The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts was ranked the No. 5 right fielder for the 2022 season by MLB Network’s The Shredder. Betts was ranked as the top right fielder each for of the past two seasons, but with the position improving and coming off a down season, he slipped a bit.
The Shredder is a statistical model that ranks players by position for the upcoming season. It takes into account a three-year sample, with the 2021 season being weighed most heavily. WAR and wRC+ are among the most notable statistics used to compile the rankings.
Additionally, The Shredder looks at defensive metrics from Statcast as a means to evaluate right fielders. Though, defensive metrics are not weighed as heavily for right fielders as they are in center field.
Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals was ranked the No. 1 right fielder for the 2022 season, with a plethora of superstars trailing behind him on the list. Following Soto are Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies) at No. 2, Ronald Acuña Jr. (Atlanta Braves), Aaron Judge (New York Yankees), Betts, Kyle Tucker (Houston Astros), Nick Castellanos (Philadelphia Phillies), Teoscar Hernandez (Toronto Blue Jays), Mark Canha (New York Mets), and Randy Arozarena (Tampa Bay Rays).
In addition to The Shredder’s rankings, MLB Network analysts also provided their own top-10 rankings. Mike Petriello ranked Betts as the No. 3 right fielder in baseball, Sarah Langs had at No. 4, and Vince Gennaro seventh.
Betts has been one of the best all-around right fielders in the game since being traded to the Dodgers in 2020. He posted an excellent 147 wRC+ in the shortened season while leading the Dodgers to a World Series title.
He missed some time in 2021 due to injury, but still managed to hit 23 home runs and accrue 3.9 WAR in 122 games.
Since the 2019 season, Betts ranks 12th with a .378 on-base percentage among all players with at least 800 plate appearances. Betts also has accrued the most WAR of any player since 2018 at 25.7, topping Trout (21.5), Marcus Semien (20.3), Alex Bregman (20.1), Matt Chapman (19.9), and Trevor Story (19.9).
At full health, Betts rivals any right fielder in the game. If the 29-year-old can get to that point this season, he should be ranked even higher by The Shredder for 2023.
MLB Top-10 right fielders right now for 2022
| Rank | The Shredder | Mike Petriello | Sarah Langs | Vince Gennaro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Soto (Nationals) | Juan Soto (Nationals) | Juan Soto (Nationals) | Juan Soto (Nationals) |
| 2 | Bryce Harper (Phillies) | Bryce Harper (Phillies) | Ronald Acuńa Jr. (Braves) | Ronald Acuńa Jr. (Braves) |
| 3 | Ronald Acuńa Jr. (Braves) | Mookie Betts (Dodgers) | Bryce Harper (Phillies) | Aaron Judge (Yankees) |
| 4 | Aaron Judge (Yankees) | Aaron Judge (Yankees) | Mookie Betts (Dodgers) | Kyle Tucker (Astros) |
| 5 | Mookie Betts (Dodgers) | Ronald Acuńa Jr. (Braves) | Kyle Tucker (Astros) | Bryce Harper (Phillies) |
| 6 | Kyle Tucker (Astros) | Kyle Tucker (Astros) | Aaron Judge (Yankees) | Mookie Betts (Dodgers) |
| 7 | Nick Castellanos (Phillies) | Nick Castellanos (Phillies) | Randy Arozarena (Rays) | Nick Castellanos (Phillies) |
| 8 | Teoscar Hernandez (Blue Jays) | Teoscar Hernandez (Blue Jays) | Nick Castellanos (Phillies) | Teoscar Hernandez (Blue Jays) |
| 9 | Mark Canha (Mets) | Randy Arozarena (Rays) | Teoscar Hernandez (Blue Jays) | Michael Conforto (free agent) |
| 10 | Randy Arozarena (Rays) | Mitch Haniger (Mariners) | Avisail Garcia (Marlins) | Randy Arozarena (Rays) |
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