David SchoenfieldFeb 26, 2026, 07:00 AM ETCloseCovers MLB for ESPN.com Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been with ESPN.com since 1995Multiple Authors
Let’s not waste any time here with some fancy introduction, where we evoke the pastoral sights of spring training or the loud crack of a perfectly struck ball during batting practice in a near-empty ballpark. No, let’s cut right to the issue at hand: It’s time for our annual way-too-early All-Star selections, in which we predict who will be making the trip to Philadelphia for the 2026 Midsummer Classic in 138 days (but who’s counting).
As always, we’ll fill out the 32-man rosters with 20 position players and 12 pitchers, including three relievers, with each team receiving at least one representative.
Gleyber Torres started last year’s All-Star Game, but don’t bet on that again. After slumping in the second half, he may not even hold the job all season with rookies Kevin McGonigle and Max Anderson hot to take a spot in the Detroit infield.
Chisholm is the best of a weak group of AL candidates, with Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco and Brandon Lowe all going to the National League this offseason. Jose Altuve may win the fan vote and can still hit, but his poor defense craters his value.
A year ago, this was a good debate between Witt and Gunnar Henderson after they finished second and fourth in the 2024 AL MVP voting after both posted ridiculous 9-WAR seasons. Witt has pulled ahead since.
A hand injury and severe ankle sprain limited Alvarez to 48 games in 2025, but don’t forget him when drafting your fantasy team. From 2022 to 2024, only Judge had a higher OPS+ and Alvarez will still be just 28 years old on Opening Day. He should return to his status as one of the top hitters in the game — maybe top three alongside Judge and Ohtani.
Skubal, Garrett Crochet and Hunter Brown separated themselves from the pack of AL starters in 2025 and I would rank them 1-2-3 heading into 2026 with a gap to the next tier.
The wild card is Baltimore’s Trevor Rogers, who had a 1.81 ERA in 18 starts and ranked fourth in WAR. He’s not that good, of course, but don’t discount his chance of being a top-10 starter in the league.
The most difficult position here is shortstop, which is stacked. I had to leave off Jeremy Pena, Corey Seager and Jacob Wilson, last year’s starter, with Neto appearing as the Angels’ lone representative. He’s a valid All-Star, however, with 5.1 WAR each of the past two seasons, combining good power with plus defense.
Buxton gets the nod for now … assuming the Twins don’t trade him. Duran was a stud in 2024 (8.7 WAR) and still very good in 2025 (4.7 WAR). George Springer had a monster year in 2025 but that will be difficult to repeat at 36, so we’ll go with Rooker at DH (the A’s have a fun lineup, don’t they?).
So many good pitchers left off here: Bryan Woo, Jacob deGrom, Framber Valdez, Kevin Gausman, Rookie of the Year contender Trey Yesavage and Cam Schlittler, who was just as impressive as Yesavage last fall.
We’ll go with Contreras, who should see a rebound in his power numbers, has turned into a solid defensive catcher, and might play 150 games again, starting at DH when he doesn’t catch.
Ketel Marte is the default pick at second base because of his .913 OPS over the past two seasons, the sixth-best mark in the majors. Hoerner is a much different player than Marte, getting much of his value from his glove and legs, but he also hit .297 with a .345 OBP and topped Marte in WAR in 2025 (6.2 to 4.4). Durability is a key, as Hoerner has topped 150 games three straight years while Marte has averaged 137 games over those three seasons.
There are several candidates here besides Bregman, including Manny Machado, Bo Bichette, Austin Riley, Matt Chapman and Max Muncy, but they all come with warts, whether it’s injury risk, age or, in Bichette’s case, a new position.
Bregman has been a consistent two-way performer and was on his way to another four-win season with the Red Sox in 2025 if not for a quad strain. He and Machado are similar at this point: Machado has averaged 3.3 WAR the past three seasons with a 117 OPS+ while Bregman is at 4.2 and 121, both now in their early 30s. Riley might have the most upside here but has battled injuries the past two seasons, so I’m going with Bregman, who I think has a big year ahead at Wrigley Field.
When healthy, Tucker has been one of the best players in the majors the past two seasons, producing 4.7 WAR in just 78 games in 2024, when he fractured his shin on a foul ball, and then ranking among the leaders in 2025 until he fractured his hand, which he played through leading to a prolonged slump.
While going to the Dodgers, where he’ll be just another guy in their star-studded clubhouse, will help keep the attention off him, his high salary — calculated at $57 million average annual value — creates a different level of pressure for Tucker. If he handles that, he’ll earn his fifth straight All-Star selection.
He played 90 games in 2025 and was superb: .290/.417/.518. He’ll probably never repeat 2023, when his strikeout rate dipped to a level he hasn’t otherwise approached in his career, but if he can stay on the field he should be one of the best hitters in the league.
Skenes’ strikeout rate dropped from 33.1% as a rookie to 29.5% last season. Normally, that might be a slight cause for concern, but that rate still ranked eighth among pitchers with at least 100 innings and it’s not like it led to more damage against him.
Let’s see if the Pirates cut Skenes loose a little more this year: He made just 11 starts on four days of rest and topped 100 pitches just eight times, so he finished with 187 innings. He should get to 200-plus innings in 2026.
Sanchez finished second to Skenes in the NL Cy Young voting and deserved it — in fact, he was slightly ahead of Skenes in Baseball-Reference + FanGraphs WAR (although Skenes was the unanimous Cy Young winner). Greene is going to make 30 starts one of these years and that will make him a Cy Young contender. Webb is our only Giants rep but also makes it on merit. He increased his strikeout rate in 2025 and with five straight excellent seasons is one of the safest bets among starting pitchers.
McLean is still a rookie but looked so polished in his eight starts that I’m taking him instead of new Mets teammate Freddy Peralta. Sale just has to stay healthy. He won Cy Young honors in 2024 and is a good sleeper pick to win again as he was just as dominant in 2025 until he fractured his ribcage diving for a ball.
Misiorowski was a controversial All-Star last year, a late addition to the squad after making just five career starts. If he can improve his control, he’ll earn that selection this year. Perez made it back from Tommy John surgery after missing 2024 and is still just 23 with huge upside.
The relievers? No controversy with those three choices, with apologies to Abner Uribe for not finding a spot for him.
Ramirez finished third in the AL MVP voting — his eighth career top-10 finish. He’s now the all-time leader in MVP award shares among players who have never won the award. Ramirez hasn’t really deserved an MVP award in any of those seasons — his highest ranking among AL position players in WAR was third in 2018 and 2021 and he was sixth in 2025 — but his voting results are a testament to his consistency and the appreciation of his all-around game. He should get some competition from Junior Caminero and Maikel Garcia, but for now he remains the top candidate at the position as he enters his age-33 season.
David SchoenfieldFeb 26, 2026, 07:00 AM ETCloseCovers MLB for ESPN.com Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been with ESPN.com since 1995Multiple Authors
Lead in runs scored for the third straight year. His 280 runs over the past two years were the most in a two-year span since Jeff Bagwell scored 295 in 1999-2000.
Let’s see, a few statistical feats Ohtani can accomplish in 2026:
Oh, and he pitches on the side. He continues to amaze and captivate us in impossible ways.
CloseCovers MLB for ESPN.com Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been with ESPN.com since 1995
Lead his league in slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+ and total bases for the fourth straight year.