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Best MLB Players of the 2025 Season
The 2025 Major League Baseball season is right around the corner. It remains to be seen if the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers can become the first team since the 2000 New York Yankees to repeat as World Series champions. Speaking of the Yankees, they look to close the deal after falling to the Dodgers in the 2024 World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the way at +275 in the MLB odds of winning the World Series followed by the New York Yankees (+800) and the Atlanta Braves (+900).
Plenty of eyes will be on the MVP races as well. The list of the best MLB players begins with reigning MVPs Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.
There will be some new names to consider in the NL MVP race as New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto spent the 2024 season with the Yankees while longtime Houston Astros star Kyle Tucker is now with the Chicago Cubs. Keep that in mind when you bet on MLB in the 2025 season.
The Dodgers got the 2025 MLB season going with two games in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs on Mar. 18 and 19.
Look at the Best MLB Players
Reigning MVPs Lead the Way
Will history be made during the 2025 MLB season?
Most Valuable Player awards in both the American League and National League first were handed out in 1924 with pitchers Walter Johnson and Dazzy Vance winning the accolade. However, there has never been a time when the MVPs in the AL and the NL have been the same in both leagues in back-to-back years.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hope to change that.
Judge hit .322 with 122 runs, 58 home runs and 144 RBIs during the 2024 regular season to win the AL MVP Award for the second time in the last three seasons.
Even though the Yankees reached the World Series, Judge hit just .184 with five extra-base hits in 14 postseason games.
Ohtani won the AL MVP award twice. After having the first 50-50 season in MLB history with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases, he won the NL award in his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ohtani is the overwhelming MVP favorite at +185 in the NL. He is just one of the players that the Dodgers can throw out on the field in 2025 that will have Los Angeles favored by MLB picks in nearly every game.
Young Sluggers in the Mix
The toughest competition for Judge in the AL could come from a couple of MLB players under the age of 25.
Bobby Witt, a 24-year-old infielder for the Kansas City Royals, is at +450 to win his first AL MVP award. MLB odds have the Royals among the teams to watch in the AL.
Among the MVP candidates in the NL are 23-year-old infielder Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds, 24-year-old outfielder Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks, 21-year-old outfielder
Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres, and 20-year-old outfielder Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers. De La Cruz and the Reds delivered 56% of the time against the MLB picks in 2024.
Don’t Forget About the Former MVPs
Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was the 2023 NL Most Valuable Player. He was limited to just 49 games in 2024. Still just 27, Acuna has +1600 odds to win another NL MVP award.
He is not the only former winner to keep an eye on.
Bryce Harper (+1400), Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers (+1200) and Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers (+2200) are other candidates to watch in the National League.
Mike Trout is a three-time AL MVP and that number would likely be higher if not for a series of injuries. Only five players have shorter MVP odds in the AL. Those who bet online hope that Trout’s name does not appear on the MLB injury report.
What About the Pitchers?
The last time a player was the MVP based only on his pitching prowess was in 2011 when Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers won the AL MVP award. You would have to go back to 1968 to find the last time that both the AL and NL MVPs were pitchers.
Tarik Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, has the shortest odds (+4000) among pitchers in the American League. Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates is the only pitcher in the top 20 in the National League MVP odds.
Skenes leads the way at +250 in the NL Cy Young odds followed by Zack Wheeler and 2024 Cy Young winner Chris Sale at +750. Skubal (+400) is the Cy Young front-runner in the AL with Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox next at +550.
FAQs
Who is the greatest MLB player?
Using the Wins Above Replacement number as a guide, Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees is the top-ranked MLB player of all time followed by pitchers Walter Johnson and Cy Young. Barry Bonds and Willie Mays round out the top five.
How much do MLB players make?
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers leads all MLB players with an average of $70 million per season. Juan Soto and Alex Bregman, who changed teams in the offseason are among five players to earn at least $40 million per season.
