Image credit: Yankees OF Aaron Judge (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Since 1988, Baseball America has polled MLB personnel on the players with the best scouting tools in baseball. Here are their answers for the top players from each league across 25 different scouting categories.

American League

Few outcomes are more certain than Aaron Judge receiving Best Tools votes in the American League best power category.

The Yankees’ 32-year-old center fielder won the category as a rookie in 2017 and then again in 2018, 2022 and now 2024. Judge also finished runner-up in 2019 and 2023.

The names surrounding Judge on the all-time Best Tools leaderboard for best power are telling: Giancarlo Stanton, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols. That quintet has combined to hit 3,164 home runs—and counting.

What’s even more notable this year is Judge’s first win for best hitter. It is the first time he has ever earned a top-three finish, let alone first place.

It’s easy to see why Judge received so much attention for his bat. Heading into August, he led AL hitters in home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage and slugging as the favorite to win a second MVP award.

Best Hitter

1. Aaron Judge, Yankees
2. Juan Soto, Yankees
3. Steven Kwan, Guardians

Best Power

1. Aaron Judge, Yankees
2. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles
3. Yordan Alvarez, Astros

Best Bunter

1. Cedric Mullins, Orioles
2. Jose Altuve, Astros
3. Daulton Varsho, Blue Jays

Best Strike-Zone Judgment

1. Juan Soto, Yankees
2. Kyle Tucker, Astros
3. Steven Kwan, Guardians

Best Hit-And-Run Artist

1. Steven Kwan, Guardians
2. Jose Altuve, Astros
3. Salvador Perez, Royals

Best Baserunner

1. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
2. Jose Ramirez, Guardians
3. Jarren Duran, Red Sox

Fastest Baserunner

1. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
2. Byron Buxton, Twins
3. Dairon Blanco, Royals

Most Exciting Player

1. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles
2. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
3. Aaron Judge, Yankees

Best Pitcher

1. Corbin Burnes, Orioles
2. Tarik Skubal, Tigers
3. George Kirby, Mariners

Best Fastball

1. Mason Miller, Athletics
2. Cole Ragans, Royals
3. Emmanuel Clase, Guardians

Best Curveball

1. Seth Lugo, Royals
2. Corbin Burnes, Orioles
3. Justin Verlander, Astros

Best Slider

1. Tanner Houck, Red Sox
2. Griffin Jax, Twins
3. Hunter Gaddis, Guardians

Best Changeup

1. Michael Wacha, Royals
2. Tyler Anderson, Angels
3. Tanner Houck, Red Sox

Best Control

1. George Kirby, Mariners
2. Zach Eflin, Orioles
3. Joe Ryan, Twins

Best Pickoff Move

1. Jon Gray, Rangers
2. Tanner Bibee, Guardians
3. Nestor Cortes, Yankees

Best Reliever

1. Emmanuel Clase, Guardians
2. Mason Miller, Athletics
3. Andres Muñoz, Mariners

Best Defensive Catcher

1. Cal Raleigh, Mariners
2. Jonah Heim, Rangers
3. Jose Trevino, Yankees

Best Defensive First Baseman

1. Nathaniel Lowe, Rangers
2. Carlos Santana, Twins
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays

Best Defensive Second Baseman

1. Marcus Semien, Rangers
2. Andres Gimenez, Guardians
3. Nicky Lopez, White Sox

Best Defensive Third Baseman

1. Josh Rojas, Mariners
2. Alex Bregman, Astros
3. Jose Ramirez, Guardians

Best Defensive Shortstop

1. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
2. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles
3. JP Crawford, Mariners

Best Infield Arm

1. Carlos Correa, Twins
2. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
3. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles

Best Defensive Outfielder

1. Daulton Varsho, Blue Jays
2. Byron Buxton, Twins
3. Leody Taveras, Rangers

Best Outfield Arm

1. Adolis Garcia, Rangers
2. Kevin Kiermaier, Blue Jays
3. Colton Cowser, Orioles

Best Manager

1. Bruce Bochy, Rangers
2. Kevin Cash, Rays
3. Brandon Hyde, Orioles

National League

Player value can be debated ad nauseam, but major league managers are clear on one point.

