Voting for the 2022 All-Star Game is underway, which means fans are evaluating which players should make the start at Dodger Stadium on July 19, based on their overall performance.
Our focus here at the Hitter Power Rankings is a bit more narrow. Defense and baserunning? Extremely important to a player’s overall value but not considered for our purposes. No, this poll is simply about honoring those who are mashing the most.
Like in the first four editions of this poll, our MLB.com voters were asked to consider a combination of talent, track record, recent performance, compelling storylines and a bit of “fun factor,” in evaluating the game’s standout bats. The results this time around brought five returners from our last entry and five additions.
Here are the latest Hitter Power Rankings.
Judge has made himself a mainstay here, placing in the top four in four consecutive polls, including a pair of first-place finishes. Well, that’s what happens when you’re making the MLB home run race a one-man affair. Judge launched his 25th homer of the season in Wednesday’s win over the Rays, giving him a seven-dinger lead over anyone else. If he stays healthy, a serious run at 60 could be in the forecast.
When you think of the title “Best hitter in baseball,” Alvarez might not be one of the first names who comes to mind. But maybe he should be. The Houston slugger — who doesn’t turn 25 until later this month — is hitting .475/.543/.831 with 20 RBIs in his past 16 games. His 2022 OPS+ is up to 192 (nearly double league average), and it’s at 159 for his young career.
Goldy has been on an absurd tear at the plate for most of the season, slashing .390/.464/.733 with 16 homers and 55 RBIs in 51 games since April 22. Just this week, he went 9-for-12 with four long balls over a three-game span against the Pirates, carrying the St. Louis offense.
While an elbow injury has kept him from playing in the field for most of the season, Harper has taken advantage of the universal DH to keep on crushing the ball. In fact, after an uncharacteristically slow start, he had posted a 1.190 OPS with 11 homers and 31 RBIs over a 32-game stretch through Wednesday. That included his game-tying, eighth-inning grand slam against the Angels on June 5.
When Buxton is healthy and hot, he’s a force of nature. The fleet-footed Platinum Glove Award winner actually endured a miserable slump at the plate in late May but rebounded spectacularly to launch seven home runs in his first 10 games of June.
Baseball just wasn’t the same without the ultra-talented Acuña, who finally returned in late April from a knee injury he sustained last July. While the 24-year-old might not be 100% back to form just yet, he is certainly excelling in all aspects of the game and owns a .918 OPS this month.
Trout has been nearly slump-proof throughout his illustrious career, which is why it was shocking to see him endure an 0-for-26 stretch recently. Of course, Trout being Trout, he immediately went 10-for-22 (.455) with five homers over his next seven games and still remains among the MLB leaders in many significant offensive categories.
J-Ram is keeping his name in the AL MVP conservation and Cleveland in the postseason hunt, entering Thursday’s action with an MLB-leading 62 RBIs in his first 58 games. The numbers here are jaw-dropping, especially for a modern baseball player. Ramírez began Thursday having twice as many walks (34) — and nearly as many homers (16) — as strikeouts (17).
Is there magic in Carpenter’s mustache? Maybe yes, maybe no. Either way, something is working for the three-time All-Star who seems to be reviving his career in the Bronx after a few rough years of decline in St. Louis. On Sunday, he blasted two homers — giving him six in his first 10 games since joining the Yanks — and drove in seven runs against the Cubs.
The Polar Bear is making a serious run at giving New York both the AL and NL home run leaders, alongside Judge. From June 3-14, he smacked five homers, drove in 12 runs and slugged .824 over a nine-game span to help the Mets try to fend off the surging Braves in the NL East.
Also receiving votes: Christian Bethancourt (A’s), Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Jake Burger (White Sox), Carlos Correa (Twins), Jake Cronenworth (Padres), Nelson Cruz (Nationals), Rafael Devers (Red Sox), Michael Harris II (Braves), Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays), Manny Machado (Padres), J.D. Martinez (Red Sox), Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), Marcus Semien (Blue Jays), Giancarlo Stanton (Yankees), Joey Votto (Reds)
Voters: David Adler, Nick Aguilera, Doug Gausepohl, Sarah Langs, Ted Lee, Mike Petriello, Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru, Andrew Simon