Outfielders have significant roles on defense.
An outfielder must be able to judge the trajectory of fly balls and have enough speed to run to the point where the ball will come down.
Batted or thrown balls that pass beyond the infielders along the ground must be run down and picked up by the Outfielders.
A strong throwing arm is essential, as is accuracy in throwing the ball to the right point in the infield.
Right Fielders usually have the most robust and accurate throwing arms among the three Outfielders.
Outfielders must be able to run down fly balls and make plays on balls hit over their heads.
Some of the best batters in the league play the Right Field position.
Below, we look at the top 10 Right Fielders entering the 2023 MLB season.
The Top 10 Right Fielders Entering The 2023 MLB Season
Some of the best batters in the league play the Right Fielder position
Unfortunately, some talented Right Fielders had to be left off the top 10 list.
Bryce Harper is one of the best players in the league. He would easily make the top-five list if it weren’t for the fact he will be out until approximately the All-Star break. In 99 games last season, he had 63 runs, 106 hits, 28 doubles, 18 home runs, 65 RBIs, a .286 batting average, .364 OBP, .514 SLG, and .877 OPS. He underwent Tommy John surgery back in November and even when he returns, which won’t be until about July, he will be a bit rusty to start. His return will boost an already very talented Phillies lineup that is a contender for a World Series title. Harper is one of the best players in the league but injuries keep him off the top 10 list for the 2023 MLB season.
Corbin Caroll was impressive in 32 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks last season. He is still considered a prospect because he has less than 130 at-bats in the Majors. Carroll is rated as the top Outfield prospect and he is the second favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year award, according to BetOnline. There will be times the youngster struggles this season but Carroll’s future is bright and he will be a very good player for the foreseeable future.
We look at the top 10 Right Fielders entering the 2023 MLB season.
Seiya Suzuki kicks off the top 10 list of RF for the 2023 MLB season.
10. Seiya Suzuki
A left ring finger injury limited Seiya Suzuki to 111 games in his rookie season last year but he was very productive when he played.
The Chicago Cubs went 39-31 after the All-Star break last year and Suzuki taking another step forward in his second season will only boost the trending upwards Cubs.
Last season, Suzuki had 54 runs, 104 hits, 22 doubles, 14 home runs, 46 RBIs, a .262 batting average, .336 OBP, .433 SLG, and .770 OPS.
He ranked tied for 16th in runs, 17th in hits, tied for 14th in doubles, tied for 18th in home runs, and tied for 20th in RBIs among Right Fielders last season.
Suzuki may not be ready for opening day due to a moderate left oblique strain but it should not keep him out for too long.
He is expected to bat fifth against righties and cleanup against southpaws.
Nico Hoerner will bat leadoff, followed by Dansby Swanson, Ian Happ, and Cody Bellinger against righties.
Against southpaws, Hoerner, Swanson, and Happ will bat ahead of Suzuki.
Hoerner, Swanson, and Happ get on base frequently, which will set up Suzuki to have a lot of success.
Expect Suzuki to have over 70 runs, 140 hits, 30 doubles, 20 home runs, and 80 RBIs, and to improve his batting average to approximately .270 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
Suzuki is set up to have a good 2023 MLB season and have a top-10 season among Right Fielders.
9. Adolis Garcia
Adolis Garcia is coming off back-to-back good seasons.
In 2021, he played 149 games and he had 77 runs, 141 hits, 26 doubles, two triples, 31 home runs, 90 RBIs, a .243 batting average, .286 OBP, .454 SLG, and .741 OPS.
He was able to stay healthy last year, playing in 156 games.
Last season, Garcia had 88 runs, 151 hits, 34 doubles, five triples, 27 home runs, 101 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, a .250 batting average, .300 OBP, .456 SLG, and .756 OPS.
He ranked third in runs, second in hits, third in doubles, tied for second in triples, tied for sixth in home runs, and second in RBIs among Right Fielders last season.
Garcia ranked 12th in batting average, 14th in OBP, seventh in SLG, and 10th in OPS among Right Fielders that qualified with at least 3.1 plate appearances per team game played last season.
He is in a good lineup with Marcus Semien batting leadoff, Corey Seager batting second, Nathaniel Lowe batting third, and Garcia will bat cleanup.
Garcia put up similar numbers in 2021 as he did in 2022.
Expect Garcia to have over 85 runs, 150 hits, 35 doubles, four triples, 30 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases and to keep his batting average to approximately .250 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
Garcia is primed for another big season and he will be among the top 10 Right Fielders in the league in 2023.
8. Teoscar Hernandez
Teoscar Hernandez is a two-time Silver Slugger award winner.
The Seattle Mariners acquired Hernandez from the Toronto Blue Jays in the offseason, ahead of his free-agent walk year.
After snapping the longest postseason drought in baseball last year, Seattle’s addition of Hernandez could allow them to return to the playoffs for the second time in as many seasons.
