NEW YORK – The MLBbros are back on the diamond with MLB opening week underway, and there are plenty of elite MLB players who will shine when the lights come on at stadiums across the league. Here is a look at the ‘Big Six’ who we expect to shine the brightest.
Aaron Judge, Yankees: If he isn’t the best player in baseball, he is a close second behind Shohei Ohtani. Judge, 33, is looking to win his fourth American League MVP in five years. Keep this in mind: The Yankees never had a player win four MVPs. Based on last year, Judge has a good chance to win that fourth one. In 2025, Judge was the first member of the Yankees to win a batting title since DJ LeMahieu did the trick in 2000. Judge had a slash line of .331/.458/.691 with 53 homers and 114 RBIs. According to Baseball Reference, Judge led the Major Leagues in WAR at 9.2, and that’s 2.1 points above Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes.
Drake Baldwin, Braves: There aren’t many brothers behind the plate, but Baldwin is one of the best in the business. His fir
st year in The Majors was extraordinary. Among National League rookies, Baldwin was the first in RBIs [80], slugging [.474], and OPS [.818]. Baldwin recorded 10 RBIs in the Marlins Series from Aug. 7-9, the most by any Braves rookie in a single series in the Atlanta era (since 1966).
Mookie Betts, Dodgers: Betts, 33, had his worst year at the plate because of an illness to start the season, but he was Gold Glove-caliber at shortstop. Things will be different this year. The bat will be booming, and he will be a major reason the Dodgers will win their third consecutive championship.
Devin Williams, Mets: His first year in New York, with the Yankees, wasn’t good. But now, Williams moved across town to Queens. He may be more comfortable at Citi Field because he worked for Mets general manager David Stearns when both were with the Brewers. The team that saw the most productive years of Williams’ career.
Josh Naylor, Mariners: Seattle will have a full season with the slugging first baseman, and it might be even better in 2026. He is a home run hitter, an area they were aiming to improve before acquiring his services before the trade deadline. He is consistent in the batter’s box. Last season, Naylor gave Seattle a boost in the batter’s box, especially in September. He had a slash line of .364/.398/.584 with four homers during the month. He hopes to take the Mariners to the World Series for the first time in their history.
Justin Crawford, Phillies: Crawford has all the makings to be a National League Rookie of the Year candidate. The son of Rays great Carl Crawford, Justin, will be Philadelphia’s starting center fielder. His specialties lie in defense, speed, and a steady bat. If he is anything like his father, look for the Phillies to be a division winner once again, thanks to his presence on the field.
