Best Baseball Players in the World 2024: As baseball season kicks off, fans everywhere are excited to see their favorite players in action. This year, some incredible athletes are showcasing their skills on the field, from powerful hitters to dominant pitchers.
Best Baseball Players in the World 2024
Let’s take a closer look at the top players making waves in baseball in 2024. Get ready to be impressed by their talent, hard work, and love for the game!
1. Mike Trout
- Nationality: American
- Birthplace: Vineland, New Jersey
- Bats: Right
- Teams: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Mike Trout is considered the best baseball player in the world in 2024. He’s been chosen for the MLB All-Star team 11 times and has won the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) award three times. He’s also won the Silver Slugger Award nine times.
In 2023, he led the United States national team during the World Baseball Classic. Many people think he’s the greatest player of his time and one of the best in baseball history.
Trout’s impact extends beyond his acchievements, as evidenced by his record-breaking contract with the Angels in 2019, valued at $426 million over 12 years. This contract, one of the largest in North American sports history, reflects Trout’s significance not only to his team but also to the sport as a whole.
2. Shohei Ohtani
- Nationality: Japan
- Birthplace: Mizusawa, Iwate
- Bats: Left-handed
- Teams: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Shohei Ohtani is one of the best baseball players in the world. He’s special because he’s great at both hitting and pitching, which is rare. People compare his talent to Babe Ruth’s early career.
Ohtani started playing professionally in Japan for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2013. He played there until 2017, winning a championship in 2016. Then, he joined the Los Angeles Angels in Major League Baseball (MLB), winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2018.
In 2021, Ohtani had a remarkable season. He did something never seen before in MLB history, hitting lots of home runs and stealing many bases while also pitching well. He even won the Most Valuable Player award. In 2022, he made history again by being great at both hitting and pitching in the same season.
In 2023, Ohtani continued to make history by being the first player to win 10 games and hit 40 home runs in a single season. He also became the first Japanese player to win the home run title in MLB. He won the MVP award unanimously for the second time and became the player with the highest-selling jersey. After that season, he signed a record-breaking contract with the Dodgers.
Internationally, Ohtani played for Japan in the World Baseball Classic in 2023. He won the MVP award for his outstanding performance, including a crucial strikeout against his teammate Mike Trout to secure Japan’s victory.
3. Mookie Betts
- Nationality: American
- Birthplace: Brentwood, Tennessee
- Bats: Right
- Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers
Mookie Betts is one of the top baseball players in the world in 2024, ranking third in our list. He used to play for the Boston Red Sox. In 2018, he did something amazing. He became the first player ever to win the Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, batting title, and World Series all in one season. He did this while playing for the Red Sox baseball team.
Betts was chosen by the Red Sox in the 2011 draft and started playing in Major League Baseball in 2014. He began his career splitting time between second base and the outfield, eventually becoming the center fielder in 2014 and then moving to right field in 2016.
People often compare his style of play to Dustin Pedroia, another former Red Sox player, because of Betts’ short stature, good contact hitting, and strong performance when pulling the ball.
Apart from baseball, Betts is also a professional bowler in the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). In 2017, he bowled a perfect game during the World Series of Bowling.
4. Aaron Judge
- Nationality: American
- Birthplace: Linden, California
- Bats: Right
- Teams: New York Yankees
Aaron Judge is considered one of the top baseball players worldwide in 2024, ranking fourth. He’s a five-time MLB All-Star and was chosen unanimously as the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year in 2017. In the same year, he came in second in voting for the AL Most Valuable Player Award.
In 2022, Judge made history by hitting the most home runs in a season in the AL, with an impressive 62 home runs. This broke a record that had stood for 61 years, previously held by Roger Maris. His outstanding performance earned him the AL Most Valuable Player Award that year.
Judge is known for his imposing stature, standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 282 pounds. He’s one of the largest and tallest players in MLB.
Judge received several awards during his rookie season, including AL Rookie of the Month Awards for April, May, June, and September, as well as the AL’s Player of the Month Award for June and September.
After the 2022 season, Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million contract with the Yankees and was honored with the title of team captain.
5. Freddie Freeman
- Nationality: American
- Birthplace: Fountain Valley, California
- Bats: Left
- Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers
Freddie Freeman is recognized as one of the top baseball players globally in 2024, holding the fifth spot in our ranking. He spent 12 seasons playing for the Atlanta Braves, starting with his MLB debut in 2010. In his final year with Atlanta, Freeman helped the team secure victory in the 2021 World Series against the Houston Astros.
