The first benchmark of the season has come and gone. We’ve seen stars struggle, rookies dominate, and even seen Javy Baez become a productive player again.

However, a select few stood out among the league. Here’s my first monthly 1st and 2nd team.

The rules are simple:

One player for each position + DH, three starters each (similar to a playoff series rotation), and one reliever.

The most important factor for pitchers is their results. If a pitcher has a low ERA but a high FIP/xERA/xFIP (all predictive stats on how a pitcher should perform), the pitcher will still be preferred over pitchers with a higher ERA but low FIP. The reason is simple.

I care about the results. Did you shut down lineups, or should you have shut down lineups but you gave up some runs? Additionally, volume will be another crucial factor in the evaluation. If Pitcher A has a 1.14 ERA across 28 innings and Pitcher B has a 1.50 ERA over 40 innings, Pitcher B will get the selection over Pitcher A. The length they provided for their teams makes up for the slight difference in ERA.

For position players, defense will be a factor to some extent. Premium defensive positions like catcher, shortstop, and centerfield will result in a higher consideration in defense. For offense-heavy positions—like the corner outfields and first base—defensive issues would potentially be overlooked if the offensive output warrants it.

Let’s dive into the teams of the month for March/April.

TOTM 1st Team

Position Players:

Catcher: Cal Raleigh, Mariners

Raleigh is a switch-hitting catcher and a massive fan favorite out in Seattle who was awarded a big extension not too long ago. Safe to say, the investment’s paid off so far. Raleigh has a lower average, but when he makes contact he does damage, shown by his .543 slugging, and still gets on base at a solid clip. Raleigh put up 1.5 fWAR with an 8.2 Offensive rating and a 155 wRC+. He slashed .233/.341/.543 for a .884 OPS and slugged 10 home runs, while remaining an above-average catcher (1.7 Defensive Rating).

1st Base: Pete Alonso, Mets

Unlike Raleigh, Alonso had a weird offseason and never got the big contract he was looking to sign. He’s done a great job of changing the narrative and has been the second-best player in the sport so far. The slugger is on a different level this year, and although he *only* mashed 7 home runs, he’s hitting at an insane clip of .343/.474/.657, for an OPS of 1.131. This equates to a 212 wRC+, meaning he’s more than twice as valuable as a hitter than the average MLB player in history, and has accumulated 2.1 fWAR thanks to his 17.7 Offensive Rating.

2nd Base: Kristian Campbell, Red Sox

My preseason pick for AL Rookie of the Year has gotten off to a fast start with the bat. He already looks to be one of the best offensive second basemen in the sport, and slashed .301/.407/.495 for an OPS of .902 to start his career. Campbell accumulated 1.2 fWAR thanks to a great 156 wRC+. The Red Sox will happily live with his defense if he continues to be above average offensively

3rd Base: Alex Bregman, Red Sox

The Red Sox invested potentially $120M into Alex Bregman, hoping his historical production at Fenway would continue—it has. Bregman has a monstrous 177 wRC+ to start the season, slashing .328/.401/.584, for an OPS of .985. He’s been above average defensively and slugged 7 home runs while driving in 24, good for 1.7 fWAR already this season.

Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

Witt is one of the rare players with a complete game, boasting all five tools. While the power is a little down to start the 2025 season, he still posted 1.7 fWAR, driven by a strong 139 wRC+, 4.7 Defensive Rating, and 9 stolen bases. He slashed .322/.388/.475 with an OPS of .863, and his glove has been among the best in the league at short.

Right Field: Aaron Judge, Yankees

Aaron Judge’s past 162 games are historic. His numbers to start the season are absurd: .427/.521/.761, a 1.282 OPS, 10 home runs, 32 RBIs, and a league-leading 263 wRC+. He put up 3.2 fWAR in one month, which is 50% more than an average MLB starter is supposed to accumulate in one season. There is no comparison to his torrid start in recent memory other than Barry Bonds.

