There’s an evolution underway in the heart of the outfield. Traditionally defined by speed, on-base ability, and stolen bases, center field has become home to stars who can simply do it all — and these guys are setting the standard. Here are the top five center fielders of the 2025 MLB season.
5. Jackson Chourio, Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers — winners of seven straight and 10 of their last 11 — are the hottest team in baseball. And they’ll only get better once their center fielder returns.
Jackson Chourio, expected to miss the next two to four weeks with a hamstring strain suffered on July 29, is in the midst of a strong follow-up campaign to his standout rookie season, one that earned him a third-place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Still just 21 years old, Chourio has posted a .786 OPS and 117 wRC+ with 17 home runs and 18 stolen bases in 2025. He’s also utilizing his quickness to make an impact both defensively and on the basepaths — ranking around the 80th percentile in Fielding Run Value (FRV) and Baserunning Run Value (BRV).
4. Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners
With Cal Raleigh commanding the spotlight in Seattle, Julio Rodriguez is quietly heating up as the season progresses.
The former Rookie of the Year hasn’t quite been the offensive force he once was, though he’s swiftly rebounded from a sluggish start to the season. Rodriguez now carries a .741 OPS and 111 wRC+ on the year with 21 home runs — fourth-most among center fielders. Ten of those homers have come in the last month alone, during which he’s posted a scorching .903 OPS.
Rogriguez continues to amaze with lightning speed, racking up 22 stolen bags and snagging nearly everything hit in his general vicinity. His 9 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) are the third-most among center fielders, while his 8 Outs Above Average (OAA) place him in the top 97th percentile league-wide.
3. Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
Flanked by injuries for most of his career, Byron Buxton is finally playing consistent baseball again — and it’s some of his best yet.
At 31 years old, Buxton has impressively maintained the third-fastest sprint speed in baseball (30.2 ft/sec). He covers a ton of ground, owning a 4 OAA, and he’s an absolute machine on the basepaths. His BRV, 6, ranks in the top 99th percentile of the league.
Buxton, named an All-Star for the second time this season, has crushed 23 homers in 2025, just six shy of setting a new personal best. He currently paces all center fielders with an .905 OPS and 145 wRC+.
2. Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox
Ceddanne Rafaela flashed elite speed and a solid glove in his first two seasons with the Red Sox, but his bat had dragged steadily behind. Now, he’s brought it up to speed — and he’s showcasing refinement across the board.
Rafaela’s .664 OPS in 2024 has jumped to .748 this season — nearly a 90-point difference. The 24-year-old, hailing from Curaçao, is just one home run away from matching his career high of 15, a mark that would secure him a 15-homer, 15-stolen base season.
Already armed with an absolute cannon, Rafaela now boasts first-class range — flipping a -2 OAA last year to a whopping 16 OAA in 2025, the second-best mark among outfielders.
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs
Center field at Wrigley Field is commanded by one of the most valuable players in the sport. At just 23 years old, Pete Crow-Armstrong leads the National League with a 5.6 fWAR — the third best in baseball behind Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh.
A flashy athlete with lightning speed, PCA is arguably the MLB’s best defender. His 18 OAA leads all outfielders, while he tops the majors with a 19 FRV and 19 DRS.
While he showed off his glove and speed in his rookie year, Crow-Armstrong has dazzled in his sophomore campaign by supplementing them with an elite bat. He hit just 10 homers last year — he leads his position with 27 of them in 2025, owning an .833 OPS and 129 wRC+.
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