As a seven-time MLB All-Star, Freeman has received numerous accolades throughout his career. He earned a Gold Glove Award in 2018 and the Silver Slugger Award in 2019, 2020, and 2021. In 2020, he was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player.
Following his tenure with the Braves, Freeman became a free agent and signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers. Additionally, Freeman represents the Canadian national team in international competitions, showcasing his talent on a global stage.
6. Ronald Acuna, Jr.
- Nationality: Venezuelan
- Birthplace: La Guaira, Venezuela
- Bats: Right
- Teams: Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuña, Jr. is ranked as the sixth-best baseball player globally in 2024. He began his journey with the Atlanta Braves after signing as an international free agent in 2014. Acuña made his MLB debut in 2018 and immediately made an impact by winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Since his debut, Acuña has been a standout player, earning four MLB All-Star selections and receiving three Silver Slugger Awards. He’s also led the league in stolen bases twice. In the 2023 season, he achieved remarkable feats, joining the exclusive 40-40 club by hitting 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases.
Additionally, Acuña set a modern-era franchise record in stolen bases with 73 and became the first MLB player to achieve a 40-70 season, hitting 40 home runs and stealing 70 bases. These outstanding performances led to Acuña being awarded the 2023 National League Most Valuable Player.
7. Trea Turner
- Nationality: American
- Birthplace: Boynton Beach, Florida
- Bats: Right
- Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers
Trea Turner is recognized as the seventh-best baseball player globally in 2024. He has played for both the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the past. Additionally, he represents the United States on the international stage.
After the 2022 season, Turner became a free agent and signed a significant 11-year, $300 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Turner has earned recognition as a two-time MLB All-Star. He led the National League in batting average once and stolen bases twice. He also received a Silver Slugger Award and achieved the rare feat of hitting for the cycle three times, tying the MLB record. In 2023, Turner set a new MLB record by stealing the most bases in a single season without being caught. He also won the 2019 World Series championship with the Nationals.
8. Yordan Álvarez
- Nationality: Cuban
- Birthplace: Las Tunas, Cuba
- Bats: Left
- Teams: Houston Astros
Yordan Álvarez is ranked eighth among the top baseball players in the World in 2024. He debuted in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2019 with the Astros and is nicknamed “Air Yordan.” Standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 225 pounds, Álvarez bats left-handed and throws right-handed.
Before his MLB career, Álvarez played for Las Tunas in the Cuban National Series for two seasons. He left Cuba in 2016 and went to Haiti to establish residency. Initially signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent, Álvarez was later acquired by the Houston Astros through a trade in 2016, before he even made his professional debut.
In 2019, Álvarez had an outstanding rookie season and was unanimously named the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year. He set a record for the highest slugging percentage (.655) by a qualified rookie in MLB history.
9. Juan Soto
- Nationality: Dominican
- Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Bats: Left
- Teams: Washington Nationals
Juan Soto is a really good baseball player. In 2024, he’s ranked 9th best in the world. He used to play for two teams: the Washington Nationals and the San Diego Padres.
Soto started playing for the Nationals in 2015 after they picked him up as a free agent. He began playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2018. That year, he almost won the NL Rookie of the Year Award. In 2019, he helped the Nationals win their first World Series, and he got a special award called the Babe Ruth Award for his great performance.
In 2020, Soto had the highest batting average in the National League, hitting .351. He’s also won the Silver Slugger Award four times, which means he’s good at hitting, and he’s been chosen for the All-Star game three times.
10. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- Nationality: Canadian
- Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Bats: Right
- Teams: Toronto Blue Jays
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a top baseball player, ranking 10th in the world in 2024. He started playing in the big leagues in April 2019. He’s good at hitting and throwing with his right hand. People think he’s one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball (MLB). His dad is also a famous baseball player in the Hall of Fame.
Guerrero Jr. was born in Montreal. The Blue Jays signed him in 2015 when he was an international free agent. In 2018, he had an amazing season in the minor leagues. He batted .381, hit 20 home runs, and got 78 runs batted in (RBI) with only 38 strikeouts in 95 games.
In 2021, he showed his skills in the major leagues by leading in home runs (tying with 48), runs scored (123), and total bases (363). He was chosen for the All-Star team in 2021 and even won the MVP award, making him the youngest player ever to do so in All-Star Game history. He also came second in the MVP votes for the whole season.
