Who is the best DH in Baseball?

The evolution of the designated hitter has made a big-time impact on the game of baseball and the landscape of Major League Baseball. Once a position used just in the American League has now been introduced to both leagues with the National League moving away from the traditional approach with pitchers batting. The move to a full designated hitter in both leagues has opened up a full-time position for players who typically have big bats but can’t play the field. As you look around Major League Baseball, many talented designated hitters are filling out rosters including Shohei Ohtani who lands atop the Top 10 MLB Designated Hitters 2024 Rankings list.

Ohtani, who is still recovering from Tommy John surgery, has taken over the everyday designated hitter role for the Los Angeles Dodgers after signing with the team during the off-season.

A move that has paid off as the former two-time American League MVP is in pursuit of becoming the first 50 home run and 50 stolen base players in MLB history. As Ohtani headlines the list, he is joined by a strong cast of designated hitters including Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves, Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies, Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros, and Brent Rooker of the Oakland A’s. 

Here is a look at the Top 10 MLB Designated Hitters 2024 Rankings list:

Honorable Mention

Mitch Garver

Team: Seattle Mariners

Just missing the Top 10 MLB Designated Hitters 2024 Rankings list is the Seattle Mariners 33-year-old veteran designated hitter Mitch Garver. Garver who ranks 10^th among designated hitters with 13 home runs on the season has been a big bat in the lineup all season long while adding 17 doubles and 13 home runs over 108 total games played.

While his power numbers are impressive his other production has slid him down the list including just a .172 batting average over 348 total at bats. Nonetheless Garver’s ability to add power to the lineup while also managing to pick up 52 walks has added value at times for the Mariners this season.

J.D. Martinez

Team: New York Mets

The 37-year-old veteran designated hitter J.D. Martinez continues to showcase his ability to hit at a solid level while posting 16 home runs and driving in 69 runs in just 114 games with the New York Mets this season.

Martinez, who has racked up 331 career home runs while driving in 1071 total runs over his long career has been a proven run producer for most of his career.

In addition to the 16 home runs, Martinez has picked up 23 doubles and one triple while also scoring 44 runs on the season. While the end of his career is fast approaching, the ability to provide valuable production at the designated hitter slot has allowed Martinez to continue his career.

Top 10 MLB Designated Hitters 2024 Rankings

10. Masataka Yoshida

Team: Boston Red Sox

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 MLB Designated Hitters 2024 Rankings list is the Boston Red Sox Masataka Yoshida. Yoshida who has battled injuries this season has been very productive while in the lineup despite playing in just 100 games to date.

Nonetheless its hard to look past the production the Red Sox designated hitter has added over those 100 games including picking up 101 hits while posting a .287 batting average.

Of those 101 hits, Yoshida has added 20 doubles and 10 home runs while driving in 54 runs on the season. The second-year star has been a value to the Red Sox lineup since signing with the team before the start of the 2023 MLB season. 

9. Andrew McCutchen

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

The former National League MVP has seen solid production all season in his second season with the Pittsburgh Pirates since rejoining the team he started his career with back during the 2009 MLB season.

The long time Pirates Andrew McCutchen who once was a solid defensive center fielder has now turned to the designated hitter slot to extend his playing time while allowing him to add value and hopes of a playoff run with the team that drafted him.

Over 113 MLB games this season, McCutchen has posted 99 hits over 422 at bats including 17 doubles, one triple, and 20 home runs while driving in 50 runs. The 20 home runs marked the 10^th time of his MLB career reaching the mark while pushing his career total to 319 home runs and 1,095 runs batted in.

8. Alec Burleson

Team: St. Louis Cardinals

One of the younger names landing among the top designated hitters in baseball is the St. Louis Cardinals Alec Burleson. The 25-year-old Burleson has split time several positions this season including both corner outfield positions as well as at first base has seen the most of his at bats at the designated hitter position.

Overall, the 25-year-old utility player has been solid across the board posting a .270 batting average mark across 511 at bats through mid-September. Over those 511 at bats, Burleson has added 19 doubles and 21 home runs while driving in 73 runs to go along with nine stolen bases and 67 runs scored.

7. Giancarlo Stanton

Team: New York Yankees

When healthy everyone knows the type of damage Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees can do in the lineup night in and night out. However, the Yankees veteran has been limited to just 105 total games this season while holding him to just 386 total at bats total.

Despite the limited role time, Stanton has made the most of his time in the team’s lineup including posting 18 doubles to go along with 25 home runs while driving in 64 runs.

The 34-year-old Stanton has been as dominant of a home run hitter as any in baseball posting 427 total across 1641 games played while also driving in 1,095 runs along the way. The 25 home runs marked the 13th time of his MLB career the veteran designated hitter had topped the 20 home run mark in a season.

