World Series player rankings: All 52 players, from Ohtani to Kershaw

Michael Meredith, CBS Sports

Game 1 of the 2025 World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays, champions of the American League, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, heap-toppers in the National League, is almost upon us. Here at CBS Sports, we've been dutifully busy previewing this upcoming Fall Classic in all kinds of ways, and now it's time for one more: a ranking of all the 52 players who have been rostered for this World Series.

Needless to say, this exercise will range in importance from true superstars to low-leverage relievers and bench players who may not even see the field. Along the way, these rankings should give you an idea of each team's relative strengths and weaknesses compared to the opposition. As for criteria, it's not just about how these players have fared in the postseason. Yes, recent performance matters but so does all of the 2025 season, as do things like underlying metrics, age, injury status, and so forth. You know how this goes. Beyond that, we're ranking these players generally based on how important they are to their team's cause in this World Series. That's to say, for example, Shohei Ohtani is more important to the Dodgers than, say, Mason Fluharty is to the Jays.

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We'll proceed by tiers of talents in ascending order of importance and conclude with a slightly closer inspection of those who figure to be the 10 best players of the 2025 World Series. Let's get on with it already.

Tier 5: The lesser lights

Here you'll find a mix of relievers and reserve bats (and gloves) who either don't figure to see action at the most critical of junctures or, alternatively, be used in ways that their 2025 performances don't justify. Stated another way, how these players fared in earlier rounds and how they were used in those earlier rounds can be illuminating for these purposes. They'll get rings if their team wins, of course, but those rings figure to come despite little contributions or perhaps negative contributions from the talents in Tier 1.

52. Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Dodgers
51. Will Klein, RHP, Dodgers
50. Ben Rortverdt, C, Dodgers
49. Myles Straw, OF, Blue Jays
48. Justin Dean, OF, Dodgers
47. Edgardo Henriquez, RHP, Dodgers
46. Ty France, INF, Blue Jays
45. Alex Call, OF, Dodgers
44. Justin Wrobleski, LHP, Dodgers
43. Tyler Heineman, C, Blue Jays
42. Miguel Rojas, INF, Dodgers

Tier 4: Situational types and flawed figures

What follows are names that don't figure to be measures of first resort for Dave Roberts and John Schneider, or at least they shouldn't be. Spot duty is the likely path for most of these players about to be named, assuming they see the field at all. In a couple of cases, managerial force of habit might lead to a role bigger than the player's performance merits.

41. Blake Treinen, RHP. Dodgers
40. Hyeseong Kim, INF/OF, Dodgers
39. Chris Bassitt, RHP, Blue Jays
38. Jack Dreyer, LHP, Dodgers
37. Davis Schneider, OF/INF, Blue Jays
36. Brendon Little, LHP, Blue Jays
35. Emmet Sheehan, RHP, Dodgers
34. Eric Lauer, LHP, Blue Jays

Tier 3: Potential unsung heroes and X-factors

This next, admittedly small ranked tier of names includes those who do figure to see playing time, perhaps even meaningful playing time. And, depending upon how game situations play out, their roles could matter more than you might think just based on name value. Hear that? 'Tis the approaching hoofbeats of dark horses.

33. Mason Fluharty, LHP, Blue Jays
32. Braydon Fisher, RHP, Blue Jays
31. Anthony Banda, LHP, Dodgers
30. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, INF, Blue Jays

Tier 2: Best supporting actors

These aren't the biggest stars of the 2025 World Series, but they will play important and likely very regular roles. Herein you'll find in large measure a mix of younger contributors and those whose best days are behind them. That said, they all have the potential to move the needle in a big way over the next several days because of the prominence of their roles.

29. Seranthony Domínguez, RHP, Blue Jays
28. Roki Sasaki, RHP, Dodgers
27. Louis Varland, RHP, Blue Jays
26. Jeff Hoffman, RHP, Blue Jays
25. Max Scherzer, RHP, Blue Jays
24. Andrés Giménez, 2B, Blue Jays
23. Enrique Hernández, LF, Dodgers
22. Nathan Lukes, LF, Blue Jays
21. Addison Barger, RF, Blue Jays
20. Teoscar Hernández, RF, Dodgers
19. Andy Pages, CF, Dodgers
18. Trey Yesavage, RHP, Blue Jays
17. Tommy Edman, 2B, Dodgers
16. Daulton Varsho, CF, Blue Jays
15. Max Muncy, 3B, Dodgers
14. Shane Bieber, RHP, Blue Jays
13. Ernie Clement, 3B, Blue Jays
12. Kevin Gausman, RHP, Blue Jays
11. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Dodgers

Tier 1: The stars

These are not only the players likely to make the biggest difference in the World Series, they're also some of the biggest names in the sport (including, of course, the biggest name in the sport). You know how such things go. Across the relatively tiny sample of one postseason series, anything can happen and expectations are regularly defied. Going in, though, these players promise the most value, and it's probably their performances on which the series will hinge.

