The left field position in the MLB is at a fascinating crossroads, which makes it very tough to sort through for our MLB rankings lists. Though we're long past the days of Barry Bonds and Rickey Henderson, there's still a good mix of power and athleticism at the spot. The top end talent, at least in comparison to the other two outfield positions, may be just a half tier behind. Yet almost every team has someone earmarked for the position that their fanbase can get excited to watch.
Without the star power that other positions have to offer, though, it can be tough to distinguish between the names we're about to see. Therefore, it's time now to make some tough decisions and potentially ruffle a few feathers. The MLB positional rankings roll on into the outfield!
Just Missed: Taylor Ward, Austin Hays, Lars Nootbaar
The middle third of left field talent is chock-full of players who flash All-Star potential in short spurts. In the case of Austin Hays, that manifested into an All-Star start for the 2023 American League squad, only to be soured by a horrific July. It wouldn't be a surprise to see any of these three join the back half of the rankings in a year's time, but it's hard to see any of them ever making a case for themselves as truly elite players.
10. Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies
Some would have argued Brandon Marsh was merely a throw-in in the trade between the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels that sent Noah Syndergaard to Philadelphia in 2022, but clearly the Phils saw something they liked in Marsh and have since fully exploited. Should Marsh ever prove himself more capable of hitting left-handed pitching, he'll rise even further up the list of our left field MLB rankings.
9. Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
In just two seasons in the majors, Steven Kwan has racked up a 9.1 WAR, a third place Rookie of the Year finish, and two Gold Glove awards. Not bad for a fifth round pick who was overshadowed on his college team at Oregon State by Nick Madrigal, Trevor Larnach and Adley Rutschman. His offense took a nose dive in a classic sophomore slump season, but Kwan still brings a ton of value to the table with even a league average bat.
8. Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds
Spencer Steer only played left field in 45 of his 156 games a season ago, but because the Cincinnati Reds have more corner infielders than the rest of the National League Central combined, he's set to see the bulk of his work there in 2024. His bat was good enough overall last year, but Steer's OPS from May 3rd to July 4th last season was .977. That's the kind of production he's capable of sustaining as he matures in the friendliest hitter's ballpark in the MLB.
7. Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs
Ian Happ plays outstanding defense, gets on base a lot, switch-hits, and is never an easy out. That's a lot to like, but he's also never had an OPS over .800 in a season in which he played more than 115 games. A power surge for Happ in his prime years would be a welcome sight for Chicago Cubs fans wishing their team had added another big bat or two this past offseason.
6. Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays
Randy Arozarena, known for his heroics in postseason baseball and the World Baseball Classic, is a dynamic but confusing regular season player. He's had 20-20 outputs in each of his first three full big league seasons, but he's also been caught stealing a league-leading 32 times in that span. Most metrics dislike his defense, too, although he's certainly displayed a flair for the dramatic when robbing home runs. There's no doubt Arozarena is a man you love to see in the batter's box when the chips are down, but his ups and downs over 162 games narrowly keep him out of the top five of this MLB rankings list.
5. Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers
Last season, the Milwaukee Brewers' largest-ever contract investment had his best offensive output since his juiced ball glory days in 2019, which was more than a welcome sight. Christian Yelich will probably never challenge the 40-homer mark again, but he reinvented himself somewhat as a high-contact, high-on base style of hitter a season ago. With so much youth making its way to the big league club for the Brew Crew nowadays, though, one has to wonder how much outfield Yelich will actually play as he enters his age-32 season.
4. Evan Carter, Texas Rangers
Some might say, “wow, isn't it disrespectful to the others on this list that a player with 62 regular season at bats under his belt is ranked this high?” That may be fair, but if you watched Evan Carter shred big league pitching in his brief cameo last season, you know this is a player with the tools to be the head of the class in the near future. Even if there are growing pains in what is technically Carter's rookie season, he's displayed a ceiling most left fielders in today's game can only dream about.
3. Nolan Jones, Colorado Rockies
There probably won't be many other reasons to tune in and watch the Colorado Rockies this upcoming season, but you should put down your phone when Nolan Jones come to the plate. A 6'4″ lefty with 94th percentile barrel percentage? At Coors Field? Yeah, the balls are going to be flying off Jones' bat in 2024. Did we mention he also has the strongest arm in MLB, per Statcast data? Maybe watching the Rockies won't be so bad after all.
2. Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets
Among all players who have never made an All-Star team or received a single MVP vote, Brandon Nimmo might be the most accomplished. He's racked up 21 career WAR in just 760 games, averaging 4.5 over a full 162-game season. He's a stalwart in the leadoff spot for the New York Mets, whose fans would go to war for the Montana native at the drop of a hat. Moving to left field could even reduce the wear and tear on his legs this season and accordingly, increase his value at the plate. This publication will never underrate Nimmo again, rest assured.
1. Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros
Yordan Alvarez has only played 96 of his 249 games the past two seasons in the outfield, so he admittedly feels like a bit of a loophole as a number one pick. But come on, this is Yordan Alvarez we're talking about here. He turns 27 in June and might already be the best left-handed hitter in MLB. The Houston Astros could play him in left field every day if they had to, but they have the luxury of being able to save his legs most of the time. Until Carter or Jones goes full supernova, there's no one on this list with the tools or track record to even come close to Alvarez on our MLB rankings list here.
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