The Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays were each the top team in their respective league during the regular season -- and that level of talent is reflected on their postseason rosters.
As the two No. 1 seeds prepare to meet in the World Series, we break down the best of the best on both clubs by ranking all 52 expected participants based on how good I think they'll be in the Series and predicting who will take home some superlatives by the time the dust settles.
Let's dig into the stars in a World Series featuring the hardest-throwing ace on the planet and some of the most electric young position players in the sport.
Jump to: Rankings | Superlatives
Ranking every player in the World Series
1. Jacob Misiorowski, SP, Brewers
What else can I say other than to (1) watch him pitch if you somehow haven't yet, and (2) if you haven't, also head over to his Baseball Savant page and see it bleeding with red in every category because he is so elite that analytical scales can't contain him.
He throws harder than any other starter in baseball (averaging 100.6 mph, behind only Mason Miller), his cutter sits in the mid-90s and his curveball sneaks into the 90s -- which helps explain why all of his pitches are plus. His extension, velocity and shape all make his fastball the best pitch in baseball, so it's not surprising it had the highest run value in baseball. Misiorowski could appear three times in the Series and is my pick to win MVP.
2. Junior Caminero, 3B, Rays
Caminero is an easy player for a casual fan to scout: He is an electric factory at the plate due to both incredible bat speed and a tendency to chase out of the zone. He's second in baseball in home runs over the past two seasons (87), behind only Kyle Schwarber, and is a threat to take over any game with every swing.
3. Drew Rasmussen, SP, Rays
Rasmussen has been underappreciated for years due to lack of prospect track record and durability/injury issues, but he has blossomed into one of the best pitchers in the game this year.
Tampa Bay's ace has four above-average pitches and above-average command, and he could really impact the Series with potentially three starts -- or two starts and a relief appearance.
4. Brice Turang, 2B, Brewers
Turang isn't as flashy as Misiorowski or Caminero but has quietly turned into one of the best players in baseball after showing that potential early in his high school career.
Turang has a strong batting eye along with above-average power, speed and defense, all of which helped him post a 5.9 WAR this season.
5. Jackson Chourio, LF, Brewers
Chourio has been consistent and durable since showing up in the big leagues with an $82 million extension at 20 years old.
He is above-average at all five traditional tools, and curtailing his chase rate a bit could make him one of the best players in the sport.
6. William Contreras, C, Brewers
Contreras is a fine defender but a standout hitter, similar at the same stage to his older brother, Willson.
William has regularly posted .350+ on-base percentages and 20 or so homers every season, which is truly elite for an every-day catcher.
7. Garrett Mitchell, CF, Brewers
Mitchell has elite speed, arm strength, defensive ability and bat speed. He has had trouble staying healthy in the past, but not this season; so now, his swing-and-miss is the thing holding back his tools from making him an even better player.
8. Jake Bauers, 1B, Brewers
Bauers is journeyman who, like Andrew Vaughn below, has found himself with the Brewers. There's some swing-and-miss to his game, and he doesn't offer a ton of defensive value, but he can hit and has been hot this postseason.
9. Freddy Peralta, SP, Rays
The Rays acquired Peralta at the deadline and spiked his changeup usage while lowering his slider usage, which altered his approach against right-handed hitters a good bit. His peripherals dropped at least a half-run while his ERA dropped almost two full runs. And he has been good in the playoffs too, which is great timing as he is set to hit the free agent market after the season.
10. Cooper Pratt, SS, Brewers
Pratt was a longtime top-100 prospect who debuted this season after landing a $50.75 million extension. He is a solid shortstop defender and a plus runner who contributes in all phases while offering a league-average performance at the plate.
11. Yandy Diaz, DH, Rays
Diaz has been a consistent power source for the Rays over the years due to his strong bat control and huge exit velos, despite a flat swing plane that produces a lot of ground balls too.
12. Logan Henderson, SP, Brewers
He is a former top-100 prospect who had a strong rookie year this season and is now the Brewers' No. 2 starter by throwing over 80% fastballs and changeups, tunneled to the top and bottom of the zone.
13. Jonathan Aranda, 1B, Rays
He has a strong eye at the plate and above-average power, and he is a solid defender at first base. Above-average regulars such as Aranda at the league minimum are a key part of the team-building philosophy of both these teams.
14. Trevor Megill, RP, Brewers
Megill posted the sixth-best reliever WAR in baseball this year, relying on a triple-digit fastball and a power curveball that he often buries just below the zone.
