ESPN's Buster Olney has ranked the top 10 second basemen heading into the 2026 MLB season, with Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks taking the top spot. The rankings consider 2026 performance potential rather than career achievements, with Olney surveying industry insiders for his annual positional series. The list will roll out position by position over the next two weeks.

Marte's selection reflects his consistent excellence despite some controversy last season when he went AWOL after the All-Star break following a home robbery. The 28-year-old has produced about 15 fWAR over the past three seasons while earning just $40 million, creating roughly $135 million in value. Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs ranks second, leading all second basemen in fWAR last season with exceptional defense and a 7.6% strikeout rate.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees comes in at No. 3, but faces questions about consistency. While capable of 30-30 seasons with his speed and power, Chisholm needs to reduce his performance valleys. ESPN analyst Paul Hembekides suggests Chisholm could command $80 million over two years or $140 million over four years in free agency, but teams want to see more consistent production before committing to such deals.