Read our story on the balloting format, which includes two phases of fan voting to determine the All-Star starters.
Believe it or not, we're only about six weeks away from the 2025 All-Star Game, set to take place at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 15.
With this year's ballot for the Midsummer Classic unveiled Wednesday, it's a good time to have a look at which player on each club is most deserving of a spot on the All-Star roster for his league.
With the help of all 30 MLB.com beat writers, here's one player on each team most deserving of a trip to Atlanta next month:
Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West
American League East
Blue Jays: Alejandro Kirk, C
Previous All-Star appearances: 2022
The Blue Jays are one of the toughest teams in baseball from which to find a clear and obvious All-Star. While there isn’t a standout season or career year building here, Kirk’s value to this team deserves to be recognized across the league as his bat has finally returned alongside his exceptional defense. Following a pair of down years at the plate, he entered Wednesday with a .726 OPS and 1.7 fWAR. With each passing day, the Blue Jays’ decision to extend Kirk looks better and better. There should be a few more All-Star Games in his future, too. -- Keegan Matheson
Orioles: Ryan O'Hearn, DH
Previous All-Star appearances: none
Amid a disappointing start to the season in Baltimore, O’Hearn has quietly been having a career year. Entering Wednesday, the 31-year-old led the O’s in several offensive categories, including hits (58), batting average (.335), on-base percentage (.423), slugging percentage (.538) and OPS (.960). He also had eight doubles, nine home runs and 23 RBIs. O’Hearn may be listed as a designated hitter, but he’s been valuable to the O’s by playing first base and in the corner outfield spots as well. -- Jake Rill
Rays: Jonathan Aranda, 1B
Previous All-Star appearances: none
Finally granted the elusive combination of good health and regular playing time, Aranda is enjoying a long-awaited breakout season with the Rays. The 27-year-old is starting most days at first base and anchoring Tampa Bay’s lineup while putting up some of the best offensive numbers in the league. He entered Wednesday batting .324/.408/.508, good for a 167 wRC+ that ranked sixth in the Majors, to go along with seven homers, 31 RBIs and a team-leading 2.3 bWAR. -- Adam Berry
Red Sox: Garrett Crochet, SP
Previous All-Star appearances: 2024
The Red Sox thought they were getting an emerging ace when they acquired Crochet in a December trade with the White Sox, and that is exactly what is happening. Entering Wednesday, Crochet led the AL in innings (82) and strikeouts (101) to go with a 1.98 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and a .203 opponents batting average. Crochet gives his team a chance to win every time he pitches, and Boston needs to start scoring more in his starts to maximize his value. -- Ian Browne
Yankees: Aaron Judge, RF
Previous All-Star appearances: six
Judge was named the AL Player of the Month for both April and May, and if his performance continues into June … well, let’s just say the Yankees captain shouldn’t be making any summer vacation plans. Judge’s name appears everywhere on the big league leaderboard -- batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, fWAR, hits, times on base, total bases, multi-hit games, extra-base hits and more. He’s a true threat to win the Yankees’ first Triple Crown since Mickey Mantle in 1956. -- Bryan Hoch
AL Central
Guardians: José Ramírez, 3B
Previous All-Star appearances: six
Ramírez continues to be the engine that makes the Guardians’ offense go. The 32-year-old entered Wednesday as Cleveland’s leader in average (.330), on-base percentage (.386), slugging (.553) and homers (11), and tied for the team lead in RBIs (29). He recorded a career-best 21-game hitting streak in May, and the respect he garners as a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate was perhaps best on display this past Saturday. Angels manager Ron Washington had starter Kyle Hendricks intentionally walk Ramírez in his first two plate appearances. Ramírez wasn’t walked his third time up, and he hit a solo homer. -- Tim Stebbins
Royals: Kris Bubic, SP
Previous All-Star appearances: none
