Ranking NL West Second Basemen After Luis Arraez Swaps Teams

It’s good to find the silver lining wherever you can, especially when looking at the Padres, who have had one of the worst offseasons in baseball.

Most recently, San Diego lost contact specialist Luis Arraez to division rival San Francisco on a one-year, $12 million contract. The silver lining is that Arraez is extremely controversial and arguably a net negative, and two-time All-Star Jake Cronenworth will return to an everyday role at second base.

With that, here is a ranking of every second baseman in the National League West following the roster updates.

5. Tommy Edman — Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers’ strategy for building a supporting cast around their superstars remains fascinating. They feature some of the thinnest lineup depth in the National League, yet continue to find success by committing to flawed players with postseason experience and an ability to rise in big moments.

Edman has struggled offensively since 2023, posting an 89 wRC+, but his positional versatility and defensive value make him viable in a lineup loaded with star power. In 2025, FanGraphs graded his defense at plus-7.8 outs above average.

Still, Edman has the lowest floor and ceiling among NL West second basemen. He will provide steady defense and postseason reliability, but nothing else.

4. Edouard Julien — Colorado Rockies

This ranking will be controversial, as many evaluators would give Edman the edge due to his defense and playoff experience. Julien’s offensive upside is simply far more intriguing.

He will get his first chance at full-time at-bats since his impressive 2023 rookie season in Minnesota, when he finished seventh in Rookie of the Year voting. In 408 plate appearances, Julien hit 16 home runs, scored 60 runs, posted a 134 wRC+ and walked at an elite 15.7% rate.

Despite a drop in production and opportunity over the past two seasons, he has maintained a walk rate above 10.5% each year. With everyday playing time in hitter-friendly Coors Field, Julien has a strong chance to bounce back in 2026.

3. Luis Arraez — San Francisco Giants

Arraez has gone from friend to foe, joining a Giants team looking to steal the Padres postseason spot. With San Diego losing multiple key players this offseason and San Francisco heading into its first full season with Rafael Devers, that scenario is very real.

Arraez remains a polarizing player. He will not strike out (3.1% strikeout rate), but he also doesn’t do much else. He posted just a .327 on-base percentage in 2025, along with eight home runs and minus-16.6 outs above average defensively.

His path to value hinges on getting his batting average back above .300, which would raise his on-base percentage and help offset his defensive struggles. If he can play respectable defense at second base and reach base at a .340 clip, his contact-heavy profile becomes far more viable.

2. Jake Cronenworth — San Diego Padres

It will be interesting to see how manager Craig Staimman balances Cronenworth and Korean addition Sung-Mon Song. With Gavin Sheets announced as the starting first baseman, Cronenworth appears set for a full season at second base - his natural position.

He is coming off his best season since his 2021 All-Star campaign and will look to build on it after playing just 135 games in 2025.

In those games, Cronenworth produced a 117 wRC+, hit 11 home runs and posted a .367 on-base percentage. He also graded out at plus-1.3 outs above average defensively.

With everyday reps at second base, Cronenworth will continue his steady offensive production.

1. Ketel Marte — Arizona Diamondbacks

There is no debate here. Marte has been the best second baseman in baseball since 2019. Padres fans will even get the rare opportunity to root for him during the upcoming World Baseball Classic, where he will represent the Dominican Republic alongside Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.

The switch-hitter is coming off another excellent season in 2025, hitting 28 home runs with a .381 wOBA and a 145 wRC+. He also remains a steady defender, avoiding a negative outs-above-average grade on FanGraphs since 2022.

Marte has been mentioned in trade rumors this offseason, providing some hope that his reign of terror in the NL West could eventually end. Until then, Padres pitchers will remain all too familiar with the Dominican star.