New York Yankees legendary southpaw CC Sabathia shares his opinion on the best current player in Major League Baseball.
Hall of Fame Pitcher CC Sabathia Names Best Player in MLB originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
CC Sabathia, who racked up 251 game wins and 3,093 strikeouts during his 19-year Major League Baseball career, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27.
The left-handed pitcher's named appeared on 86.8% of the ballots, well beyond the 75% required to earn the title of first-ballot Hall of Famer. While the New York Yankees legend prepares to be immortalized in baseball history, he remains tapped into the current state of the league and the MLB's impact beyond the diamond.
Speaking to Sabathia during All-Star Week in Atlanta, he gushed over his partnership with Mastercard, which sponsors the Midsummer Classic, the Stand Up to Cancer tribute during the game, and Small Business Contest leading up to the American vs. National League showdown.
Fans watching the 2025 All-Star game at Truist Park saw the winner of the Small Business Contest, Dionna Collins, throw out the first pitch. She also won $10,000 in grant funding. As for the always powerful Stand Up to Cancer placard moment in the fourth inning, the tribute featured a surprise appearance by the Jonas Brothers.
Sabathia loves being a part of these priceless moments both on and off the field. While surrounded by the league's brightest stars this week, I asked the Cy Young winner who he believes is the best current MLB player.
The 44-year-old named Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, a.k.a. "Big Dumper," who won the 2025 Home Run Derby on Monday night.
"I love what Cal Raleigh is doing right now," Sabathia said. "He’s a catcher with 38 homers. That’s a tough position to do. I’ll give it to Cal right now as the best player in the league --being able to catch, handle that pitching staff, and being the offensive weapon that he is."
While the switch-hitting catcher is on pace for a historic season, when it comes Sabathia's favorite player, that honor goes to Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood. The six-time All-Star even wore Wood's jersey during the Home Run Derby.
Pre-MLB debut 2023 ➡️ All-Star debut 2025
— CC Sabathia (@CC_Sabathia) July 16, 2025
James Wood ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/Z9YJS7n58S
"It’s more about his makeup," Sabathia said of Wood. "That kid is an incredible kid. He’s very humble, he works super hard. Obviously, he’s got a lot of talent and he’s fun to watch but I’m just drawn to him as a person... He’s my favorite, favorite player in the league right now."
Related: Yankees Legend CC Sabathia Predicts Winner of 2025 World Series [Exclusive]
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
