Ranking the 10 best outfielders in MLB for 2025

When compiling a list of the game's top talents, how do you weigh a young player coming off a breakout season against a veteran with a longer track record of success? 

The question applies everywhere but especially in the outfield, with Jackson Merrill and Jarren Duran coming off huge years at a time when some of the game's elite outfielders were either limited by injury (Ronald Acuña Jr., Mike Trout, Fernando Tatis Jr., Kyle Tucker, etc) or took a step back offensively (Corbin Carroll, Julio Rodriguez). Trout, for instance, still remains highly productive when he's on the field, but he has now played in just 41% of his team's games over the last four years. Availability, after all, has to be taken into account. 

One thing we do know: The top outfield tandem in the sport is clear, even if that duo won't be teammates again in 2025. 

Our eight-part position series continues with the top 10 outfielders entering the 2025 season.

2024 stats: .231/.322/.428, 22 HR, 107 wRC+, 4.0 fWAR
2025 ZiPS projection: .256/.345/.449, 21 HR, 120 wRC+, 4.3 fWAR

Was Carroll's abysmal first half (.213/.301/.334, five home runs) just a blip? His spectacular play after the All-Star break (.259/.351/.568, 17 homers) would suggest so. He finished with a 20-30 season, but it certainly wasn't the Rookie of the Year follow-up many expected. This will be an important year for the speedster to build off his strong second half and cement his status as one of MLB's top talents.

2024 stats: .285/.342/.492, 21 HR, 129 wRC+, 6.7 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .262/.324/.455, 18 HR, 114 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR 

A member of the 2024 All-MLB Second Team and the All-Star Game MVP, Duran is coming off a career year in which he put all his tools together to post a 20-30 season while