They may not be Top-10 players yet … but just you wait
MLB Network accomplished its annual custom of rating the “Top 10 Players Right Now” at every place Thursday, with the reveal of this 12 months’s listing of prime catchers. Here’s who made the lower at every place.
You received’t see any of the gamers talked about right here in that above story or on any of the “Top 10 Players Right Now” lists from earlier years. But their time is coming. Perhaps as quickly because the 2024 version.
Catcher: Cal Raleigh, Mariners
If there have been a present entitled “The Top 10 MLB Nicknames Right Now,” Raleigh would undoubtedly qualify. Plus energy was his calling card when he reached the Majors in 2021, and that pop was on full show this previous season as Raleigh paced all catchers with 27 dwelling runs. Not dangerous for a participant who didn’t actually obtain constant enjoying time till mid-May. He additionally posted a 15.1% barrel price, the eighth-best amongst hitters with at the very least 250 batted balls.
But Raleigh did greater than mash in 2022; he continued to make strides behind the plate. He elevated his framing runs whole from two to 9, which tied for fourth on the place. He additionally boosted his caught-stealing price from 21 to 32%. Only Gold Glover J.T. Realmuto and Platinum Glover Jose Trevino threw out a larger share of baserunners amongst gamers who caught at the very least 800 innings.
First base: Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals
Entering his age-25 season and with solely 72 MLB video games beneath his belt, Pasquantino already possesses the plate strategy of a 10-year veteran. He recorded extra walks (35) than strikeouts (34) throughout his 2022 debut. That shouldn’t be too shocking since his totals in these two classes are almost an identical courting again to the start of 2021, when Pasquantino was at High-A. The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder is a self-described “pest” on the plate.
However, this pest may also pack a wallop. Pasquantino registered a formidable .951 OPS throughout three seasons within the Minors after which put up a .295/.383/.450 slash line with 10 homers for the Royals. His 137 wRC+ would have positioned him sixth amongst first basemen if he had sufficient plate appearances to qualify. His 46.9 % hard-hit price would have ranked seventh, straight behind NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt.
Second base: Nico Hoerner, Cubs
Besides presumably changing into a top-10 participant at this place, Hoerner may simply be the perfect participant on the Cubs in 2023. During his first full season within the Majors final 12 months, Hoerner’s whiff and strikeout charges had been among the many greatest in baseball whereas his Sprint Speed continued its development, as much as 29.1 toes per second. He was barely above common on offense (106 wRC+), however protection was the most important contributor to his 4.0 fWAR. Hoerner’s 13 Outs Above Average tied for eleventh within the massive leagues and second amongst shortstops.
The No. 1 shortstop on that listing? Dansby Swanson. His presence on the North Side will transfer Hoerner again to the keystone, the place he performed the vast majority of his MLB video games in 2020 and 2021. The change shouldn’t ding Hoerner’s defensive worth; though he spent simply 67 video games there over these two earlier seasons, his 14 OAA led all second basemen.
Shortstop: Jeremy Peña, Astros
There are just a few high-quality shortstops who might leap into the highest 10 – Oneil Cruz’s title springs to thoughts. But it’s laborious to go towards the person who made baseball historical past as a rookie and mainly turned the most popular hitter on the planet throughout his first postseason expertise. Peña in all probability wouldn’t be on this listing with out his magical run to the League Championship Series and World Series MVP awards. His common season had its peaks and valleys and shined a lightweight on a few of Peña’s flaws – specifically, his lack of plate self-discipline. Only Javier Báez had a better swinging-strike price amongst shortstops, and no certified participant on the place drew fewer walks.
But that tremendous postseason did occur. Maybe that was a preview of what’s to return. Even if Peña makes marginal enhancements within the batter’s field, he ought to end among the many prime 10 shortstops in WAR, given his strong protection (7 OAA final 12 months).
