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Who is the best Second Baseman in Baseball?

Once upon a time, second base was known as a position for defensive specialists, but in 2026 and over the past few years, the position has continued to evolve.

Now, we see defense, power, speed, contact and everything from the position, and with so much young talent coming up at 2B, there’s reasons to be excited about the future of the position. But among all of the young, exciting players, who is the best? Who has the most potential? Who has delivered early in 2026? Read on and find out.

Here is a look at the Top 10 MLB Second Baseman 2026 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Jeff McNeil

Team: Oakland Athletics

Jeff McNeil has long been a good contributor, and after leaving the New York Mets this past off-season, he’s continued that work with the Athletics. At 34-years of age, McNeil has continued his offensive play at the plate, hitting .309 thus far, which would represent the highest number of his career since back in 2020.

In that time, McNeil has hit just 1 home run but has driven in 12 runs, and with an OPS of .780, he’s been exactly what the young Athletics were looking for when they signed him. His days of being a top second baseman may be gone, but right now, McNeil gives the A’s exactly what they want, and with good average and a solid RBI production, he’s a very good player in 2026.

Luis Arraez

Team: San Francisco Giants

Luis Arraez takes plenty of criticism as a player, but after signing with the San Francisco Giants this off-season, he has produced for the team at a very high level. With a DWAR of 0.6, Arraez has been much better in the field than expected, but at the plate is where he’s been really good for the struggling Giants.

Although he hasn’t cleared the fence yet, Arraez has driven in 12 runs while hitting .316 on the year, with 42 hits thus far ranking very high amongst second baseman. While the OPS sits at just .739, Arraez has never been known for his power, but if he continues to hit for average and drive in runs, he’ll be a very productive player throughout the campaign.

Top 10 MLB Second Basemen 2026 Rankings

10. Ernie Clement

Team: Toronto Blue Jays

Early in his career, Ernie Clement didn’t flash starter potential in the Major Leagues, but over the past few seasons, he’s become critical to the Toronto Blue Jays success. In 2025, in his first post-season appearances, Clement only went and made history, tallying 30 hits, an MLB record across 18 games when he hit for a very impressive .411 average and a .977 OPS.

While he’s not been quite as good thus far in 2026, Clement is still a fantastic defender and hits for great average with a .281 across 146 at bats this year. On paper, Clement steps up when it matters most, and while he may not put up massive power numbers, the versatility and contact skills make him a top 2B in all of baseball.

9. Ketel Marte

Team: Arizona Diamondbacks

Coming into the season, Ketel Marte was seen as baseball’s best second baseman, but following an incredibly rough start for Arizona, he’s fallen a long, long way. He’s turned things around in recent times, but with an average of just .209 on the season, this isn’t the Marte that we’ve become accustomed too over the past three seasons.

Through 35 games, the power is still clearly there, as Marte has hit 5 out following seasons of 25, 36 and 28, but beyond that, his game has faltered early in 2026. With a DWAR of 0.1, Marte has been just average in the field, but if he can continue his turnaround, there’s no reason that he couldn’t end up at the top of this list by seasons end.

8. Jose Altuve

Team: Houston Astros

For the longest time, any conversation about second baseman has begun with Houston’s Jose Altuve, who has been a key for their organization since way back in 2011. Obviously, at the age of 36, he’s clearly taking a major step back, but in 2026, he’s still a good player, with 3 home runs and 9 RBI early in the season suggesting the power isn’t what it once was.

An OPS of .703 represents Altuve’s worst number since 2020, but given the veteran experience and the solid defense, he’s still a contributor at the highest level. While this may be his last campaign as a very good player, Altuve remains a star, and although he’s fallen in these standings, he can still help the Astros back to the MLB Playoffs.

7. Jeremiah Jackson

Team: Baltimore Orioles

Jeremiah Jackson is a name that very few casual fans around baseball would have heard of, but after a promising campaign in 2025, he’s making his name known this season. With 6 home runs and 24 RBI already in 36 games, he’s topped both numbers from his rookie season, and there’s still a long way to go in 2026.

