Toronto Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho Debuts on MLB Network's List of Top 10 Center Fielders

Daulton Varsho was named the No. 7 center fielder in MLB on Tuesday, thanks in large part to the flashy defense he has put on display with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Aug 14, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Daulton Varsho (25) attempts to catch a fly ball double by Los Angeles Angels left fielder Taylor Ward (not pictured) in the second inning at Angel Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Toronto Blue Jays standout Daulton Varsho may not be ready in time for Opening Day in 2025, but he still enters the season with a solid dose of hype.

MLB Network kicked off its annual "Top 10 Players Right Now" series on Tuesday, starting with center fielders. Past performance, offensive and defensive metrics and input from the MLB Network research team were all taken into account, resulting in Seattle Mariners standout Julio Rodríguez taking hold of the top spot.

Varsho made his career first appearance on the list, debuting at No. 7.

This past season, Varsho hit .214 with a .700 OPS across 136 games. He racked up 18 home runs, 58 RBI, 10 stolen bases and a 5.0 WAR, also winning a Gold Glove thanks to his five outfield assists and 28 defensive runs saved.

A right rotator cuff injury forced Varsho to undergo shoulder surgery in September, though, and he is no longer expected to be ready by the start of Spring Training.

Varsho became an everyday player with the Arizona Diamondbacks midway through 2021, and he got traded to the Blue Jays ahead of the 2023 campaign. So far in his career, Varsho is a .225 hitter with a .711 OPS, averaging 22 home runs, 67 RBI, 14 stolen bases and a 4.3 WAR per 162 games.

Since the start of 2022, Varsho has accumulated 72 defensive runs saved. No other player, regardless of position, has broken 60.

Toronto has struck out on a handful of top free agents this winter, and they could lose Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette next year, so Varsho might be viewed as one of the faces of the franchise by 2026. Then again, Varsho is set to hit free agency himself in 2027, giving the Blue Jays yet another franchise centerpiece they have to lock up before it's too late.

Here is the full list of top 10 center fielders that MLB Network compiled for 2025:

1. Julio Rodríguez, SEA
2. Jackson Merrill, SD
3. Byron Buxton, MIN
4. Michael Harris II, ATL
5. Mike Trout, LAA
6. Brandon Marsh, PHI
7. Daulton Varsho, TOR
8. Garrett Mitchell, MIL
9. Oneil Cruz, PIT
10. Luis Robert Jr., CWS

Where does Daulton Varsho land among the top center fielders in baseball?

BK and CY discuss the Blue Jays' outfielder and his outrageous defensive metrics.#Top10RightNow | @MLBNow pic.twitter.com/6FYH32tTr2

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 8, 2025

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