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Buster Olney
Multiple Authors
As spring training gets underway, it’s time to assess the current landscape of baseball. In our 2026 MLB season preview, ESPN’s Buster Olney consulted industry insiders to compile a ranking of the top 10 players at each position as part of his annual positional ranking series.
Today, we focus on the elite talents at second base.
This exercise aims to pinpoint the top players for the 2026 season, rather than forecasting who may excel in five years or over their careers. We will unveil one position each day over the next two weeks. The upcoming schedule is: starting pitchers (Monday), relief pitchers (Tuesday), catchers (Wednesday), first basemen (Thursday), third basemen (Feb. 23), shortstops (Feb. 24), corner outfielders (Feb. 25), center fielders (Feb. 26), designated hitters (Feb. 27).
The most sought-after free agent this fall will likely be Tarik Skubal, who could demand offers that might break the record for a starting pitcher — the $325 million contract signed by Yoshinobu Yamamoto in 2023. Meanwhile, upcoming free agent position player Jazz Chisholm Jr. appears to be in line for a significant contract, boasting impressive statistics on his résumé.
Last season, he showcased his prowess as a 30-30 player for the Yankees, hitting 31 home runs and stealing 31 bases, following a 40-steal year in 2024. He’s a two-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger Award winner. His speed and power are undeniable. One evaluator mentioned that Chisholm could potentially hit 40 homers in a season, praising “the strength in his wrists — just incredible.” He stands fourth among all second basemen in Fangraphs’ defensive metric, just behind Xavier Edwards and ahead of Bryson Stott.
but, for Chisholm to build interest heading into his free agency, he must enhance his consistency: a season filled with more peak performances and fewer low points, with extended periods where he impacts games. Last April, he struggled with a batting line of .151/.279/.312 and struck out 35 times in 27 games. Yet, from June 16 to July 11, he rebounded, hitting .315/.390/.652 over 23 games. In 21 games from Aug. 10 to Sept. 2, he posted .271/.398/.700 with nine homers and 16 walks. But over his last 31 games, including seven postseason appearances, he only scored 10 runs and hit .207. His overall triple slash last season was .242/.332/.481, leading to an OPS of .813.
Slumps are a part of the game — even Shohei Ohtani, the greatest player we’ve seen, faced one during last year’s playoffs. Yet evaluators agree they want to witness Chisholm’s talent shaping games more consistently.
He’s bound to earn a substantial contract when he hits free agency. His potential for a big payout will likely hinge on his performance consistency this season, making him one of the most scrutinized position players in the majors.
Chisholm is poised to rank among the top 10 second basemen entering the 2026 season.
Top 10 second basemen
1. Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona’s decision to retain a high asking price for Marte before opting not to trade him makes sense. Over the last three seasons, he has generated roughly 15 fWAR, translating to about $135 million in value, while earning $40 million on his current contract. although facing criticism for his absence post-All-Star break due to personal issues, he still impressed with 28 homers, 87 runs, and a 145 OPS+ in 126 games. His offensive skills are top-notch, and while defensive metrics suggest he’s just average, he remains the premier player in this position.
2. Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
Leading all second basemen in fWAR last season, Hoerner continued to shine defensively and claimed his second Gold Glove Award; he scored 89 runs over 156 games and was successful in 29 of 35 stolen base attempts. With a .297 batting average and a remarkably low strikeout rate of 7.6%, which ranked third in the majors (trailing only Luis Arraez and Jacob Wilson), his performance was impressive.
3. Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees
ESPN analyst Paul Hembekides estimates Chisholm’s free agent contract could be valued at $80 million over two years or $140 million across four years. but, he must find balance in his home/road performance to attract interest from teams outside of the Yankees. His 2025 statistics were as follows:
At Yankee Stadium: .277/.364/.528, with a 150 wRC+
In other stadiums: .207/.299/.432, yielding a 101 wRC+
Consistency is key. Teams will pay for it.
4. Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers
Turang emerged as one of MLB’s breakout stars last season, even receiving some support in the National League MVP voting. He scored 97 runs in 156 games, recorded an OPS+ of 121, and significantly increased his power with 28 doubles and 18 home runs alongside 24 steals in 2025. His exit velocity improved from 85.1 mph to 89.2 mph, despite a rise in his strikeout rate. but, his defensive numbers took a dip, with defensive runs saved dropping from 22 in 2024 to just seven last season.
5. Brendan Donovan, Seattle Mariners
As the Mariners consider deploying top prospect Cole Emerson on the left side of the infield, Donovan may find himself playing second base more frequently. Regardless of his position, his ability to get on base and facilitate scoring opportunities is undeniable. He posted a 119 OPS+ along with 32 doubles and 10 home runs over 119 games, making him an excellent candidate to lead off for Seattle against right-handed pitchers. Last season, Donovan boasted a .315 batting average with a .383 OBP versus righties.
6. Gleyber Torres, Detroit Tigers
Torres accepting a one-year qualifying offer from Detroit signals his awareness of needing a strong season offensively to secure a multi-year contract without draft pick implications. He demonstrated growth in his approach, accumulating 136 hits and a career-high 85 walks last season, while reducing his strikeout rate from 20.1% in 2024 to 16.1%.
7. Xavier Edwards, Miami Marlins
Edwards’ transition from shortstop to second base appeared to greatly benefit his performance last season, where he achieved 12 defensive runs saved and nine outs above average while only playing 96 games at second. The 26-year-old added 159 hits and 49 walks over 139 games, resulting in a .343 on-base percentage.
8. Marcus Semien, New York Mets
although being a high-level defender and part of David Stearns’s effort to boost the Mets’ run prevention at age 35, Semien was made available for trade due to declining offensive performance over the past two seasons:
2023: 126 OPS+
2024: 103 OPS+
2025: 97 OPS+
9. Bryson Stott, Philadelphia Phillies
If Philadelphia had secured Bo Bichette, he likely would have taken over second base, pushing Stott to third. While Stott can provide power and speed (with 24 steals last season), his performance against lefties left much to be desired: a .225/.287/.575 line with only one homer in 123 plate appearances.
10. Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays
Clement makes this list due to his outstanding performance in October, where he showed resilience against elite pitching, batting .411 across 18 postseason games. With Bichette’s departure and Andres Gimenez shifting to shortstop, Clement steps in at second base, a position where he excelled last year with 10 defensive runs saved in just 423 innings.
Honorable mentions
Jose Altuve, Houston Astros: Houston is well aware of Altuve’s defensive challenges at second, which is why they experimented with him in left field. still, his offensive capabilities remain strong with 26 home runs and an adjusted OPS of 112.
Luis Arraez, San Francisco Giants: Aiming to return to his former position, Arraez signed with the Giants, who support his goal of becoming a viable second baseman, valuing his contact-hitting skills.
Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles: At just 22, Holliday improved in his second MLB season, hitting 17 homers and showing promise against left-handed pitchers, although he’s likely to start the season on the sideline due to a hand injury.
Brandon Lowe, Pittsburgh Pirates: Here’s the upside: 31 homers and a .477 slugging percentage last season. The downside? A troubling -14 defensive runs saved and -13 outs above average.
Luke Keaschall, Minnesota Twins: After a strong showing in 49 games last year, there is a solid argument for his inclusion in the top 10, as the former second-round draft pick hit .302 and accumulated 2.0 bWAR.
Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves: Albies played 157 games last year, staying mostly injury-free, but saw a dip in production, finishing with a .671 OPS and 89 OPS+. The Braves hold a $7 million club option for the 2027 season.
Chase Meidroth, Chicago White Sox: Acquired in the Garrett Crochet trade, Meidroth posted 1.3 bWAR over 122 games in his rookie 2025 campaign.
