Best MLB players by state (current)

Many great baseball players, including Hank Aaron and Willie Mays, have been born in the state of Alabama. Major League Baseball’s best current player from the state is Indians pitcher Corey Kluber. The 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner, Kluber is a flame-throwing right-hander who also has quality off-speed pitches. He is the clear No. 1 starter in the Cleveland rotation.

Born in Anchorage, Alaska, Texas Rangers relief pitcher Tony Barnette is currently the only player in the majors from the Last Frontier. A 32-year-old rookie, Barnette was a 10-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks all the way back in 2006.

Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler is currently one of the best all-around infielders in the majors. A four-time All-Star, Kinsler is currently hitting over .300 on the year for the Tigers. He was born in Tucson, Ariz.

Born in Little Rock, Ark., Rays pitcher Drew Smyly is currently the best MLB player from the Natural State. Although the southpaw is having a tough year in Tampa Bay thus far, Smyly’s career ERA of 3.50 would suggest he’ll turn around his 2016 campaign sooner than later.

Although Clayton Kershaw and Jake Arrieta dominate headlines in the NL, Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg shouldn’t be overlooked. The No. 1 pick of the 2009 MLB Draft, Strasburg is having a career year in Washington, as he has a perfect 10-0 record and a 2.90 ERA. He is also tied for second in the NL with 118 strikeouts on the year.

One of the best closers in the NL, Pirates pitcher Mark Melancon was born in Wheat Ridge, Colo. Melancon, who lead the NL last season with 51 saves, is a two-time All-Star.

One of the best young outfielders in the majors, Astros star George Springer was born in New Britain, Conn. Springer, 26, is hitting .266 on the season with 15 home runs and 40 RBI.

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is the best ballplayer to come out of the state of Delaware. Already a three-time All-Star at the age of 28, Goldschmidt is a lock to hit over 30 home runs and 100 RBI out in the desert every season. He has also won two Gold Glove awards.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado has established himself as one of the best all-around players in baseball over the past two seasons. Already a two-time Gold Glove winner, Machado can also hit for both contact and power. The 23-year-old appears destined to win multiple MVP awards over the course of his career.

A three-time World Series champion, Buster Posey is the backbone of the San Francisco Giants. Also a three-time All-Star, the Giants have transitioned Posey from catcher to first base in attempt to maximize his prowess at the plate. A career .308 hitter, he was named NL MVP in 2012. The 29-year-old was born in Leesburg, Ga.

Born in Hilo, Hawaii, Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong has proved himself to be quality infielder when healthy. A first-round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, Wong finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2014. He's struggled this season and was optioned to Triple-A, where he's learning to play center field as well to increase his versatility.

Giants relief pitcher Josh Osich is currently the only MLB player born in the state of Idaho. Osich has appeared in 34 games thus far this season for San Francisco, and the 25-year-old southpaw is quickly turning into manager Bruce Bochy’s first option out of the pen.

Boy, has a move back to his home state ever helped a player as much as Ben Zobrist? At 35 years old, the Cubs' second baseman is having a career year, hitting .316 with nine home runs and 39 RBI. He even leads the NL in on-base-percentage. Zobrist, who has quietly been one of baseball’s best players for years, is making some serious noise in Chicago.

San Francisco Giants starter Jeff Samardzija is the most high-profile current player from Indiana. Born in Merrillville, Ind., he's had an up-and-down career, earning an All-Star bid in 2014 followed up with a brief stint in Oakland and a disastrous 2015 as a member of the Chicago White Sox. Samardzija has rounded back into form in San Fran, sitting at 7-4 with a 3.36 ERA.

The 2011 AL Rookie of the Year, pitcher Jeremy Hellickson is slowly regaining the form that made him one of baseball’s top prospects. Now with the Phillies, Hellickson’s career is back on track, and he has become Philadelphia’s second most reliable starter, next to Vince Velasquez.

An All-Star in 2014, Derek Norris is currently the starting catcher for the San Diego Padres. The 27-year-old Norris was born in Goddard, Kan.

