As Spring Training comes to a close and Opening Day approaches, many exciting questions arise. Teams are eagerly looking to recover from disappointing performances last season, while fans are curious about potential challenges to the reigning MVP and Cy Young Award winners.
A major topic of discussion as the new regular season begins is which players will excel in the key statistical categories across both leagues. We polled 57 members of the MLB.com staff for their insights, and here are the highlights:
American League Leaders
Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
Regarded as one of baseball’s top talents, Witt posted an impressive 18.5 fWAR over the last two seasons, a total certainly deserving of MVP consideration. However, he faces stiff competition from Aaron Judge. Nevertheless, Witt’s 395 hits were the highest in the league, and he also achieved a .332 batting average in 2024.
Runner-up: Jacob Wilson, A’s
Wilson narrowly missed out, finishing second by a single vote. After being the runner-up for the AL Rookie of the Year, a left-hand fracture and hamstring issues hindered his batting title bid. He ended up hitting .311 with only 39 strikeouts in 523 plate appearances.
National League Leaders
Luis Arraez, Giants
Despite experiencing a “down” year by his standards with a .292 batting average in 2025, Arraez remains an exceptional hitter, earning the staff’s recognition as he joins the Giants. His batting manipulation skills were key to this accolade.
Runner-up: Bo Bichette, Mets
Another close call, with Bichette coming in just two votes behind Arraez. His 181 hits tied him with Arraez for second place in MLB, even while battling a knee injury that sidelined him for most of September. Bichette holds a career batting average of .294.
Other Noteworthy Mentions
In the AL, Aaron Judge, Yankees was a landslide favorite for home runs, despite Cal Raleigh’s remarkable 60-homer season. Judge boasts a record of four seasons hitting over 50 home runs, tying him with baseball legends for the most in history. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers maintained his top position in the NL, hitting a career-high 55 home runs in 2025.
Pitching Stars
For the AL, Garrett Crochet, Red Sox took the lead in strikeouts with 255, surpassing fellow pitcher Tarik Skubal, Tigers, who also had an impressive 241. In the NL, newcomer Paul Skenes, Pirates dominated the ballot, maintaining a 1.96 ERA over his career, while his runner-up, Logan Webb, Giants, posted a league-leading 224 strikeouts last season.
Closing Out Games
In the closing pitcher category, Andrés Muñoz, Mariners emerged as the top pick in the AL, registering 38 saves with a 1.73 ERA, proving to be a top-tier closer. Over in the NL, Edwin Díaz, Dodgers continued his excellence, saving 28 games with a sparkling 1.63 ERA last season.
