We have entered the 2022 season, and based on the 2021 season ranking, who do you think are the best MLB outfielders in the world?
The outfielder plays one of the three defensive positions and is left fielder, center fielder, or the right fielder. They play the crucial position of catching the fly balls and ground balls and then returning them to the infield.
It is a difficult task to rank who the best outfielders are. However, based on the previous 2021 season’s ranking, we have compiled a list of some of the best MLB outfielders in the world.
Based on their 2021 season’s overall MLB statistics, these outfielders are on top of their game. So now, let us get right into the list without any more delay.
Top 12 Best MLB Outfielders in the World
We have prepared this list with primary references from NBCSports. But before we dive into the list, let us first take a quick look at the rankings of our list.
| Player Names | Teams |
| 12. Eloy Jimenez | Chicago White Sox |
| 11. Michael Brantley | Houston Astros |
| 10. Marcell Ozuna | Atlanta Braves |
| 9. Aaron Judger | New York Yankees |
| 8. George Springer | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 7. Bryce Harper | Philadelphia Phillies |
| 6. Christian Yelich | Milwaukee Brewers |
| 5. Cody Bellinger | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 4. Ronaldo Acuna Jr. | Atlanta Braves |
| 3. Juan Soto | Washington Nationals |
| 2. Mookie Betts | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 1. Mike Trout | Los Angeles Angels |
12. Eloy Jimenez
- Awards: Silver Slugger Award, 2020
- 2021 Stats: .249 hit in 55 games with ten home runs and 37 RBIs.
We are starting our list of the best MLB outfielders with a Dominican professional baseball outfielder, Eloy Jimenez. The 27 year old was first signed by the Chicago Cubs in 2013 for a $2.8 million signing bonus.
Jimenez was considered the top international free agent in 2013. As a result of his impressive intelligence, speed, and gap to gap power, MLB named him a five-tool player.
In 2014, he made his debut in the minor league. However, in July of 2017, the Cubs traded Jimenezto the Chicago White Sox. Jimenez was assigned to the minor league before making his MLB debut in 2019 with the White Sox.
Before his debut, he signed a $43 million, six-year contract with the Sox in 2019. It was the richest contract ever signed by a player with no service time before his MLB debut.
11. Michael Brantley
- Awards: Five-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger Award
On number 11, we have the Houston Astros’ Michael Brantley. Nicknamed “Uncle Mike,” the 36 year old is the son of the former MLB player and hitting coach Mickey Brantley.
The Milwaukee Brewers selected Brantley in the seventh round as the 205th overall of the 2005 MLB Draft. He then signed with the team and made his minor league debut.
In 2008, the Brewers traded him to the Cleveland Indians. The following year, Brantley made his MLB debut. He played with the Indians until the 2018 season.
On December 17, 2018, he signed a two-year contract with the Astros worth $32 million. Again, he re-signed on a similar contract with the franchise for a further two-year worth $32 million.
In 2021, he posted the longest postseason hitting streak by an Astros player and the fifth-longest in MLB history.
10. Marcell Ozuna
- Awards: Two times All-Star, two times Silver Slugger Award, All-MLB First Team, Gold Glove Award, Edgar Martinez Award, NL home run leader, and NL RBI leader
After the signing, Ozuna made his minor league debut the same year. He made his MLB debut in 2013. From 2013 to 2017, he was part of the Marlins before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.
In 2017, he had his breakout season. From 2018 to 2019, Ozuna played with the Cardinals. Then on January 21, 2020, he signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves worth $18 million.
He re-signed with the Braves in 2021 for four years on a contract worth $64 million.
9. Aaron Judge
- Awards: Fielding Bible Award, Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award, and AL home run leader
On our number 9 of the best MLB outfielder, we have 31 year old professional player for the New York Yankees, Aaron Judge. The Yankees drafted him in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft.
Judge signed with the team for a $1.8 million signing bonus. He made his MLB debut in 2016. He had a record-breaking rookie season in 2017 after he hit a home run in his first MLB career at-bat.
Since his debut, Judge’s achievements include three times All-Star, two times Silver Slugger Award, All-MLB First Team, and AL Rookie of the Year.
He holds several MLB and Yankees franchise records.
8. George Springer
- Awards: Three times All-Star, two times Silver Slugger Award, World Series champion, and World Series MVP
- Stats Through 2022: A state batting average of .269, home runs of 200, and 518 runs batted in
The 34-year-old George Springer is a professional baseball outfielder for Toronto Blue Jays. In the first round, the Houston Astros drafted him at 11th overall of the 2011 MLB draft.
Springer played the right fielder, but he also played as a center fielder before becoming an outfielder. He made his MLB debut in 2014 with the Astros.
From 2014 to 2020, he was signed with the Astros. Then on January 23, 2021, Springer signed a six-year contract worth $150 million with the Jays.
7. Bryce Harper
- Awards: Six times All-Star, two times NL MVP, two times Silver Slugger Award, NL Rookie of the Year, two times NL Hank Aaron Award. All-MLB First Team, NL home run leader, and a Golden Spike Award
On number 7 of the best MLB outfielders, we have 31 year old Bryce Harper. He is a professional player for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Harper has been touted as a “five-tool player.”
The Washington Nationals drafted him as the first overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft. At 19 years, he made his MLB debut in 2012.