A two-time All-Star, Tyler Clippard has been one of the best relief pitchers in baseball for nearly a decade now. Clippard, who can either play the role of a closer or setup man, has a career ERA of 2.91. Born in Lexington, Ky., he is currently playing his first season for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Although he is without question one of baseball’s biggest hotheads, Jonathan Papelbon has also been one the most efficient closers in the majors for some time now. A six-time All-Star, Papelbon is having another standout season in 2016 for the Nationals.

Orioles infielder Ryan Flaherty is currently the only player from the state of Maine in the majors. Now in his fifth season in Baltimore, Flaherty’s glove can always be counted on when manager Buck Showalter needs a pair of sure hands in the field.

The fourth pick of the 2004 MLB Draft, pitcher Gavin Floyd has enjoyed a long and successful career in the majors. Floyd, who has a career ERA of 4.38, is playing his first season north of the border with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Although he was just placed on the disabled list, Athletics southpaw Rich Hill was in the midst of a career season. Prior to his injury, Hill has recorded an 8-3 record in Oakland, to go along with a 2.25 ERA and 1.125 WHIP. Hill was born in Boston.

A 14-year MLB veteran, Jason Grilli is still one of the most reliable relief pitchers in all of baseball. Grilli, who was just acquired by the Blue Jays, has a career ERA of just over 4.00,and was an All-Star in 2013 with the Pirates. He was born in Royal Oak, Mich.

A six-time All-Star, catcher and first baseman Joe Mauer has been the heart and soul of the Minnesota Twins since 2005. The 2009 AL MVP, Mauer has a career batting average of .312 and is a three-time Gold Glove winner. He is also a three-time AL batting champion.

A power-hitting left-handed bat, Mitch Moreland has been a mainstay in the middle of the Rangers' lineup the past several seasons. Born in Amory, Miss., Moreland is a threat to hit a dinger every time he steps up to the plate.

One of just four pitchers in MLB history to strike out 20 batters in a game, every time Nationals star Max Scherzer steps onto the mound, something special could happen. Scherzer, who is also one of just six pitchers to throw two no-hitters in one season, is a three-time All-Star and won the 2013 AL Cy Young with the Tigers. The Nationals have an impressive one-two punch spearheading their rotation with Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.

Although there currently aren’t any players from the state of Montana, catcher Rob Johnson is the state’s most recent player to appear in the majors. He played seven seasons in the majors, with his best year coming in 2009 with the Mariners, when he knocked in 27 RBI.

Although his career in Kansas City got off to a slow start, Royals star Alex Gordon has established himself as one of the best all-around outfielders in the majors. A three-time All-Star, Gordon is perhaps the best defensive outfielder in baseball and is also a capable hitter at the plate. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft, he was a major reason why the Royals won their first World Series title in 30 years last season.

With all due respect to Kris Bryant, we’re going to go with Bryce Harper as the best current baseball player Nevada has given us. The Washington Nationals outfielder is universally considered the best overall player in the NL and on par with Mike Trout of the Angels at the moment, and he is still just 23 years old. The 2015 NL MVP, a spot in Cooperstown is already being saved for Harper.

Pirates pitcher Jeff Locke is currently the only player born in New Hampshire to be playing in the majors. An All-Star in 2013, Locke is 5-5 on the season with a 5.92 ERA.

Angels center fielder Mike Trout is universally considered the best player in the American League, if not all of baseball. The 24-year-old is a five-tool player, has already won an MVP and consistently has one of the highest WARs in baseball. Trout, who has a career OPS of .955, looks like a lock to be inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame when he hangs up his cleats.

One of just three players born in New Mexico in the majors, Ken Giles is the state’s best. The 25-year-old righty is off to a slow start this season with the Astros but has the raw talent to become an All-Star relief pitcher.

Mets pitcher Steven Matz is one of the best young arms in the National League. Born in Stony Brook, N.Y., the 25-year-old is in the midst of breakout season, posting a 7-3 record with a 2.71 ERA. Along with Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom, the Mets have a trio of special young pitchers.

Along with being the most dangerous pitcher in the game when he steps into the batter's box, Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner is a Cy Young-quality pitcher as well. A three time-All-Star, Bumgarner had the single greatest postseason performance ever for a pitcher in 2014. On his way to leading the Giants to a championship, he set World Series records for lowest ERA (0.29) among pitchers of at least 25 innings pitched and was the first pitcher in World Series history to pitch a shutout with no walks and at least eight strikeouts.

