Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Rockets Up ESPN Top 100 Rankings

ESPN ranked Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as the No. 13 player in baseball, up 22 spots from 2024 and 78 spots above his next-closest teammate.

Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) celebrates hitting a double against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Rogers Centre. | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

The 2025 MLB regular season has begun, marking the start of a critical year for the Toronto Blue Jays and the face of their franchise.

And in the wake of a solid 4-2 start, the Blue Jays' biggest star earned some solid praise from the Worldwide Leader in Sports.

ESPN released its MLB Rank 2025 on Wednesday, creating a list of the top 100 players in baseball based on the input of over 60 of the outlet's experts. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came in at No. 13, one spot ahead of Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and one spot behind Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman.

Guerrero is the third-highest ranked first baseman on the list, behind only Freeman and Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper.

The only other Blue Jays player who earned a spot in the top 100 was blockbuster free agent addition Anthony Santander, who landed at No. 91 following a Silver Slugger season with the Orioles.

Shortstop Bo Bichette was the highest-ranked Toronto player entering 2024, coming in at No. 33, but he was left off the list this time around. So was starting pitcher Kevin Gausman, who was ranked No. 51 in the 2024 edition of the list.

Guerrero, meanwhile, climbed up 22 spots after heading into 2024 at No. 35.

From top sluggers like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge to star pitchers like Paul Skenes, our experts rank — and make predictions for — the best players in baseball right now 👀 https://t.co/W6zvDYVbVJ pic.twitter.com/dyZgOvy267

— ESPN (@espn) April 2, 2025

Guerrero's ascension is justified, considering he hit .323 with 30 home runs, 44 doubles, 103 RBIs, a .940 OPS and 6.2 WAR in 2024. He made his fourth straight All-Star appearance, made the All-MLB First Team for the second time and won his second career Silver Slugger, all while finishing sixth in AL MVP voting.

The 26-year-old slugger is set to hit free agency at the end of this season. Toronto's front office is still trying to lock Guerrero up long term, but the two sides failed to reach an agreement before his self-imposed deadline of Feb. 18.

ESPN's Bradford Doolittle predicted that Guerrero would have a "monster" 2025 and keep the Blue Jays in playoff contention deep into the season, making it difficult for the team to flip him for assets at the deadline.

Guerrero is 5-for-23 so far this year, recording two doubles, two runs, three RBIs and three walks through six games.

After closing out their series with the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, the Blue Jays will hit the road to take on the New York Mets on Friday. Toronto is tied for the fourth-best winning percentage in the American League one week into the regular season, laying the groundwork for a do-or-die campaign that could be Guerrero's last north of the border.

Related MLB Stories

• SEAGER OUT OF LINEUP: Corey Seager has been playing through calf soreness since the end of spring training, but the Rangers are giving him the day off against the Reds. CLICK HERE

• MANGUM MAKES HISTORY: Jake Mangum notched a second consecutive productive performance in the Rays' win over the Pirates on Tuesday, capitalizing on his first taste of big league action. CLICK HERE

• YANKEES KEEP MASHING: Jasson Domínguez, Anthony Volpe and Ben Rice stayed hot against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, helping the New York Yankees shatter multiple MLB records. CLICK HERE

Follow Fastball On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.