There are a lot of good players in the MLB who have gotten a strong start to the season, but not all of them will be making the All-Star team. Check out my predictions for each position and who will take home the title of the Home Run Derby. Will any of your favorite players be making it?
National League All-Star Team Predictions
For the National League team, I think William Contreras will be the catcher because he leads all NL catchers in innings caught and total bases, making him the most valuable catcher in the league by WAR. Bryce Harper should be at 1st base, because Harper’s OPS with runners in scoring position is nearly 1.200, and as the host-city star, his popularity is unmatched. Nico Hoerner would make sense at 2nd, because he has the lowest swing-and-miss rate in the NL, making him the ultimate pest for opposing pitchers. For 3rd, Alex Bregman, because since he moved to the NL, his walk-to-strikeout ratio is a perfect 1:1, anchoring the Cubs’ lineup. At shortstop, Elly De La Cruz, because he owns the fastest sprint speed and the hardest infield throw (100+ mph) in MLB history which shows some elite talent. In the outfield there is Juan Soto, because he has an amazing OBP at 420 and is on pace to break the single-season walk record once again. Kyle Tucker, because of his power, speed on the bases, and his elite talent in the field, and Ronald Acuna, even after his injury, he still has elite speed. And of course, Shohei Ohtani, because of his power hitting and pitching.
American League All-Star Team Predictions
I have several predictions for the American League. At catcher, Cal Raleigh has very rare power at the catching position. While I am not sure if he will hit 60 home runs again, he will certainly be hitting some deep fly balls this season. At first, Vlad Guerrero Jr. has some great contact, and he has cut his strikeout rate down. At second, Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s speed turns singles into doubles. At third, Jose Ramirez, as of when this was written, had 10+ home runs and 10+ stolen bases, and the only player in the AL with that stat line. Since Bobby Witt Jr. is widely regarded as the best shortstop in the world, he’d be the clear contender for this position. He is also one of the fastest MLB players. In the outfield, I think it will be Roman Anthony, Aaron Judge, and Julio Rodriguez. Roman Anthony has some of the best plate discipline for an outfielder, and at just 21 years old, this is even more impressive. Aaron Judge has the highest average exit velocity at 97 miles an hour and has an amazing arm as he thrown many people out from right field at third, which is one of the furthest throws in the game. Julio Rodriguez has been amazing in the field, leading all AL centerfielders in outs above average, which measures how many outs a player has made that the average player could not.
Home Run Derby Predictions
As of when this article was written, the top 6 home-run hitters are:
- Yordan Alvarez with 11
- Aaron Judge with 9
- Munetaka Murakami, also with 9
- Elly De La Cruz with 8
- Ben Rice, also with 8
- Mike Trout with 7
Some names you might know are Kyle Schwarber, who is in an 8-way tie for 4th. Bryce Harper, who does not have many home runs to start the season, has 5. Shohei Ohtani is also not starting super strong in these categories, with 5. I think Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber will be strong contenders for the title. Although they aren’t leading right now, they are well known as some of the best power hitters in the game.
To summarize, some of the players who have gotten off to a really strong start are Jose Ramirez, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Bryce Harper. Those are just some of the people who I think will be making the All-Star teams or Home Run Derby. Who do you think will make it?
Work Cited
O’Mara, Dan, and Chris O’Connell. “Phillies unveil 2026 MLB All-Star Game logo during City Hall rally.” Fox 29 Philadelphia, 18 7 2025. Accessed 6 5 2026.
