The 25 best power hitters in Major League Baseball

Contemplating Shohei Ohtani is arms down the best participant Main League Baseball has ever seen, it could be fully outrageous to start this listing with another slugger. Ohtani at the moment leads the Majors in residence runs and is on tempo to clear the fence greater than 50 occasions in 2023. He blasted 34 homers final season and 46 the 12 months before–and oh yeah he can kinda pitch too, keep in mind? Ohtani will unanimously win his 2nd MVP award in a couple of months, and he’ll be the discuss of baseball within the week main as much as the commerce deadline because the Angels attempt to navigate the best plan of action with their once-in-a-lifetime star. 

It has been a irritating season for the Mets as an entire and particularly for Pete Alonso, who has visibly put an excessive amount of strain on himself to hold the membership’s struggling offense. He was additionally pressured to overlook a couple of weeks on the injured listing after being hit within the hand by Atlanta’s Charlie Morton. However no matter among the adversity he is confronted, Alonso’s pure energy is second to none, and in reality, no-hitter within the recreation has hit extra residence runs since Alonso debuted in 2019. He crushed 53 bombs as a rookie, 16 in solely 57 video games in the course of the COVID season, and 37 and 40 in every of the 2 years that adopted. This 12 months he is on tempo to ship one other 40+ marketing campaign, and he is developed into the kind of throwback clean-up hitter the sport hadn’t seen in a very long time. 

Any dialog about energy hitters has to incorporate the Yankees’ Aaron Decide, who walloped an astounding 62 lengthy balls final season to interrupt what many pundits nonetheless thought of the all-time report of 61. Decide was clubbing residence runs at an much more prestigious tempo right here in 2023 earlier than a toe damage sustained in early June knocked him out for the lengthy haul. Sadly, this season the Bombers premier attraction has appeared in lower than half their video games, however hopefully, he’ll be capable of return quickly and proceed placing on the present baseball followers have come to like, as a result of his at-bats are merely must-see TV. 

There are few issues extra satisfying to look at on a baseball diamond than seeing Kyle Schwarber pulverize a ball into the second deck in proper area. The Phillies left fielder has as a lot or extra pure energy than any left-handed slugger within the sport at the moment, and when he connects, it is really a sight to see. Schwarber’s 2023 season has been underwhelming, as he is at the moment sporting a batting common properly under .200, however that hasn’t prevented him from nonetheless residing among the many league leaders in lengthy balls. The College of Indiana product already has 4 campaigns with 30 or extra homers on his ledger and wishes only a couple extra to notch a fifth. 

First baseman Matt Olson arrived in Atlanta final 12 months with the unenviable activity of changing Braves mainstay Freddie Freeman, and by some means, he is been capable of vastly outperform expectations and win over the Atlanta followers. Already one of many premier energy hitters within the recreation whereas with Oakland, Olson has taken it to a brand new stage on the east coast. He launched 34 homers in his first season with the Braves, and is already nearly previous that within the first 4 months of 2023. The truth is, Olson has been the Nationwide League’s residence run chief for the higher a part of a month, and has change into a daily on the Chop Home at Truist Park. 

White Sox outfielder Luis Robert’s evolution into one of many easiest gamers in all of baseball is just not a shock to anybody that is been paying consideration. From the second he debuted within the truncated 2020 season, Robert’s skillset has been evident, and it was really a matter of time earlier than he put all of it collectively. Accidents over the earlier two seasons prevented him from actually arriving nationally, so in some ways, 2023 has been his coming-out social gathering. Taking part in in nearly all of Chicago’s video games, Robert has been unstoppable and is on tempo to membership round 45 residence runs with greater than 40 doubles. 

After failing to safe long-term agreements with fan-favorite franchise icons Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts, the Purple Sox had been beneath huge strain to not make the identical mistake a 3rd time. Fortunately for followers in New England, the membership locked up third baseman Rafael Devers, and can fortunately make use of probably the most harmful left-handed hitters within the recreation for a very long time. Devers has related on greater than 30 large flies twice thus far in his profession, and has a few different seasons with greater than 20. By way of his first 95 video games in 2023 he was sitting on 24 homers, and with an enormous final two months he may doubtlessly high his profession excessive of 38. 

Talking of Mookie Betts. The veteran outfielder had already been an MVP winner and a four-time all-star recreation participant earlier than arriving in LA in 2020, and with the Dodgers he is solely cemented his legacy. Betts is closing in on 250 profession residence runs in just a little over 1,200 lifetime video games, and in 2023 particularly he is taken his energy manufacturing to a brand new stage. On the time I am penning this, he is already hit 27 residence runs and wishes simply eight extra to match his earlier profession excessive. 

Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. has simply been essentially the most dynamic participant within the Nationwide League thus far in 2023, and his electrical mixture of energy and velocity is essentially the most troublesome talent set to seek out. Acuna’s residence run manufacturing has tailed off just a little previous couple of weeks and he’ll have to actually get it going to doubtlessly be part of the 40/40 membership, however he’ll simply surpass 30 and is without doubt one of the major causes the Braves have been the very best workforce in baseball this season. 

Equally to the sooner talked about Kyle Schwarber, the Dodgers’ Max Muncy has not hit for a lot of a mean this season and has spent a lot of the marketing campaign on the notorious Mendoza Line. That hasn’t prevented Muncy from being a helpful a part of Los Angeles’ offensive assault, nevertheless. His eager eye on the plate has led to an exorbitant quantity of walks which have stored his OBP respectable. And his capability to persistently pound the ball over the fence has made him one of many extra harmful sluggers within the sport. Muncy has already given the Dodgers three seasons with greater than 35 residence runs, and he is properly on his option to a fourth. 

It is clearly been an especially irritating and difficult 2023 season for the St. Louis Cardinals, however third baseman Nolan Arenado is definitely to not blame. The veteran right-handed slugger has been probably the most productive hitters in baseball for properly over a decade, and whereas naysayers may have used the Coors Discipline impact to low cost a few of his early years, that excuse is lengthy gone. Arenado has already launched 30 or extra residence runs within the large leagues seven occasions, and later this summer season ought to formally make it eight. 

Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has as highly effective a swing as any hitter in baseball, one thing that was clearly obvious when he received the House Run Derby a few weeks in the past. He would have been the clear-cut AL MVP winner in 2021 when he blasted 48 residence runs had the league’s unicorn, Shohei Ohtani, not existed. Final season Guerrero’s energy numbers got here down just a little, however he nonetheless completed with greater than 30 residence runs, one thing that ought to once more be the case right here in 2023. 

4 years in the past, Jorge Soler burst onto the scene as an elite energy hitter, crushing 48 homers and driving in 117 runs as a member of the Kansas City Royals. He did not come near duplicating that manufacturing instantly following, although with the Braves in 2021 he did crush some enormous residence runs within the postseason that helped the membership win the World Collection. This season Soler has rediscovered his energy stroke, as he is already hit 24 lengthy balls and will simply notch his second 30+ homer marketing campaign. 

For many of his profession Angels outfielder Mike Trout has been thought of the premier participant in all of baseball. His assortment of awards is expansive, however the three MVP’s he is taken residence can by themselves inform the vast majority of the story. Lately Trout has been surpassed by his personal teammate, Shohei Ohtani, as the best participant within the recreation, however he is nonetheless one hell of a operating mate. Previous to fracturing his hamate bone in early July, Trout had performed in 81 video games and crushed 18 residence runs. Simple arithmetic would let you know that is a full-season tempo for 36, which might have been his eighth season with greater than 30. The Angels are hoping he can return in early-mid August and the month plus he will have missed will make reaching that quantity near not possible. However make no mistake, Trout stays probably the most harmful hitters within the recreation and his return will clearly enhance Los Angeles’ push for a playoff spot. 

From one famous person that is missed important time attributable to damage this 12 months to a different, let’s speak about Astros left-handed slugger, Yordan Alvarez. Heading into 2023 the 26-year-old had blasted 70 residence runs over the previous two seasons, and was firmly established as probably the most harmful hitters in baseball. And over the primary few months of this 12 months he was demolishing baseballs at an much more prestigious charge. In his first 58 video games Alvarez had related on 17 lengthy balls and pushed in 55 runs, however sadly issues went off script when he suffered a proper indirect pressure that stored him out from June Ninth to July twenty sixth. Alvarez’ probabilities of setting new profession highs together with his energy numbers have all however evaporated now, however having their greatest energy hitter again for the stretch run will drastically enhance Houston’s probabilities of catching Texas within the AL West. 

The Braves are the very best workforce in baseball, and an enormous motive why is their capability to persistently hit the ball over the fence. Third baseman Austin Riley is yet one more Atlanta famous person who can do this in addition to anybody. Between ’21 and ’22 Riley put the ball within the seats 71 occasions, and thru his first 100 video games in 2023 he is related on 22 lengthy balls. Barring one thing unexpected he will eclipse the 30-home run plateau for the third consecutive marketing campaign, and with a robust end may come near driving in 100 runs too. 

The Diamondbacks are fiercely within the combine for a playoff spot, maybe sooner than anticipated, and an enormous motive why is the continued evolution of first baseman, Christian Walker, who has blossomed into one of many extra harmful run producers within the Nationwide League. Final season the 32-year-old set new profession highs with 36 homers and 94 RBI, and he is on observe to equal or surpass each totals right here in 2023. In his first 99 contests Walker has blasted 22 lengthy balls, whereas impressively turning into a greater all-around hitter on the similar time. His batting common, OBP, and SLG% are all noticeably larger than they have been at any level prior to now, and a robust case may have been made for him to make his first all-star workforce a couple of weeks in the past. 

