Consistency is elusive over the long haul of an MLB season. Fortunes rise and fall, for teams and players alike.

Well, not so much for Aaron Judge and the Hitter Power Rankings.

Yes, the Yankees slugger started a bit slowly in 2024. But once he got going, he did not look back. Judge first ascended to the top of our biweekly poll on May 30, and he has remained entrenched there ever since. Two weeks ago, Shohei Ohtani tied Judge for the No. 1 spot -- but didn¡¯t pass him. And now, in our latest edition of the Hitter Power Rankings, Judge is back in sole possession of first place. It¡¯s his sixth straight time with at least a share of the lead.

Here is a look at how the rest of the rankings shook out, with our MLB.com panel once again considering career track record, season-long performance and recent success in casting their votes. (All stats are through Tuesday¡¯s games.)

1. Aaron Judge, Yankees (Last poll: 1)
There was little reason to think Judge would ever top his incredible 2022 season, but that no longer looks like a remote possibility in 2024. Entering Wednesday, Judge boasted a higher batting average (.322), OBP (.456) and slugging (.701) than he did two years ago. He was only narrowly behind the pace to match his AL-record 62 homers. Also well within reach: MLB¡¯s first 150-RBI season since Alex Rodriguez in 2007.

2. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals (3)
Hitting comes with a lot of failure, especially at the Major League level. But for an entire month, Witt changed that equation. From June 30-Aug. 1, a span of 25 games surrounding the All-Star break, the 24-year-old got a hit just as often as he made an out (49-for-98). And that¡¯s just the beginning of the mind-boggling stats surrounding Witt, who has quickly fulfilled his superstar potential in Kansas City.

3. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (1)
One thing the great ones do is continue to find ways to improve their games. Case in point: Ohtani¡¯s baserunning. While he was always fast, Ohtani was not an especially prolific or efficient basestealer with the Angels, posting a 72.3% success rate. Even when he stole a then-career-high 26 bases in 2021, he was caught an MLB-high 10 times. This season, though? Ohtani is 32-for-36 (88.9%), putting him in excellent position to lock down a 40-40 campaign.

4. Juan Soto, Yankees (4)
It doesn¡¯t matter how you slice the numbers this year: Soto is at the top of his game. His OPS is 1.043 against righties and 1.014 against lefties; 1.012 against starters and 1.075 against relievers; 1.051 at home and 1.022 on the road; .958 or higher in every month; .988 with the bases empty, 1.108 with men on and 1.259 with runners in scoring position.

5. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (5)
It bears remembering that just five years ago, 41 picks came off the board before the Orioles selected Henderson to open the second round of the 2019 Draft. (Of course, two of those picks were Baltimore teammate Adley Rutschman and Witt.) It sure didn¡¯t take Henderson long to show he was undervalued.

6. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (not ranked)
You wouldn¡¯t think Guerrero would be capable of sneaking up on anyone, but that¡¯s what has happened in 2024. This is, amazingly, Guerrero¡¯s first Hitter Power Rankings appearance of the season, yet he now ranks seventh in the Majors with a 161 wRC+. (His wRC+ as the AL MVP runner-up in 2021? 166.) It certainly helps that Vlad Jr. has been on a tear since the All-Star break, slashing .492/.568/1.033 with eight home runs in 17 games.

7. Rafael Devers, Red Sox (9)
Because Devers has been consistently healthy and productive since reaching the Majors at age 20 in 2017, he is closing in on some impressive history. Devers now needs only one double and three home runs to become just the 11th hitter to reach 1,000 hits, 250 doubles and 200 homers by the end of his age-27 season. The list: Mike Trout, Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols, Andruw Jones, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Hank Aaron, Hal Trosky, Mel Ott and Jimmie Foxx.

8. Jos¨¦ Ram¨ªrez, Guardians (not ranked)
This is Ram¨ªrez¡¯s fourth time cracking the top 10 this season, though he has not risen above the No. 7 spot. That¡¯s probably fitting for a player who consistently flies below the radar in Cleveland yet continues to produce year after year. Since 2016, only Judge and Mookie Betts have outpaced Ram¨ªrez in FanGraphs WAR.

9. Elly De La Cruz, Reds (not ranked)
At age 22, we¡¯re witnessing the rapid maturation of De La Cruz as an offensive force. While the strikeouts remain stubbornly high, the switch-hitter has authored one of MLB¡¯s largest drops in chase rate, and one of its largest rises in barrel rate, from 2023 to '24. Since De La Cruz hit a rough patch in May and early June, he has slashed .326/.396/.640 with nine homers and 24 steals over his past 43 games.

10-T. Jarren Duran, Red Sox (10)
After a breakout first half, Duran earned All-Star Game MVP honors, and it seemed reasonable to wonder if his season had peaked. Instead, he hit .346/.400/.680 with 15 extra-base hits, 17 RBIs and five steals in his first 17 games following the break.

10-T. Ketel Marte, D-backs (not ranked)
Marte has only received MVP votes once, finishing fourth in the NL race in 2019. He seems poised to beat that in 2024, currently ranking tied for third in the NL in fWAR. Since June 1, Marte¡¯s 1.073 OPS and 191 wRC+ both lead his league, ahead of even Ohtani.

Others receiving votes: Brent Rooker (A¡¯s), Yordan Alvarez (Astros), Marcell Ozuna (Braves), Francisco Lindor (Mets), Steven Kwan (Guardians), Manny Machado (Padres), Anthony Santander (Orioles), Tyler Fitzgerald (Giants)

Voters: David Adler, Scott Chiusano, Thomas Harrigan, Bryan Horowitz, Brent Maguire, Whitney McIntosh, Ricardo Montes de Oca, Arturo Pardavila, Manny Randhawa, Andrew Simon, Zac Vierra