Because of the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, we don't yet know when the 2020 regular season will grace us with its presence. Despite all that prevailing uncertainty, the time has come to rank the top 100 players in baseball for 2020.

The rankings you'll soon be yelling about are based upon reasonable expectations, using things like age, trajectory, scouting profile, and recent performance history to arrive at those expectations. In essence, we're making educated guesses at which players will provide the most value in the 2020 season (and the 2020 season alone -- we're not concerned with how these players project for 2021 and beyond). While a player's performance in 2019 is very relevant to these rankings, it's not the sole consideration. Again, these are in essence predictions of which players will be the very best in the season to come, and there's more to it than just eyeballing last year's outputs.

As for what matters, with position players it's a mix of batting, defense, and baserunning. On offense, we're not concerned with things like RBI. Getting on base and hitting for power matter above all, as do playing time, context of the player's home ballpark, and production relative to positional peers (e.g., the offensive bar is lower for shortstops and catchers than it is for first basemen and DHs). For pitchers, run prevention and workload will be the drivers, but we'll also give some consideration to underlying fundamental indicators like strikeouts and walks. Also, we're ranking players based on actual baseball considerations as opposed to anything having anything to do with fantasy (although there's obviously some overlap).

Above all, remember that this is Internet Street, and only righteous grievances live here.

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100 Andrelton Simmons Los Angeles Angels SS Simmons battled injury last season and slipped from his average-ish levels of production at the plate. However, he remains squarely in the discussion for best defensive shortstop in the game. 99 Kolten Wong St. Louis Cardinals 2B He's an elite defensive second baseman who can steal bases and stay out of double plays. Wong's also got an OBP of .357 over the last three seasons. 98 Jesus Luzardo Oakland Athletics RP The 22-year-old lefty is one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, and he was dominant in six relief appearances last season for Oakland. He's looked even better this spring and is poised to be a regular in the rotation. Put him on the AL Rookie of the Year watch list for 2020. 97 Tim Anderson Chicago White Sox SS His 2019 season was driven by batting average and light on walks, and that raises some concerns. That said, he's a shortstop who runs the bases well, and last season he had an expected slugging percentage of 461. He'll still be valuable even if fewer hits drop for him in 2020. 96 Jo Adell Los Angeles Angels CF Adell has tremendous power and nice speed, and soon enough he should settle in as a regular corner outfielder for the Angels. It says here that he'll arrive in time to provide top-100 value to the Halos in 2020. 95 Paul DeJong St. Louis Cardinals SS DeJong's numbers slipped in the second half of last season, but his power and plus fielding at shortstop bode well for 2020. 94 Luis Robert Chicago White Sox CF After signing a longterm contract, Robert will be the White Sox's starting center fielder in 2020. He'll bring impressive power and speed to the position and be a producer right away. His longterm ceiling is as high as any prospect's in the game. 93 Michael Brantley Houston Astros LF Remember when it seemed like Brantley's career might be effectively over after the 2017 season because of injuries? He's now churned out back-to-back highly productive seasons and stayed mostly healthy. 92 Jeff McNeil New York Mets 3B In 196 career games at the highest level, McNeil owns a slash line of .321/.383/.513 with games played at four different positions. Highly useful stuff, that. 91 Yordan Alvarez Houston Astros DH The 2019 AL Rookie of the Year put up sparkling numbers last season. We'll rank him conservatively going into 2020 solely because -- quality of contract and minor-league pedigree notwithstanding -- it's going to be difficult to repeat that performance. No doubt, though, Alvarez can rake, and he's a strong candidate to outplay this ranking.