In a rotation that has two pitchers who finished in the top five of AL Cy Young voting in 2024 -- Seth Lugo (second) and Cole Ragans (fourth) -- the Royals have a different emerging contender this season: Bubic. In his first full season back after Tommy John surgery, the 27-year-old has slotted back into the rotation and been one of the best pitchers in baseball. Across 12 starts, Bubic has a 1.43 ERA, with 79 strikeouts and 22 walks in 75 1/3 innings. He’s thrown eight quality starts, and five of those starts have been seven innings of one run or fewer. It’s remarkable what Bubic, who helped the Royals to the postseason last year as a reliever, has done to begin 2025 -- and he should be an All-Star because of it. -- Anne Rogers
Tigers: Tarik Skubal, SP
Previous All-Star appearances: 2024
Skubal was an All-Star last summer on his way to the AL’s first pitching Triple Crown since 2011, but he was arguably a snub for the All-Star start in favor of then-Oriole Corbin Burnes. Take last year’s feats out of consideration, and Skubal still has a case to lead the American Leaguers onto the field, from a 2.26 ERA to AL-best ratios of 0.793 WHIP, 1.88 FIP, 11.8 K/9 and 0.8 BB/9 (entering Wednesday). His 99-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio is not only an MLB-best, it’s potentially historic. He threw a 102.6 mph fastball on his final pitch to complete a 13-K shutout last month; what is he going to throw if he can let it eat for an inning or two? -- Jason Beck
Twins: Byron Buxton, CF
Previous All-Star appearances: 2022
Even after missing two weeks due to a concussion, Buxton has some of the best all-around numbers in the AL, and he remains an absolutely electric and elite defensive center fielder. He was on pace for a 30-30 season before his IL stint, and he entered Wednesday as one of only three AL players in double figures in home runs and steals. It’s well past time for him to make his second All-Star Game. -- Matthew Leach
White Sox: Shane Smith, SP
Previous All-Star appearances: none
Smith has been one of the White Sox bright spots during a third straight lackluster season for the team. The rookie was the top pick in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft from Milwaukee and has since worked his way to the top of the rotation with a 2.45 ERA following Tuesday’s 5 1/3-inning scoreless effort against first-place Detroit. Smith’s 2.68 ERA over his first 11 career starters entering Tuesday ranks as the 11th-lowest mark in franchise history, per STATS. -- Scott Merkin
AL West
Angels: Zach Neto, SS
Previous All-Star appearances: none
Neto has been the club’s best player for a second straight year despite missing the first few weeks of the season after undergoing right shoulder surgery. He’s taken over as the club’s leadoff hitter and has provided both power and speed atop the lineup. He’s also a strong defender at a premium position and is a player the Angels are looking to build around along with catcher Logan O’Hoppe and first baseman Nolan Schanuel. He has tough competition at short but deserves to be an All-Star. -- Rhett Bollinger
Astros: Hunter Brown, SP
Previous All-Star appearances: none
Following a breakout season a year ago, Brown has pitched even better in the first two months of the 2025 season. He’s 8-3 with a 1.83 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. He entered Wednesday tied with Paul Skenes for the Major League lead in quality starts with 10, including one complete game. He was the first eight-game winner in the Major Leagues and, entering Wednesday, was fourth in the Majors in ERA, tied for third in batting average against (.185), sixth in opponents’ OPS (.536) and ninth in strikeouts (84). Brown had a streak of 28 consecutive innings without allowing a run in April. -- Brian McTaggart
Athletics: Jacob Wilson, SS
Previous All-Star appearances: none
Not only is Wilson -- who was named AL Rookie of the Month for May -- the runaway favorite for AL Rookie of the Year, but the 23-year-old shortstop is one of the best hitters in baseball, period. His .355 batting average and 81 hits entering Wednesday trailed only Aaron Judge in the AL, while he led all Major League rookies in batting average, hits, on-base percentage, OPS, runs, doubles and RBIs. His seven homers were tied for the most among rookies. -- Martín Gallegos
Mariners: Cal Raleigh, C
Previous All-Star appearances: none
This is finally the year where fans outside of the Pacific Northwest are catching on to what's been brewing for the past four years, as Raleigh is putting together what could become the best offensive season by a catcher in history. After leading the position in homers in each of the past three seasons, Raleigh has also ranked near the top of the overall MLB leaderboard in 2025, consistently alongside Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. He's also coming off a Platinum Glove Award-winning season, honored as the AL's best defensive player last season. Moreover, this would be a homecoming Midsummer Classic for the North Carolina native. -- Daniel Kramer