Although there aren’t any players in the MLB form the state of North Dakota at the moment, the most notable one from recent years is Travis Hafner. A power-hitting DH, Hafner hit 213 home runs and batted .273 over the course of his 12-year career for the Rangers, Indians and Yankees. Hafner was born in Jamestown, N.D.

Very quietly, White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton has become one of the best outfielders in the AL. A disciplined hitter at the plate, Eaton already has a 2.9 WAR on the season and looks primed to be selected to his first All-Star Game. Eaton was born in Springfield, Ohio.

A seven-time All-Star, Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday has been one of baseball’s most reliable players for quite some time now. A career .305 hitter, Holliday has won four Silver Slugger awards and helped lead the Cards to a World Series championship in 2011.

One of just a handful of players born in Oregon in the majors, Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is the Beaver State’s best ballplayer. A career .288 hitter, Ellsbury has always been a steady bat at the plate and rarely makes a mistake in the outfield. He also won two World Series titles during his time with the Boston Red Sox.

Mets second baseman Neil Walker has done a fantastic job filling the hole that Daniel Murphy left this past offseason. The 30-year-old is having an All-Star-worthy season, hitting .271 with 13 home runs. Walker was born in Pittsburgh and played the first seven years of his career with the Pirates.

Not too many MLB players have come from the state of Rhode Island, but there is one at the moment in catcher Chris Iannetta. After playing the first 10 seasons of his career with the Rockies and Angels, Iannetta is now in his first season with the Mariners, where he consistently starts behind the plate.

Born in Goose Creek, S.C., Matt Wieters has become one of the best catchers in baseball. The Orioles stud is a tremendous hitter for a catcher and also has an arm strong enough to throw out attempting base stealers. A three-time All-Star, Wieters is getting back on track this season after being hampered by injuries in 2014 and 2015.

Athletics relief pitcher Sean Doolittle is currently the MLB’s best player from the state of South Dakota. An All-Star in 2014, Doolittle has a career ERA of 2.99 and is the type of lefty every single manager in the majors would love to have coming out the bullpen.

Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts is looking more and more like superstar every day. The 23-year-old is a five-tool player and already has a WAR of 3.1 this season. Expect Betts to make his first of what will be many All-Star teams this year.

When his career is over, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw may go down as the greatest left-handed pitcher in MLB history. Kershaw, who currently holds the lowest ERA by a starter, has been baseball’s most dominant pitcher the last five years, racking up five All-Star appearances, three Cy Young awards and an MVP. With a nearly unhittable curveball and impeccable location, Kershaw should continue to confound opposing batters for years to come.

With no current MLB players from Utah, the most recent pro player from the Beehive State is former relief pitcher Brandon Lyon. Lyon pitched 12 years in the majors for seven different teams and had several successful seasons as a closer. Lyon was born in Salt Lake City.

Former Athletics first baseman Daric Barton is the last player from Vermont to play in the majors. Barton played eight years for the A’s, posting a .247 batting average and knocking in 184 RBI. He was born in Springfield, Vt.

After struggling to make an impact his first three years in the majors, Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is now one of the best hitters in the AL. The 26-year-old is batting .309 on the season with 11 home runs and 44 RBI. Bradley Jr. was also the 2010 College World Series Most Outstanding Player while attending the University of South Carolina.

Ever since he entered the majors in 2006, Jon Lester has been one of the most consistent left-handed starters around. The Cubs southpaw has garnered 135 wins with a 3.48 ERA for his career and will be counted on in Chicago to come up big when the postseason rolls around. Lester was born in Tacoma, Wash.

Cardinals infielder Jeff Gyorko is currently the lone MLB player born in the state of West Virginia. Gyorko, now in his fourth MLB season, finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting with the Padres in 2013.

A two-time All-Star with the Nationals, Jordan Zimmermann is enjoying a successful first year with the Detroit Tigers. Born in Auburndale, Wis., Zimmerman is 9-3 with a 3.46 ERA thus far in 2016.

The most recent player from the state of Wyoming to play in the majors is shortstop Zach Walters. Walters last played in with the Indians in 2015 but ended the season with a lowly batting average of .133. He is currently in the Dodgers farm system.