15. Victor Mesa Jr., RF, Rays
He had a breakout 2026 campaign as a strong runner and fielder who registered career-high power numbers this season.
16. Robert Gasser, SP, Brewers
Gasser is a solid No. 4 starter type due to a deep five-pitch mix, strong command and a good fastball shape created by elite extension.
17. Aaron Ashby, RP, Brewers
He gets above-average whiff and ground ball rates from the left side with a sinker that's up to 100 mph and a mid-80s slurve.
18. Liam Hicks, C, Rays
Hicks is a solid defender with enough offensive upside to play some first base or DH to keep his bat in the lineup after a breakthrough 2026 season.
19. Jonny DeLuca, CF, Rays
DeLuca is an elite defender, runner and thrower with above-average bat speed, but his bat control and pitch selection undercut those tools a bit.
20. Nick Martinez, SP, Rays
Martinez threw 180.0 innings with a 3.10 ERA, but his below-average strikeout rate makes him more valuable in the regular season than in the high-octane-stuff environment of the playoffs.
21. Joey Ortiz, SS, Brewers
He is an elite defender with decent offensive upside and defensive versatility.
22. Dustin May, SP, Brewers
May has absurd spin rates and movement on his breaking stuff along with two distinct fastball shapes, but his command and not getting elite whiff rates from that strong stuff have been limitations.
23. Chandler Simpson, LF, Rays
Simpson is a throwback outfielder whose whole game is built around his elite acceleration and plus-plus long speed. He has bottom-of-the-scale power but makes tons of contact.
24. Bryan Baker, RP, Rays
Baker has grown into one of the better relievers in baseball, with a cutter shape to his 95 to 98 mph fastball and a changeup that he tunnels well with the heater, to the top and bottom of the zone, respectively.
25. Kevin Kelly, RP, Rays
Kelly is a true sidearmer and throws mostly sinker/changeup to the bottom of the zone from that low slot. That seems simple, but the angles coupled with 92 to 95 mph velocity give hitters fits.
26. Abner Uribe, RP, Brewers
Uribe is an old-school power reliever who relies on a sinker and a sweeper to great effect after his command took a step forward last season.
27. Tyler Wells, RP, Rays
Wells throws from a high arm slot with a cutter shape to his fastball and a few variants of that pitch. That unique approach helps make his changeup very effective.
28. Richie Palacios, 2B, Rays
Palacios is a solid regular who fits for Tampa Bay as the primary second basemen versus right-handed pitchers.
29. Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Brewers
The No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft was a bust with the White Sox until finding himself with Milwaukee last season. He is now a solid regular who is mostly just facing left-handed pitching for the Brewers.
30. Griffin Jax, SP, Rays
Jax can pitch in multiple roles after strictly being a reliever with the Twins, and his outings are helped by a deep pitch mix.
31. Ryan Vilade, LF, Rays
Vilade has big tools -- elite bat speed and sprint speed with a plus arm -- along with defensive versatility, and he enjoyed a career year at the plate leaning into the pull/lift elements of his swing.
He is a higher-upside platoon batter who should play when Robert Gasser starts or come in as a pinch hitter to face the many lefties in the Brewers' bullpen.
32. David Hamilton, 3B, Brewers
He is an elite runner and a passable infield defender with a small-ball-based offensive approach who is on a bit of a heater in the postseason.
33. Cam Booser, RP, Rays
Booser found his command this year with Tampa Bay like many pitchers before him have. His mid-90s fastball works at the top of the zone, and his slider tunnels with it to the bottom of the zone.
34. Ian Seymour, RP, Rays
Seymour threw 132⅔ innings with strong peripherals across multiple roles this season, but he has been moved to relief for the playoffs. His fastball/changeup combination works in any role despite fringy fastball velocity at 90 to 93 mph.
35. DL Hall, RP, Brewers
Hall's command has been a bugaboo since he was a first-round pick in 2017, but he is still relied on by the Brewers because his stuff is above average, headlined by a mid-90s sinker and standout breaking pitches.
36. JoJo Romero, RP, Brewers
The Brewers paid a high prospect amount to acquire Romero at the deadline from St. Louis, and his strike-throwing capability has been markedly better since coming to Milwaukee. He has been relying even more on his grounder-producing sinker as a Brewer.
37. Taylor Walls, SS, Rays
Walls has a very light offensive impact but is a strong baserunner and a steady defender playing every day at shortstop.
