Ohtani keeps No. 1 spot in CBS Sports' MLB midseason top 50
CBS Sports ranked the best MLB players of 2026 so far, with Shohei Ohtani leading and several comeback names landing in the top 50.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Shohei Ohtani is still the king of the MLB mountain, according to CBS Sports' new midseason ranking of the top 50 players of 2026.
Dayn Perry of CBS Sports placed Ohtani at No. 1 as the regular season moves into its second half. The ranking, according to CBS Sports, is based on first-half value rather than projections for what will happen next.
The list weighs hitters by their offense, defense, baserunning, playing time, home park context and value at their position. For pitchers, CBS Sports said run prevention and workload carried the most weight, with strikeouts and walks also considered.
Ohtani leads, PCA pushes
CBS Sports said Ohtani held off “PCA” for the top spot, while the headline also noted a breakout surprise inside the top five. The full ranking is built around what players have already done this season, not whether their pace is expected to last.
That approach opened the door for several names having sharp first halves, from established stars to less expected contributors.
Corbin Carroll came in at No. 50 after CBS Sports credited the Diamondbacks outfielder with a 3.1 WAR and the major league lead in triples at the break. Just ahead of him, Mets outfielder Juan Soto ranked 49th despite missing almost three weeks with a calf strain, with CBS Sports citing his .967 OPS, 21 home runs and walk total that exceeds his strikeouts.
Braves first baseman Matt Olson landed at No. 48 after hitting 25 homers and 24 doubles in 95 games, while Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy ranked 47th with a 132 OPS+, 17 homers and strong defense at third, according to CBS Sports.
Old stars, new sparks
Mike Trout's return to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2019 helped put him at No. 45. CBS Sports noted that the Angels outfielder had a .390 on-base percentage in 78 games and was on pace to clear 30 home runs while playing center field again.
Byron Buxton followed at No. 44 after slugging .575 with 25 home runs in 75 games for the Twins, despite dealing with nagging injuries, according to CBS Sports.
Yandy Díaz ranked 43rd for the Rays with a .322 batting average, 13 home runs and 55 RBI listed by CBS Sports, which also credited him with leading the American League in batting average and hits at the break.
Among surprise or less familiar names, Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski placed 41st after posting a 2.69 ERA over 100 1/3 innings. Nationals lefty Foster Griffin ranked 36th with a 2.77 ERA and a 4.19 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 19 starts, with CBS Sports noting he entered the year still eligible as a rookie.
Notable names from Nos. 35 to 25
- Cody Bellinger ranked 35th for the Yankees after winning All-Star Game MVP, with CBS Sports pointing to his outfield defense and baserunning.
- Tristan Peters of the White Sox came in at No. 34 with a 131 OPS+ and strong center-field defense, according to CBS Sports.
- Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt ranked 33rd and was described by CBS Sports as the current front-runner for NL Rookie of the Year.
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto placed 28th for the Dodgers with a 2.85 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 110 2/3 innings.
- Jordan Walker landed at No. 25 after CBS Sports noted that the Cardinals outfielder won the Home Run Derby and led MLB with 74 RBI.
The ranking also included Chris Sale at No. 27, Parker Messick at No. 26, Luis Arraez at No. 30, Max Meyer at No. 31 and Randy Arozarena at No. 32.
With Ohtani still parked at No. 1, CBS Sports' midseason list gives the second half a clear target: everyone else is chasing the sport's two-way standard-bearer.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.