National League Central Positional Rankings: Who Has the Advantage at Each Position Group in 2025?

The National League Central is set to be one of the more intriguing divisions in baseball in 2025. With so much young talent, and lots of uncertainty across the board, this division is destined to have some unexpected twists and turns throughout the spring and summer. There were big-name acquisitions like Kyle Tucker being dealt to the Cubs, as well as big-name departures such as Willy Adames leaving the Brewers to sign with the Giants in free agency. There is so much more to get into with this division, so, to start, I have ranked the best player at each position group between the five teams, in my opinion, to help see who has the advantage to come out on top in the NL Central in 2025.

Catcher: William Contreras, Brewers 

William Contreras was the easy choice for the best catcher in the division. The Brewers backstop is a two-time all-star, including last season where he hit .281 with 23 home runs and 92 RBI, all of which were career highs. There is really no other catcher challenging Contreras in this division given the Cubs are unsure about the future of Miguel Amaya, Iván Herrera, and Joey Bart are still developing for the Cardinals and Pirates respectively, and Tyler Stephenson of the Reds is not nearly the offensive threat that Contreras presents. Contreras also recorded a 4.9 WAR last campaign, solidifying himself as not only one of the best catchers in the division but in the entire MLB. 

First Base: Willson Contreras, Cardinals

This position was the first tough decision I had to make. It was a close call between Willson Contreras and Michael Busch of the Cubs, but I ended up giving the nod to Contreras for this season. While Willson has been moved out from his original catcher position, his threat at the plate will allow him to remain a force to be reckoned with regardless of where he plays in the field. The three-time all-star with the rival Cubs has had his struggles in his first two years in St. Louis, but he has remained a 3 WAR player in both seasons despite missing nearly half the 2024 season with an arm injury. Busch had a great first full campaign for the Cubs in 2024, but I could not give him the upper hand on Contreras after just one solid year compared to Contreras’ proven track record of success over the past eight years. While the transition to first base might come with some growing pains for Willson, his bat should pose a major threat in the heart of the Cardinals lineup in 2025.

Second Base: Brendon Donovan, Cardinals

This was yet another close battle between a Cardinals and Cubs player for the top spot, and I once again sided with the Red Bird, this time it was Brendan Donovan. Nico Hoerner of the Cubs was the runner-up for me, with Matt McLain of the Reds and Brice Turang of the Brewers coming in a close third and fourth. One could really make a legitimate argument for any of the four players I just mentioned to be the best player, but I went with Donovan mainly because of his offensive ability. Donovan has been an above-average hitter all three years he has been in the majors with his lowest OPS+ being 112 last season. I think if he is able to stay healthy in 2025 the power will start to jump for a guy that seemingly is always hitting the ball hard. I could not put Hoerner over Donovan simply because of his lack of power. Hoerner is a better defender and base runner than Donovan, but I think Hoerner’s lack of thump in his bat decreases his value a bit more, especially in today’s game where extra-base hits are such a crucial part of scoring runs. A bit of a side note, but do not be surprised to see McLain take a big step forward this year for the Reds. He missed all of 2024 with a shoulder injury, but he finished in the top five in Rookie of The Year voting in 2023, and he is coming back fully healthy in 2025 to help lengthen that Cincinnati lineup. 

Shortstop: Elly De La Cruz, Reds

Elly De La Cruz is one of the best young talents in the sport right now. The only other players to consider at shortstop are Dansby Swanson of the Cubs and Masyn Winn of the Cardinals, but De La Cruz is the clear choice for the top spot. De La Cruz was sensational in his first full season in 2024 as he totaled 25 home runs, 76 RBI, 67 stolen bases, and a .809 OPS. Those numbers were good enough to earn him his first all-star bid as well. The major knock against De La Cruz has been his high strikeout numbers. He led the league in strikeouts last year with 218.  However, he has one of the most powerful bats and strongest arms in the game at just 21 years of age so it is safe to say the potential is off the charts for De La Cruz. If he is able to limit the strikeout numbers this season, that will only allow for him to utilize his elite speed, power, and athleticism to his utmost potential.    

