Baseball is a weird game. Just when you think you've seen every possible iteration of a "historic season," 2025 happens and suddenly a catcher is flirting with 60 home runs while a pitcher who looks like he was built in a lab is posting a sub-2.00 ERA.
If you just looked at the box scores, you might have missed the actual story of the year. It wasn't just that the big names stayed big; it was the way the hierarchy of the league shifted under our feet. Honestly, the MLB stat leaders 2025 list looks more like a video game simulation than a real-life season of Major League Baseball.
The Big Boppers and the 60-Homer Shock
Let’s talk about Cal Raleigh.
Seriously. Most people expected Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani to lead the league in long balls. And while they were incredible—Judge mashed 53 and Ohtani cleared 55—it was the Mariners' backstop who stole the show. Cal Raleigh didn't just lead the league; he rewrote the history books for catchers.
Raleigh finished with 60 home runs. 60.
For a catcher to do that is borderline impossible given the physical toll of the position. He became the only member of the 60-homer club this year. Kyle Schwarber followed him with 56, and Ohtani rounded out the top three. It’s kinda wild to think that in a year where Aaron Judge hits 53 home runs, he’s only fourth on the leaderboard.
Judge didn't lose his "best hitter in the world" tag, though. Even if he didn't lead in homers, he absolutely dominated the efficiency stats. He put up a .331 batting average, which is just stupid for someone with his power. Usually, guys who hit 50+ homers are lucky to hit .260. Judge is basically a glitch in the system.
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The Pitching Revolution: Skenes and Skubal
On the other side of the ball, the MLB stat leaders 2025 for pitching felt like a passing of the torch.
Paul Skenes is the real deal. If there was any doubt after his rookie campaign, he erased it by posting a 1.97 ERA. Think about that for a second. In an era where hitting is specialized and the ball jumps off the bat, he stayed under 2.00 over 187.2 innings. He was the unanimous NL Cy Young winner for a reason.
Then you have Tarik Skubal in the American League.
Skubal went back-to-back. He led the AL with a 2.21 ERA and a WHIP of 0.89. He’s the first guy since Jacob deGrom’s peak to make professional hitters look that lost on a Tuesday night in Detroit.
Garrett Crochet actually led the entire league in strikeouts with 255. He transitioned from a high-leverage reliever to a workhorse starter for the Red Sox and somehow kept his stuff electric for over 200 innings. It’s one of the best "bet on yourself" stories we've seen in a decade.
The All-Around Greatness of Shohei Ohtani
We have to talk about Ohtani because, well, he’s Ohtani.
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He won his fourth MVP. Three of those have been consecutive. He’s the first guy to win multiple MVPs in both leagues. This year, he led the league in runs scored (146) and total bases (380).
But the stat that most people overlook? He pitched again.
He only threw 47 innings as he worked his way back, but he still managed a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts in that limited work. He’s basically playing two different sports at an All-Star level simultaneously. It’s exhausting just watching him.
The Contact Kings and the Speedsters
While everyone was watching the moonshots, Bobby Witt Jr. and Luis Arraez were playing a different game.
Witt Jr. led the league in total hits with 184. He also chipped in 47 doubles, which led the majors. He’s the engine that makes the Royals go. Arraez, meanwhile, stayed true to form, finishing second in hits with 181 and batting .292.
The stolen base crown went to a tie between Jose Ramirez and Chandler Simpson, both swiping 44 bags. Juan Soto—who is now a New York Met, if you haven't kept up—surprised everyone by joining the 30-30 club. He swiped 38 bases, which is insane considering his previous career high was 12. He realized that with the new rules, he could just run whenever he wanted.
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Why These Stats Matter for 2026
If you’re looking at these numbers and trying to figure out what happens next, there are a few things you should actually pay attention to:
First, the "workhorse" starter is back. We had three pitchers (Webb, Crochet, and Sanchez) clear the 200-inning mark. After years of teams babying their starters, the pendulum is swinging back toward letting the studs eat.
Second, the power-speed combo is the new baseline. Soto and Ohtani are proving that you don't have to choose between being a slugger and being a base-stealer.
Finally, keep an eye on the youth. Junior Caminero hit 45 home runs in his first full season for Tampa. Nick Kurtz in Oakland (well, the Athletics) put up a 1.002 OPS in 117 games. The old guard is still here, but the 2025 stat leaders show that the next generation isn't just coming—they've already taken over the top of the leaderboard.
Next Steps for Baseball Fans:
- Check the updated 2026 Spring Training rosters to see where free agents like Pete Alonso ended up after their massive 2025 seasons.
- Review the Statcast "Expected Stats" to see which of these leaders might be due for a regression or another breakout.
- Monitor the health of Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal, as repeating these historic ERA numbers is historically difficult.