From 2012 to 2018, Harper was part of the Nationals, after which he became a free agent. During the 2018-19 season, he signed a 13-year contract worth $330 million with the Phillies.
The contract was the richest contract in the history of North American sports at the time. In the 2012 All-Star Game, Harper was the youngest player to perform in an All-Star Game.
6. Christian Yelich
- Awards: Silver Slugger Award three times, NL Hank Aaron Award two times, the All-Star two times, Gold Glove Award, the NL batting champion, and NL MVP
Christian Yelich is a 32 year old professional baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers. The Miami Marlins drafted the player in the first round of the 2010 MLB draft.
After the draft, Yelich signed with the Marlins with a $1.7 million signing bonus. He made his official MLB debut in 2013.
In 2018, the Marlins traded him to the Brewers. One year later, Yelich became the sixth player in MLB history to hit a home run in each of his team’s first four games.
In 2020, he signed the richest contract in the Brewers’ history. The Brewers signed him on a $215 million, nine-year extension contract.
Aside from MLB, he was part of the United States national baseball team that appeared in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
In the 2021 season, Yelich was disabled for over half of the months of April and May due to his lingering back problem.
5. Cody Bellinger
- Awards: 2020 World Series Champion, 2019 (NL MVP, an All-Star, an All-MLB first team, Gold Glove Award, Silver Slugger Award), 2017 Rookie of the Year and All-Star
On our number 5 best MLB outfielders, we have Cody Bellinger. The 28 years-old Los Angeles Dodger player is the son of the former MLB player, Clay Bellinger.
The Dodgers drafted Cody in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB draft. Bellinger made his MLB debut in 2017.
Bellinger was a super rookie and his most successful season was in 2019.
He signed a one-year extension contract worth $16.1 million with the Dodgers following his success.
Currently, Bellinger is one of the best hitters in MLB right now. In the 2021 season, he missed several games due to injuries. He signed a $17 million contract with the Dodgers, avoiding salary arbitration on December 23, 2021.
4. Ronald Acuna Jr.
- Awards: All-Star two times, All-MLB Second Team two times, Silver Slugger Award two times, NL stolen base leader, and 2018 NL Rookie of the Year
Ronald Acuna Jr. is a 26 years-old Venezuelan baseball outfielder. The Atlanta Braves signed him as an international free agent in 2014 for $100,000.
After signing with the Braves, Acuna made his debut in the minor league in 2015. He made his official MLB debut in 2018.
In 2019, Acuna joined the 30-30 club in a game against the New York Mets. He was the second-youngest player to join the club.
Furthermore, he hit his fortieth home run and became the youngest major league player to join the 40-30 club.
His 2021 season ended prematurely after suffering a leg injury. Before that, he had the fastest sprint speed of all major league right fielders. On March 22, 2022, he signed a $17.1 million contract with the Nationals, avoiding arbitration.
3. Juan Soto
- Awards: All-MLB First Team two times, Silver Slugger Award two times, an All-Star, All-MLB Second Team, World Series champion, and NL batting champion
On number 3, we have the Dominican baseball outfielder, 25 years-old Juan Soto, nicknamed the “Childish Bambino.”
The Nationals signed him in 2015. The same year, Soto made his MLB debut and became the youngest player to play in MLB.
In the 2019 World Series championship, he played an integral part in the Nationals’ winning the championship. Similarly, the same year, Soto became the fourth player in MLB history to record 100 extra-base hits before age 21.
Two years later, in 2021, he qualified for the batting title. After that, he became the youngest player in NL history to win the title.
2. Mookie Betts
- Awards: All-Star five times, five times Gold Glove Award, four times Silver Slugger Award, two times World Series champion, two times Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award, etc.
The 31 year-old baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mookie Betts, is our second-best MLB outfielder in the world. The Boston Red Sox drafted him in the 5th round of the 2011 MLB draft.
Initially, Betts played in the second base and outfielder position and made his MLB debut in 2014. He then became the center fielder, and in 2016, he became a right fielder.
Then after playing until 2019 seasons with the Sox, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 10, 2020. Then in July, he signed a 12-year contract extension worth $365 million, which also included a $65 million signing bonus.
It is the richest contract ever in the franchise’s history and the third-richest contract in the history of North American sports.
Betts is the MLB’s first player in history to win the Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, batting title, and World Series in the same season.
1. Mike Trout
- Awards: Eight times Silver Slugger Award, Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award, three AL MVPs, two times AL Hank Aaron Award, AL stolen base leader, 30-30 club, etc
The number 1 best MLB outfielder is the 30 years-old baseball center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels, Mike Trout. The Angels drafted the nine-time MLB All-Star in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft.
Trout was named the Angles’ third-best prospect and the 85th in all by Baseball America. He was selected by the Angles using their compensation pick from the New York Yankees.
In 2011, he debuted in MLB and was named the Rookie of the Year Award. In 2019, Trout signed a $426 million contract with the Angles for 12 years.
It was the second-richest contract in the history of North American sports, and it was the third-highest in professional sports.
Mike is considered one of the most outstanding young players in baseball. Looking at his statistics and wins, there is no doubt about him being one of the exceptional players in MLB.
Conclusion
These players had some impressive MLB records as outfielders at the end of the 2021 season. Since we are already in the midway of the 2022 season, we can only hope for more significant plays from them.
It is intriguing to see which player will stand among the rest at the end of the season. With that, we will be ending our list for today. Thank you for riding with us until the end!
