Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the Top 50 Dynasty Second Basemen for 2026 rankings.
Looking at this position overall, it is weak. Second basemen this season slashed .243/.310/.378 with a wRC+ of 92. The SLG, OPS and wRC+ ranked last among all positions. I guess the good news is that as far as average and OBP second basemen ranked fourth and fifth out of the eight positions.
Additionally, many of players in this group aren’t even fulltime second baseman. Many can play third or short or somewhere in the outfield, and those may actually be their primary positions.
Once you get past the top 15 or so players, it is crapshoot as to who to target. If you are rebuilding, just go young – for players like Kristian Campbell, Christian Moore or Kyren Paris. If you are wanting to win now and need someone who will likely play a lot of games, go for a veteran like Marcus Semien, Maurico Dubon (who can play nearly anywhere) or a Jeff McNeil.
Here is the age breakdown of this position:
- 35+: 2
- 30-34: 10
- 25-29: 30
- 20-24: 8
Overall, this is a much younger group than other positions. Only 25% of the players ranked are 30 or over. So as far as the future of the position, it is in the hands of a lot of young players. But those young players are still really raw and unproven, leaving the veterans in this group as some of the top players.
Just Missing The Cut
- Maikel Garcia: He’s not ranked because he only started seven games at second base and appeared in 11 games there overall. Of the 157 games Garcia started, only 4% came as a second baseman. I had to draw the line somewhere and he was on the wrong side of the line. In some leagues he is eligible to be at second. If your league allows for him to be a second baseman, then he is a top 10 second baseman after finally putting in a solid all-around seasons with 16 homers, 74 RBI, 23 steals and a .286/.351/.449 slash line during his age 25 season.
- Angel Martinez qualifies as a second baseman, but the majority of his starts with the Guardians came in center field and I think that is where his future is, leaving his eligibility at second base beyond 2026 up in the air. Martinez had a decent season with Cleveland as he hit 11 homers, drove in 45 and had eight steals. But he had a .269 OBP and a .359 SLG, so no matter where you slot him, he is a depth player and not a starter.
TIER 5
*Age as of April 1, 2025
| RANK | PLAYER | 2025 TEAM | AGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | Luis Rengifo | LAA | 29 |
| 49 | Jonathan India | KC | 29 |
| 48 | Romy Gonzalez | BOS | 29 |
| 47 | Javier Baez | DET | 33 |
| 46 | Mauricio Dubon | HOU | 31 |
| 45 | Jeff McNeil | NYM | 33 |
| 44 | Brayan Rocchio | CLE | 25 |
| 43 | Nolan Gorman | STL | 25 |
| 42 | Luis Urias | ATH | 28 |
| 41 | Adael Amador | COL | 22 |
Good Backup To Have
Jeff McNeil is still a decent hitter, coming off a 12 homer, 42 RBI season with a .243/.335/.411 slash line. He can also play center field, so that adds value to him. However, he will be 33 at the start of the 2026 season and his best days are behind him. He is good for depth purposes, but that is about it at this time of his career.
Gorman Is Who He Is
In 89 games as a rookie with the Cardinals in 2022, Nolan Gorman hit 14 homers and drove in 35 runs. He also slashed .226/.300/.420. The following year he hit 27 bombs and drove in 76 in 119 games. He also slashed .236/.328/.478. Gorman has power, and that is his one true gift. His 162-game average is 28 homers and 79 RBI. But his career slash line is .218/.300/.370 with a 34% strikeout rate. If you really need some power at this position, take a chance on Gorman. Otherwise he is not really going to help you.
Overhyped Or Just Not Ready
Adael Amador is a former Top 100 prospect, reaching as high as #36 by Baseball America and #28 by MLB and Baseball Prospectus ahead of the 2024 season. But Amador’s high rankings have not carried over onto the field for the Rockies. In 41 games for Colorado he slashed .177/.256/.265 with one homer and 10 RBI. But as bad as Amador was with the Rockies this season, he was outstanding at Triple-A as he slashed .303/.405/.478 with 11 homers, 59 RBI and 20 steals.
He will only be 22 at the start of next season, so I think Amador was simply not ready for the majors. I’m not giving up on him, but I am also not sold he will ever live up to the hype of being a top second baseman.
