Preseason Rankings
The 2017 MLB player rankings will be updated periodically throughout the season.
| Rank | Name | Position | Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Trout | OF | Los Angeles Angels | ||
| Trout won his second MVP award in 2016, hitting .315/.441/.550 with 30 home runs and 116 RBIs. He also finished with a 10.6 WAR. He's the most complete player in baseball right now. | |||||
| 2 | Mookie Betts | OF | Boston Red Sox | ||
| Betts had an unbelievable season last year, hitting .318/.363/.534 with 31 home runs, 113 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. | |||||
| 3 | Kris Bryant | 3B | Chicago Cubs | ||
| Bryant hit an impressive .292/.385/.554 with 39 home runs and 102 RBIs in his 2016 NL MVP season. | |||||
| 4 | Clayton Kershaw | LHP | Los Angeles Dodgers | ||
| Kershaw struggled with a back injury last year, but still had a dominant season, posting a 1.69 ERA and striking out 172 batters. | |||||
| 5 | Nolan Arenado | 3B | Colorado Rockies | ||
| Arenado has hit 83 home runs and collected 263 RBIs in the past two seasons and has won four straight gold glove awards. This year should be no different for the Rockies third baseman, who might be the top candidate to beat out Kris Bryant for the MVP award. | |||||
| 6 | Freddie Freeman | 1B | Atlanta Braves | ||
| Freeman had the best season of his career last year, hitting .302/.400/.569 with 34 home runs and 91 RBIs. He played at his best in the second half once Atlanta acquired Matt Kemp to bat behind him in the lineup. Freeman will finally have some protection in the lineup for a full season and that should give him the ability to have one of the best seasons of his career. | |||||
| 7 | Jose Altuve | 2B | Houston Astros | ||
| Altuve won the batting title for the second time in his career last season, hitting .338/.396/.531 with 24 home runs, 96 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. | |||||
| 8 | Paul Goldschmidt | 1B | Arizona Diamondbacks | ||
| Goldschmidt has been one of the most consistent players in baseball the past five seasons and 2017 was no different, with the Diamondbacks first baseman hitting .297/.411/.489 with 24 home runs and 95 RBIs. | |||||
| 9 | Anthony Rizzo | 1B | Chicago Cubs | ||
| Rizzo had the best season of his career in 2016, hitting .292/.385/.544 with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs. It will be interesting to see if he can improve on last year. | |||||
| 10 | Miguel Cabrera | 1B | Detroit Tigers | ||
| Cabrera is one of the best hitters to ever play the game, with the Tigers first baseman hitting over .300 in each of the past eight seasons. Last year, he hit .316/.393/.563 with 38 home runs and 108 RBIs. | |||||
| 11 | Josh Donaldson | 3B | Toronto Blue Jays | ||
| It seems like Donaldson gets better with age, in 2016 he hit .284/.404/.549 with 37 home runs and 99 RBIs. He also has a great glove at the hot corner. | |||||
| 12 | Carlos Correa | SS | Houston Astros | ||
| Correa is one of the best young players in the game and the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year is coming off a season in which he hit .274/.361/.451 with 20 home runs and 96 RBIs. | |||||
| 13 | Bryce Harper | OF | Washington Nationals | ||
| Harper struggled for most of 2016, after winning the 2015 NL MVP, hitting .243/.373/.441 with 24 home runs and 86 RBIs. | |||||
| 14 | Max Scherzer | RHP | Washington Nationals | ||
| Scherzer led the league in wins (20), innings pitched (228 1/3), strikeouts (284) and WHIP (0.97) in 2016, winning the NL Cy Young. | |||||
| 15 | Manny Machado | 3B | Baltimore Orioles | ||
| Machado is one of the best defensive third basemen in the league and his bat continues to get better, with the Orioles All-Star hitting .294/.343/.533 with 37 home runs and 96 RBIs last season. | |||||
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