Predicting the 2026 All-MLB Teams

The All-MLB team is a relatively new accolade in Major League Baseball, having only been introduced in 2019. Similar to the All-NBA teams on the hardwood, MLB selects one player at every position, as well as five starting pitchers and two relief pitchers, to make up the All-MLB first team. Another 16 players are then selected to the All-MLB second team.

We’ve reached the final stretch of the regular season, so there’s few better times to make a prediction about this season’s cast of All-MLB talent.

All stats are updated through Tuesday’s games.

Starting pitchers

First Team:
Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers
Cristopher Sánchez, Phillies
Cam Schlittler, Yankees
Dylan Cease, Blue Jays
Chase Burns, Reds

Second Team:
Jesús Luzardo, Phillies
Chris Sale, Braves
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers
Drew Rasmussen, Rays
Tarik Skubal, Dodgers

Jacob Misiorowski’s place on the first team is undeniable. He leads all starting pitchers in several key statistical categories, including ERA (1.75), strikeouts (210), K/9 (13.6), WHIP (0.75), and K/BB ratio (6.8).

Sánchez, Cease and Schlittler have also cemented their place on the first team, barring a late-season collapse. Those three plus Misiorowski rank above the rest in fWAR. But beyond them things get a bit more narrow. All of the pitchers on the second team could make a case to be slotted into the final spot in the first team, but as of now Burns’s production has been too strong to ignore.

Relief pitchers

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller — Mason Miller has yet to allow a home run this season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First Team:
Mason Miller, Padres
Louis Varland, Blue Jays

Second Team:
Bryan Baker, Rays
Jhoan Duran, Phillies

It’s hard to deny Mason Miller a spot on the first team, given his absurd numbers and unhittable stuff. He owns a 0.88 ERA and boasts a dominant 16.3 K/9 across 51 1/3 innings, racking up 30 saves as the game’s most reliable late-innings arm. Meanwhile, Louis Varland has been one of the few consistent players in what’s been a largely disappointing season for the Blue Jays. Varland’s 1.26 ERA is third-best among all relievers, and only Miller boasts a higher fWAR than Varland’s mark of 2.6.

Catcher

First Team:
Dillon Dingler, Tigers

Second Team:
Gabriel Moreno, Diamondbacks

Dingler, though unlikely to win it, has a legitimate shot to be crowned the American League MVP this year. He ranks seventh in MLB with an elite 5.2 fWAR and has recorded 26 home runs, 82 RBIs and a .818 OPS, all while playing top-tier defense behind the plate. It’s hard to dispute he’s been the best catcher in MLB. Moreno has also been excellent this season, boasting a position-high .855 OPS and a 135 wRC+.

First base

First Team:
Matt Olson, Braves

Second Team:
Willson Contreras, Red Sox

Matt Olson has been terrific this season, crushing 36 home runs and tallying 77 RBIs. His 4.1 fWAR leads all first basemen. The race for second team honors is much closer. Had injuries not forced Nick Kurtz and Munetaka Murakami to miss time, they’d both have a better shot at overtaking Contreras. Ultimately, Contreras gets the nod thanks to his 155 wRC+, which ranks as the highest among all first basemen.

Second base

First Team:
Brice Turang, Brewers

Second Team:
J.J. Wetherholt, Cardinals

Turang has been excellent this season, leading all qualified second basemen in fWAR (4.2) and wRC+ (123). He’s recorded 16 home runs and leads the Brewers with 75 RBIs, all while ranking third among second basemen with 10 outs above average. Wetherholt doesn’t have the most eye-catching offensive numbers, though his 105 wRC+ indicates he’s still been an above-average hitter. But the Cardinals’ rookie has been elite defensively with 22 outs above average, which trails only Bobby Witt Jr. and Pete Crow-Armstrong across all of MLB.

Third base

First Team:
Junior Caminero, Rays

Second Team:
Miguel Vargas, White Sox

Caminero is the best offensive third baseman in the sport, and it’s not particularly close. He leads all players at the position with 35 home runs, 79 RBIs, a .537 slugging percentage and a 146 wRC+. While he leaves plenty to be desired defensively, his brilliance at the plate secures him a spot on the All-MLB first team. As for the second team, Miguel Vargas has enjoyed a big breakout season during which he’s hit 28 home runs and owns a .831 OPS. He’s tied for second in wRC+ at third base and is third in slugging.

Shortstop

First Team:
Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

Second Team:
Kevin McGonigle, Tigers

Witt remains the best defensive shortstop in MLB, racking up 23 outs above average and 17 runs prevented while playing the sport’s signature position. He’s on pace for a 20/40 season offensively, and ranks third among qualified shortstops with a 127 wRC+ and .460 slugging percentage. His 6.0 fWAR is third in all of MLB, trailing only Pete Crow-Armstrong and Shohei Ohtani. As for the second team, McGonigle has shuffled between shortstop and third base throughout his rookie season, but he’s been solid at both positions. He leads all shortstops with a .385 on-base percentage, is second at the position with a 4.7 fWAR, and trails only CJ Abrams with a 131 wRC+.

Outfield

First Team:
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs
James Wood, Nationals
Ceddanne Rafaela, Red Sox

Second Team:
Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks
Randy Arozarena, Mariners
Wilyer Abreu, Red Sox

Pete Crow-Armstrong has secured a spot on the first team, and may be the only player in the National League who can challenge Shohei Ohtani for the MVP award. His 8.4 fWAR is twice that of any other outfielder in MLB. That includes James Wood, another projected first-team selection, who leads MLB with 100 runs and has hit 30 home runs with 73 RBIs and an elite 155 wRC+. Cedanne Rafaela’s prolific defense helps him secure a spot on the first team, too. He’s sixth in MLB with 14 outs above average and has been solid at the plate, too, with 16 home runs, 64 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.

Designated hitter

First Team:
Yordan Alvarez, Astros

Second Team:
Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

It’s pretty stunning to think that Ohtani, who could very well win his third straight NL MVP, won’t be on the All-MLB first team. It’s hard to justify giving him the nod over Yordan Alvarez, however, who has been the best hitter in the sport. Alvarez could win the Triple Crown, currently leading MLB with a .318 batting average while ranking second with 37 home runs and fourth with 88 RBIs. Ohtani has been great in his own right, but divvying up responsibilities between batting and hitting will likely result in him being overlooked for the All-MLB first-team in either of his two roles.

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