Third Base: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals

This is probably the weakest position group in the division, but that does not mean there is a lack of intrigue at the hot corner. Nolan Arenado gets the top spot for now, although it is still possible he will be traded before the season starts next month as rumors have been swirling all winter. While there has been a decline in Arenado’s offensive number, his Gold Glove-caliber defense remains elite at the hot corner. The other four teams all have younger and less experienced players at third base including Matt Shaw projected to make his MLB debut starting at third base for the Cubs. Gavin Lux will likely slot in at third for the Reds after coming over from the Dodgers this winter, and Ke’Bryan Hayes will look to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 for the Pirates. With all the uncertainty at this position, it has to be Arenado at the top of the list as long as he remains on the Cardinals roster. 

Left Field: Ian Happ, Cubs

Ian Happ has been one of the most consistent players for the Cubs over the past handful of years, and he has locked down the left field position for Chicago in elite fashion. Happ has won a gold glove in three consecutive seasons dating back to the 2022 campaign which also happened to be his lone all-star appearance. At the plate, Happ continues to put up a better-than-league-average OPS every year, work plenty of walks, and hit for power when needed. Happ has turned himself into a quality, all-around MLB outfielder and the slam-dunk choice as the best-left fielder in this division. 

Center Field: Garrett Mitchell, Brewers

While this position might not be the best in terms of household names, centerfield has the potential to be the most intriguing position in this division in 2025. With Lars Nootbaar seemingly transitioning to left field next season for the Cardinals, I gave the nod to Garrett Mitchell in a close race over Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs and Oneil Cruz of the Pirates. Mitchell stepped up big time in a limited role last year for the Brewers when they needed him most. He played a stellar center field and his speed was a major weapon for the Brewers offensively both in the small ball game and stealing bases. His offensive numbers as a whole do not match up with Cruz’s, but Cruz is a subpar defender at best. I think Mitchell is set up to have a better all-around season in 2025 assuming he takes the reins as the everyday center fielder for Milwaukee. 

Right Field: Kyle Tucker, Cubs

Kyle Tucker is one of the best players in all of baseball, so it is no surprise that he is at the top of the right fielder’s list. Tucker has made three all-star appearances, won a Silver Slugger Award, and a World Series with the Astros in 2022. The newly acquired Tucker will plug right into the heart of the Cubs’ lineup and immediately make them more dangerous offensively given the power numbers and low strikeout totals he puts up. However, I do not want it to go unnoticed that Jackson Chourio is a clear runner-up and it is by quite a large margin compared to the rest of the division. Chourio is one of the best young players in baseball, and he could have an absolute monster season in 2025. Unfortunately, I could not put him over the established Tucker just yet, but that could change as soon as next season. 

Designated Hitter: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs

Seiya Suzuki has been the primary right fielder for the Cubs since coming over from Japan, but he will now assume the DH role with Kyle Tucker coming in. On the bright side for Suzuki, this move makes him the best DH in the division. The Brewers will likely put Christian Yelich in this spot in order to keep him healthy, but other than Yelich, there is not a whole lot of competition for Suzuki. Andrew McCutchen is well past his prime, and Jeimer Candelario of the Reds is a solid hitter, but he does not have the power of Suzuki. Not to mention, Suzuki’s defense over the past few years has been suspect at best, so it is possible this will be a good change for him. Expect Suzuki’s offensive numbers to increase into possibly his best offensive season as a Major Leaguer in 2025. 

Starting Pitching: Pirates 

This is without a doubt the most exciting part of the Pirates’ roster going into 2025. The three-headed monster of Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, and Jared Jones is going to be a problem for the rest of the league for years to come. If those three guys can stay healthy for the majority of the year, the Pirates will win a lot of low-scoring ball games. The second-best rotation is probably the Cubs’ rotation with Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga at the top, but the star power and potential of the Pirates are on another level. The Pirates may not score a lot of runs, but their pitching staff will be fun to watch in 2025.

Bullpen: Brewers

The Brewers have arguably the most underrated bullpen in all of baseball. They might not have the biggest names like Ryan Pressly for the Cubs or Ryan Helsley for the Cardinals, and I know they just lost their biggest name in Devin Williams, but I am ranking their unit as a whole. Joel Payamps has been a quality reliever in the back end of the Milwaukee bullpen for the past two years. Fellow set-up man Jared Koenig, who presents a different angle from the left side, and closer Trevor Megill round out a very solid late-inning trio that should get the Brewers to the finish line in a lot of close games this season. Not to mention, the Brewers have built a knack for getting the best out of their relievers based on their individual skill set. I expect more of the same from a unit that has had established success in the past.