Ranking the 20 most impactful NL Central position players in 2025

St. Louis Cardinals v Minnesota Twins
St. Louis Cardinals v Minnesota Twins | Brace Hemmelgarn/GettyImages
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10-6

10. Ian Happ - CHC

9. Nolan Arenado - STL

8. Willson Contreras - STL

7. Bryan Reynolds - PIT

6. Masyn Winn - STL

Ian Happ won a Gold Glove for the third straight season last year while also clubbing 25 home runs and driving in 86. While Happ’s batting average has dropped in each of the last two seasons, his walk rate remains in the 94th percentile, which proves Happ’s ability to put together quality at-bats. Despite being the most decorated player on this list, a tough 2024 season in addition to the abundance of emerging talent in the National League Central sees Arenado ranked ninth. Nolan Arenado has plenty to prove if he wants to keep his name among the league’s best. With that being said, it is hard to think that Arenado won’t improve on a disappointing 2024. Cardinals President John Mozeliak seems to think so too.

Many may find the ranking of Willson Contreras at eight way too low. Contreras provided the Cardinals with amazing power numbers when healthy, but that was only for 84 games. To rank Contreras any higher, considering that he has never hit 25 home runs in a season or even driven in 75, would be a stretch, even if a breakout offensive season is on the way. Excluding the shortened 2020 season, Bryan Reynolds has racked up 19 WAR in five seasons. In his last four seasons, Reynolds has hit at least 24 home runs each year while averaging 81 runs batted in. These numbers, in addition to a career .276 batting average, indicate that Reynolds is the real deal. Masyn Winn dazzled in his rookie season as he was especially impressive with two strikes. 4.9 WAR, 15 home runs, 57 runs batted in, and a .267 batting average made for a great rookie campaign. Factor in his incredible arm strength and his desire to steal more bases in 2025, and Winn could make a jump even further this season.

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