Top 10 Players In The 2024 MLB Postseason

Well, another six-seed is in the NLCS. There’s very little any other sport can do to compete with the parity and unpredictability of the MLB postseason. The expansion of the field has been polarizing. Realistically though, the only fans with a gripe are those with a team that’s underperformed. How much of that is the format, versus a team flaming out after a 162 game season is the real question. If a Wild Card layoff is too much to overcome, does that say more about the legitimacy of a 90-to-100 win team, or the format in which they’ve been forced to compete?

I’m only asking questions.

In any case, the talent on the field is the main draw. For those looking for 2024 MLB player rankings, here’s a few of the big names. Some of these guys are the usual suspects, while some became far too good to ignore. Here are 10 of the top MLB players left in the MLB postseason.
(Note: This was written Wednesday, Oct. 9. If one of these guys is eliminated by the time you read the article, odds are he’s still probably better than your replacement pick.)

Shohei Ohtani - Los Angeles Dodgers

There’s already a compelling GOAT case that can be made for Shohei Ohtani. The 30-year-old is the first player to ever finish with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in MLB history, which is enough to cement his status as the top player on any list for the 2024 season. His postseason career was off to a slow start heading into Wednesday. In 13 at-bats, Ohtani has three hits and a .692 OPS. Still, there are very few players who make the impact Ohtani does. He didn’t even pitch this season, either.

Source: Pinstripe Alley

Aaron Judge - New York Yankees

Much has been made about Aaron Judge and the Yankees to this point in the Kansas City series. The presumptive AL MVP had one single in his first 11 at-bats of the series – good for a .476 OPS. Still, his 11.2 wins above replacement was the highest mark in MLB this season and his 144 RBI were a career-high. Slumping or not, Judge is as dangerous as they come at the plate.

Tarik Skubal - Detroit Tigers

How about the Tigers? At one point in August, FanGraphs gave the Tigers a 0.2 percent chance to make the postseason. On Wednesday night, they’re a game away from the ALCS. There’s less than a 0.2 percent chance any of this happens without AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal. His 228 strikeouts, 2.39 ERA, and .818 winning percentage were all MLB-bests. In his first taste of postseason baseball, Skubal has yet to give up a run across 13 innings. He’s also fanned 14.

Fernando Tatis Jr. - San Diego Padres

Source: FriarWire

Very few players match the energy of a fanbase the way Fernando Tatis Jr. matches that of Padres fans. He missed a large portion of the regular season but didn’t take long to shake the rust off. In his first postseason at-bat, Tatis Jr. took Braves rookie A.J. Smith-Shawver deep to send Petco Park into a frenzy. Since then, Tatis has posted an absurd 1.970 OPS with four home runs and seven RBI. He’s fueling one of baseball’s hottest teams.

Juan Soto - New York Yankees

Behind only Shohei Ohtani in terms of talent. At 25, Soto has already played seven MLB seasons. He’s won a World Series, made four All-Star teams, won a batting title, and a Home Run Derby. Anything else? His 8.1 wins above replacement was the fourth-highest mark in baseball and the highest of his career. His postseason, like Aaron Judge, has gotten off to a quiet start. Still, Soto is one of the faces of baseball and is set to get paid.

Francisco Lindor - New York Mets

Speaking of fueling a team, Francisco Lindor’s impact on the Mets can’t be overstated. It wouldn’t be outlandish to put him on the same level as Grimace. His .500 slugging percentage and .844 OPS both led the Mets. His 7.8 wins above replacement was the sixth-highest mark across the majors. A top-three MVP finish seems likely. While the postseason stats haven’t been as impressive, Lindor has a flair for the dramatic. His grand slam helped eliminate the Phillies on Wednesday and sent the sixth-seeded Mets to their first NLCS since 2016.

Bobby Witt Jr. - Kansas City Royals

The leader of the next wave. Bobby Witt Jr.’s leap this season put him in the perennial MVP tier. He finished behind only Aaron Judge in wins above replacement with 10.4. His .977 OPS in 2024 was up from his .813 mark in 2023. He’s a 30-30 type at shortstop who will anchor the top of Kansas City’s lineup for the next decade. He’s totaled just three hits in 19 at-bats this postseason. With the Royals facing elimination, Witt’s performance in Game 4 will be under the microscope.

Jose Ramirez - Cleveland Guardians

Source: Covering The Corner

Possibly the most underrated player in baseball. Jose Ramirez has four top-five MVP finishes in his 12 year career. In 2024, he finished a single home run short of a 40-40 season. He might even be too low on this list. Still, Ramirez is far too underappreciated for how talented he is. Like some other names on this list, he’s slumping to start the postseason. Thursday’s game could be his last chance to break out of it.

Matt Vierling - Detroit Tigers

The first “Who?” some have encountered on this list. Detroit’s lineup is full of “Who?” guys. It seems like that’s how they like it. I’m not going to leave them off entirely. Matt Vierling parlayed a steady regular season with a steady postseason. His .735 OPS, 16 home runs, or 57 RBI aren’t going to jump out at anyone. Still, those numbers have translated to the postseason, which is the key for his inclusion on the list. As exhibited by some of the other entries, postseason slumps can hit hard. In 15 at-bats, Vierling has four hits and a .754 OPS. He’s giving the Tigers exactly what he gave them in the regular season. Sometimes, that’s all it takes.

Michael King - San Diego Padres

At times, Michael King is unhittable. The only way someone strikes out 12 batters in the first postseason start of their career is with unhittable stuff. Then, he got tagged for five earned runs over five innings at Dodger Stadium in his next turn. The Dodgers are a more formidable draw than the Braves playing their third game in two days – shoutout MLB – but the variance between his starts was noteworthy. If he’s on, he’s a frontline starter. King is on more often than not.