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90 Eduardo Rodriguez Boston Red Sox SP As a 26-year-old in 2019, Rodriguez crossed the 200-inning threshold for the first time and also had an ERA+ of 126, which allowed him to finish sixth in the AL Cy Young vote. The results now match the stuff. 89 Max Kepler Minnesota Twins RF Kepler's a standout defensive right fielder, and he leveled up with the bat last season as a 26-year-old (122 OPS+ with 36 homers in 134 games). 88 Austin Meadows Tampa Bay Rays RF Meadows was a premium prospect in the Pirates system not so long ago, and last season as a 24-year-old he took a massive step forward with the Rays. In 591 plate appearances, Meadows had a slash line of .291/.364/.558 with 33 home runs. 87 Gavin Lux Los Angeles Dodgers 2B Lux can hit for average and power and draw walks, and as a rookie he has a clear path to playing time as the Dodgers' regular season baseman. Look for him to seize the opportunity. 86 Carlos Correa Houston Astros SS Correa's injuries have sapped a great deal of his career value to date, but we won't hold the broken ribs from last season -- the result of a massage gone wrong -- against him too much. When he was healthy, he produced at an elite level, but he also dealt once again with back problems later in the season. Because of all those health issues, consider this a "probationary" ranking for 2020. 85 Eloy Jimenez Chicago White Sox LF The young White Sox slugger had a strong rookie campaign in 2019, as he clouted 31 home runs in 122 games with an OPS+ of 117. He has a sky-high power ceiling, and that should be even more apparent in 2020. 84 Jake Odorizzi Minnesota Twins SP Odorizzi had the best season of his career in 2019 on a number of fronts (3.51 ERA, 3.36 FIP). His increased velocity and manager Rocco Baldelli's knack for limiting his exposure to the opposing lineup for a third time were vital to his step forward. 83 Whit Merrifield Kansas City Royals 2B In his age-30 season, Merrifield put up a batting line of .302/.348/.463 with 67 extra-base hits and time spent at five different positions. He's racked up 13.5 WAR over the last three seasons. 82 J.D. Martinez Boston Red Sox DH The avatar of the launch-angle revolution remains a highly productive hitter. In his age-31 season of 2019, he cracked 36 homers and had an OPS+ of 140. While some of his batted-ball indicators slipped he bit, Martinez still managed an expected slugging percentage of .579. 81 Lance Lynn Texas Rangers SP Lynn cut down on his sinker usage in 2019, and as a partial consequence he enjoyed a career year. Leaning more heavily on his fastball, cutter, and curve also allowed him to keep the opposite side in check. Those adjustments suggest the gains Lynn made last season are sustainable in the near-term.

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80 Brandon Woodruff Milwaukee Brewers SP It says here that Woodruff will take the next step in 2020. The 27-year-old righty has a four- and sometimes five-pitch repertoire fronted by a fastball that sits 97. Last season, he notched a 3.01 FIP and a 123 ERA+ in 22 starts. 79 Bo Bichette Toronto Blue Jays SS The young shortstop has the bloodlines and the impressive minor-league track record (he was regarded in some quarters as a top 10 overall prospect). As well, Bichette last raked as a rookie across 212 plate appearances with Toronto. 78 Joey Gallo Texas Rangers CF Even with the lost time to injury last year, Gallo earns a strong spot in the rankings. He took surprisingly well to center field, and he drastically improved his selectivity at the plate while retaining his top-of-the-scale power. Gallo also ranked near the top of the league in his success rate of taking the extra base. 77 Bryce Harper Philadelphia Phillies RF Harper rebounded nicely with the glove last season, and in his first Philly campaign he also mashed 35 homers and worked 99 walks. 76 Starling Marte Arizona Diamondbacks CF The veteran five-tooler is new on the scene in Arizona, and he brings with him strong production at the plate, value on the bases, and the ability to play center. 75 Fernando Tatis San Diego Padres SS On a rate basis, the electrifying Tatis Jr. had an otherworldly rookie campaign: .317/.379/.590 (152 OPS+) with plus baserunning as a 20-year-old. Injuries, though, limited him to just 84 games played. Lower back problems raise particular concerns for Tatis moving forward, which is why we're hedging a bit with his ranking. Absent those significant health worries, he'd be a top-20 player. 74 Clayton Kershaw Los Angeles Dodgers SP Velocity loss certainly hasn't knocked Kershaw too far off his lofty perch. Last season, he registered an ERA of 3.03 with a K/BB ratio of 4.61. The future Hall of Famer is in his decline phase, but he's still a major asset. 73 Manny Machado San Diego Padres 3B Machado was hardly a disaster in his first season with Pads (109 OPS+ with 32 home runs in 156 games), but he failed to meet expectations overall. For now, we'll bet on the talent and pre-2019 track record. 72 Michael Conforto New York Mets RF The 27-year-old outfielder has played in more than 150 games in each of the last two seasons, and over the last three years he's got an OPS+ of 131. It's worth noting is that he dealt with an oblique injury during spring. 71 Nelson Cruz Minnesota Twins DH So what's a 39-year-old DH doing on here? When you hit the ball like Boomstick does -- 41 homers in 120 games and the third-highest exit velocity in all MLB -- the usual aging curve is invited to sit down and be quiet.

