2025 MLB All-Aura Team

Recently, in the NBA, we’ve had two generational superstars make the NBA Finals, one being criticized as “boring,” the other labelled as “most overrated” by his peers.

The term “best” no longer refers to what’s entertaining or exciting, and there’s a constant “it” factor that plays into likeability, the way we view athletes, and cements them as one of the greats with the intangibles.

It’s what the kids call “aura”.

There’s a magnetism about someone that makes you just know if they do or don’t. It’s confidence without corniness that’s unspoken. It’s flair and suave mixed with clutch that makes you imitate them in the backyard. 

In baseball, there’s a lack of greatness debate right now because the two best athletes in the sport are in different leagues that each get an MVP and are pretty unquestionably better than the rest of the competition. There’s not necessarily the same level of eyes on one player in baseball as there is with basketball or the quarterback of a football team. Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are both the best of the best.

While it’s amazing that Ohtani can both pitch and hit and steal at the level that he is, and for Aaron Judge to be one of the best pure right-handed hitters built like an Adonis that we’ve ever seen, they’re not seeking out aura. Shohei is a quiet jokester at best, and Aaron Judge is going to ho-hum say the right things, go to the park and play, and call it a day; it’s just different.

So, who DOES have all the aura in baseball right now? Introducing, not the All-Star team, but the All-Aura team.

Pitcher: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

It’s not a bold take to say that reigning Cy Young-winner Tarik Skubal is the best pitcher on the planet right now as we’re just removed from what was one of the greatest modern-day performances we’ve seen from end-to-end on the mound in a long time: 9 innings throwing under 100 pitches, yet still punching out 13 batters and pumping over 100 mph fastballs.

There’s just a different presence to him on the mound that gives him the aura where in a world where we’re terrified a pitcher’s arm is going to fall off and want to preserve them in bubble wrap, the way the HOSS built like a brick house walking around and barking into the dugout after throwing heaters gives us no fear, but excitement. We’re living in his world right now.

Catcher: Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners

PHOTO: Rick Scuteri/Imagn Images

How cool is Cal Raleigh? The man with a ’90s grunge goatee and literally the nickname “Big Dumper” for how massive his dump truck behind is is considered one of the coldest, clutchest, smoothest players on defense while also having the most homers by a catcher through May ever. It’s not something offensively we’ve seen since Joe Mauer, who won MVP and is in Cooperstown.

If there was a guy that wasn’t named Aaron Judge in the AL, with how physically demanding the catching position is, and for Raleigh to be hitting absolute nukes into one of the hardest places to play in Seattle, he very well could be the favorite right now.

First Base: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies

It may be a little controversial at this point to say that Harper is the leader in the clubhouse at this position due to the fact that you’re either a Philadelphia Phillies fan with his jersey tattooed on your back or you hate the guy that makes bread-making TikToks and has double-digit more ejections than any other active player for arguing, but he’s simply still the leader of the clubhouse.

He’s an MVP candidate who wanted to learn the position with a bionic arm just to suit up and play, and it got them to a World Series. He’s the origin of the bat-flipping, hair-flipping, leg out a double into a triple at age 19 that started it all. Little kids in Atlanta might not be imitating him, but there’s no one at the position that still has that much charisma.

Second Base: Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves

An undersized position doesn’t matter to Ozzie at all. This is a guy whose nickname is quite literally “the little monster” and can still mash bombs like Marcell Ozuna from either side of the plate at just 5’8. He’s also just smiling constantly and having fun anytime he’s in primetime, and just spends all of his money on aquariums and refers to his fish as “like puppies.” AURA.

Third Base: Eugenio Suarez, Arizona Diamondbacks

It’s time we start appreciating Geno Suarez for what he truly has been for the entirety of his playing career: one of the best power-hitting, likable personalities in all of the game. The one guy with a four-homer game this season? “WE KNOW, IT’S GENO!” says the Diamondbacks play-by-play man after every bomb he hits is sent to the pool.

He’s got flowing locks, a basketball celebration rounding third, and is known as just the “good vibes guy” at all three spots in which he’s accumulated close to 300 homers. We all love Geno. 

Shortstop: Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds

The 23-year-old shortstop who was THE story of baseball on a losing team, CINCINNATI, when he first debuted and already is in the one-name status where you can say “Elly” and everyone knows who you’re talking about, is a highlight reel every single night. He hasn’t accumulated the signature “finishing move” yet, where he does one thing that can be easily imitated by kids at a backstop, but that’s also because the alien man is 1-of-1, 5’5 200 pounds of pure sprint speed and raw power and flowing locks with gold chains.

Left Field: Randy Arozarena, Seattle Mariners

Randy’s nickname is quite literally Randy “The Best to Ever Do It” Arozarena. He brought an aura to the Tampa Bay Rays with every flex. He’s wearing sombreros and cowboy boots, playing for the Mexico National Team in the World Baseball Classic, just because, and he’s an icon for it.

He has probably only ever worn shades, played baseball, and done push-ups his entire life. His numbers have slowed a bit since the World Series run, but he’s figured out Seattle and has been unbelievably clutch this year, and feels like he’s back to being in the “the guy” realm we want him to be in.

Center Field: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs

The current highlight-reel darling of the season. Pete Crow-Armstrong plays like every game is the 2016 World Series Game 7 in the rain in Cleveland. The 23-year-old center fielder who was really only known for his unbelievable effort on the basepaths and making body-sacrificing center field grabs has figured it out and is already an NL MVP Candidate. This man has once had blue stars dyed in his hair- if he didn’t live up to expectations, he would get KILLED by sports media for that! But instead, he’s one of the coolest ever with the PCA nickname already and is someone Chicagoans already want as a Cub for life that they associate on the same level as that World Series-winning team.

Right Field: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres

Fernando still has it. Every Don Orsillo call of him screaming at the top of his lungs, “FERNANDO!” echoing back to 2021 when he swung 3-1 and uttered “WELCOME TO SLAM DIEGO!” has not left. Fernando has been up and down in terms of public perception, getting stardom so young and so fast with injuries, PED suspensions, and motorcycle incidents, and it just doesn’t seem to matter because we’re rooting for his success as a charming face so hard.

PHOTO: Jeff Hanisch/Imagn Images

He’s even matured and learned to play outfield and still puts up MVP-level at-bats that change the energy of the game every time he makes an appearance. Every bat flip that lights up the San Diego stands, every Dodgers-Padres electric moment we’re going to have for maybe the next decade, we hope Tatis Jr. is at the center of it.

DH: Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves

We’re putting Ronald Acuña Jr. here at DH (if that’s cheating because he’s also an incredible outfielder, so be it, but we needed his inclusion.). The man came back from multiple Achilles injuries previously after we hadn’t seen him the same since his 40-70 years and hit a home run on the first pitch, which the Braves have been one of the largest disappointments all year. His loud expressions, his bat flips, his iconic yellow Venezuelan accessories, and the chains he wears are such an energy-changing ripple effect because of how electrifying he is when all things are going right, that the Braves were down 8 games in the division.

Suddenly, you’re asking yourself if they’re Cinderella candidates to take the NL East and dig themselves out of the hole they dug. The Braves chose RONNIE over Freddy Freeman, who wanted to be a lifetime Brave because of his youthful energy as the face of the team! He perfectly runs Atlanta.

PHOTO: Rick Scuteri/Imagn Images