Betts Becomes First National League Player to Top List in Consecutive Years; Fernando Tatis Jr. is Youngest Player to Rank Top Three on Popular Jerseys List
Fresh off his inaugural championship season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, perennial All-Star Mookie Betts enters Opening Day with the most popular player jersey in Major League Baseball. The 2018 AL MVP had the most popular player jersey of the 2020 season, the first time in his seven-year career he led the league. Betts became the only player to secure a top-five spot on the list while playing in both the National League and American League (’18), since MLB has issued jersey rankings. The list, released jointly today by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, tallied sales from MLBShop.com of Nike player jerseys since the conclusion of the 2020 Postseason. The 2020 season marked the first year of Nike’s partnership with MLB as the league’s Official Uniform Provider.
Following Betts at number two on the list is outfielder and Dodgers teammate, Cody Bellinger who also clinched a top-three spot prior to his 2019 World Series appearance. Rounding out the top three is the 2020 All-MLB First Team and Silver Slugger Award-winning shortstop, Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres. Tatis became the youngest player in history to rank in the top three most popular player jerseys and is the highest ranked Padres player since tracking began. With Clayton Kershaw ranking fifth, the World Champion Dodgers have three of the top five players on the list.
Recently acquired New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor cracked the top eight for the first time in his career and eight-time All-Star Mike Trout (ranked 10th) continues his streak of appearing in every most popular player jersey list since his rookie season.
Most Popular MLB Player Jerseys
Based on sales from MLBShop.com of Nike jerseys since conclusion of 2020 World Series
1. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers*
2. Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
4. Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies*
5. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
6. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
7. Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
8. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets*
9. Kiké Hernández, Boston Red Sox*
10. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
11. Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals*
12. Javier Báez, Chicago Cubs
13. Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers
14. Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees*
15. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
16. Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers
17. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
18. Jacob deGrom, New York Mets
19. Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
20. Pete Alonso, New York Mets
* May contain combined sales from previous & current teams
COURTESY MLBpressbox.com