38. Antonio Senzatela, RP, Brewers
Senzatela is a longtime starter who transitioned to relief this season at age 31 with a velo spike up to 97.3 mph on average.
39. Cedric Mullins, CF, Rays
Mullins has great defensive instincts and above-average speed, but he struggled hitting for average this season, so he is a reserve now.
40. Gary Sanchez, C, Brewers
He is an offensive-oriented backup catcher with big arm strength, but he has only one plate appearance in the postseason so far.
41. Shane Drohan, RP, Brewers
Drohan made his MLB debut this year at age 27 and was an effective innings-eater and long reliever, but he has been pushed down the depth chart to long relief/opener in the playoffs.
42. Ben Williamson, 3B, Rays
Williamson is a versatile, standout infield defender with limited offensive upside who is the right-handed side of a platoon with Richie Palacios.
43. Christian Yelich, DH, Brewers
Yelich is well past his best years, hitting .235 with 12 homers in 118 games played this season, but he is still a useful veteran bat as the left-handed side of a DH platoon.
44. Sal Frelick, RF, Brewers
Frelick is the left-handed-hitting side of a right-field platoon but hasn't hit much this year, mostly offering contact, speed, baserunning and defensive versatility at 5-foot-9.
45. Luis Lara, CF, Brewers
Lara became a top-100 prospect this season in a breakout year at Triple-A, but he hasn't hit nearly as much in the big leagues or the playoffs (aside from a huge hit against Tarik Skubal in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series) while now platooning with Sal Frelick in right field.
46. Kyle Harrison, RP, Brewers
Harrison was a breakout candidate as a starter early this season who regressed heavily in the second half and moved to the bullpen in September.
47. Nick Fortes, C, Rays
Fortes is a solid backup catcher with defensive chops and is good enough with the bat to not be an offensive drain.
48. Cole Sulser, RP, Rays
Sulser throws his fastball and changeup over 80% of the time and has a reverse split, performing better against lefties than righties.
49. Steven Matz, RP, Rays
Matz is making the fourth-highest salary on the Rays and has become a long reliever. He is an effective veteran lefty but has been just OK this season.
50. Chad Patrick, RP, Brewers
Patrick was a really solid long reliever all season, though now some starters such as Kyle Harrison have moved to the pen for the playoffs and are ahead of Patrick in the pecking order.
51. Brody Hopkins, RP, Rays
Hopkins has some of the best raw stuff on Earth but hasn't appeared in the playoffs yet after walking nearly a batter per inning in both the big leagues and Triple-A this season. He might not pitch at all in the World Series but could be electric if he does.
52. Jorge Mateo, SS, Rays
Mateo is the Rays' utility infielder and is being used as a pinch runner and a defensive replacement.
World Series superlatives
Fastest pitch of the World Series will be thrown by: Misiorowski
You could've guessed this one without doing much research, as Misiorowski has the second-highest average fastball velo in the sport, which is truly incredible for a starting pitcher.
The Brewers have most of the elite velocity arms in the Series, with Uribe, Ashby and Megill all in the mix here.
Best breaking pitch will be: Megill's curveball
Megill relies on two pitches: a 96 to 100 mph fastball in the zone and an 86 to 90 mph power curveball (or the "deathball" variant, as some call it) mostly below the zone.
The others under consideration: Misiorowski's cutter/slider, Rasmussen's cutter/slider, Uribe's slider, Drohan's slider and Jax's sweeper.
Best changeup/splitter will be from: Wells
Henderson's offering is the only one of note on the Brewers, while the Rays have about a half dozen of note, with Seymour, Martinez, Baker, Kelly and Rasmussen all in the mix.
Hardest hit ball in play will be hit by: Caminero
This one was pretty easy, as Caminero would be the pick of any casual fan who simply watched these teams play and didn't know about exit velos. Mitchell, Bauers, Chourio and Diaz are in the next tier.
Highest sprint speed will be recorded by: Simpson
This one is quite close, as Simpson's top-end speed is rivaled by that of Mitchell, Hamilton, Mateo and DeLuca. But the Rays outfielder gets the nod here because his first step and acceleration are truly elite, and Simpson's whole game is organized around his speed.
Best defender will be: Turang
Some platoon/bench players (including Mullins and Ortiz) are candidates with limited playing time, while Chourio and DeLuca are the other regulars with a strong case.