Veteran slugger J.D. Martinez skilled a down season in Boston final 12 months that brought on some to put in writing off the 35-year-olds’ capability to nonetheless be an elite run producer. In his first season with the Dodgers, Martinez has dispelled that assumption in a rush. Even whereas lacking a couple of weeks with a again damage, on the time I am penning this Martinez has already launched 25 homers and pushed in 74 runs in solely 323 at-bats. His resurgence as been a driving drive behind a Dodgers offense that has carried the membership within the absence of a few of their star pitchers, and if he can proceed producing at this stage LA will likely be a tricky out in October. 

Sticking with the Dodgers, first baseman Freddie Freeman has been a mannequin of consistency for occurring a decade and a half, and this season has definitely been no totally different. By way of his first 101 video games Freeman was slashing an exceptional .328/.409/.581 with 21 homers, 71 RBI, and 35 doubles. He seems primed to eclipse the 30-homer plateau for the fourth time in his profession, whereas most significantly driving in additional than 100 runs for the Dodgers in back-to-back seasons. Freeman’s departure from Atlanta continues to be a speaking level and will likely be a serious plot line if the 2 Nationwide League behemoths find yourself assembly in October. 

Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. clearly went via important adversity during the last 12 months and a half, from struggling a critical off-field damage to incomes himself a prolonged PED suspension. However to his credit score, since he is been again he is put his head down and proven the world simply how proficient he can nonetheless be. By way of his first 83 video games in 2023 Tatis Jr. mashed 17 homers and drove in 50 runs, whereas additionally including 23 two-base hits. His workforce in San Diego has been considered one of baseball’s greatest disappointments this season, however he’s definitely to not blame, and it will likely be thrilling to see what he can down the stretch and past. 

The Braves clearly have an unlimited quantity of energy of their line-up, however one man that you do not take into consideration having the intense lengthy ball potential he does is second baseman, Ozzie Albies, who considerably quietly is without doubt one of the extra harmful hitters within the NL. In his first 100 video games this season the switch-hitter has already blasted 24 balls over the fence, whereas driving in 72 runs and including 17 doubles. He is on tempo to shatter his earlier profession highs in homers and RBI, and he is simply additional proof of how deep the Braves line-up actually is. 

From the second the Rangers drafted him eighth total in 2019, third baseman Josh Jung was anticipated to grow to be probably the most harmful energy hitters in baseball, and in ’23 that imaginative and prescient has emphatically come to fruition. By way of his first 395 at-bats Jung had launched 20 homers and contributed 21 doubles, whereas driving in 61 runs and establishing himself as a key a part of the Rangers offensive assault. Texas is headed in direction of a dramatic two-month dash to the end for the AL West crown, and if they’ll maintain off the Astros Jung should be entrance and middle. 

Mets’ rookie catcher Francisco Alvarez spent years hovering across the high spot of prospect rankings, and now that he is lastly acquired a full-time probability within the Main Leagues he’s dwelling as much as the hype. In his first 244 big-league at-bats in 2023 Alvarez has already crushed 19 residence runs. At simply 21-years-old he is already confirmed able to clearing the fence at a 40+ homer/season tempo, and he is additionally developed fairly a knack for delivering within the clutch. The overwhelming majority of Alvarez’s homers have come within the sixth inning or later, and he is already related on two Ninth-inning game-tying residence runs in opposition to opposing closers. 

From one Met to a different, let’s speak about New York’s star shortstop, Francisco Lindor. The veteran switch-hitter has had a little bit of a wierd season, as his batting common is significantly down, however his slugging proportion is definitely up from a 12 months in the past. That is as a result of a disproportionate quantity of Lindor’s hits as an entire have gone for extra-bases. By way of his first 101 video games he is launched 19 homers, however he is additionally contributed 22 doubles and a pair of triples. Which means 43 of his first 87 hits have gone for extra-bases–just about half. Lindor already has 4 seasons with greater than 25 homers on his resume, and barring one thing unexpected down the stretch, this will likely be his fifth. 

For a very long time now the Cardinals have been lucky to have two of essentially the most potent right-handed hitters in baseball occupying their nook infield positions, and whereas we have already mentioned Nolan Arenado, let’s dive into simply how constant first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has been for his whole profession. The 35-year-old already has seven seasons with greater than 30 residence runs on his resume, and is on tempo so as to add an eighth later this season. His RBI manufacturing is noticeably down in 2023 however that has way more to do with the struggles of St. Louis’ offense as an entire. The Cardinals have dramatically underachieved in 2023 however that is not the fault of their two stars, and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how they try and rectify this 12 months’s failures heading into 2024.