While he’s hitting just .252 at the plate, an OPS of .703 as a young 26-year old is promising, and with good defense, he’s helping the Baltimore Orioles young core as they look to bounce back. It’s unclear what Jackson’s ceiling can be at the MLB level, but right now, he’s on pace for career highs, and looks like he can be a very good player moving forward.

6. JJ Wetherholt

Team: St. Louis Cardinals

JJ Wetherholt was one of the top rookies coming into the 2026 MLB season, and in short order, he’s established himself as a genuine threat at the plate for the St. Louis Cardinals. In his first 37 career games, Wetherholt has 7 home runs and 18 RBI, and while the average of .236 needs to improve, he’s flashing elite level power early in his career.

Not only that, but Wetherholt has a DWAR of 0.6, top-five at the position across baseball, and after coming up as a shortstop, he’s adjusted to the change incredibly well. There’s a chance for Wetherholt’s hot start to come crashing down, but given what he’s shown already, there’s no reason to expect him to fall out of the Rookie of the Year race in 2026.

5. Xavier Edwards

Team: Miami Marlins

Xavier Edwards is one of the most exciting young players in all of baseball, and after stealing 58 games over the past two seasons, he’s finally improved his all around game since 2025. With two home runs already this year, he’s on pace to beat his career high of 3 from a year ago, and with his .870 OPS early in the year, he may finally bring some consistent production at the plate.

With 45 hits on the year, Edwards ranks second among second baseman, and given the average of .328, he’s clearly finding his consistency at the top level. At just 26-years of age, Edwards has now found his game, and with the ability to hit for power, average and speed with his great defense, he’s a key for the Marlins future.

4. Brandon Lowe

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

This past winter, the Pittsburgh Pirates made some significant additions to their roster, with the biggest of all being Brandon Lowe, who has been an incredibly consistent hitter for the Rays early in his career. That hasn’t stopped since joining Pittsburgh, as he’s followed up a fantastic 31 home run season with 10 already through his first 32 games played.

On top of that, he’s driven in 23 runs and has a .941 OPS, ranking him second amongst second baseman, and clearly, he’s a key piece of the Pirates turning things around. After hitting 21 or more bombs in four of his past five seasons, this is simply who Lowe is at the top level, and at 31-years of age, he’s the perfect fit for this current Pirates squad.

3. Nico Hoerner

Team: Chicago Cubs

While second base was one a place for defensive specialists, in recent years, we’ve seen some of the best offense from the position in league history. That would involve players like Nico Hoerner, who has been huge for the Chicago Cubs, driving in 28 runs across the first 37 games of the campaign thus far.

While the .809 OPS could certainly be higher, Hoerner has continued to come up clutch for the Cubs all season long, with 4 home runs already putting him on pace for a career high. The power may never come for Hoerner, but given how consistent he’s been, it’s easy to see why he’s considered a top second baseman in the sport.

2. Brice Turang

Team: Milwaukee Brewers

Brice Turang has quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic second baseman in all of baseball, and after finally putting it all together a year ago, he’s taken his game to new heights in 2026. With 18 home runs and 81 RBI a year ago, Turang showed that his elite defense can come with power, and early in 2026, he’s hit 5 home runs and driven in 22 runs in just 32 games played.

On top of that, his OPS of .956 ranks first among all second baseman in baseball, and with an average of .305, it’s clear that he’s finally starting to his his peak at the top level. With the Brewers having World Series hopes in 2026, they’ll need Turang to keep playing at this level, and if he does, it’s likely that he’ll be a top contender for a spot in the All-Star Game.

1. Ozzie Albies

Team: Atlanta Braves

Early in his career, Ozzie Albies was one of baseball’s best overall infielders, but in recent years, he’s been forced to battle through injuries, and it’s clearly held him back from being at his very best. In three of the past six seasons, Albies has played less than 70 games a season, and with his best average in that time being .280, many wondered if he could still be a significant contributor at the big league level.

Across 38 games played this season, Albies has clearly turned things around, hitting .322 with 8 home runs and 23 runs driven in, with an OPS of .915, on pace to be the highest of his career. At 29-years of age, Albies still has plenty of good years left in him, and if he can keep up this level of play, 2026 may be the best season of his career.