TIER 4
| RANK | PLAYER | 2025 TEAM | AGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Chase Meidroth | CHW | 24 |
| 39 | Brice Matthews | HOU | 24 |
| 38 | Tommy Edman | LAD | 30 |
| 37 | Daniel Schneemann | CLE | 29 |
| 36 | Ernie Clement | TOR | 30 |
| 35 | Hyeseong Kim | LAD | 27 |
| 34 | Jose Caballero | NYY | 29 |
| 33 | Willi Castro | CHC | 28 |
| 32 | Casey Schmitt | SFG | 27 |
| 31 | Kyren Paris | LAA | 24 |
Three Youngsters To Watch
Chase Meidroth had a solid rookie season with the White Sox, appearing in 122 games and slashing .253/.329/.320. His real value is providing steals as he had 14 this season. Outside of that, however, he is more a backup or middle infield possibility in deep leagues.
Brice Matthews got a cup of coffee with the Astros and quickly displayed what his value is – power. In 13 games he hit four homers and drove in 9 runs to pair with a .452 SLG. The problem is where is Matthews going to play. Right now he is blocked at second base by Jose Altuve and possibly Isaac Paredes. He is blocked at third base by Carlos Correa and the team has a ton of outfielders, so being a starter in center fielder won’t be easy. If he is to get a lot of playing time, it will likely be as a super-sub in the same mold of teammate Mauricio Dubon.
The good news when it comes Kyren Paris is the fact that his slash line has improved each season since his 2023 debut with the Angels. The bad news is it has gone from .100/.200/.100 in 15 games to .118/.224/.216 in 21 games to .190/.266/.381 in 44 games. Paris has some pop and some speed and can play both second and center field. But right now he is a player to stash and hope he hits his stride.
TIER 3
| RANK | PLAYER | 2025 TEAM | AGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Jake Cronenworth | SDP | 32 |
| 29 | Edmundo Sosa | PHI | 30 |
| 28 | Kody Clemens | MIN | 29 |
| 27 | Davis Schneider | TOR | 27 |
| 26 | Zack Gelof | ATH | 26 |
| 25 | Marcus Semien | TEX | 35 |
| 24 | Ozzie Albies | ATL | 29 |
| 23 | Brendan Donovan | STL | 29 |
| 22 | Brooks Lee | MIN | 25 |
| 21 | Christian Moore | LAA | 23 |
One Last Chance
I really liked Zack Gelof after his 2023 rookie season in which he slashed .267/.337/.504 with 14 homers, 32 RBI and 14 steals in 69 games. It appeared he was he going to be the next big thing at second base as he had both power and speed. But the wheels have fallen off the wagon for Gelof since. In 2024 his slash line fell to the .211/.270/.362 and 17-49-25 in 138 games. The slash line was horrid but he at least provided some power and the 25 steals.
This season he was even worse with a .174/.230/.272 slash line in 30 games with two homers, seven RBI and one steal. Gelof as missed nearly as many games as he has played in since that 2023 season due to injuries and had shoulder surgery on Sept. 24, so his hold as the starting second baseman is very weak right now. But he is only 26 and has shown what he can do on the field when healthy, so I am giving him one last chance and not completely writing him off.
Versatility Helps
When it comes to ranking players in dynasty leagues, the ability to play multiple positions helps a player’s value. That is certainly the case with Brooks Lee. He can start at second, short and third, which is a huge value. He also has some power. In 139 games he hit 16 bombs and drove in 64 runs while slashing .236/.285/.370. I didn’t like how much he struggled in the August and September after the Twins traded Carlos Correa, giving Lee a clear chance to solidify himself as a starter somewhere.
Will Get Better
Christian Moore was drafted with the 8th overall pick in 2024 and a year later he was playing second base for the Angels. Moore has all the tools you look for in a player as he can hit for average, power and has speed. During his college career at Tennessee he slashed .338/.447/.697 with 61 homers, 160 RBI and 22 steals in 186 games. During his 93-game stint in the minors he hit 13 homers, drove in 62 runs and stole 12 bases while slashing .292/.378/.469.
Moore’s debut with the Angels did not match the success he had in college or in the minors as he slashed .198/.284/.370 with seven homers, 16 RBI and three steals in 53 games. Moore is the one player in this tier who I think can make a big jump next season.
TIER 2
| RANK | PLAYER | 2025 TEAM | AGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Kristian Campbell | BOS | 23 |
| 19 | Xavier Edwards | MIA | 26 |
| 18 | Otto Lopez | MIA | 27 |
| 17 | Matt McLain | CIN | 26 |
| 16 | Bryson Stott | PHI | 28 |
| 15 | Brett Baty | NYM | 26 |
| 14 | Lenyn Sosa | CHW | 26 |
| 13 | Nico Hoerner | CHC | 28 |
| 12 | Gleyber Torres | DET | 29 |
| 11 | Luke Keaschall | MIN | 23 |
OK, So The Debut Was Not Good
Kristian Campbell received a lot of fanfare when the Red Sox recalled him from the minors. Campbell was one of the top prospects in baseball thanks to a 2024 season in which he slashed .330/.439/.558 with 20 homers, 77 RBI and 24 steals over three levels in the minors. But the success he had down on the farm did not come with him to Boston as he slashed .223/.319/.345 with six homers, 21 RBI and two steals. But a host of top prospects struggled during their first foray in the majors. Campbell has too much talent to not turn things around show why he was a top prospect.
