2024 NL East Position Rankings: Centerfield Edition

The centerfield position has changed somewhat in the National League East division this offseason.

Brandon Nimmo and Brandon Marsh moved over to the corners for new names, and the Nationals introduced a new player to the position after Víctor Robles dealt with a spine injury last season. Still, even with new faces, the list is locked down by familiar names that continue to do damage in the majors.

No. 5 – Alex Call, WSH

Despite being No. 5 on the list, Alex Call was a pleasant surprise for the Nationals last season.

The 28-year-old played in 128 games for the Nationals in 2023 and locked down centerfield. He was an elite defender, recording eight outs above average, which landed him in the 94th percentile for OAA in the majors. While the bat wasn’t intimidating, Call demonstrated patience at the plate and logged a .307 on-base percentage.

Call finds himself last on this list due to the light bat. He slashed .200/.307/.307 and hit only 23 extra-base hits in 375 at-bats. The righty only recorded an 84.6 average exit velocity, which didn’t pair well with his high 36.8% ground ball rate.

No. 4 – Harrison Bader, NYM

Harrison Bader was struck by the injury bug again last season.

The defensive wizard was supposed to play for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic but missed out due to an oblique injury. The injury took Bader out until May 2, when he made his season debut with the Yankees against the Guardians.

Bader struggled offensively in the Bronx. He slashed .240/.278/.365 with seven homers in 84 games, and then was released by the organization mid-summer. Bader was picked up by the Reds soon after, but couldn’t shake his offensive woes and slashed .161/.235/.194 in 12 games.

Bader remained a free-agent until the Mets inked him to a one-year, $10.5 million deal this offseason. The Mets are hoping that Bader can stay healthy and find the bat he displayed while in St. Louis. Still, even if Bader is subpar offensively, he’ll provide immense value defensively. Bader recorded nine OAA (95th percentile) last season in a short sample size, and spaces out an outfield with Nimmo in left and Starling Marte in right.

No. 3 – Johan Rojas, PHI

Johan Rojas came up on July 14 for the Phillies last season and ran away with the centerfield job.

The 23-year-old was lockdown defensively. He recorded nine OAA (95th percentile) in only 59 games played, which was more than double what Marsh recorded at the position (4) and over the entire season (7). Rojas also held his own at the plate, and slashed .302/.342/.430 with a 111 OPS+ at the plate.

The combined effort in the field and at the plate led to Rojas finishing with a 2.5 bWAR in 59 games played. The Dominican-native could take off next season and put together a four-plus WAR season if given the opportunity. However, it’s worth noting Rojas doesn’t walk much and had an xBA of .247 last season, which points toward regression at the plate next season.

No. 2 – Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA

Multiple injuries to Jazz Chisholm Jr.‘s foot derailed a potential breakout season.

The 25-year-old clubbed five homers in the opening month of the season and was adjusting to a new position after the Marlins had acquired Luis Arráez. Then, during a game on May 13, Chisholm Jr. injured his toe making a diving catch.

The Marlins originally diagnosed the injury as a right-foot contusion and put Chisholm Jr. on the injury list. He only played in 10 games in May, and then only in seven games combined between June and July. It was later revealed that Chisholm Jr. had turf toe, which he played through in August and September as the Marlins chased the third wildcard.

While the Marlins missed the playoffs, Chisholm Jr. produced when he was on the field. He recorded a 1.2 bWAR and slashed .252/.306/.462 with 19 homers in 97 games. Chisholm Jr. also took major strides in the field, finishing the season with four OAA in centerfield (87 percentile). If he can stay healthy, Chisholm Jr. has the chance to be a 30-30 player in centerfield that plays plus defense.

No. 1 – Michael Harris II, ATL

Michael Harris II takes over the No. 1 spot ahead of the 2024 season.

The Georgia native struggled initially last season, but had an epic finish to the season to solidify the spot. He slashed .325/.356/.522 with nine homers in the second half, locking down the ninth spot in a loaded Braves lineup.

Overall, Harris finished 2023 with a .808 OPS, 114 OPS+, and 241 total bases. There’s no question he was the best ninth hitter in the majors and would bat in the top of the lineup on any other team. Harris also paired his bat with another stellar year in the field. He finished with seven OAA (92nd percentile) and in the 93rd percentile for arm value.

There’s no reason to believe Harris and the Braves won’t have another big year. The 2022 Rookie of the Year has a career .828 OPS through two seasons and finished as a gold glove finalist last season. Baseball-Reference projects Harris to slash .298/.346/.502 with 20 homers next season.

 

Previous NL East Position Rankings

• First Base
• Starting Pitching
• Second Base
• Third Base
• Shortstop