Arizona Diamondbacks players Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte are expected to be among MLB’s best at shortstop and second base, respectively, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.
Olney has been ranking the top 10 players at each position entering the 2026 season, and on Tuesday Perdomo came in at No. 2 for shortstops behind Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr.
Of Perdomo, Olney gave him high praise as an “annual NL MVP conversation” on the “list of if-not-Shohei (Ohtani) candidates.”
He led all NL position players in WAR last season with 7.0, excelling offensively and defensively and posting an adjusted OPS of 139. The Diamondbacks have loved his progression as a leader as well.
Perdomo’s main area of growth in 2025, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo wrote in a text, “was from the offensive side. Balanced out his [left-right] splits. Maintained great plate discipline while improving his slug.”
Marte last Friday was named Olney’s No. 1 second baseman in the major leagues, the two-time All-MLB First Teamer beating out Chicago Cubs’ Nico Hoerner and New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr., who were placed at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
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The 32-year-old was subject to trade rumors for much of the offseason but said last week he’s “glad to be here,” with manager Torey Lovullo adding the club is “making sure that he realizes how important he is to this organization.”
The top-ranked D-back in Marte produced what Olney equated to “about $135 million in value” over the last three years. His 2025 fWar of 10.9 was more than two full points ahead of Hoerner’s 8.7 in second, while his batting value on FanGraphs of 65.8 was more than double that of Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (31.2) in second.
He excels offensively, and while the numbers suggest he is just average defensively, he continues to be the preeminent player at this position.
Gabriel Moreno was the final of the three Arizona players to make Olney’s cut so far, coming in at No. 10 among catchers. Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh, who was an American League MVP candidate in 2025, was No. 1 and was followed by Toronto Blue Jays’ Alejandro Kirk and Los Angeles Dodgers’ Will Smith.
The ESPN MLB senior writer referenced Moreno’s invaluable part in the D-backs making their run to the 2023 World Series, with his only knock being the 26-year-old’s lack of availability since then.
… injuries have limited his playing time and production each of the past two seasons — he played 97 games in 2024 and 83 in ’25. But he’s regarded as an excellent all-around catcher.
Moreno has posted a 7.5 fWar from 2023 to 2025, which ranks ninth among MLB catchers.
No Diamondbacks player appeared on Olney’s list of top starting pitchers, relievers or third baseman, although former D-back third baseman Eugenio Suarez, now a Cincinnati Red, was an honorable mention after a monstrous season with 52 home runs between Arizona and Seattle.
Corner outfielder rankings are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, center fielders will be stacked up Thursday and designated hitters will round things out Friday.
Despite his hamate injury endangering Opening Day, outfielder Corbin Carroll is among the remaining Diamondbacks stars that could make an appearance in the preseason rankings.
from Arizona Sports https://ift.tt/PyEHmJz