Third base: Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pirates
If you need to speak protection on the scorching nook, nevertheless, Hayes must be within the dialog. His 31 OAA by means of the previous two seasons are the fifth most within the Majors and 6 away from Nolan Arenado at third base. And that’s although Hayes has been dogged by accidents for many of that point. Wrist issues restricted him to simply 96 video games in ’21, and a foul again bothered him for everything of final season. He completed every year with a sub-.700 OPS.
Hayes does sting the ball persistently, however his launch angle is properly beneath the league common, and his 25.7% pull price ranks 159th out of 160 gamers with at the very least 1,000 plate appearances because the begin of 2020. Hayes would turn into extra of a complete package deal – and a straightforward selection for a top-10 listing – with changes in these two areas.
Left area: Masataka Yoshida, Red Sox
What will Yoshida accomplish throughout his first season within the United States? He’s not anticipated to be the following Ichiro Suzuki, however might he be simply as productive as Bryce Harper? One projection system thinks so.
Yoshida has been lauded for his elite contact expertise and management of the strike zone whereas additionally offering some energy. He recorded a .327/.421/.539 slash line throughout seven seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He exceeded 20 homers in every of the previous two years whereas tallying about twice as many walks as strikeouts. His success in 2023 will drastically depend upon how shortly he acclimates to a brand new nation and a brand new league. That’s one thing nobody can predict. But if he does finish his rookie 12 months with the 140 wRC+ that Steamer tasks, Yoshida could have achieved one thing solely two left fielders – Yordan Alvarez and Tyler O’Neill — have achieved because the begin of 2021.
Carroll hit 28 dwelling runs and stole 33 bases in 125 video games throughout 4 ranges final 12 months. There is a few query as to how properly his energy will translate on the highest stage, and he can be well-served by reducing down his strikeout price, which was 24.2% within the Minors and 27.0% with the D-backs. But the 22-year-old has loads of time to refine his strategy and is the clear front-runner to take dwelling NL Rookie of the Year honors.
Right area: Lars Nootbaar, Cardinals
This prediction may die on the vine if Jordan Walker, MLB’s No. 4 prospect, has an unbelievable spring with St. Louis and easily can’t be denied a spot on the Opening Day roster. But let’s not lose sight of simply how good Nootbaar was final 12 months. He completed within the eightieth percentile or higher in common exit velocity, hard-hit price, xwOBA, barrel price and chase price. His arm power (94th percentile) additionally helped him throw out eight baserunners by means of simply 94 video games within the outfield.
Nootbaar actually settled in throughout the second half of his sophomore season within the Majors. From Aug. 1 by means of the tip of the common season, he recorded an .847 OPS and a 140 wRC+, every of which was fifth greatest amongst proper fielders. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto had been the one gamers who bested his 16.4% stroll price throughout that stretch, and Nootbaar finally discovered himself hitting leadoff repeatedly for the NL Central champions. He shall be a no brainer for subsequent 12 months’s listing of the highest 10 proper fielders if he produces comparable stats this summer time.
Starting pitcher: Alek Manoah, Blue Jays
You can construct a star-studded rotation with the starters who’ve but to seem on a “Top 10 Players Right Now” listing. Spencer Strider, Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier might all be a part of Manoah. But we’ll highlight Toronto’s workhorse, who’s coming off of a third-place end within the AL Cy Young voting and has compiled a 2.60 ERA since making his MLB debut on May 27, 2021. From that date, solely three starters have a greater ERA and solely 9 have tossed extra innings. Plus, arguably nobody has extra enjoyable on the mound.
Relief pitcher: Félix Bautista, Orioles
Armed with a fastball that touches 100 mph and a devastating splitter, Bautista was certainly one of essentially the most electrical rookies of the previous season. He left opposing hitters helpless to the tune of a .167 common, a .291 slugging share and a .240 wOBA.
Bautista, like another top-end closers, generally is a little wild at instances, however his 9.1% stroll price was an enchancment upon his 2021 leads to the Minors. And he did that whereas augmenting his swinging-strike price from 12.9% at Triple-A to fifteen.1% with the Orioles. As lengthy as he continues placing out about 35% of batters confronted, Baltimore ought to really feel very snug with Bautista behind its ‘pen.
