.0 to 25.4 percent while also taking home his second straight NL Gold Glove in center field.

11. Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres

The Padres plugged a hole in their outfield by bringing Profar back on a one-year, $1 million deal last offseason, and he rewarded them with a career year. The 31-year-old set career-high marks in OPS+ (134), batting average (.280), on-base percentage (.380), hits (158), home runs (24), RBI (85), runs scored (94) and WAR (3.7). He is now set to receive a healthy raise in free agency.

Stats: 126 OPS+, .292/.368/.425, 33 XBH (14 HR), 44 RBI, 12 SB, 3.9 WAR

After hitting 11 home runs in 1,356 plate appearances over his first two seasons in the majors, Steven Kwan added some thump to his offensive game this year while also continuing to be one of baseball's elite contact hitters.

With 53 walks, 51 strikeouts and five hit-by-pitches in 540 plate appearances, Kwan put the ball in play in nearly 80 percent of his trips to the plate. He also earned a well-deserved first All-Star selection, starting the game in left field for the American League.

With club control through 2027, the 27-year-old has developed into a complementary star alongside José Ramírez in the Cleveland lineup. He has also won three straight Gold Glove Awards to begin his career.

Stats: 133 OPS+, .262/.348/.479, 57 XBH (24 HR), 74 RBI, 4 SB, 5.4 WAR

From the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 draft to the No. 4 prospect in baseball at the start of the 2022 season, Riley Greene began his pro career with no shortage of hype. He is starting to deliver on those lofty expectations.

The 24-year-old has steadily improved over his three years in the big leagues. He set career-high marks across the board offensively in 2024 while also earning the first of what could be many All-Star selections.

Shifting from center field to left field allowed him to focus more on his offensive game. He provides a nice combination of power and on-base ability for the on-the-rise Detroit Tigers.

Stats: 117 OPS+, .275/.327/.464, 54 XBH (21 HR), 79 RBI, 22 SB, 3.8 WAR

It took Jackson Chourio some time to settle into life as a big leaguer, which was unsurprising since he was the youngest player to appear in an MLB game in 2024. But once he hit his stride, he looked the part of a future superstar.

• 1st 50 games: 174 PA, .210/.254/.327, 9 XBH (5 HR), 27.0 K%
• Final 98 games: 399 PA, .303/.358/.525, 45 XBH (16 HR), 18.5 K%

The 20-year-old slapped a bow on top of his impressive debut by going 5-for-11 with two home runs in three games against the Mets in the NL Wild Card Series, becoming the youngest player in Brewers history with a two-homer game in the postseason.

The eight-year, $82 million extension he signed last offseason might end up being one of the most team-friendly deals in MLB history.

Stats: 134 OPS+, .235/.308/.506, 71 XBH (44 HR), 102 RBI, 2 SB, 2.9 WAR

One of the biggest Rule 5 success stories of all-time, Anthony Santander developed into a top-tier power threat during his eight seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, culminating in a huge contract year in 2024.

His 44 home runs ranked third in the majors behind only Aaron Judge (58) and Shohei Ohtani (54). That's also the seventh-highest single-season mark in Orioles franchise history.

His middling defense (-7 DRS, 1.6 UZR/150) and limited on-base ability (.308 OBP, 8.7 BB%) limit his overall value, but the list of players capable of a 40-homer season is a short one. It's especially impressive considering he played half his games at spacious Camden Yards.

Stats: 137 OPS+, .272/.339/.501, 67 XBH (33 HR), 99 RBI, 12 SB, 4.3 WAR

After a good-not-great 2023 season with the Seattle Mariners, Teoscar Hernández bet on himself and signed a one-year, $23.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in an effort to rebuild his stock.

His 137 OPS+ represented a new career-high over a full season, while his 33 home runs were also a personal best. He now stands as one of the top bats on the free-agent market and a safe bet for a nine-figure payday.

He also provided solid defense in the outfield, boasting one of the strongest throwing arms in baseball. His 65 career outfield assists rank ninth among active outfielders.

Stats: 127 OPS+, .292/.326/.500, 61 XBH (24 HR), 90 RBI, 16 SB, 4.4 WAR

Despite never playing above the Double-A level and lining up almost exclusively at shortstop in the minors, Jackson Merrill broke camp as the San Diego Padres' starting center fielder and never looked back.

The 21-year-old put together a season that would have won him NL Rookie of the Year honors in almost any other year, but he settled for runner-up in the voting behind Pittsburgh Pirates rising ace Paul Skenes.

With power, speed, defense and elite bat-to-ball skills, Merrill checks all the boxes to be a bona fide star for the Padres in the coming years. He's the team's best homegrown position player in a long, long time.

Stats: 145 OPS+, .289/.372/.491, 48 XBH (19 HR), 75 RBI, 16 SB, 4.8 WAR

The 2024 season began with Mookie Betts manning shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers. While he played more innings in the infield, he eventually returned to right field for the stretch run and into the postseason.

A fractured left hand cost him 45 games around the midseason mark, but he still earned his eighth All-Star selection and won his seventh Silver Slugger, and he was right in the thick of things throughout the team's postseason run to a World Series title.

The 32-year-old is on a Hall of Fame trajectory and remains a perennial MVP candidate. However, he is expected to return to the infield for the 2025 season, so he will be part of a different positional list next year.

Stats: 129 OPS+, .285/.342/.492, 83 XBH (21 HR), 75 RBI, 34 SB, 8.7 WAR

After struggling to find his footing during his first two seasons in the big leagues, Jarren Duran put together a breakout 2023 campaign. That proved to be just the start of a bigger breakthrough performance this year.

The 28-year-old filled up the box score, leading the AL in doubles (48) and triples (14) while finishing fourth in the majors with 83 extra-base hits. He trailed only Shohei Ohtani (99), Aaron Judge (95) and Bobby Witt Jr. (88) in that category.

The first-time All-Star also posted elite defensive metrics (23 DRS, 4.8 UZR/150) while bouncing between center field and left field. With club control through 2028, he is an extremely valuable player.

Stats: 178 OPS+, .288/.419/.569, 76 XBH (41 HR), 109 RBI, 7 SB, 7.9 WAR

The New York Yankees paid a steep price to acquire Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres last offseason, sending a five-player package built around controllable starter Michael King for a one-year rental of one of the game's biggest stars.

The 26-year-old slugged a career-high 41 home runs during his debut in pinstripes and also led the AL in runs scored (128). He again logged more walks (129) than strikeouts (119) as one of the game's elite on-base threats, too.

Now he is poised to command a massive payday in free agency, with a $500 million contract looking like his floor. Will he be one-and-done with the Yankees, or will he spend the foreseeable future penciled into the same lineup as the No. 1 player on this list?

Stats: 223 OPS+, .322/.458/.701, 95 XBH (58 HR), 144 RBI, 10 SB, 10.8 WAR

It might not have been another 60-homer performance, but Aaron Judge actually had a better season in 2024 than he did during his 62-homer campaign in 2022 by almost any other measure.

His 223 OPS+ and 10.8 WAR were both career-high marks and also led the majors by a wide margin. While he had a quiet postseason, that did nothing to erase his all-time great regular-season performance.

It's no coincidence that the Yankees missed the playoffs in 2023 when injuries limited Judge to 106 games. Even with Juan Soto slotted alongside him in the lineup, Judge is as important to his team's success as any player in baseball.