Who are the best players so far in the 2021 MLB Season?

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Last year was a turbulent one, with delays and suspensions throughout the regular MLB season due to the impact of COVID-19. Whilst we’re not quite back to normal yet, the 2021 MLB season kicked off on April 1st and we’re over a month in now, building a picture of how the season ahead, which ends on October 3rd, will pan out.

The favorites going into the season were the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were looking to be the first team to win back-to-back World Series titles in 20 years. But whilst their form isn’t wholly terrible the MLB live odds no longer have them favorites to win the World Series. They are currently third, placed behind the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres in the National League West.

That said, when we look at statistics, they have an extremely good chance of still making the World Series with one of their star players ranked in the top 5 of the MLB this season according to fantasy baseball experts. But who is it and who else makes the top ranked 5 players this season? Let’s have a quick look.

5 – Mookie Betts – Right Fielder for the LA Dodgers

• HT/WT: 5′ 9″, 180 lbs
• DOB: 10/7/1992 (28)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Nashville, TN

One of the biggest talents in Baseball, Mookie Betts was tipped as the second-best player going into the 2021 MLB season. Whilst he may not be placed 2nd in that list right now, we are only just over a month in, with teams having played an average of 20 games across the US. So there is plenty of time for him to climb up through the rankings.

Here is how he has performed so far this season:

There is no argument that Betts has the talent to be one of the best. Just look at his career averages so far. But for now, he’ll have to settle for 5th place.

4 – Gerrit Cole – Starting Pitcher for the New York Yankees

• HT/WT: 6′ 4″, 220 lbs
• DOB: 9/8/1990 (30)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Newport Beach, CA

Having started his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013, where he spent five seasons, Cole moved on for a short stay at the Houston Astros before he joined the New York Yankees last season. He only started and played in 12 games during 2020, with the impact of COVID-19 being partly to blame. But this year he is tearing it up on the pitching side. Just take a look at his stats so far:

3 – Mike Trout – Center Fielder for the Los Angeles Angels

• HT/WT: 6′ 2″, 235 lbs
• DOB: 8/7/1991 (29)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: Vineland, NJ

It is no surprise that we find Mike Trout in the top ranked players of the MLB season this year. A lifelong LA Angels player, he’s not just a favorite amongst their teams fans, but fantasy Baseball fans everywhere. Even compared to his legendary teammate Albert Pujols, Trout has more seasons than anyone else achieving at least a 165 OPS+, even during last year’s COVID-19 interrupted season. And he’s turning the heat up again as the third best ranked player in MLB during 2021.

His stats are there to prove why he’s a player everyone wants to have in their fantasy team:

2 – Jacob deGrom – Starting Pitcher for the New York Mets

• HT/WT: 6′ 4″, 180 lbs
• DOB: 6/19/1988 (32)
• BAT/THR: Left/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: DeLand, FL

The highest ranked pitcher so far this season, deGrom narrowly edges out in front of his New York rival Gerrit Cole. A two time winner of the Cy Young award in the National League, back-to-back in 2018 and 2019, he was beaten out last year by the LA Dodgers Trevor bauer, who took his team on to win the World Series. But deGrom is determined to get that title back for 2021 with some seriously impressive stats so far:

1 – Ronald Acuna Jr. – Right Fielder for the Atlanta Braves

• HT/WT: 6′ 0″, 205 lbs
• DOB: 12/18/1997 (23)
• BAT/THR: Right/Right
• BIRTHPLACE: La Guaira, Venezuela

The number one ranked player so far this season is Ronald Acuna Jr. who is in his 4th season with the Atlanta Braves. The youngest player to make the top five, Acuna Jr. started with the Braves when he was drafted in back in 2018 and instantly became a fan-favorite. Since then, he went on to have an improved 2nd season, and was due to repeat that for a 3rd straight season but due to COVID-19, he barely played a third of the games in 2020 that he did in 2019. Still, he’s in fine form right now with some of the best stats in the league. And Brave fans will be hoping he can help the team climb up from 3rd place in the National League East division.

Here’s what makes him this season’s number one ranked player:

There you have it, the top five current ranked players in the 2021 MLB season so far. Will they all still be in the top five by the end? Will any of these players be lifting the World Series later in the year? Only time will tell.