6. Joc Pederson

Team: Arizona Diamondbacks

After signing a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks back in January, Joc Pederson was excited and ready to get to work while delivering the team another valuable addition to their roster and at the plate.

The move has paid off for the Diamondbacks as well as the veteran Pederson who has taken on most of the designated hitter roles this season while posting 327 of his 345 at bats at the position.

Overall Pederson has posted a .275 batting average over the 345 at bats to include 16 doubles, one triple and 22 home runs while driving in 61 runs on the season.

5. Marcell Ozuna

Team: Atlanta Braves

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 MLB Designated Hitters 2024 Rankings list is the Atlanta Braves Marcell Ozuna. Ozuna who finished with 40 home runs last season is just three shies of the mark with just over two weeks of the regular season to play.

The 33-year-old veteran designated hitter has compiled a career stat line that includes posting 273 career home runs to go along with 874 runs batted in. Over the course of the 2024 MLB season, the Braves veteran has helped those numbers to reach those marks by adding 37 home runs and 98 runs batted in over 564 at bats this season.

The production doesn’t slow down there as Ozuna has added 171 hits, 90 runs scored, 28 doubles, and a career high .380 on base percentage in seasons with at least 100 games played.

4. Kyle Schwarber

Team: Philadelphia Phillies

Since the start of the 2022 MLB season and since joining the Philadelphia Phillies before starting that season, Kyle Schwarber has ranked among the top power hitters in the game.

The 31-year-old designated hitter is currently batting .251 on the season with 35 home runs and 97 runs batted in over 139 games this season. Despite missing time, the Phillies outfielder still found a way to extend his 30 plus home run mark to three straight seasons while also topping the 90 runs batted in mark.

Even more impressive than his power numbers have been the improvement in batting average that jumped from the .197-mark last season and .218 the season prior to .251 over 529 at bats. Overall, Schwarber currently ranks fourth in home runs and runs batted in among the best designated hitters in baseball.

3. Yordan Alvarez

Team: Houston Astros

Another big-time power bat at the designated hitter slot is the 27-year-old Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez. Alvarez, like other top designated hitters has spent time at positions other than designated hitter this year however most if not majority of his at bats and production has come at designated hitter.

On the season Alvarez leads all designated hitters with a .307 batting average while also posting a .392 on base percentage mark. The strong play at the plate includes picking up 164 hits on the season including 32 doubles, two triples, and 34 home runs while driving in 85 runs at the plate.

The production does not stop there as Alvarez has posted a 5.3 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) mark ranking just behind Brent Rooker (5.5) and Shohei Ohtani (7.4) through the last two weeks of the 2024 MLB schedule.

2. Brent Rooker

Team: Oakland A’s

The Oakland A’s Brent Rooker has put together a strong start with the A’s after bouncing around between the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, and Kansas City Royals before landing with the A’s full time before the start of the 2023 MLB season.

In two full seasons with the A’s, Rooker, who has also spent time playing both corner outfield positions, has posted 20 doubles and at least 30 home runs in each season.

Over 507 at bats this season, Rooker has posted a .302 batting average to go along with 25 doubles, two triples, 38 home runs while driving in 109 runs while spending most of his time as the A’s full time designated hitter. Currently the 38 home runs are second behind Shohei Ohtani while his .302 batting average ranks third behind Marcell Ozuna and Yordan Alvarez.

1. Shohei Ohtani

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

In at number one on the Top 10 MLB Designated Hitters 2024 Rankings list is the Los Angeles Dodgers prized off-season free agent Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani, who only lands on this list due to him recovering from surgery last year on his pitching arm, has filled in nicely at designated hitter all season long.

Through 148 games this season, Ohtani has 48 home runs to go along with 48 stolen bases ranking second in all of baseball behind Aaron Judge in home runs and Elly De La Cruz in stolen bases.

The numbers don’t stop they’re as the Dodgers designated hitter has added 169 hits on the season, 32 doubles, seven triples, 110 runs batted in and a .372 on base percentage mark. In addition, Ohtani currently leads all designated hitters with a 7.4 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) mark.

Sunday Umoh

Sunday Umoh is the visionary founder and CEO of Fan Rankings LLC, a platform that merges sports passion with technology to create an engaging and interactive space for fans worldwide. With a background in Information Science and Systems and experience as a Software Engineer, Umoh has built a brand that blends analytical insights with emotional connection, offering unique coverage of Football, Basketball, MMA, and Boxing. A graduate of Morgan State University and a former collegiate Track and Field athlete, Umoh previously gained attention for his impactful Washington Wizards blog, fireerniegrunfeld.com. His journey exemplifies how technology can amplify sports fandom, with Fan Rankings setting a new standard in sports media, providing a community for fans to connect, debate, and celebrate their favorite teams and athletes.

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