Shohei Ohtani is the most exciting player in baseball.

The 30-year-old Dodgers DH has won that Best Tools category in every season since the pandemic, the first three in the American League when he was with the Angels.

This year, National League managers chose Ohtani as best hitter, best power and most exciting player.

That all checks out. As August dawned, Ohtani led the NL in batting, on-base percentage, slugging, home runs and a few other key categories.

Oh, and Ohtani is plenty valuable, too. He is the odds-on favorite to win his third MVP award this year.

Best Hitter

1. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
2. Bryce Harper, Phillies
3. Mookie Betts, Dodgers

Best Power

1. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
2. Bryce Harper, Phillies
3. Oneil Cruz, Pirates

Best Bunter

1. Jacob Young, Nationals
2. TJ Friedl, Reds
3. Jake McCarthy, D-backs

Best Strike-Zone Judgment

1. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
2. Mookie Betts, Dodgers
3. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

Best Hit-And-Run Artist

1. Luis Arraez, Padres
2. William Contreras, Brewers
3. Nico Hoerner, Cubs

Best Baserunner

1. Elly De La Cruz, Reds
2. Corbin Carroll, D-backs
3. Trea Turner, Phillies

Fastest Baserunner

1. Elly De La Cruz, Reds
2. Trea Turner, Phillies
3. Victor Scott II, Cardinals

Most Exciting Player

1. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
2. Elly De La Cruz, Reds
3. Paul Skenes, Pirates

Best Pitcher

1. Zack Wheeler, Phillies
2. Chris Sale, Braves
3. Paul Skenes, Pirates

Best Fastball

1. Paul Skenes, Pirates
2. Hunter Greene, Reds
3. Reynaldo Lopez, Braves

Best Curveball

1. Aaron Nola, Phillies
2. Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers
3. Max Fried, Braves

Best Slider

1. Chris Sale, Braves
2. Ryan Helsley, Cardinals
3. Dylan Cease, Padres

Best Changeup

1. Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies
2. Logan Webb, Giants
3. Freddy Peralta, Brewers

Best Control

1. Aaron Nola, Phillies
2. Logan Webb, Giants
3. Shota Imanaga, Cubs

Best Pickoff Move

1. Charlie Morton, Braves
2. Patrick Corbin, Nationals
3. Max Fried, Braves

Best Reliever

1. Ryan Helsley, Cardinals
2. Tanner Scott, Marlins
3. Robert Suarez, Padres

Best Defensive Catcher

1. Patrick Bailey, Giants
2. JT Realmuto, Phillies
3. Gabriel Moreno, D-backs

Best Defensive First Baseman

1. Christian Walker, D-backs
2. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
3. Matt Olson, Braves

Best Defensive Second Baseman

1. Brice Turang, Brewers
2. Ketel Marte, D-backs
3. Nico Hoerner, Cubs

Best Defensive Third Baseman

1. Matt Chapman, Giants
2. Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pirates
3. Ryan McMahon, Rockies

Best Defensive Shortstop

1. Ezequiel Tovar, Rockies
2. Dansby Swanson, Cubs
3. Elly De La Cruz, Reds

Best Infield Arm

1. Masyn Winn, Cardinals
2. Oneil Cruz, Pirates
3. Elly De La Cruz, Reds

Best Defensive Outfielder

1. Brenton Doyle, Rockies
2. Jacob Young, Nationals
3. Michael Siani, Cardinals

Best Outfield Arm

1. Nolan Jones, Rockies
2. Fernando Tatis Jr, Padres
3. Brenton Doyle, Rockies

Best Manager

1. Rob Thomson, Phillies
2. Pat Murphy, Brewers
3. Dave Roberts, Dodgers