We don’t talk about Otto Lopez enough

A few years ago, the name Otto Lopez wasn't well known throughout the baseball world. Since then, however, the Quebec native has found his niche with the Miami Marlins, to the point where he is currently one of the best hitters in all of Major League Baseball.

Yet he doesn't get enough recognition, despite the fact that there's not much Lopez can't do on the baseball field.

In fact, the Dominican Republic native—who grew up in Quebec—is batting .308 with nine home runs, 59 RBIs, and an OPS of .788.

Only Luis Arraez of the Philadelphia Phillies, with a .318 batting average, is currently preventing Lopez from leading the National League in batting average.

But that's not all: Lopez has recorded 29 stolen bases, having been caught stealing only four times this season. Combined with his ability to reach base and disrupt a pitcher's rhythm as a baserunner, this makes the 27-year-old a formidable player.

And that's not even mentioning his defensive versatility—he's a natural shortstop but also plays second base.

This means that with Xavier Edwards also in their lineup, the Merlinpinpins—as our colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois calls them—have an interchangeable duo in the middle of the infield. This pair is one of the best combinations of key young players in all of MLB.

And the outcome of the Marlins' 2026 season—namely, whether or not they'll make the playoffs—will hinge on Lopez's performances. That's how much of an MVP-caliber impact he's having under the hot Florida sun.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.