The active WAR leaders in MLB are surprising. Wins above replacement measures a player’s value in all assets of the game by how many more wins they’re worth than a replacement-level player at his same position. For example, Albert Pujols, according to WAR, is the 32nd-best baseball player of all time. But he’s under the 100 WAR plateau, which has happened twice in his career. Pujols doesn’t have many years left, but he’ll certainly rank among the top-40 WAR leaders. Based on Baseball Reference’s WAR, take a look at the active leaders at each spot on the field.
Active War Leaders
Infield
Catcher- Yadier Molina, 42.1 (24th among active players)
Yadier Molina has been a consistent force, a 10-time All-Star, two-time World Series Champion, and nine-time Gold Glove winner. Molina ranks first among catchers with 175 DRS, first among active catchers with 845 assists, and 55 pick-offs. At the plate, the four-time Gold Glove winner has more than 2,000 hits and 150 home runs while batting over .500 in five seasons.
Next active leader: Salvador Perez, 29.6
First base- Albert Pujols, 99.6 (1st among active players)
Albert Pujols has a comfortable lead among active players and the first base WAR lead. From 2003-2010, Pujols averaged 8.7 WAR per season. Furthermore, in his back to back MVP seasons in 2008-2009, Pujols hit .352/.452/.656 with 84 home runs, 251 RBI, and 373 hits. He may have slowed down over the years, but he is one of the greatest players ever.
Next active leader: Miguel Cabrera, 68.7
Second base- Robinson Canó, 69.6 (6th among active players)
Robinson Canó’s PED suspension didn’t do him any favors. But he can still hit the ball. In fact, from 2010-to-2014, the second baseman averaged 7.1 WAR. He hit .312/.375/.518 during that span with 961 hits and five consecutive All-Star nods. Canó also had 8.4 WAR in 2012, 8.1 in 2010, and 7.3 in 2016. He also finished in the top 10 for MVP voting. If he plays an entire season, his WAR number may increase. Considering the New York Mets still owe him $100 million over the next five years, he’ll have plenty of chances.
Next active leader: Jose Altuve, 41.4
Third base- Evan Longoria, 57.4 (10th among active players)
Evan Longoria helped the Tampa Bay Rays to their first World Series in 2008. It was a season where he won AL Rookie of the Year while finishing eleventh in the MVP voting. He has made the All-Star team three times from 2008-2010. Longoria is also known for winning three Gold Gloves at third base. He owns many Rays records, including games played, runs, doubles, home runs, RBI, and WAR.
Next active leader: Manny Machado, 45.2
Shortstop- Andrelton Simmons, 37.3 (32nd among active players)
A four-time Gold Glover, Andrelton Simmons is the shortstop leader by a slim margin. Carlos Correa, 34.1 WAR, is second on shortstops’ current active list. Despite this, Simmons draws attention for his defensive abilities. He’s won six Fielding Bible Awards, recognizing the best defensive player for each position. As of the end of the 2021 season, he ranks second in DRS with 197, three behind Adrian Beltré for the all-time lead.
Next active leader: Carlos Correa, 34.1
Outfield
Leftfield- Brett Gardner, 44.3 (Tied for 18th among active players)
Longtime outfielder Brett Garder has been a mainstay for the New York Yankees. Gardner doesn’t stand out among the rest of the players on the list, but he does own a decent 44.3 WAR. His career-best 7.4 WAR came in 2010. He has surpassed Jorge Posada and Charlie Keller in the top 20 Yankees of all time.
Next active leader: Michael Brantley, 32.9
Centerfield- Mike Trout, 76.1 (2nd among active players)
Mike Trout has produced 7.9 WAR or higher five times in his career. Trout’s career-high 10.5 WAR occurred twice in 2012 and 2016. In 2012, Trout won the AL Rookie of the Year Award, but he was a finalist for the MVP award. Trout would win his second of three MVP awards in 2016. As it stands today, Trout is 75th all-time among position players in WAR. He has passed some truly great players including Johnny Bench, Reggie Jackson, and Derek Jeter.
Next active player: Andrew McCutchen, 46.0
Right field- Mookie Betts, 50.0 (12th among active players)
Two-time World Series champion Mookie Betts owns the highest WAR among active right fielders. His highest WAR, 10.7, occurred during his MVP season in 2018. Furthermore, Betts led the league with 129 runs, a .346 batting average, and a .640 slugging percentage. He is eighth among active players and has 4425 plate appearances in his career.
Next active player: Giancarlo Stanton, 44.1
Starting Pitcher
Zack Greinke, 73.1 (3rd among active players)
Zack Greinke remains one of the most consistent pitchers over the last ten years. On July 19, 2015, Greinke joined Orel Hershiser and Don Drysdale as the only pitchers to have six consecutive scoreless starts. His streak ended in the third inning of his next start against the New York Mets. Over his 45 2/3 innings, Greinke struck out 43 batters while walking four. During that span, batters hit .124/.152/.144 against him while reaching third base only twice.
Next active player: Clayton Kershaw, 71.9 WAR
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Players Mentioned:
Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, Robinson Canó, Evan Longoria, Andrelton Simmons, Brett Gardner, Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Zack Greinke, Adrian Beltré, Salvador Perez, Miguel Cabrera, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Michael Brantley, Andrew McCutchen, Giancarlo Stanton, Clayton Kershaw
