Major League Baseball experts shared their predictions for the upcoming season’s statistical leaders, according to a March 23 report. With Opening Day approaching, staff members from MLB.com weighed in on who they expect to top various categories in both the American and National Leagues.
These predictions are important as they set expectations for fans and teams alike, highlighting players who could have significant impacts on their clubs’ performances this year.
In the American League, Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals was selected as the likely leader in hits, while Aaron Judge of the Yankees was overwhelmingly chosen as the projected home run leader. Chandler Simpson of the Rays is expected to lead in stolen bases after an impressive debut last season. Tarik Skubal from the Tigers is predicted to win his third consecutive ERA title, with Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox seen as a strong candidate for most strikeouts among AL pitchers. Andrés Muñoz of the Mariners was picked by many as a top closer after notching 38 saves last year.
For National League projections, Luis Arraez—now with the Giants—is favored to lead in hits despite what some called a down year previously. Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) received strong support as home run leader after hitting a career-high 55 homers last season. Elly De La Cruz (Reds) is seen as likely to pace NL base stealers if healthy. Paul Skenes (Pirates) emerged as favorite for both ERA and strikeouts among NL pitchers following two dominant seasons with an ERA under 2.00 and over 200 strikeouts last year. Edwin Díaz (Dodgers), now closing games for Los Angeles, was selected by many experts as best positioned for most saves.
The staff also recognized several runner-ups across categories—including Jacob Wilson (A’s), Bo Bichette (Mets), Nick Kurtz (A’s), Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), Oneil Cruz (Pirates), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers), Logan Webb (Giants), David Bednar (Yankees), and Mason Miller (Padres)—noting close votes or exceptional past performances that could influence outcomes this season.
As teams prepare for Opening Day on March 25 with high-profile matchups like Yankees vs. Giants presented by Adobe on Netflix, these expert picks provide fans with key players to watch throughout what promises to be another competitive baseball season.
