Each year, MLB fans vote over multiple weeks to determine who should start in the All-Star Game. This year, the voting process occurs in two phases. In the first phase, fans vote for every position, including designated hitters. The top overall vote-receiver in both leagues is granted an automatic starting spot at their position. The rest of the positions advance to the final phase, where fans vote on the top two players at each position to secure a starting spot in the All-Star Game. For outfielders, there are three spots, so six players advance to phase two.

As in previous years, this format of allowing fans to vote for players has led to a popularity contest. Today, I want to highlight who the batting starters should be based on WAR and various basic and advanced statistics rather than fan voting. Each position was determined based solely on qualified hitters who meet the minimum PA threshold, except for the OF position, which was set at a 250 AB minimum.

American League

Illustration courtesy of MLB.com

National League

Illustration courtesy of MLB.com.

Above, the images contain players who have qualified for phase 2 of the voting according to MLB.com.

Next, we will explore who I believe should be the All-Star starter for each position in both leagues. My judgments are based solely on raw numbers from Fangraphs and Statcast. The data was manipulated to determine the rank for each qualified player at their respective positions. The statistics analyzed include Batting Average (AVG), Stolen Bases (SB), Home Runs (HR), weighted On Base Average (wOBA), Wins Above Replacement (WAR), weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+), Slugging Percentage (SLG), and On Base Percentage (OBP).

American League Players

Team managed by Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers. He managed the American League Pennant winner in 2023.

Catcher - Adley Rutschman

Baltimore Orioles #35

• HT/WT: 6' 2", 230 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 2/6/1998 (26)
• BAT/THR: Both/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Portland, OR

MLB hitting rankings among 10 other qualified catchers in at-bats.

Among the 85 catchers who have recorded an official at-bat in the MLB this year, only 10 are qualified players at this position. No one is more qualified to be the starting catcher for the AL team than Adley Rutschman. He leads in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) over all other catchers, edging the next closest AL catcher by 0.9 WAR. Among the qualified catchers, he ranks in the top 3 for Batting Average (AVG), weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+), Slugging Percentage (SLG), and On Base Percentage (OBP), to name a few. Although Salvador Perez is having a great season, no catcher in the AL is performing at the level of Rutschman.

First Baseman - Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Toronto Blue Jays #27

• HT/WT: 6' 2", 245 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 3/16/1999 (25)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Montreal, PQ

MLB hitting rankings among 10 other qualified first basemen in at-bats.

Despite the Blue Jays’ offensive struggles, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has quietly had a great start to the year. He is top 3 among first basemen in Batting Average (AVG), On Base Percentage (OBP), and weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+). Although he has seen a slight drop in power, he has compensated by reaching base at a career-best rate of .377 OBP. Guerrero ranks 5th among first basemen in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), just behind Salvador Perez in the AL by a small margin. However, Guerrero has done a much better job getting on base and helping his team create a significantly higher number of runs than Perez.

Second Baseman - Jose Altuve

Houston Astros #27

• HT/WT: 5' 6", 167 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 5/6/1990 (34)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Maracay, Venezuela

MLB hitting rankings among 21 other qualified second basemen in at-bats.

The choice of Altuve in this situation was extremely difficult and likely the closest race among all the other positions. Jordan Westburg slightly outranks Altuve in four of our main categories, so he should be the starter, correct? While he should be an all-star, I believe that Altuve should be the starter due to being an all-around better hitter. Altuve has a much higher batting average and on-base percentage than Westburg and has more steals to go with this. Altuve has been the perfect man for the Astros this year, adding some power. He has reached base safely at such a high rate that he has scored the third most runs among second basemen despite the Astros’ early struggles this season. Altuve shows more discipline at the plate than Westburg by walking more and striking out less, according to their walk and strikeout rates. Again, this was a tough choice; however, I believe Altuve has done a better job in his leadoff role to keep the Astros in the thick of the playoff race. This is no knock on Westburg, who has also done his job by driving in guys from the top of the order.

