Major League Baseball

MLB: Ranking the Top 30 Second Basemen for the 2017 Season

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:37 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Fansided, Greg Goldstein/FanSided via Call to the Pen

Sep 7, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) runs out an RBI single in the third inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

In this edition of the MLB positional rankings, we will be projecting the top 30 second basemen in baseball today.

Second base is usually thinner than some of the more prominent offensive positions in baseball. Still, there's a lot of quality at the position, especially when you get into the elite group of players.

Projecting how a player will perform over the course of 162 games is a rather difficult task considering the possibilities of injuries, off the field issues and lack of playing time to name a few factors.

With this being said, this list will use a combination of track record, 2016 performance, playing time opportunity, potential, consistency, statistics and the eye test as the main sources of how these rankings shake out.

Also, just cause a player is on the bench or not receiving as many plate appearances as a second baseman on another team doesn't mean that they should automatically be disqualified. If a bench player projects as the better performer and he gets enough playing time to prove his worth, then there could be multiple players on this list from the same team.

However, if you don't see a prominent minor league or bench player on this list, then odds are that they just won't receive enough time as a MLB player to warrant consideration as a top 30 second baseman in the game right now

Here's how I see the second base position shaking out in terms of individual performance with the 2017 MLB regular season now underway.

*All stats are from 2016 unless otherwise indicated

Mar 12, 2017; Tempe, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Angels second baseman Danny Espinosa (3) makes the play for the out against the Seattle Mariners in the first inning during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

30. Jose Peraza (Cincinnati Reds)

29. Brandon Drury (Arizona Diamondbacks)

28. Danny Espinosa (Los Angeles Angels)

27. Kolten Wong (St. Louis Cardinals)

26. Jedd Gyorko (St. Louis Cardinals)

Normally on the backend of a list like this you get a majority of unproven guys looking to earn their reputation as MLB caliber ballplayers.

Jose Peraza is another one of those more unproven guys in these rankings. He will bring a change of pace to Reds fans that saw Brandon Phillips occupy second base for over the past decade. The Reds acquired Peraza in that three-way deal involving Todd Frazier. Once a top prospect prior to coming into MLB, Peraza still offers some clear upside this season. He hit over .320 in his short time in the majors last season, but he doesn't really profile as this type of hitter at the next level. More of a speed player than power guy, Peraza has a pretty good hitting tool that should be enough for the Reds to invest in him for the future.

Brandon Drury was another player that had a solid season in 2016. He takes the full-time second base role from Jean Segura after the Diamondbacks traded him this offseason. Drury definitely has some upside, but he doesn't have experience in being a starter just yet, which should temper expectations. Still, I wouldn't be surprised of he continues to develop in the years to come and moves further of this list in the future.

Kolten Wong and Danny Espinosa should be solid fill-ins for their respective clubs. Wong offers a little more all around offensive upside, while Espinosa is switching over from shortstop and offers some solid power for the position.

Jedd Gyorko may be in the intriguing situation on this list because after he lost the third base job to Jhonny Peralta, he will likely platoon with Kolten Wong in St. Louis. Gyorko was great at points in 2016, even though he did hit some slides. He was a disappointment with the Padres before seemingly finding himself with the Cardinals. Thirty bombs is certainly nothing to scoff at, but I'm a bit skeptical that his production may just be more of a one year wonder, especially considering that he isn't likely to get regular at bats in 2017.

Sep 9, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon (9) connects for a base hit during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

25. Dee Gordon (Miami Marlins)

24. Starlin Castro (New York Yankees)

23. Derek Dietrich (Miami Marlins)

22. Cesar Hernandez (Philadelphia Phillies)

21. Josh Harrison (Pittsburgh Pirates)

Interestingly enough, there are two Marlins players in this portion of the MLB second baseman list. However, the one that is slated to be more of a bench player is actually rated higher than the incumbent starter. I see Derek Dietrich as a better overall player than Dee Gordon for a few reasons. Firstly, Dietrich has much more of an all around offensive profile. He's not going to be a 20 home run guy if given a starting job, but he has the capabilities to offer a little power to a lineup, while profiling as a steady hitter in terms of batting average. I was impressed with his on-base skills as well and he was really getting significantly better contact than Gordon. Gordon is one of the fastest players in MLB and this is a major reason why he's not lower on this list. However, Gordon is more of a slapstick type of hitter, which I don't really favor over the likes of Dietrich.

