Every month throughout the 2018 season, we'll rank our top Cubs players based off trends and overall impact to the team's pursuit of another World Series.

As a refresher, here's what the preseason rankings looked like:

10. Addison Russell

9. Kyle Hendricks

8. Jon Lester

7. Kyle Schwarber

6. Ian Happ

5. Jose Quintana

4. Anthony Rizzo

3. Yu Darvish

2. Kris Bryant

1. Willson Contreras

A lot has changed in the first month of the season as the Cubs have withstood everything Mother Nature had to throw at them.

Here's how the updated power rankings line up as they're about to kick off May. Gone are Darvish, Quintana, Happ and Russell — all of whom have gotten out to rocky starts.

10. Kyle Hendricks

9. Jon Lester

8. Carl Edwards Jr.

7. Albert Almora Jr.

6. Anthony Rizzo

5. Willson Contreras

4. Brandon Morrow

3. Kyle Schwarber

2. Kris Bryant

1. Javy Baez

10/9. Like the rest of the Cubs rotation, Hendricks and Lester got off to a slow start to the season. But now that they've been working on regular rest, they're showing shades of 2016 again after both guys had forgettable 2017 seasons due to injury/ineffectiveness.

8. Edwards has been absolutely incredible. He got off to a great start in 2017, too, but he's been even better this year and looks to finally be tapping into the pitcher the Cubs knew he was capable of being.

7. Almora has earned every bit of playing time and praise in the season's first month and should get more run as the team's leadoff hitter for at least a little while longer.

6. Rizzo keeps dropping in these rankings, but he's been so remarkably consistent in his career, so bet on a huge hot streak coming. Imagine how good this Cubs team will be once he starts hitting.

5. Contreras is still one of the most important players on the Cubs, a fact he proved Monday night when he stole an out for his team with an aggressive throw to nab Noel Cuevas dancing off second base in the 4th inning. His power will come as the weather gets more conducive to hitting. He's on pace to play nearly 150 games, an incredible mark for a catcher.

4. Morrow is totally drama-free as the team's new closer and his impact on the Cubs bullpen goes far beyond his perfect on-field numbers. Just ask Edwards.

3. At the end of last year, Schwarber was playing every other day. Now, he's such an important part of the Cubs lineup, they're trying to find ways to keep him in the lineup every day, even against left-handed pitchers. He's on the cusp of joining the ranks of the game's elite hitters.

2. Somehow, Bryant just keeps getting better and better. Even though he only has 2 homers, he's improved in every other area of his offensive game, including another dip in strikeout percentage and increase in walk percentage.

1. Baez has firmly put his name in the Cubs history books with an unreal first month, finishing second in franchise history in RBI before May 1 (only Derrek Lee had more in 2005). He should be the National League Player of the Month.