He played 131 games last year.
Last season, Hernandez had 71 runs, 133 hits, 35 doubles, 25 home runs, 77 RBIs, a .267 batting average, .316 OBP, .491 SLG, and .807 OPS.
He ranked tied for eighth in runs, 10th in hits, second in doubles, ninth in home runs, and seventh in RBIs among Right Fielders last season.
Hernandez ranked fifth in batting average, ninth in OBP, third in SLG, and seventh in OPS among Right Fielders that qualified with at least 3.1 plate appearances per team game played last season.
He will bat cleanup in a good Mariners batting lineup.
Star Julio Rodriguez will bat leadoff, Ty France will bat second, and Eugenio Suarez will bat third ahead of Hernandez.
Expect Hernandez to have over 70 runs, 140 hits, 35 doubles, 30 home runs, and 90 RBIs, and to keep his batting average to approximately .270 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
Hernandez will further boost an already good Seattle offense and he will be among the top 10 Right Fielders in the league in the 2023 MLB season.
7. Starling Marte
Starling Marte is a frustrating batter for pitchers to face because a pitcher can make a great pitch but Marte will flip it into right field just over the first baseman’s head.
He fits perfectly in a New York Mets lineup that is full of pesky hitters, who can take you deep or serve the sixth pitch of an at-bat to the opposite field for a single.
Marte made his second career All-Star game appearance and even earned some down-ballot NL MVP votes last year.
He played 118 games last year.
Last season, Marte had 76 runs, 136 hits, 24 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs, 63 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, a .292 batting average, .347 OBP, .468 SLG, and .814 OPS.
He ranked tied for sixth in runs, ninth in hits, ninth in doubles, second in triples, tied for 13th in home runs, 13th in RBIs, and sixth in stolen bases among Right Fielders last season.
Marte ranked first in batting average, fourth in OBP, sixth in SLG, and fourth in OPS among Right Fielders that qualified with at least 3.1 plate appearances per team game played last season.
He will bat second in a very good lineup.
Brandon Nimmo will bat leadoff, Francisco Lindor will bat third, and Pete Alonso will bat cleanup.
This will set up Marte to score and knock in runners often.
Expect Marte to have over 90 runs, 150 hits, 30 doubles, 20 home runs, and 85 RBIs, and to keep his batting average to approximately .295 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
Marte is primed to have a stellar 2023 MLB season and be among the best Right Fielders in the league.
6. George Springer
With the trade of Teoscar Hernandez, George Springer will shift to Right Field in 2023 for the Toronto Blue Jays.
He has played in just 211 of a possible 324 games in two seasons with the Blue Jays.
Springer played 133 games last year.
Last season, Springer had 89 runs, 137 hits, 22 doubles, four triples, 25 home runs, 76 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, a .267 batting average, .342 OBP, .472 SLG, and .814 OPS.
He will bat leadoff in a very good lineup.
Bo Bichette will bat second and Vladimir Guerrero Jr will bat third behind Springer.
This will help Springer get a lot of runs.
Another thing that will help Springer improve his offensive numbers in 2023 is that the Rogers Centre will be much more hitter-friendly.
Right Center Field alley will be moving in from 375 to 357 feet.
Left Center Field will be moving in from 375 to 366 feet.
Center Field will move in from 400 to 397 feet.
This will help Springer’s offensive numbers go up in the 2023 MLB season.
Expect Springer to have over 90 runs, 150 hits, 25 doubles, 25 home runs, and 80 RBIs, and to keep his batting average to approximately .270 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
If Springer can remain healthy and on the field, he will have a strong 2023 MLB campaign and be among the best Right Fielders in the league.
The Top 5 Right Fielders Entering The 2023 MLB Season
Now, we get to the top-five Right Fielders in the MLB.
Kyle Tucker kicks off the top-five list of RFs entering the 2023 MLB season.
5. Kyle Tucker
Kyle Tucker made his first All-Star game appearance and won his first Gold Glove award in 2022.
He was a key cog for the Houston Astros as they won the World Series.
He played 150 games last year.
Last season, Tucker had 71 runs, 140 hits, 28 doubles, 30 home runs, 107 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, a .257 batting average, .330 OBP, .478 SLG, and .808 OPS.
He ranked tied for eighth in runs, tied for third in hits, tied for fourth in doubles, fourth in home runs, first in RBIs, and tied for second in stolen bases among Right Fielders last season.
Tucker ranked 10th in batting average, sixth in OBP, fourth in SLG, and fifth in OPS among Right Fielders that qualified with at least 3.1 plate appearances per team game played last season.
He will bat sixth in a very good Aatros’ batting lineup.
Jose Altuve will bat leadoff, followed by Michael Brantley, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, and Jose Abreu.
This will give Tucker numerous opportunities to knock in runners, despite batting sixth in the lineup.