Cesar Hernandez broke out for the Phillies last season, hitting for both average and walking at a sizable clip. Like many second baseman, he's not much of a power threat, but after watching him last year, I'm convinced that he's got the hitting tools to be an everyday MLB player. The Phillie has speed as well, which should help him put pressure on infielders on chopped balls and tougher plays.

Starlin Castro is a more of a known commodity than Hernandez or Dietrich. He can hit for above average power for the position being that he's a lot more physical than the second baseman that I have mentioned thus far.

Surprisingly a former all-star, Josh Harrison is a key piece to the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he just isn't explosive enough with the bat to warrant a higher spot on this list. He'll hit for average, but the slugging percentage is going to be subpar. He is one of the more exciting players to watch on the basepaths, though.

Sep 14, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop (6) has a laugh with center fielder Drew Stubbs (18) after he made a catch while colliding with first baseman Chris Davis (19) during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

20. Brandon Phillips (Atlanta Braves)

19. Devon Travis (Toronto Blue Jays)

18. Joe Panik (San Francisco Giants)

17. Jonathan Schoop (Baltimore Orioles)

16. Neil Walker (New York Mets)

Put me in the camp that Jonathan Schoop is a little bit looked over in terms of second baseman. For one, he's just 25 years of age and is still developing his plate approach. This will be his fourth full season in MLB and he's still got a lot of untapped potential. Schoop has one of the highest power potential at the position. He's improved his power numbers every year he's been in the big leagues and his batting average has been on an uptick as well. The only problem is that Schoop, like teammate Adam Jones, is extremely aggressive in the batter's box. This leads to strikeouts on bad pitches and a noticeable lack of free passes. However, while Schoop clearly has some negatives, the upside and current offensive production at his age gives me hope that he could improve in some of his weakness areas, which will make his power output that much more valuable.

Devon Travis also has the upside to be a top ten second baseman in MLB. He posted nearly a 3.0 WAR last season, which puts him in the upper half of the league at his position. Like Schoop, Travis had a problem with walking in 2016, although he's clearly a different type of hitter. Hitting .300 at this point of his career should give Blue Jays fans hope that he has reasonable room to improve in the seasons to come.

The Giants would love for Joe Panik to be the player that he was in 2015, rather than how he performed last season, and I'm kind of betting on that to occur. Panik should not be ranked this highly based on last season, but I liked what I saw just enough in the two seasons prior that he ranks close to the halfway point on the MLB second baseman ranking.

Brandon Phillips has still produced offensively despite him now being far past his physical prime. His batting average should remain high in 2017, but his home run numbers will not reach the levels that they sat at earlier in his MLB career.

Neil Walker is returning from a back injury that he suffered late last regular season. But he was having a great year prior to that and is playing for a big contract after accepting a qualifying offer this winter.

Sep 26, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Jonathan Villar (5) runs the bases after hitting a two run home run during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

15. Brad Miller (Tampa Bay Rays)

14. Yangervis Solarte (San Diego Padres)

13. Javier Baez (Chicago Cubs)

12. Logan Forsythe (Los Angeles Dodgers)

11. Jonathan Villar (Milwaukee Brewers)

Javier Baez showcased some of his tremendous talent with the glove and at the plate during the 2016 MLB playoffs. The only problem is that there is no current opening in the Cubs starting lineup to fill. This doesn't mean that the energized youngster won't solidify himself as one of the top up and comers at the position. There is a reason that Theo Epstein wanted to keep him at the trade deadline, and that's because he has serious pop and has glove his legit. Watching him, his game can seem a little out of control. This was my main complaint with him as a prospect. But after seeing him play him last season, Baez is wildly effective. He's loose in the batter's box, which allows him to reach balls all over the plate and I believe that he'll continue to show himself as one of the more talented second baseman in MLB today.

Jonathan Villar was once just a filler for the Houston Astros, but that all changed in Milwaukee last season. He had a career year finishing with a batting average in the .280's, a good on-base percentage, with 38 doubles and nearly 20 homers to boot. This production sought management to move him to second base with top prospect Orlando Arcia ready to enter the show. One year wonders are always tough to rank, but Villar's strong play put him just outside the top ten for this coming season.

