2026 NL East Positional Rankings: Center Field
Center field in the National League East is a position that has a good mix of new faces and younger guys who have been around for a couple years. One of the newcomers happens to be a former All-Star who has landed in New York. Could he find himself at No. 1 on this list? Here is our NL East rankings for center field entering the 2026 season.
NO. 5 – JACOB YOUNG, WSH
Jacob Young does a few things at an elite level. Last season, he ranked in the 98th percentile for outs above average and the 94th percentile for sprint speed. His 14 outs above average was the fourth most of any outfielder and he ranked inside the top 35 among all players where it came to sprint speed. Young has premier quickness, helping him defensively as well as on the base paths. The problem is, underwhelming is an understatement when describing his bat.
In 2025, he slashed .231/.296/.287 with two home runs, 31 runs batted in and a 68 OPS+ in 120 games. Young graded out well when it came to whiff rate (88th percentile), but beyond that, he hasn’t provided much at the plate. He isn’t great when it comes to drawing walks either, ranking in the 39th percentile for walk rate a season ago. Beyond stealing bases, there isn’t much upside to his offensive profile.
Young’s defensive skills in center field may keep him in the Nationals lineup of regular basis to start 2026. But if he continues to struggle at the plate, the team may consider reshaping their everyday outfield. Dylan Crews could move over from right, as he has over 1,000 innings of experience in center between the minor and major leagues. That would open up the corners for James Wood and Daylen Lile, who impressed towards the end of 2025. With Young’s everyday role potentially being at risk, he lands at No. 5.
NO. 4 – JUSTIN CRAWFORD, PHI
Despite not having made his MLB debut, the expectation is that Justin Crawford will be the Phillies’ starting center fielder in 2026. He is rated quite highly, considered as a top-100 prospect by a handful of major prospect evaluators. Will Crawford be able to hit the ground running at the big league level? Time will tell.
Like his father Carl Crawford, Justin has elite speed. In 325 minor league games across five levels, he has collected 145 steals. Last season alone, he had 46 stolen bases in 112 games with Triple-A Lehigh. Crawford’s speed on the base paths will be a nice complement to Trea Turner and Bryson Stott, who combined for 60 stolen bases in 2025. That speed will also help him from a defensive point of view, with the expectation being that he could excel in the field as well.
How his bat will fare against big league pitching will be the biggest question. Last year, he slashed .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs, 47 runs batted in and a 135 wRC+. Crawford has hit at a high rate ever since he was drafted, owning a .322 batting average for his minor league career. He isn’t much a power threat, at least not yet. His ground ball rate has dropped marginally over the last few years, ending up at 59.4% in 2025. At this stage in his development, Crawford is a contact hitter and will factor in at the bottom of the Phillies order.
It may seem a bit outlandish to put a player who has never played in the majors above someone like Young, who has two full years of experience with the Nationals. But with the offensive upside Crawford possesses, in addition to his speed, I give him the slight edge. The imcoming rookie lands at No. 4.
NO. 3 – JAKOB MARSEE, MIA
Last season was good one for a handful of the Marlins, one of which was Jakob Marsee. Among their position players, only Kyle Stowers, Otto López and Xavier Edwards had a higher fWAR (1.9) than the center fielder. Marsee reached that numbers in 234 plate appearances. In 55 games, he slashed .292/.363/.478 with 26 extra base hits, 33 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases, good enough for an 8th place finish NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Marsee didn’t have enough at bats to qualify last season, but he ranked well when it came to expected batting average, launch angle sweet spot percentage and chase rate. In addition to that, he collected four outs above average and ranked in the 75th percentile for arm strength. With the level of consistency he produced straight away, it’s fair to expect Marsee to get a bulk of the opportunities in center field moving forward.
If Marsee can maintain the level of production he showed in 2025 over a full season, it won’t be long before he is near the top of the this list. But with less than half of a season under his belt, it’s difficult to argue giving him the nod over the two names ahead of him. Let’s see if Marsee can build off a great start to his career. For now, he lands at No. 3.
Luis Robert by Roberto Carlo
No. 2 – LUIS ROBERT JR., NYM
Picking between No. 2 and No. 1 on this list was difficult. Both center fielders are coming off underwhelming seasons at the dish. In the end, Robert lands at No. 2. Luis Robert Jr. at times, has shown flashes of being a star. In 2023, he hit 38 home runs, had a .857 OPS, a 5.3 fWAR and he was a first-time All-Star. By far his best year as a pro. But in the two years since, the numbers have been significantly worse for Robert. Over a 210-game stretch, he slashed .223/.288/.372 with a 85 OPS+.
While Robert’s bat has not been great as of late, that hasn’t impacted other aspects of his game. Elite defense and speed are skills he brings to the table. In 2025, he ranked in the 90th percentile for sprint speed and the 93rd percentile for outs above average. In the shortened 60-game season in 2020, Robert won a Gold Glove as a rookie. For a team that had their fair share of defensive struggles a season ago, having Robert in center fielder will make a significant difference.
How much of a factor will a change of scenery play for Robert? That’s the overarching question many have had since the Mets acquired him. With better lineup protection in New York, it’s certainly possible Robert can bounce back offensively. In two of the last three seasons, he has ranked in the 92nd percentile or better when it comes to bat speed. When he was at his best in 2023, he ranked in the 93rd percentile for barrel percentage. He ranked in the 60th percentile in that category last season. If Robert can bounce back from a lower spot in the lineup, the Mets may hit the jackpot with him.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
NO. 1 – MICHAEL HARRIS II, ATL
Like Robert, Michael Harris II will be entering 2026 with a point to prove. Last season was by far his worst yet. In 160 games, Harris slashed .249/.268/.409 with an 88 OPS+ and a 2.2 fWAR, all career lows. But when you pull the curtain back at bit, it doesn’t look as bad. His overall numbers were dragged down by a terrible first half, a 93-game stretch in which he hit .210 with a .551 OPS. After the All-Star break, Harris performed closer to the level he has shown for most of big league career. Over the final 67 games, he hit .299 with a .845 OPS. Much, much better.
Strikeouts and a lack of walks have always been a part of his game. Last season, Harris had a 2.5% walk rate and a 20.0% strikeout rate. Usually, being in and around those numbers hasn’t been an issue. But in 2025, he wasn’t having the same quality of contact. Harris’ hard-hit rate ranked in the 50th percentile. In comparison, he ranked the 76th percentile and the 86th percentile for that stat in each of his first two seasons. Swing and miss has been a constant for Harris. But if he isn’t making good contact consistently enough to go along with that, he is prone to having a first half like he did a season ago.
That being said, Harris still grades out very well when it comes to his defense. His eight outs above average in 2025 ranked just outside the top 10 among all qualified center fielders. With the way Harris bounced back in the second half, plus the track record of productivity he showed in his first two seasons, he remains at No. 1 on this list.
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