Center Field: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs

PCA’s elite defense was always MLB-ready, but the bat might’ve caught up quicker than the Cubs could’ve hoped. He posted 1.9 fWAR, combining 12 stolen bases, 6 homers, and a 133 wRC+ — all while anchoring centerfield with a 5.8 Defensive Rating. He slashed .275/.315/.525 with an .840 OPS and has been a big part of Chicago’s early success. If the bat continues to hold up like this, the Cubs have a star.

Left Field: James Wood, Nationals

The rookie slugger wasted no time making an impact. Despite some swing-and-miss, Wood brought his big-time pop to the Nationals lineup. He finished the month with 9 home runs, 21 RBIs, and a .903 OPS—translating to a 150 wRC+ and 0.9 fWAR. His ISO of .293 tells the story: when he connects, it’s loud. If he keeps this up, he’s a front-runner for NL Rookie of the Year.

Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

Even without pitching, Ohtani’s a unicorn. He slashed .287/.393/.557 with a .985 OPS, 7 home runs, 9 stolen bases, and a league-leading 32 runs scored. His 161 wRC+ and 11.5 Offensive Rating led to 1.3 fWAR. The speed dimension of his game separates him from almost every other DH in history, and makes him more than just a bat in the Dodgers’ stacked lineup.

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Starting Pitchers:

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers

The Yamamoto breakout is fully underway. Across 6 starts and 34 innings, he’s posted a league-best 1.06 ERA, supported by elite strikeout stuff (11.38 K/9) and a ridiculous 62.8% groundball rate. His 1.2 fWAR only scratches the surface — he’s become the only consistent presence in LA’s rotation and looks like he’s worth every penny of his $325M contract.

Max Fried, Yankees

The Yankees needed stability with Cole and Gil out, and Fried delivered. The recipient of the largest contract given to a lefty pitcher has given the Yankees length (37.2 IP over 6 starts) and dominance—1.14 ERA, 0.9 fWAR. Fried has many ways of inducing soft contact and boasts a groundball rate over 50%. This soft contact is further demonstrated by his minute 0.48 HR/9 rate.

Hunter Brown, Astros

The breakout we’ve all been expecting has finally arrived. Brown put up 1.6 fWAR in April, the most among any starter. In 6 starts and 37 innings, he posted a 1.22 ERA and 1.83 FIP while walking fewer than 2 per 9 and striking out over 9. Brown looks like the next ace in Houston’s pitching factory.

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Reliever: Andres Muñoz, Mariners

The most dominant bullpen arm in the league this month. Muñoz didn’t allow a single run across 15 innings, locking down 11 saves and adding a win for good measure. With 15 strikeouts and elite control, he’s been untouchable.

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TOTM 2nd Team

Catcher: William Contreras

First base: Tyler Soderstorm

Second Base: Brendan Donovan

Third Base: Isaac Parades

Shortstop: Geraldo Perdomo

Right Field: Fernando Tatis Jr.

Center Field: Jung Hoo Lee

Left Field: Steven Kwan

SP1: Jesus Luzardo

SP2: Nick Pivetta

SP3: Garrett Crochet

RP: Robert Suarez

Highlights

The second team was loaded with standout performances that would’ve easily made the first team most other months. William Contreras continues to shine behind the plate with elite defense. Tyler Soderstrom quietly mashed for the A’s. Brendan Donovan and Isaac Paredes brought balanced, all-around games. Geraldo Perdomo extended a 20-game hit streak and flashed elite glove work, while Jung Hoo Lee surprised with power and contact.

On the mound Jesus Luzardo, Nick Pivetta, and Garrett Crochet all turned in dominant months and gave their teams length and consistency. And in the bullpen Robert Suarez wasn’t far off from perfection himself.

This group might’ve come in second, but they’re playing like All-Stars.

Photo Credit; Shutterstock, Pngtree, Sodo Mojo, Sports Illustrated, Over The Monster, Reuters, Camdam Chat, CNN, WJTV, MSN, The Japan Times, Newsday, Reddit,