There are a couple more players in Brad Miller and Yangervis Solarte who will be making a positional changes this season. Miller was once a shortstop with the Seattle Mariners turned first baseman in Tampa Bay. Now, he's set to be the everyday second baseman after the power surge he showed in 2016. He had never hit more than 11 homer runs in his career, which makes the 30 he put up one of the more surprising developments from last season. I suspect that he possibly found something in his swing, even though I remain somewhat skeptical given his track record and offensive profile.

Solarte was a silently productive player on a bad San Diego Padres squad. His strong strikeout-walk ratio is something that should carry him moving forward. He also brings a good hitting profile with a .286 batting average. I'm sure that his power numbers are a bit surpassed because of where he plays. However, hitting 15-20 home runs is good enough to make him a top 15 second baseman in baseball.

Logan Forsythe is a steady veteran that should continue to produce above average offensive numbers. Forsythe in particular should benefit from a very talented Dodgers lineup around him.

Sep 10, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier (2) hits a single during the twelfth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Minnesota Twins won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

10. Jason Kipnis (Cleveland Indians)

The Indians second baseman will start the season on the disabled list, but that shouldn't greatly impact his level of impact in 2017. Kipnis is now a known commodity in MLB circles and you pretty much know what your going to get from him year in and year out. You'll get really good all around hitting skills and possibly more power than you'd expect.

Kipnis hit a career-high 23 homers in 2016, which was six more than his previous best season total. He adds speed on the bases and has been a doubles machine throughout his MLB career. It may take a little while to get back to himself when he returns to the field, but his track record is good enough to trust him to perform at the level that we've grown accustomed.

9. Rougned Odor (Texas Rangers)

Odor is a fascinating player, especially for a second baseman. He perhaps has some of the best pure power at the position as you can see from his 33 doubles and home runs apiece. His batting average was also pretty high considering how hard Odor swings when he's at the plate. Odor does not have much of a inclination to take free passes, instead he rather mash balls that come over the center of the plate.

Still very young at just 23 years of age, Odor just inked a contract extension to remain with the Rangers for the near future. Texas should be happy that they have a top ten MLB second baseman locked up for awhile. He's an interesting player to rank because of the high strikeout rate and the all or nothing approach. However, his style of play creates a possibility for a high level of impact.

8. Ben Zobrist (Chicago Cubs)

Zobrist has been personal favorite of mine for a pretty long time. Not in Tampa Bay anymore, Zobrist remained the same player he's always been with the World Series champion, Chicago Cubs. The switch hitter specializes in getting on-base and being a steady presence in the lineup. He can spray balls all over the field and walked more than he struck out in 2016. He doesn't offer as much upside as others on this list because he lacks huge pop. But what he doesn't give you in flashiness he more than makes up for with his consistency and ability to impact the game by getting on-base and offering positional versatility.

7. Brian Dozier (Minnesota Twins)

Brian Dozier was the toast of MLB during the second half of the 2016 regular season. The Twins second baseman used a strong finish to the season to end the year with over 42 home runs, which was the third most in the entire league. Dozier is no stranger to producing a large power output. He hit over 20 home runs in 2014 and 2015.

But with that being said, last season was much more of an outlier. His uppercut swing would seem to translate to a lot of long balls, although his hard contact percentage was not as high as you would expect when looking at a player that did hit as many homers as he did in 2016. I definitely think that he is an upper echelon offensive player at the position, but I'm a little skeptical that he'll be able to come even close to the numbers he produced last season. A midseason trade into a better batting order may help jumpstart him to that level, but he's not going to see man great pitches being surrounded by the Twins current lineup.

6. Dustin Pedroia (Boston Red Sox)

He's officially replaced David Ortiz has the face of the Boston Red Sox. Pedroia can easily be overlooked with so many young and talented players in Boston's projected lineup this season. However, that really shouldn't happen because the veteran second baseman continues to produce even as he gets a bit longer in the tooth. The 33 year-old hit over .315 last year, which was his highest batting average since 2008. He did this while increasing is home run output from the year before. Pedroia is a fairly surefire bet to remain one of the best MLB second baseman in 2017 because of his track record and his overall hitting ability. He's also surrounded by a tremendous lineup that should correlate into the scrappy second baseman seeing a lot of hittable pitches this coming season.