Third Baseman - José Ramírez

Cleveland Guardians #11

• HT/WT: 5' 9", 190 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 9/17/1992 (31)
• BAT/THR: Both/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Bani, Dominican Republic

MLB hitting rankings among 20 other qualified third basemen in at-bats.

The selection of the starting AL third baseman is a tricky one. We could likely see three AL third basemen make the all-star team: José Ramírez, Jordan Westburg, and Rafael Devers. All three have had phenomenal starts to the season; however, José Ramírez and Rafael Devers stand out to me as the tier 1 players, despite Devers not making the final phase of voting. You really cannot go wrong with either of these two players, despite the lack of media attention they have received so far this season. For the purpose of selecting a starter, we will stick with José Ramírez due to his lead in WAR by just under half a point and his raw offensive numbers topping Devers. His high number of hits and RBIs have led Cleveland to one of the best offenses in baseball. This, along with a stellar bullpen, has guided Cleveland to the best record across the MLB through the first half of the season.

Shortstop - Gunnar Henderson

Baltimore Orioles #2

• HT/WT: 6' 3", 220 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 6/29/2001 (23)
• BAT/THR: Left/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Montgomery, AL

MLB hitting rankings among 23 other qualified shortstops in at-bats.

The race for starting shortstop in the AL has been very close between the two best shortstops in the MLB so far this season between Gunnar Henderson and Bobby Witt Jr. So far, Gunnar has had the better overall season, trailing only in batting average and stealing numbers. Gunnar leads all qualified shortstops in Slugging Percentage, weighted Runs Created Plus, Wins Above Replacement, weighted On Base Average and Home Runs among our selected statistics. Gunnar has held the position strong despite newcomer Jackson Holliday giving him a run for his money. Gunnar leads Bobby Witt Jr. by over a point in WAR and all other shortstops by over 2 full points! This is good enough to be 2nd in the league only behind Aaron Judge.

Outfielder #1 - Aaron Judge

New York Yankees #99

• HT/WT: 6' 7", 282 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 4/26/1992 (32)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Linden, CA

MLB hitting rankings among 66 other qualified outfielders with at least 250 at-bats.

Aaron Judge is having another season similar to his MVP season in 2022. Despite his slow start, he leads all qualified outfielders in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, weighted runs created plus, wins above replacement, weighted on-base average, and home runs among our selected stats. He leads the entire MLB in WAR and is third among outfielders in batting average at .321. He has completely electrified the Yankees’ offense alongside Juan Soto. There is nothing more that needs to be said about the best player in the league so far this year. He deserves to start the all-star game as he chases another MVP season and was rightfully voted to start after phase 1.

Outfielder #2 - Juan Soto

New York Yankees #22

• HT/WT: 6' 2", 224 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 10/25/1998 (25)
• BAT/THR: Left/Left
• BIRTHPLACE: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

MLB hitting rankings among 66 other qualified outfielders with at least 250 at-bats.

Similar to Aaron Judge, Juan Soto has been Mr. Consistent for the Yankees this season, hammering the ball to all parts of the park. At the beginning of the year, when the Yankees’ offense was cold, Soto carried the team on his back to jumpstart their season. Soto ranks second among qualifying outfielders in on-base percentage, weighted runs created plus, wins above replacement, and weighted on-base average. He also ranks in the top five in batting average and slugging percentage among qualified outfielders. Soto and Judge have completely torn the cover off the ball and deserve to start side-by-side in the all-star game.

Outfielder #3 - Steven Kwan

Cleveland Guardians #38

• HT/WT: 5' 9", 170 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 9/5/1997 (26)
• BAT/THR: Left/Left
• BIRTHPLACE: Los Gatos, CA

MLB hitting rankings among 66 other qualified outfielders with at least 250 at-bats.

Steven Kwan’s season has been a bit of a surprise given the magnitude of his success at the plate. Despite missing some time due to injury, Kwan leads the league in batting average at .362 as of yesterday. He also ranks in the top five among all qualified outfielders in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, weighted runs created plus, wins above replacement, and weighted on-base average. He is doing everything Cleveland is asking of him in the leadoff spot by getting on base for the heart of the order. Alongside José Ramírez, Kwan has been a vital piece in achieving first place in the MLB after the halfway mark this season.

Designated Hitter - Yordan Alvarez

Houston Astros #44

• HT/WT: 6' 5", 237 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 6/27/1997 (27)
• BAT/THR: Left/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Las Tunas, Cuba

MLB hitting rankings among 20 other qualified designated hitters in at-bats.

Yordan Alvarez has been a machine this year offensively. He ranks top four among all qualified designated hitters in Batting Average, On Base Percentage, Slugging Percentage, weighted Runs Created Plus, Wins Above Replacement, weighted On Base Average, Home Runs and even Stolen Bases. He has been excelling in every aspect offensively. Alvarez is by far the best AL option at DH and was also one of my considerations for an outfield position.

National League Players

Team managed by Torey Lovullo of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He managed the National League Pennant winner in 2023.

Catcher - William Contreras

Milwaukee Brewers #24

• HT/WT: 5' 11", 212 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 12/24/1997 (26)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Puerto Cabello, Venezuela

MLB hitting rankings among 10 other qualified catchers in at-bats.

William Contreras has had an offensive explosion in the first half of the season. He leads all qualified catchers in on-base percentage and batting average, and he is in the top three in both wins above replacement and weighted runs created plus. Contreras has also helped the Brewers’ young pitching staff achieve one of the best starts in the league. While there is an argument to start Will Smith above Contreras, as Smith just beats him in WAR, this spot belongs to Contreras, who has had the much better offensive start and all-around year so far. This being based on all other basic offensive stats.

First Baseman - Bryce Harper

Philadelphia Phillies #3

• HT/WT: 6' 3", 210 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 10/16/1992 (31)
• BAT/THR: Left/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Las Vegas, NV

MLB hitting rankings among 26 other qualified first basemen in at-bats.

Bryce Harper is a clear-cut All-Star starter after the season he has had so far. He earned his place as a starter early in phase 1, and it was well deserved as he leads all other qualified first basemen in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, weighted runs created plus, and wins above replacement. Harper has been the best at his position across the league and has helped lead the Phillies to the top spot in the NL through the first half of the season. The only player even remotely close is Freddie Freeman, who ranks second in most of the statistics listed above. However, due to Harper’s recent time on the IL, Freeman will likely replace him as a starter in the All-Star game.

Second Baseman - Ketel Marte

Arizona Diamondbacks #4

• HT/WT: 6' 1", 210 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 10/12/1993 (30)
• BAT/THR: Both/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Nizao, Dominican Republic

MLB hitting rankings among 21 other qualified second basemen in at-bats.

The selection of Ketel Marte was an easy one as he is leading all other second basemen in WAR by more than a full point. The next closest NL second baseman is a full 1.2 WAR behind. Marte is having an extraordinary season at second base, leading all others in slugging percentage, weighted runs created plus, wins above replacement, weighted on-base average, and home runs. He has helped provide the Diamondbacks with an offensive explosion that no other second baseman can compare to this season.

Third Baseman - Alec Bohm

Philadelphia Phillies #28

• HT/WT: 6' 5", 218 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 8/3/1996 (27)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Omaha, NE

MLB hitting rankings among 20 other qualified third basemen in at-bats.

This year, the NL hasn’t seen a standout third baseman like those in the AL. The final nominees, Alec Bohm and Manny Machado, present an interesting comparison. Machado ranks near the middle or bottom among all qualified NL third basemen in our offensive categories. Bohm, however, stands out as the premier NL third baseman by a considerable margin. He ranks in the top 5 among all third basemen in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. With a 6th place ranking in WAR, Bohm has solidified the hot corner for the Phillies and boasts the highest offensive rating among NL third basemen by a significant margin. His performance makes him highly deserving, leaving little room for debate regarding his place as the top contender.