Expect Tucker to have over 70 runs, 140 hits, 30 doubles, 30 home runs, and 100 RBIs, and to keep his batting average to approximately .260 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
Tucker will have a big 2023 MLB season and be among the top five Right Fielders in the league.
4. Fernando Tatis
A wrist injury and eventual performance-enhancing drug suspension prevented Tatis from playing at all in 2022 and the PED suspension will also cost him the first 20 games of the 2023 MLB season.
When Tatis is eligible to come back, he will move to Right Field with the addition of Shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Tatis is on one of the most dangerous lineups in the league.
He will join a lineup featuring Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts.
When Tatis is healthy and not suspended, he is one of the best and most dangerous batters in the league.
In 2021, he had 99 runs, 135 hits, 31 doubles, 42 home runs, 97 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, a .282 batting average, .364 OBP, .611 SLG, and .975 OPS.
Expect Tatis to have over 100 runs, 140 hits, 30 doubles, 35 home runs, and 100 RBIs, and to keep his batting average to approximately .280 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
Tatis will have a monster 2023 MLB season and be among the top five Right Fielders in the league.
3. Ronald Acuna Jr
Ronald Acuna was still productive in 2022 but he wasn’t the explosive superstar we had become accustomed to before he tore his ACL in July of 2021.
He told Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that “he’s feeling 100%” and “ready to go back to normal” in his age-25 season.
He played 119 games last year.
Last season, Acuna had 71 runs, 124 hits, 24 doubles, 15 home runs, 50 RBIs, 29 stolen bases, a .266 batting average, .351 OBP, .413 SLG, and .764 OPS.
He ranked tied for eighth in runs, 14th in hits, tied for ninth in doubles, tied for 15th in home runs, 17th in RBIs, and first in stolen bases among Right Fielders last season.
Acuna ranked sixth in batting average, third in OBP, 14th in SLG, and ninth in OPS among Right Fielders that qualified with at least 3.1 plate appearances per team game played last season.
He will bat leadoff for an excellent Atlanta Braves lineup.
Matt Olson will bat second, Austin Riley third, Sean Murphy cleanup, and Michael Harris will bat fifth.
This will set up Acuna to rack up runs.
His power should return to normal in the 2023 season.
Expect Acuna to have over 95 runs, 140 hits, 30 doubles, 30 home runs, 85 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases, and to keep his batting average to approximately .270 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
Acuna will have a big bounce-back season and be the superstar we are used to seeing him be and he will be among the top three Right Fielders in the league in the 2023 MLB season.
2. Mookie Betts
Mookie Betts has already comfortably topped the average WAR 7, the top seven single-season WAR totals a player puts up in their career, of a Hall of Fame Right Fielder.
Still, somehow, Betts feels underrated.
Betts’ resume already includes two World Series titles, six All-Star game appearances, six Gold Glove awards, and five Silver Slugger awards.
He was the AL MVP in 2018 and finished runner-up for the NL MVP in 2020.
He played 142 games last year.
Last season, Betts had 117 runs, 154 hits, 40 doubles, 35 home runs, 82 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, a .269 batting average, .340 OBP, .533 SLG, and .873 OPS.
He ranked first in runs, first in hits, first in doubles, first in home runs, fourth in RBIs, and ninth in stolen bases among Right Fielders last season.
Betts ranked fourth in batting average, fifth in OBP, first in SLG, and first in OPS among Right Fielders that qualified with at least 3.1 plate appearances per team game played last season.
He will bat leadoff for an excellent Los Angeles Dodgers lineup.
Freddie Freeman will bat second, Will Smith third, and Max Muncy will bat cleanup behind Betts.
Expect Betts to have over 110 runs, 155 hits, 40 doubles, 35 home runs, 85 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases, and to keep his batting average to approximately .270 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
Mookie Betts is not only one of the best Right Fielders in the league but he is one of the best players in the MLB and he will have another typical great season.
1. Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge is coming off one of the greatest seasons in MLB history, where he led the league in home runs, RBIs, runs scored, OBP, OPS, OPS+, total bases, and WAR.
He signed a new nine-year/$360 million deal in the offseason and he will try to lead the New York Yankees back to the World Series for the first time since 2009.
He played 157 games last year.
Last season, Judge had 133 runs, 177 hits, 28 doubles, 62 home runs, 131 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, a .311 batting average, .425 OBP, .686 SLG, and 1.111 OPS.
It will be very difficult to completely duplicate the kind of season he had last year.
We can expect some regression in runs, hits, home runs, and RBIs.
He is in a good Yankees lineup.
DJ LeMahieu will bat leadoff, followed by Judge, then Anthony Rizzo, and Giancarlo Stanton will bat cleanup.
Expect Judge to have over 100 runs, 160 hits, 25 doubles, 40 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases, and to keep his batting average to approximately .300 in the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
Aaron Judge is currently the best player in all of baseball and this season will be no different.
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