If you look at a list of the top left fielders in 2024, you’ll find some of the best hitters in baseball right now. You might even find some players who will one day be among the greatest left fielders in MLB history. But if we were going to make a list of the best left fielders for 2024, who would make the cut?
Best MLB Left Fielders for the 2024 Season
With so many great hitters manning left field, limiting a list of the top left fielders for 2024 to just 10 players is harder than you might think.
Don’t forget that we had to consider each player’s defensive skills a little as well. Naturally, we don’t expect everybody to agree with us. However, that didn’t stop us from ranking the 10 best left fielders in 2024.
10. Lourdes Gurriel
After flying a little under the radar during the season, during the playoffs, the whole baseball world got to see just how valuable Lourdes Gurriel was to the Diamondbacks last year.
He set new career-highs in both doubles and homers in 2023 and then had six extra-base hits in 17 postseason games. He probably isn’t going to be among the elite left fielders in the game. But there’s no reason why he can’t replicate last season’s success in 2024.
9. Austin Hays
After getting an all-star invitation last summer, it’s clear that Austin Hays is a big part of Baltimore’s resurgence. He’s been holding it down in left field for the Orioles for the last three years and is fresh off the best season of his career.
There’s little doubt that he’ll continue to be a reliable contributor in the Baltimore lineup in 2024 as well.
8. Alex Verdugo
It looks as though the Yankees are going to put Alex Verdugo in left field this season, which should be a good fit for him. He figures to be one of the better defensive left fielders in baseball and could see an uptick in his power from playing at Yankee Stadium.
Even if the home runs don’t come, Verdugo has hit 30-plus doubles in three straight seasons. Plus, he’s going to be 27 on opening day, so it’s likely we haven’t seen the best of Verdugo yet.
7. Christian Yelich
Unfortunately, Christian Yelich is far removed from the player he was when he took home MVP honors in 2018. But even if his power numbers are still down, he still swings a good bat.
Yelich produced an OPS of .817 last year despite a mere 19 home runs. He’s also avoided the IL in back-to-back seasons, so even at age 32, the Brewers can expect him to be an above-average left fielder this season.
6. Steven Kwan
Just two years into his MLB career, Steven Kwan already has two Gold Gloves and has become a fan favorite in Cleveland. Of course, his defense is arguably Kwan’s best tool. After all, he has just 11 home runs over two seasons, so he’s limited in that area compared to the average left fielder.
But don’t sleep on his speed, as Kwan was able to contribute 36 doubles, seven triples, and 21 stolen bases last season, and there is a lot of value in that.
5. Evan Carter
We have to project a little bit with Evan Carter because he has just 102 career at-bats, and that includes the playoffs. Keep in mind he hit .300 with an OPS of .917 during the playoffs last season. His regular-season numbers were even better, as he hit .306 with five homers in just 23 games.
The guy won’t even turn 22 until the end of August. Admittedly, it was a small sample size, but Carter has a chance to blossom into a star this season.
4. Teoscar Hernandez
Adding Teoscar Hernandez was a somewhat underrated move by the Dodgers this offseason – at least compared to their other additions. In any event, they’ve added one of the best pure power hitters in the game. Hernandez hit 16 home runs during the shortened 2020 season and hit at least 22 homers in every other season since 2018.
Granted, he’s going to lose some points defensively. But Hernandez is also a two-time Silver Slugger winner who should have a big year considering the help he’ll have around him in the Los Angeles lineup.
3. Ian Happ
Defensively, Ian Happ is about as good as it gets in left field, earning Gold Glove honors in back-to-back seasons. The switch-hitter has also offered plenty of consistency in the Chicago lineup in recent years.
Happ contributed 60 extra-base hits and an OPS of .791 in 2023. For a player with an elite glove, that’s more than enough to put Happ among the best left fielders in baseball.
2. Brandon Nimmo
Despite developing into an above-average center fielder, it looks like Brandon Nimmo could get the bulk of his playing time in left field in 2024. There’s nothing wrong with that because he’ll immediately be among the best in baseball.
Nimmo has continued to make strides throughout his career and has finished five of the last six seasons with an OPS of .800 or higher. He also tied his career-high in doubles last season with 30 while setting a new career-high with 24 homers. Nimmo is right in his prime right now, so whether he’s in left field or center field, he’ll be a huge asset for the Mets in 2024.
1. Randy Arozarena
Given his versatility and raw power, Randy Arozarena gets a slight edge over Nimmo as the best left fielder in MLB right now. Granted, he’s hit a lot more doubles than home runs over the past few seasons.
But Arozarena has also put together three straight 20-20 seasons. On the heels of his first all-star selection last year, Arozarena looks primed for another productive season with the Rays.
Discussion about this post