Shortstop - Mookie Betts

Los Angeles Dodgers #50

• HT/WT: 5' 9", 180 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 10/7/1992 (31)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Nashville, TN

MLB hitting rankings among 23 other qualified shortstops in at-bats.

Mookie Betts started the year on a tear, smashing home runs nearly every other night and establishing himself as one of the league’s top shortstops. Although he has cooled off slightly since then, his main competition, Trea Turner, is not considered a qualified hitter due to his time on the injured list. Therefore, selecting Mookie Betts as the starter makes sense, especially since Betts outperforms Turner by nearly double in most categories except batting average despite having less than double the games. Betts leads the NL in on-base percentage, precisely meeting the Dodgers’ expectations for their leadoff hitter. Despite Betts deserving the starting spot, Turner’s likely inclusion due to Betts’ recent hand fracture may alter the outcome.

Outfielder #1 - Jurickson Profar

San Diego Padres #10

• HT/WT: 6' 0", 184 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 2/20/1993 (31)
• BAT/THR: Both/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Willemstad, Curacao

MLB hitting rankings among 66 other qualified outfielders with at least 250 at-bats.

Jurickson Profar has been a standout this season with a batting average exceeding .300, placing him among the top 10 in the league. He ranks in the top 5 among qualified outfielders in batting average, on-base percentage, and weighted Runs Created Plus. Batting in the second spot for the Padres, he has been instrumental in driving runs and helping lead the team above .500 this season. Profar is enjoying career-best numbers in batting average and on-base percentage while also showing improved plate discipline with reduced strikeouts. Undoubtedly, he has been a top offensive outfielder in the NL this year.

Outfielder #2 - Christian Yelich

Milwaukee Brewers #22

• HT/WT: 6' 3", 206 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 12/5/1991 (32)
• BAT/THR: Left/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Thousand Oaks, CA

MLB hitting rankings among 66 other qualified outfielders with at least 250 at-bats.

Christian Yelich has enjoyed a resurgence reminiscent of his MVP-winning 2018 season with the Brewers. His batting average stands at an impressive .329, the second-highest in the league among qualified players with over 250 at-bats. Among qualified outfielders, Yelich ranks in the top 5 in batting average, on-base percentage, weighted on-base average, and stolen bases. His offensive contributions have been pivotal in propelling the Brewers to a top-three ranking in offense league-wide during the first half of the season.

Outfielder #3 - Fernando Tatis Jr.

San Diego Padres #23

• HT/WT: 6' 3", 217 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 1/2/1999 (25)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic

MLB hitting rankings among 66 other qualified outfielders with at least 250 at-bats.

Fernando Tatis Jr. had a compelling first half to the 2024 season. Despite a slow start, he ignited with a notable 17-game hit streak that included hitting three home runs across four games. His ability to handle diverse pitches and spray the ball to all parts of the ballpark has been crucial to his success. Tatis ranks in the top 10 among qualified outfielders in batting average, weighted runs created plus, wins above replacement, weighted on-base average, and home runs. Alongside Profar, he has been instrumental in rejuvenating the Padres’ offense and steering them to a winning record above .500.

Designated Hitter - Shohei Ohtani

Los Angeles Dodgers #17

• HT/WT: 6' 4", 210 lbs
• BIRTHDATE: 7/5/1994 (29)
• BAT/THR: Left/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Oshu, Japan

MLB hitting rankings among 20 other qualified designated hitters in at-bats.

Shohei Ohtani has been a force at the plate this year, unburdened by pitching or fielding duties. Leading all qualified designated hitters, he tops our selected statistics, including stolen bases—a testament to his all-around offensive prowess. He ranks 5th in WAR league-wide, driven solely by his hitting performance. Recently taking on the leadoff role for the Dodgers in Mookie Betts’ absence, Ohtani has excelled in that spot as well. With 27 home runs already this season, he aims to surpass 60 after overcoming a slow start. His impressive campaign positions him as a strong contender for another MVP title in the second half of the season.

Source

All bio notes and player headshot images courtesy of ESPN.com