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Rabu, 18 April 2018

2018 Positional Pinnacle 10: Centerfield

Matt Linder

The centerfield seat has an interesting mix of players.  It is spearheaded yesteryear an all-time keen in addition to followed yesteryear a blend of emerging stars in addition to breakout performers.  The players ooze with athleticism, making it ane of the most exciting positions inward baseball.  Enjoy!


Frank Jansky - Icon Sportswire
















1. Mike Trout
Trout is the best role instrumentalist inward baseball. Period.  He has won 2 MVPs, finished minute 3 other times (at to the lowest degree 2 of which he was robbed) in addition to he is alone 26 years old.  Had he played a total flavor inward 2017, the Angels’ centerfielder would bespeak maintain probable won a tertiary MVP award.  It is almost a waste materials of fourth dimension to supply the specific stats in addition to slashlines for Trout.  Just croak to his Baseball Reference page in addition to banking company tally out all of the bold print.


Denis Poroy - Getty Images












2. Charlie Blackmon
The Rockies’ centerfield was a belatedly bloomer.  He didn't croak an everyday role instrumentalist until his historic menstruum 27 flavor inward 2014.  Since then, Blackmon has solidified himself every bit a star.  Overall, he striking .331/.399/.601 with 37 dwelling household runs lastly season, but when dissected betwixt dwelling household in addition to route splits, at that spot is a stark difference.  Away from Coors Field, he alone produced a league average slashline of .276/.337/.447.  However, Blackmon may non but live a production of a hitter-friendly dwelling household ballpark.  In 2016, he was essentially the same hitter both at dwelling household in addition to on the road.  The 31-year old exactly signed a lucrative extension to remain inward Colorado in addition to hopes to Pb the squad to unopen to other playoff berth inward 2018.


Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports













3. George Springer
Springer had a breakout flavor inward 2017, culminating inward a World Series MVP award.  The Astros’ centerfield e'er boasted impressive tools, but his strikeout totals held him dorsum before inward his career.  Last season, he cutting his strikeout charge per unit of measurement to an enterprise 18%.  With his new, to a greater extent than patient approach, Springer saw a boost inward both batting average in addition to slugging percentage.  The 28-year old couples his offensive production with enterprise defense strength inward centerfield.  Despite beingness the to the lowest degree heralded of the Astros’ Big Three, Springer’s value is sure enough on par with Correa in addition to Altuve.


Jon Willey - Getty Images












4. Lorenzo Cain
The Brewers’ novel centerfield is a triple threat.  He tin win games with his elite glove, constantly grading out every bit ane of the reach defensive centerfielders.  Cain’s bat is also quite valuable.  In 2017, he striking .300/.363/.440 with fifteen dwelling household runs.  I await those numbers to improve, since he is moving from a huge ballpark inward Kansas City to a hitter-friendly stadium inward Milwaukee.  Finally, the 32-year old tin nevertheless shell opposing teams on the base of operations paths.  In add-on to stealing 26 bags lastly season, he is known to live an aggressive runner who takes the extra base. 


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5. Tommy Pham
Pham outburst onto the scene lastly year.  In his kickoff total big league season, the 30-year old striking an impressive .306/.411/.520 with 23 dwelling household runs in addition to 25 steals across alone 128 games.  Thanks to this first-class offensive production in addition to enterprise defense, Pham finished minute alongside his positional peers inward WAR (6.4).  While it powerfulness live risky to rank the Cardinals’ centerfielder thus highly later alone ane proficient season, his child league statistics advise that Pham’s 2017 production was no fluke. 


Hannah Foslien - Getty Images











6. Byron Buxton
The Twins’ centerfielder checks every box.  Buxton is the fastest role instrumentalist inward baseball, according to Statcast in addition to that speed is non wasted.  The 24-year old covers a ton of dry reason inward centerfield, leading all outfielders with a 2.8 defensive WAR inward 2017.  On the bases, Buxton stole 29 bases, spell alone getting caught once.  Although his glove was never inward question, at that spot bespeak maintain been concerns close his powerfulness to striking at the big league level.  He powerfulness bespeak maintain pose those doubts to remainder inward the minute one-half of 2017, hitting .300/.347/.546 to terminate the season.  If Buxton tin demeanor that degree of production throughout all of 2018, he volition croak ane the baseball’s best players.


Adam Davis - Icon Sportswire
















7. Chris Taylor
In continuing with the apparent tendency of breakout performers, Taylor capitalized on his chance with the Dodgers lastly season.  The 27-year old joined the launch angle revolution inward an endeavor to jump-start his fledgling career, in addition to it sure enough paid off.  In 140 games with Los Angeles, Taylor striking .288/.354/.496 with 21 dwelling household runs in addition to 17 stolen bases.  Don't live surprised if the Dodgers’ centerfielder makes his kickoff all-star game appearance inward 2018.


Chris Meadera - AP











8. Kevin Kiermaier
Kiermaier’s defensive powerfulness has e'er been reach x worthy, but it was non until 2017 that his bat finally came along.  Since 2014, the Rays’ centerfielder ranks minute inward all of baseball game with +90 Defensive Runs saved, alone behind Andrelton Simmons.  Last season, the 27-year old striking .276/.338/.450 with fifteen dwelling household runs in addition to sixteen steals.  Kiermaier volition girlfriend the adjacent 8-12 weeks next a recent pollex surgery, but I exercise non desire to take him from this listing since it was created before the injury occurred.


Charles Wenzelberg - NY Post












9. Michael Conforto
While in all probability playing slightly out of seat inward centerfield, Conforto was nevertheless able to attain first-class offensive numbers.  Despite alone playing inward 109 games due to a shoulder injury, the 25-year old striking .279/.384/.555 with 27 dwelling household runs.  If the Mets’ centerfielder tin remain good for y'all for all of 2018, I would non live shocked yesteryear a twoscore dwelling household operate season.


Dale Zanine - USA TODAY Sports












10. Ender Enciarte
The Braves’ centerfielder is known for his glove.  He is an elite defender thank y'all to his powerfulness to comprehend gap-to-gap.  Enciarte also uses this speed on the bases, stealing 22 bags lastly season.  While the 27-year old does non bespeak maintain much power, he hits for average, gets on base of operations in addition to puts the ball inward play.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 slashline of .304/.350/.409 coupled with his superb defense strength is worthy of the lastly spot inward this ranking.


Also Considered:
Aaron Hicks - Yankees
Starling Marte - Pirates
Jackie Bradley Jr – Red Sox
AJ Pollock – Diamondbacks

**All WAR stats come upward from Baseball Reference

Please banking company tally dorsum ane time to a greater extent than tomorrow for my reach 10 correct fielders inward 2018.

If y'all bespeak maintain whatsoever questions, comments or criticisms experience complimentary to accomplish out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com

2018 Positional Pinnacle 10: Centerfield Rating: 4.5 Posted By: angkrate

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