10 surprising players who lead their teams in hitting

As each season takes shape, injuries, slumps and breakouts can shuffle the batting order -- and sometimes reveal a new leading man.

The 2025 campaign has been no exception, with a number of unexpected names emerging as top performers at the plate. In more than a few cases, they’ve become their team’s most productive bat.

With Memorial Day approaching, here are 10 surprising players who currently lead their teams in hitting.

Rankings based on wRC+ -- a rate statistic that measures a hitter's overall offensive value in terms of run creation while adjusting for league and park effects (a 100 wRC+ is considered league average) -- among hitters with at least 120 plate appearances this season. All stats below are through Thursday.

Jonathan Aranda, 1B, Rays
It’s been a rough season for the Rays’ offense -- six of the 10 Tampa Bay players with at least 90 plate appearances are below league average (100 wRC+), and only one has a wRC+ higher than 111. That would be Aranda, who is in the midst of an impressive breakout campaign. The 26-year-old ranks fifth among qualifiers with a 177 wRC+ and has the underlying metrics to back it up, including a 58.7% hard-hit rate (98th percentile), a .310 expected batting average (93rd percentile) and a .420 expected wOBA (96th percentile).

Harrison Bader, OF, Twins
Bader is known primarily for his defense, but the veteran outfielder is delivering a more balanced performance in 2025. Through 39 games, the 30-year-old is hitting .300 with four homers and a 146 wRC+. Granted, Bader’s place atop the team leaderboard in that department also says a lot about Minnesota’s overall offensive performance this year. The club’s lineup has fared better during its 12-game winning streak, but Bader and Byron Buxton (130 wRC+) are still the only Twins hitters who have a wRC+ above 106 (minimum 100 PAs).

Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Brewers
Entering 2025, it was fair to wonder if Hoskins’ best years were behind him. After missing all of 2023 while recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee, the veteran slugger returned to action with the Brewers in ’24 and put together a campaign that, while respectable, fell short of the impact he once made during his tenure with the Phillies. Hoskins, though, has looked rejuvenated in 2025. He is not only putting the ball in play more often but also optimizing his contact with increased sweet-spot, hard-hit and pulled airball rates -- improvements that have led to a .292/.396/.462 slash and a 140 wRC+. His production has helped the Brewers stay around the .500 mark even though William Contreras, Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio have all been underwhelming.

Ryan O'Hearn, DH, Orioles
Although poor pitching has been the biggest culprit behind Baltimore’s disappointing 15-27 record, the O’s offense is arguably the greater disappointment, relative to preseason expectations. While Gunnar Henderson (123 wRC+) has started to recover after a slow start, Adley Rutschman, Jordan Westburg, Tyler O'Neill and Ryan Mountcastle are all still trying to get on track. The 31-year-old O’Hearn has done his part to pick up the slack in a platoon role, hitting .295 with seven homers, an .896 OPS and a 159 wRC+ over 127 PAs.

Jeremy Peña, SS, Astros
After following up his tremendous 2022 rookie season -- which culminated in him winning both the American League Championship Series and World Series MVP Awards -- with a pair of nondescript campaigns, Peña may finally be poised to make a significant leap toward stardom. In the wake of the Kyle Tucker trade, and in a year when longtime Astros stalwarts Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez and new addition Christian Walker have all struggled to get going, Peña is one of the hitters who have kept Houston’s offense afloat. The shortstop has slashed .313/.363/.470 with six homers, six steals and a 137 wRC+, slightly edging out Isaac Paredes (136 wRC+) for the team lead in the latter department.

Josh Smith, UTIL, Rangers
Much like he did last season, Smith has been making it tough for manager Bruce Bochy to keep him out of the lineup. The 27-year-old is a man of many gloves, having already appeared at every position except for pitcher and catcher in 2025. But it’s not just his versatility that’s earned him a regular role with Texas. Smith is also excelling on the offensive end, hitting .306 with four homers, four steals and a 139 wRC+. His performance has been invaluable during a season in which a number of Rangers regulars have struggled and Corey Seager has made multiple trips to the injured list.

Pavin Smith, DH, D-backs
While Corbin Carroll is clearly Arizona’s offensive centerpiece, Smith actually has recorded a higher wRC+ (167) this season, albeit in a much more limited role. Following the departure of Joc Pederson in free agency, the left-handed-hitting Smith has seamlessly filled Pederson’s shoes as the D-backs’ regular DH against right-handers. The 29-year-old is slugging .519 with the second-highest on-base percentage (.436) in MLB (minimum 100 PAs), building on the success he had in a small sample size last year (142 wRC+).

George Springer, OF, Blue Jays
Beyond Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s 14-year, $500 million contract extension in April, the Blue Jays haven’t given their fan base much to celebrate this season. Toronto has been stuck in neutral through 43 games at 21-22, and the club would likely be much worse off without Springer’s unexpected resurgence at the age of 35. Coming off a pair of lackluster seasons, Springer has made some dramatic improvements in 2025, showing a more disciplined approach at the plate and hitting the ball with greater authority. Pairing an 18.5% barrel rate (97th percentile) with a 15.4% walk rate (94th percentile) -- both of which would rate as career bests -- Springer has notched a sparkling 151 wRC+ through 40 games.

Masyn Winn, SS, Cardinals
It’s no coincidence that the Cardinals have turned their season around since Winn returned from the injured list on April 22. St. Louis was 9-14 at the time, but the club has gone 15-6 over its past 21 games, with Winn playing a key role. The 23-year-old shortstop has slashed .319/.407/.580 with four homers, six doubles, 12 RBIs and 15 runs scored during that span, bumping his wRC+ on the year to 137. That’s a big step up from his 2024 rookie season (103 wRC+), when Winn provided more value with the glove than his bat.

Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics
With a profile that invites comparisons to three-time batting champion Luis Arraez, Wilson is a big reason why the A’s are off to their best start in several years. Although Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler and JJ Bleday have all taken a step back after strong 2024 campaigns, the club is averaging 4.45 runs scored per game, up from 3.97 a year ago. Wilson has been at the center of that improvement, posting a .347 average with five homers and nine doubles over 176 plate appearances, striking out just nine times along the way. His 149 wRC+ not only leads the A’s but also puts him second among qualifying shortstops behind the Nationals’ CJ Abrams (157 wRC+).