One of the most talented and competitive divisions in baseball is the National League East.
In 2025, it figures to be even more lethal as the Atlanta Braves will be healthy, the New York Mets will have Juan Soto in their everyday lineup and the Philadelphia Phillies look to repeat as division champions.
Here is our top-10 ranking of the best of the best in the NL East.
1. Juan Soto, RF/LF, New York Mets
Soto knows a thing or two about the NL East, considering he spent five years with the Washington Nationals before jumping around from team to team. Now, he’s here to stay, so it’s only fitting that the Mets’ newest and most expensive addition tops our list.
Soto undoubtedly has an MVP in his future, and it’s likely to come during his 15-year, $765M tenure with New York. At 26, Soto already has a World Series championship under his belt, four All-Star Game appearances, a Home Run Derby crown, five Silver Sluggers and a batting title. He looks to guide the Mets to their first World Series title since 1986.
2. Zack Wheeler, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
He doesn’t have a Cy Young Award to show for it, but Wheeler has been arguably the most dominant pitcher in baseball since signing with the Phillies in December 2019. In 133 starts, he’s posted a 2.94 ERA with 899 strikeouts in 829.1 innings. Wheeler also tossed three complete games and two shutouts.
He’s been a workhorse for Philadelphia, both in the regular season and postseason, where he’s fared even better if you can believe it. Wheeler has a 2.18 ERA across 70.1 innings pitched in 12 playoff games. He will once again head the Phillies’ excellent starting staff in 2025.
