2025 NL East Positional Rankings: Right Field

The National League East houses some of the best talents in right field that MLB has to offer. Two of them could certainly be among the top five players in the game today. Those players are also mixed in with younger players who have potential. 

Today, we start our NL East position ranking series taking a look at the right fielders.

No. 5 Dylan Crews, WSH

As part of the influx of young talent that the Washington Nationals have had in recent seasons, Dylan Crews enters his full rookie campaign trying to live up to the hype. The second overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, he began a quick ascent to the major league level. He was called up to Washington’s 40-man roster in August last year. 

In 31 games in the majors, Crews batted .218/.288/.353. He notched 3 home runs, 8 RBIs, and stole 12 bases in that span. Still, entering this season, MLB Pipeline ranked him as the fourth-best prospect in baseball. A five-tool player with plus power, most of the Nationals 2025 season rides on Crews’ development. Many analysts project him as a center fielder, but he mans the Nationals right field position for now. He could easily be third on this list by the end of the season, too. He’d be an NL Rookie of the Year favorite were it not for Roki Sasaki.

No. 4 Jesús Sánchez, MIA 

Jesús Sánchez spent the 2024 season compiling the highest home run total of his career (18) and continuing to be at least a consistent power threat in the Miami Marlins lineup. Unfortunately, Sánchez continued his struggles with strikeouts and laying off pitches. He struck out 140 times in 2024 with an OPS of just .731. That is way down from his .777 mark in 2023. His slugging percentage was also down from 2023. He slugged .450 in 2023, but in 2024 it was down to .417. He also struggled at hitting curveballs as he batted .155 on the pitch.

The Marlins are still waiting for Sánchez to truly breakout at 27-years old. The power and potential are there. He has good bat speed and hard-hit percentage. While his defense is average at best, he’s got a good arm in right field. This season, the biggest thing for Sanchez is to improve his plate discipline and draw more walks. 

No. 3 Nick Castellanos, PHI

For the Philadelphia Phillies, Nick Castellanos continues to be a consistent mainstay in Philadelphia’s run of success ever since their 2022 National League Pennant winning season. During his three-year career in Philadelphia since signing with them in 2022, Castellanos has driven in 254 RBIs with 65 home runs. In 2024, he played in all 162 games for the first time in his career and notched 23 home runs with 86 RBIs.

The downside with Castellanos is the same as a number of players on the Phillies roster—he’s getting a little bit older and his defense isn’t getting any better. Castellanos will turn 33 years old before Opening Day. Castellanos, along with teammate Alec Bohm, was the topic of trade discussions as the Phillies were trying to acquire Kyle Tucker. Tucker would be traded to the Chicago Cubs. Nevertheless, as long as Castellanos is in the Phillies lineup, he’ll remain a threat in the middle of that order.

No. 2 Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL

When healthy, there are not many players in baseball as talented as Ronald Acuña Jr. The Atlanta Braves superstar captivated the game in 2023 with a 41 home run and 73 stolen base season just two years removed from a torn right ACL as he won National League MVP. In 2024, he hoped to have another MVP campaign, but unfortunately, he tore his left ACL in May and missed the rest of the season. Acuña will now be returning from his second torn ACL in the last four seasons, and the Braves are counting on him and other returning from injury players, such as Spencer Strider, to make a World Series push.

Acuña’s speed and stolen base ability (196 in his career) is a big part of his game. How a second torn ACL will affect that in 2025 remains to be seen. The Braves and Acuña will have to figure that out as the season progresses. He’s not expected to start the season with the Braves.

No. 1 Juan Soto, NYM

The biggest signing in the offseason, Juan Soto will play baseball in 2025 for the New York Mets. The Mets needed a big bat and superstar in the lineup to pair with Francisco Lindor, and they got their guy in Soto. Soto is coming off an MVP finalist season with the New York Yankees in 2023. He compiled 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, 166 hits, 128 runs scored, drew 129 walks, and batted .288/.419/.569, His OPS was .989 and his OPS+ was 178.

At just 26 years old, there are not many hitters in baseball outside of Shohei Ohtani who blend a great mix of power, contact, working the count, and a good eye at the plate better than Soto. Look no further than his home run that propelled the Yankees to the World Series in Game 5 of the ALCS. His defense does leave some to be desired with a hefty contract that New York gave him, but the Mets didn’t get him for his defense—they got him for his offensive prowess. He’s the type of hitter and player the Mets haven’t had in a while, and he’s the best right fielder in the East. 

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