10	Bo Bichette Toronto Blue Jays SS
Yes, it's risky putting Bichette this high. On the merits of his regular-season performance, he absolutely belongs -- a 129 OPS+ and 44 doubles from a shortstop certainly passes muster. However, Bichette has been out since Sept. 6 with a left knee sprain, the result of a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells, and thus didn't play in the ALDS or ALCS. He's back on the Jays' roster for the World Series, but will he be 100% in the field and at the plate? That's an unknown, but the guess here is that he makes a difference (in a good way) for Toronto.
9	Will Smith Los Angeles Dodgers C
Smith in 2025 enjoyed the best offensive season of his career -- a career that's now netted him three All-Star selections. He's not a skilled defender at catcher, but his offensive abilities are more than enough to overcome those shortcomings and keep him in "highly valuable" territory. A hairline fracture in Smith's hand shelved him for part of the stretch drive, but he put up strong numbers in the NLCS.
8	Alejandro Kirk Toronto Blue Jays C
Kirk is an accomplished hitter, especially as catchers go. Behind the plate he's better than the average backstop at controlling the running game, and he's elite at framing and blocking pitches. As two-way threats go, Kirk is among the best at his position.
7	Yoshinobu Yamamoto Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Yamamoto authored a Cy Young-grade season in 2025, and he earned an All-Star selection for his troubles. In the NLCS, Yamamoto defied so much of recent history and prevailing usage trends by putting together a postseason complete game against the Brewers, who had one of the NL's top offenses this season. Don't be surprised if he has more brilliance in him during the World Series.
6	George Springer Toronto Blue Jays DH
Springer enjoyed a highly impressive bounce-back campaign during the regular season, as he cracked 32 home runs in 140 games and led the Jays in OPS+. His knee injury in the ALCS, the result of getting hit by a pitch, no doubt raised concerns, but he mostly put those to rest with his clutch home run in Game 7 against the Mariners. He's one of the most prolific playoff home run hitters ever.
5	Blake Snell Los Angeles Dodgers SP
The 32-year-old lefty and two-time Cy Young winner has been on another level lately. He's made three starts during the Dodgers' current playoff run, and across those three starts he's pitched to an ERA of 0.86 with 28 strikeouts and five unintentional walks in 21 innings. Snell missed a big chunk of the regular season with shoulder problems, but he was mostly his peak self after he returned from injury. His control has been on another level since early September, and when Snell is commanding the baseball he's dominant.
4	Freddie Freeman Los Angeles Dodgers 1B
The venerable Freeman remains one of the best hitters around when it comes to getting on base and hitting for power -- both to the gaps and over the fence. Even at age 36, Freeman remains a real difference-maker at the plate, and that should continue for the World Series.
3	Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Toronto Blue Jays 1B
Long one of the top batsmen in the sport, Vlad has been on a legendary heater this October. Yes, this is about the overall body of work this season, but it's impossible to ignore what he's done when it's mattered most. Add up his regular-season and playoff contributions in 2025, and he has a combined slash line of .302/.390/.498 with 29 home runs, 37 doubles, and an impressive K% of 13.3 in 167 games.
2	Mookie Betts Los Angeles Dodgers SS
Betts in his second season at shortstop -- at an age when many players are coping with decline -- has taken his defensive game to new heights and may win the Gold Glove at the most premium position on the diamond. At the same time, his offensive numbers dipped in 2025, but he's been much more productive since the second half began. In other words, the future Hall of Famer remains an elite performer, but the value profile looks a bit different than it has in prior seasons.
1	Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers DH
No debate permitted. He's the best left-handed hitter in baseball and, as the clinching NLCS Game 4 against the Brewers proved, Ohtani is also capable of dominating on the mound. He can turn a game with his bat, and on days when he's pitching and hitting he can take full ownership of a game. Ohtani remains a singular force in baseball.