Rangers: Tyler Mahle, SP
Previous All-Star appearances: none
The answer truly is Nathan Eovaldi, and it likely will be him if his IL stint is really only 15 days. But Mahle has been the most pleasant surprise for a Rangers rotation that has been one of the best in baseball in 2025. Entering Wednesday, his 2.02 ERA was seventh in MLB (min. 70 innings pitched) and his .196 opponent batting average ranked 10th. He doesn’t quite have as many innings as many of the top pitchers as he works through his first full season post-Tommy John surgery, and he gets drowned out by the stars in the Rangers' rotation like Eovaldi, Jacob deGrom and a pair of highly-touted rookies in Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker. But he surely deserves a nod. -- Kennedi Landry
National League East
Braves: Ronald Acuña Jr., RF
Previous All-Star appearances: four
Acuña has played just two weeks since returning from knee surgery, but there’s a strong chance he’ll once again draw great attention via the fan balloting process. He was the NL’s top vote getter in 2022 and he received more votes than any MLB player in 2023. There’s a good chance he’ll be one of the NL’s three starting outfielders. Chris Sale and Marcell Ozuna are two other potential candidates to represent the Braves when they host the All-Star Game in July. -- Mark Bowman
Marlins: Kyle Stowers, OF
Previous All-Star appearances: none
Though Stowers is going through his first slump of the season, he still remains one of the game's breakout stars in 2025. He leads the club in homers, RBIs and OPS. The 27-year-old also has three multi-homer games and two walk-off hits, including a grand slam off A's closer Mason Miller's 101.7 mph four-seamer. -- Christina De Nicola
Mets: Francisco Lindor, SS
Previous All-Star appearances: four
Believe it or not, Lindor has never made an All-Star team with the Mets. Early-season slumps hurt his chances early in his tenure, and he was a notable snub last season. But that probably won’t be the case this year. Lindor entered Wednesday leading NL shortstops in fWAR and bWAR. He also led Senior Circuit shortstops in home runs and slugging, while stealing 11 bases and playing his usual steady defensive game. It’s hard to imagine a sixth consecutive All-Star Game without Lindor’s presence. -- Anthony DiComo
Nationals: James Wood, OF
Previous All-Star appearances: none
An All-Star selection in his first full Major League season? Wood has made a strong case. Entering Wednesday, the 22-year-old ranked first among NL outfielders in OPS, OPS+ and wOBA. He was second in home runs, slugging percentage, RBIs and hard-hit rate, and third in extra-base hits, walks and on-base percentage. -- Jessica Camerato
Phillies: Kyle Schwarber, DH
Previous All-Star appearances: two
Zack Wheeler almost certainly will be in the All-Star mix once again this year, but the nod here goes to Schwarber. On a star-studded Phillies team, it’s been Schwarber who has paced the offense through the first couple of months. Trea Turner and Bryce Harper are starting to come around after slow starts, but Schwarber has been a steady presence from the start. He's on pace for not only his first 50-homer season, but also career highs in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage. -- Todd Zolecki
NL Central
Brewers: Freddy Peralta, SP
Previous All-Star appearances: 2021
Only the Dodgers have employed more starting pitchers this season than the Brewers, who have relied on Peralta as their rotation workhorse. Despite dealing with a groin tweak for four or five starts in April and May, he’s delivered, ranking among the NL’s top 10 in ERA and top 15 in strikeout rate while surpassing 1,000 career strikeouts, making him a solid pick to represent a Brewers team that relies much more on pitching and defense than on offensive might. -- Adam McCalvy
Cardinals: Brendan Donovan, 2B/LF
Previous All-Star appearances: none
At the heart of one of MLB’s most surprising teams has been Donovan, who has blossomed into the kind of clutch No. 3 hitter that the Cardinals have needed in recent years. Already one of the team’s most valuable players because of his defensive versatility, Donovan has morphed into a do-everything kind of hitter this season. He came into Wednesday's game tied for the NL lead in doubles (19), while also ranking second in hits (71), third in average (.321), tied for eighth in on-base percentage (.384) and 16th in OPS (.845). Donovan also led the Majors in three-hit games with 10, becoming the first Cardinal to do that in 56 games since Stan Musial in 1958. -- John Denton
Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
Previous All-Star appearances: none
The Cubs have witnessed Crow-Armstrong blossom into a star in real time over the first two months of this season. While the center fielder finished strong in 2024, he has taken his game to another level over the first two-plus months this year. Amid steady chants of “P-C-A!” both at Wrigley Field and on the road (including in Tokyo to start the season), Crow-Armstrong has displayed elite defense and speed, combined with surprising power. He has been near or at the top of the NL’s WAR leaderboard all year and looks like a shoo-in for his first All-Star nod. -- Jordan Bastian
Pirates: Paul Skenes, SP
Previous All-Star appearances: 2024
This is perhaps the biggest no-brainer in the league. Skenes is the face of the Pirates and one of the most dominant pitchers in the game, posting a 2.15 ERA and 77 strikeouts over his first 12 starts. He started the Midsummer Classic last year, and there’s a case to be made for him doing so again. Skenes came into this season as a Cy Young Award favorite and is on a great pace to capture the game’s top pitching honor. He should be in Atlanta. -- Alex Stumpf
Reds: Elly De La Cruz, SS
Previous All-Star appearances: 2024
Already one of the league's bigger stars, the switch-hitting De La Cruz has heated up lately and is currently on pace for his first 30-homer, 30-stolen base season. He is Cincinnati's leader in homers, RBIs, steals and slugging. The 23-year-old has been more consistent at the plate and has shown a willingness to play every game and inning possible, regardless of how he's feeling physically. -- Mark Sheldon
NL West
D-backs: Corbin Carroll, OF
Previous All-Star appearances: 2023
Not a lot has gone right for the D-backs in 2025, but Carroll is certainly one of the bright spots. He started the 2023 All-Star Game on his way to winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award. Last year, he got off to a miserable start, but he finished the second half strong and that has carried over into 2025. He has been Arizona’s most consistent performer this year offensively and has been among those mentioned in the MVP conversation. -- Steve Gilbert
Dodgers: Freddie Freeman, 1B
Previous All-Star appearances: eight
Perhaps the obvious answer is Shohei Ohtani, but Freeman gets the nod here. In his age-35 season, Freeman is off to one of the best offensive starts of his career, entering Wednesday trailing only the Yankees' Aaron Judge in average (.369) and OPS (1.060) among all qualified Major League hitters. What makes it even more remarkable is that Freeman is doing all this while managing his surgically repaired right ankle, undergoing extensive treatment on it before and after every game. -- Sonja Chen
Giants: Logan Webb, SP
Previous All-Star appearances: 2024
The Giants’ co-ace, Robbie Ray, is also making a push for his second career All-Star nod, but Webb is looking like the club’s leading candidate for now after logging a 2.55 ERA over 81 1/3 innings across his first 13 starts of the year. Webb fired eight scoreless innings in his last start against the Padres on Monday and entered Wednesday with 2.6 fWAR, the second-highest mark among Major League pitchers behind only reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. -- Maria Guardado
Padres: Robert Suarez, RP
Previous All-Star appearances: 2024
There’s perhaps no reliever in baseball more valuable than Suarez, and it shows in both the traditional and advanced metrics. Entering Wednesday, Suarez led the Majors with 19 saves and led all relievers with 1.4 fWAR. Suarez’s durability and availability set him apart. He’s capable of covering multiple innings and he is an expert at stranding runners. His gaudy 1.98 ERA entering play Wednesday features a game in which he surrendered five runs -- other than that blip, he had allowed just two all season. -- AJ Cassavell
Rockies: Hunter Goodman, C
Previous All-Star appearances: none
In his first opportunity as a regular, Goodman leads all MLB players whose primary position is catcher with 63 hits. As the Rockies swept a three-game series at Miami, Goodman went 7-for-13 with three home runs, a triple and two doubles. He has been the team’s most consistent offensive performer this season, and has shown advanced ability to mesh with pitchers -- even during the most difficult periods of the season. -- Thomas Harding