Where Are The Steals?
I’m ranking Xavier Edwards here because I think his drop in steals, or maybe hope his drop in steals, is a blip in his career and not what the future holds. That is because Edwards’ true value comes in the form of stolen bases. In 2024 he swiped 31 bags in 70 games with a .328/.397/.423 slash line. If he can steal 31 bases in 70 games, he can easily steals 60 over a full season. At least that was the smart bet. Instead, Edwards “only” stole 27 bases in 2025 in 139 games while his slash line fell to .283/.343/.343. He is never going to hit for power, but he should steal more bases, and I think he will.
Trending Upward
Some people look at Otto Lopez and see the glass half empty as he is 27 and just now experiencing success on the baseball field. I look at Lopez and see the glass as being half full. He hit 15 homers and stole 15 bases while driving in 77 runs to pair with a .246/.305/.368 slash line. But his xBA was .279 and his xSLG was .447, according to Statcast. His home run rate increased from 1.4% to 2.5% this season while increasing his walk rate (5.8% to 7.4%) and lowering his strikeout rate (17.3% to 13.8%). Those numbers show Lopez is trending up.
Not Your Typical Second Basemen
Brett Baty and Lenyn Sosa are perfect examples of the many second basemen who are not really second basemen. Baty came up as a third baseman and only moved to second base this past season, making 46 starts at second compared to 60 at third. Sosa made the majority of his starts at second base (85) this season, but also had 35 starts at first and has played third many times in past seasons.
So why are they ranked so high? Because they bring power to a position that struggles in the category. Baty smashed 18 homers in 130 games this year and had a .435 SLG as he finally lived up to expectations that have been with him since breaking in with the Mets in 2022. Meanwhile, Sosa seemingly came out of nowhere to hit 22 homers and drive in 75 runs while slugging .434. He hit 13 homers over his final 50 games, and that could be an outlier. But compared to many of the second basemen out there, I will take the chance on that power remaining a part of his game as he has displayed power during his minor league career.
Knocking On The Top 10
As I stated at the start of this post, the second base position, overall, is weak. With that in mind, I have jumped on the Luke Keaschall bandwagon as he showed tons of talent in the 49 games he played for the Twins. He slashed .302/.382/.445 with four homers, 28 RBI and 14 steals. He doesn’t have overwhelming power, but he should provide 15 or so bombs per year while also topping 20 steals. And thanks to his plate discipline (14% K rate, 9% BB rate), he will have a solid average and OBP.
TIER 1
| RANK | PLAYER | 2025 TEAM | AGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Ceddanne Rafaela | BOS | 25 |
| 9 | Luis Garcia Jr. | WAS | 25 |
| 8 | Jordan Westburg | BAL | 27 |
| 7 | Jorge Polanco | SEA | 32 |
| 6 | Jose Altuve | HOU | 35 |
| 5 | Brandon Lowe | TBR | 31 |
| 4 | Ketel Marte | ARI | 32 |
| 3 | Jackson Holliday | BAL | 22 |
| 2 | Brice Turang | MIL | 26 |
| 1 | Jazz Chisholm Jr. | NYY | 28 |
Will He Remain A Second Baseman?
Ceddanne Rafaela has 20-20 upside and can multiple positions and was pretty consistent during the season. From the start of the season through June, Rafaela slashed .254/.301/.420 with nine homers, 33 RBI and 11 steals. From July 1 through the end of the season, his slash line dipped to .244/.288/.407 with seven homers, 30 RBI and nine steals. The one area where Rafaela really needs to improve is his inability to not swing at everything as his 42.2% chase rate ranked in the 2nd percentile. He’s only 25, so I see him improving and that makes him a top 10 second baseman as long as he continues to get enough starts at the position. After 2026 he may only qualify as a center fielder, and if you need a second baseman for four to five years, then that obviously hurts his value for you.
Will A Breakout Season Come?
I don’t know if it is just me or if others feel the same way, but Luis Garcia Jr. should just be a little better than he has been. Over the last two seasons he is averaging 17 homers, 68 RBI and 18 steals while slashing .267/.304/.428. This year he slashed .249/.295/.414, but he was a bit unlucky in that his Statcast xBA is .252 and xSLG is .426. But let’s say what we are seeing from Garcia is what we are going to get from this point forward. Then we get a second baseman who will hit around 17 homers, drive in 65 runs and steal 20 bases. At this position, that is solid production.
