Former MLB General Manager Names Top Five Current Players; World Baseball Classic to Feature Elite Talent

Who are the top five players in today's MLB? Former Colorado Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd shared his picks on an MLB Network show, placing the Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani at number one.

O'Dowd explained, "If Ohtani weren’t a pitcher as well, I’d rank Aaron Judge first and Ohtani second. As a pure hitter, Judge is superior, with elite plate discipline and the ability to recognize bad pitches."

The top five list includes Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and last season’s AL home run leader Cal Raleigh. O'Dowd believes both pitchers are Cy Young caliber and unquestionably deserve their spots; regarding the switch-hitting catcher Raleigh, he emphasized, "Catcher is the most underrated and unfairly judged position in the sport, especially considering Raleigh hit 60 home runs in a single season at the Mariners’ notoriously tough home ballpark for power hitters."