"Spring training camps are underway, which means it is time to look at the state of baseball. As part of our 2026 MLB season preview, ESPN's Buster Olney surveyed those around the industry to help him rank the top 10 players at every position as part of his annual positional ranking series. Today, we rank the best of the best relievers."
"The objective of this exercise is to identify the best players for the 2026 season, not who might be best in five years or over their career. We will roll out a position per day over the next two weeks. Here's the rest of the schedule: starting pitchers (Monday), relief pitchers (Tuesday), catchers (Wednesday), second basemen (Friday), third basemen (Feb. 23), shortstops (Feb. 24), corner outfielders (Feb. 25), center fielders (Feb. 26), designated hitters (Feb. 27)."
"After being drafted fourth overall in 2024 and starting the '25 season in the minor leagues, Kurtz wrecked major league pitching for 36 homers and an OPS+ of 173 in his first 117 games. He effectively spotted the rest of the league a month -- making his debut on April 23 -- and only Matt Olson accumulated more fWAR than Kurtz among first basemen in 2025."
Spring training camps are underway and a positional ranking series surveys industry voices to identify the top players for the 2026 MLB season. The reliever rankings focus on who projects as the best in 2026 rather than long-term potential. One position will be released per day over two weeks, covering starters, relievers, catchers, middle infielders, corner outfielders, center fielders and designated hitters. College hitters typically face a steep learning curve against professional pitching. Oakland rookie Nick Kurtz bypassed much of that adjustment, hitting 36 homers with a 173 OPS+ in his first 117 big-league games after debuting April 23, 2025.
Read at ESPN.com
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