Will He Remain A Second Baseman, Part 2?
Unlike Maikel Garcia, Jordan Westburg makes the cut as a second baseman thanks to the fact that he started 16 games at the position, which accounted for nearly 20% of his appearances in 2025. Injuries limited Westburg to only 85 games, but in those games he hit 17 dingers and drove in 41 runs while slashing .265/.313/.457. Thanks to the fences being brought in at Camden Yards, Westburg enjoyed success both at home and on the road, hitting eight of his 17 homers at home this season. The question for Westburg is the same one concerning Rafaela – will he remain second-base eligible beyond 2026?
A Bunch Of Old Dudes
Jose Altuve had a down year compared to his overall career, but he is still a top 10 second baseman. He slugged 26 homers this year with 83 RBI and slashed .265/.329/.442 and added 10 steals. The steals are coming down and maybe he isn’t a lock to hit .290 to .300 at this point in his career, but he still hits homers and drives in runs at a much better rate than most of the other second basemen.
Jorge Polanco was basically a clone of Altuve in 2025 as he hit 26 homers, drove in 78 and stole six bases while slashing .265/.326/.495. Polanco is also three years younger than Altuve. So why is Altuve still ranked ahead of Polanco? Because the 26 homers Polanco hit is the second-highest total in his career and he has topped 70 RBI only three times during his career. Overall, he has not matched the career Altuve has and this is likely his ceiling, not a floor like it is for Altuve.
Brandon Lowe is not going to wow you with a high batting average or OBP or steal a lot of bags for you. What Lowe is going to do is hit home runs and drive in runs. This year he hit 31 home runs and drove in 83. The 31 dingers tied with Jazz Chisholm Jr. for the most among second baseman while he topped all second basemen in RBI. The only knock against Lowe is the fact he has never played in more than 149 games (2021) and over the last three seasons he has averaged 117 games played. But his 162-game average is 34 homers and 97 RBI. I
Ketel Marte is one of the best second baseman in the game yet is still vastly overlooked. His average season since 2023 is 30 homers and 83 RBI with a .283/.368/.519 slash line with a 141 OPS+. The only reason he is not ranked higher than fourth is because he will be 32 next season and doesn’t won’t have the same stolen numbers as the three players ranked ahead of him.
Still Believing In Holliday
The day Jackson Holliday was drafted as the first overall pick in 2022, huge expectations have been put on his shoulders. And Jackson was living up to the hype during his quick rise through the minors. In 218 minor league games, he had 23 homers, 122 RBI, 36 steals and slashed .304/.442/.486. But with the Orioles he has struggled to find his footing with a career slash line of .229/.360/.659 in 209 games. But after a really tough 60-game rookie season, Holliday hit 17 home runs, drove in 55 runs and stole 17 bases while slashing .242/.314/.690. Not great numbers, but he did that as a 21-year-old. As he gets stronger, he will hit more home runs and his speed will allow him to be become a consistent 20-20 player.
Goal Accomplished!
Brice Turang entered the 2025 season with one goal – increase his power production. During his first two seasons with the Brewers Turang was a “speed” guy, stealing 26 and then 50 bases. But that is all he really did as his SLG in 2023 and 2024 was .300 and .349. Turang worked on adjusting his swing and to simply hit the ball harder and he did exactly that in 2025. His Average EV jumped from a career average of 84.7 to 89.2 mph and his Hard Hit% went from 28.6% to 47.5%.
The result was a season in which he hit 18 homers with 81 RBI and 24 steals while slashing .288/.359/.435. He is just now entering his prime and there is no reason to think he is suddenly going to go back to being the slap hitter he was during his first two seasons with the Brewers.
Loving The Bronx
Jazz Chisholm Jr. has always had amazing talent. He showed that off while with the Marlins before being traded to the Yankees in 2024. During his first three full seasons in Miami, Chisholm averaged 17 homers, 50 RBI and 19 steals in 94 games per season. Translated to a 162-game season and those numbers are 29-86-33. In 2024 Chisholm played in 147 games, and his numbers were 24 homers, 73 RBI and 43 steals.
In his 46 games with New York, Chisholm was outstanding as he slashed .273/.325/.500 with 11 dingers, 23 RBI and 18 steals. Given a full season in a Yankees uniform in 2025, he hit 31 homers, drove in 80 and swiped 31 bases. Whether he remain in the Bronx after the 2026 season or not, Chisholm’s 2026 season should be his floor for the next five or so years.
Thank You
Thanks for reading and come back next week when we continue our trip around the infield and put on a spotlight on the shortstops.
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