Aug 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) hits an RBI double against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 7-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

5. Ian Kinsler (Detroit Tigers)

Like Pedroia, Ian Kinsler has been performing at a high level for a long time, and his 2016 campaign was no exception. His stats were really above average across the board as he maintained his reputation as a player that can hit for both average and power, while not racking up an incredibly high number of K's. Kinsler's 6.1 WAR was the fourth best among MLB second baseman in 2016 and I expect him to continue that type of production in 2017. The veteran will be 35 years old in June, but I get the feeling that he will be the type of player that will maintain his production until his late 30's. He's easily a middle of the order caliber hitter in any lineup because of the overall production that he brings to the table.

4. D.J. LeMahieu (Colorado Rockies)

If you're counting out Brian Dozier's incredible 2016 performance, then LeMahieu may have been the breakout star at the second base position. Overshadowed by the likes of Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez and Trevor Story, LeMahieu's 2016 season should be praised as well. Hitting .348 is not something that any MLB player can do. Many will point to his drop in production away from Coors Field (his batting average dropped by nearly 90 points when on the road). Still, that would mean that LeMahieu was a .300 level hitter when he was not playing at home, which I'm sure many players would take to the bank. It's clear that the Rockie is a very good all round hitter. He's got a compact swing that really doesn't play into many swings and misses. He also shows a good approach at the plate by walking nearly as much as a struck out in 2016. I'm buying into LeMahieu as an elite hitting second baseman. There are some concerns that he may not maintain the production, but hitting at Coors Field should help him come close to repeating last season's numbers.

3. Daniel Murphy (Washington Nationals)

Daniel Murphy was an MVP candidate to the surprise of many. Once known for his legendary MLB playoff performance from a few years ago, the 32 year-old is now just known as one of the better all around hitters in baseball. Murphy showed that the incredible strides he made late in 2015 was here to say as he displayed a great approach and an ability to hit balls all over the plate. Murphy possesses a fluid swing and an approach that works against both righties and lefties. He did damage in the power department as well, finishing last year with a slugging percentage just below .600. The fact that he struck out only 57 times in 582 appearances is ridiculous and while he doesn't walk as much as you may want, I project that Murphy will continue to solidify his place as a top five second baseman.

2. Robinson Cano (Seattle Mariners)

Robinson Cano continues to prove that age is just a number. He had one of his best campaigns during his age 33 season, hitting for both a high average and finishing with just under 40 long balls. Cano still looks like the player he was playing for the Yankees in his prime as his bat speed still looks well above average. Cano has always been one of the more fun hitters to watch just because how quick his swing is and how fast balls leave the yard when they come off his bat. The veteran is still a very aggressive hitter, even though his strikeout numbers a fairly good for a batter as aggressive as Cano is. I don't expect much regression as Cano is still in very good shape. He should remain perhaps the most feared second baseman when he's in the batter's box.

1. Jose Altuve (Houston Astros)

Altuve may be short in stature, but it doesn't seem that way when you watch him play. The second baseman has been one of the exciting and energetic player MLB has to offer, but it was in 2016 that Altuve solidified himself as a perennial MVP candidate. What really clicked was the ability to launch balls over the fence in 2016, which is something that was holding Altuve back from passing the likes of Robinson Cano before.

By hitting 24 homers last year, Altuve hadn't hit double digit home runs in a season until 2015 and finally reached the 20 homer threshold this past year. The 26 year-old is a menace on the basepaths and has been very good at getting on-base, which makes his speed that much more of a threat. He was the leading MVP candidate for most of the season until Mike Trout just took the award from everyone.

He can really do anything on the baseball diamond, which is why he should be considered the top second baseman entering 2017. There's nobody else at the position that can do all that Altuve can, and everyone should expect that this will lead him to entering the MVP conversation again as this MLB regular season gets underway.

How would you rank the second baseman for the 2017 MLB regular season? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

More from Call to the Pen

This article originally appeared on

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball