Which slugger sits atop first Hitter Power Rankings of ’23?
Baseball is again, and so are the Hitter Power Rankings.
As we did final season, MLB.com shall be checking in all through the season on the sluggers who’re grabbing our consideration and making pitchers’ lives tough. For this pre-Opening Day version, our voters have been tasked with selecting the highest 10 bats within the Majors, contemplating not solely 2022 efficiency but additionally anticipated ’23 success.
Who else? Judge was one of the enthralling tales of 2022, and he owned the Hitter Power Rankings, too. On his approach to setting the AL single-season residence run report, Judge positioned atop 5 of our closing six polls, together with the postseason version. Now, he has a brand new $360 million contract in hand, and whereas will probably be almost not possible to prime his exploits from final season, will probably be thrilling to observe him strive.
Once once more, the one query with Trout is whether or not he can keep on the sphere. Various accidents have restricted him to showing in lower than 70% of the Angels’ video games since 2017. But over that span, he ranks first within the Majors in OBP (.428), slugging (.630) and OPS+ (185). Eventually, Trout will not be among the many recreation’s best hitters — however that point has not arrived but.
3. Yordan Alvarez, Astros
A sore left hand slowed Alvarez this spring, however the 25-year-old seems to be good to go now. That’s a large reduction for a Houston lineup taking part in with out Jose Altuve — but, pitchers will nonetheless get complications searching for methods to get Alvarez out. Injuries have been the one factor that may gradual this slugger. He’s remained a formidable presence as one of many recreation’s elite hitters since he arrived to the Majors in 2019.
Last season, Soto topped a .400 OBP, posted a 149 OPS+ (making him roughly 50% higher than league common), led the Majors in walks and smacked 27 homers. And that went down as a massively disappointing season. Such is the bar Soto has set for himself early in his profession (remember: At 24, Soto is youthful than 2022 AL Rookie of the Year Award runner-up Adley Rutschman). Clearly, our panel is anticipating extra in Soto’s first full season in San Diego.
5. Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals
Goldy put collectively a profession 12 months in ’22, lastly nabbing his first MVP Award after three earlier top-three finishes. The All-Star first baseman led the NL in slugging (.578) and OPS+ (180) whereas exceeding the 30-homer and 100-RBI marks in the identical season for the fourth time in his profession. Now comes the problem of authoring an encore at age 35.
As a reminder, we’re solely contemplating Ohtani the hitter right here, despite the fact that the man additionally does a little bit of pitching on the facet. While he didn’t match his eye-popping offensive numbers from 2021, Ohtani was nonetheless a lot productive on the plate final season, slashing .273/.356/.519 with 34 residence runs. Still, the truth that he could possibly be even higher in 2023 is downright scary.
7. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
As odd because it was to see Freeman sporting Dodger Blue at first, he didn’t miss a beat final season. Steady as ever, he began 159 video games at first base and led the NL in plate appearances (708), runs (117), hits (199), doubles (47) and OBP (.407), whereas batting .325. Freeman is one in all solely eight gamers to log not less than 450 plate appearances in 9 straight seasons and the one one in that group to prime a 130 OPS+ in every of them.
Last season’s NL MVP Award runner-up, Machado had beforehand logged third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishes over the course of his embellished profession. Is this the 12 months he takes residence the trophy? Even with a star-studded roster, the Padres are relying on the regular Machado to information them on a championship run, now that he has inked a long-term extension.
9. Julio Rodríguez, Mariners
Plenty was anticipated from Rodríguez in his debut season, and boy, did he ship. Among his accomplishments: an All-Star look (together with an spectacular Home Run Derby exhibiting), a 25-25 marketing campaign, an AL Silver Slugger Award and an AL Rookie of the Year Award — all at age 21. Oh yeah, and he was a catalyst for the Mariners snapping the longest postseason drought within the sport.
10. Nolan Arenado, Cardinals
When adjusting for park results, final season was the best of Arenado’s excellent profession. While his uncooked numbers didn’t match the totals he notched whereas taking part in half his video games at Coors Field, his 154 OPS+ was simply a profession excessive. Arenado nonetheless reached 30 homers and 100 RBIs for the seventh straight full season (excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020). No different participant has greater than 4 such campaigns over that span.
Also receiving votes: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays), Trea Turner (Phillies), José Ramírez (Guardians), Corey Seager (Rangers), Rafael Devers (Red Sox), Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Masataka Yoshida (Red Sox), Pete Alonso (Mets), Luis Arraez (Marlins)
Voters: David Adler, Brett Blueweiss, Paul Casella, Doug Gausepohl, Thomas Harrigan, Sarah Langs, Ricardo Montes de Oca, Brian Murphy, Manny Randhawa, Efrain Ruiz, Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru, Andrew Simon, David Venn
