MLB Network ranks Christian Yelich eighth among all players in MLB, behind two guys he topped for NL MVP. Here's the list
MLB Network's annual countdown of the top 100 players in baseball featured six Brewers, including reigning National League MVP Christian Yelich. He's ranked eighth, and third among National Leaguers.
Too low? You be the judge.
Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels is ranked first and 2018 American League MVP Mookie Betts is next. Nolan Arenado, the Rockies third baseman who took third in the vote for National League MVP, was third on the list.
Arenado is regarded as one of the top defensive third basemen in baseball and plays a position that requires greater defensive proficiency than the outfield, which might explain why he gets higher standing here.
Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor was next, followed by Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, who took 10th in NL MVP voting in 2018 but can safely be argued as one of the most dominant hurlers in the past decade. Houston teammates Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman are next.
Then, Yelich. He's followed by Jose Ramirez of Cleveland and Jacob deGrom of the Mets, who won the NL Cy Young.
Other Brewers to make the list were Lorenzo Cain (28th), Josh Hader (51st), Jesus Aguilar (62nd), Travis Shaw (94th) and Yasmani Grandal (96th).
Considering Ryan Braun, Jeremy Jeffress and Corey Knebel aren't on this list, you've got to feel pretty good about the Milwaukee roster overall, don't you?
The network released the "Top 100 Players Right Now!" list over a six-part series, basing the list on player performance over the past several seasons (with emphasis on 2018 and projection for 2019).
On Yelich, analyst Mark DeRosa said, “Last year, huge trade, goes over there getting his feet wet carrying the offense, and something clicked in the second half. He hit for the cycle on August 22 against the Cincinnati Reds and he did not stop hitting the rest of the time. … Just a phenomenal season by Christian Yelich, wrapped up with an MVP, and I think there’s more there.”
Here's the top 20:
- Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels
- Mookie Betts, OF, Boston Red Sox
- Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies
- Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians
- Max Scherzer, SP, Washington Nationals
- Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros
- Alex Bregman, 3B, Houston Astros
- Christian Yelich, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
- Jose Ramirez, 3B, Cleveland Indians
- Jacob deGrom, SP, New York Mets
- JD Martinez, OF/DH, Boston Red Sox
- Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees
- Chris Sale, SP, Boston Red Sox
- Manny Machado, 3B/SS, free agent
- Bryce Harper, OF, free agent
- Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
- Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves
- Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
- Giancarlo Stanton, OF/DH, New York Yankees
- Justin Verlander, SP, Houston Astros