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70 Sonny Gray Cincinnati Reds SP Reunited with his college pitching coach in Cincinnati, Gray rebuilt himself and got strong results in 2019: a 158 ERA+ in 31 starts and the best full-season K/BB ratio of his career. 69 Justin Turner Los Angeles Dodgers 3B Turner's 35, but he proved last season that he's still capable of producing at a high level at the plate while remaining a defensive asset at the hot corner. 68 Aaron Nola Philadelphia Phillies SP The curveball-fastball specialist endured a rough start to 2019 but eventually found vintage form. In 2020, he'll be aiming to return to his levels of 2018, when he finished third in the NL Cy Young vote. 67 Trea Turner Washington Nationals SS Turner's a plus defensive shortstop who's also one of the best base-runners around. He's also established himself as an above-average hitter by positional standards. 66 Roberto Perez Cleveland Indians C In addition to being one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, Perez last season reached new heights with the bat. Even if his offensive outputs slip back a bit, he's still a highly valuable contributor. 65 Victor Robles Washington Nationals CF Per Statcast's outs above average statistic, the Nats' young center fielder was the most valuable defender at any position last season. That plus his ability to run the bases well and hit adequately at the plate make him a key contributor. 64 Jon Gray Colorado Rockies SP Gray continues to thrive (for the most part) despite calling Planet Coors home. He boasts a career ERA+ of 110, a mark of 115 over the last three seasons, and an ERA+ of 135 in 150 innings last year. 63 Blake Snell Tampa Bay Rays SP With good cause, Snell won the AL Cy Young in 2018, but last year elbow issues cost him starts and likely hurt his numbers. We'll bet on a rebound in 2020. 62 Kyle Hendricks Chicago Cubs SP The Prince with a Thousand Changeups remains an underappreciated hurler. Hendricks' occasional health issues are noted, but he's logged a qualifying number of innings in four of the last five seasons. More to the point, he's got to his credit a career ERA+ of 132. 61 DJ LeMahieu New York Yankees 2B The Yankees bet that LeMahieu's batted-ball profile would lead to big numbers at the plate in 2019, and that's precisely what happened. He batted .327/.375/.518 while manning three different positions.

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60 Miguel Sano Minnesota Twins 3B Sano led the majors in hard-hit percentage last season and also hit 34 home runs and slugged .576. Maybe moving across the diamond to first base on a full-time basis will help him stay healthy. 59 Willson Contreras Chicago Cubs C Contreras missed time with foot and hamstring injuries last year, but when healthy he put up big power numbers, especially among catchers. His defense still leaves a bit to be desired, but the bat carries him. 58 Max Muncy Los Angeles Dodgers 2B The eminently useful Muncy in 2019 saw time at three different infield positions while batting .251/.374/.515. He also tallied 35 homers and 90 walks. 57 Jorge Soler Kansas City Royals DH Soler has emerged as one of the top home run threats in all of baseball. Last season, he authored a 138 OPS+ with an AL-leading 48 home runs. Consider him to be the best bet for a 50-homer campaign in 2020. 56 Vladimir Guerrero Toronto Blue Jays 3B Guerrero endured some fits and starts during his rookie campaign last year, but he also flashed the mega-elite hitting skills that make him a future star. We'll say he takes the next step in 2020. 55 Ozzie Albies Atlanta Braves 2B In his second full MLB season, Albies tallied 24 homers and 43 doubles, showed speed on the bases, played a plus second base, and appeared in 160 games. He's just 23 years of age. 54 Lucas Giolito Chicago White Sox SP Giolito, formerly one of the top prospects in all of baseball, had failed to live up to the press clippings until last season. A revamped approach suggests it can last. 53 Josh Bell Pittsburgh Pirates 1B Bell's age-26 season last year occasioned a major breakout: 37 home runs and a 143 OPS+ in 143 games. 52 Charlie Morton Tampa Bay Rays SP Morton, now 36, was a true force in the Tampa Bay rotation last season. In 33 starts, Morton boasted a 3.05 ERA and 2.81 FIP with the stuff to back it up. He's been on another level since the start of the 2017 season. 51 Mike Clevinger Cleveland Indians SP Clevinger suffered a torn meniscus this spring, but he may be able to pitch a full season thanks to the indefinite postponement of Opening Day. Clevinger and his lurid fastball-slider combo and his Rohirrim hair would be ranked higher if not for his health uncertainties.

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50 Anthony Rizzo Chicago Cubs 1B Rizzo last season reversed what had been a two-year pattern of offensive decline. In 146 games, he batted .293/.405/.520 with 27 home runs and 71 walks against just 86 strikeouts. He's going into his age-30 season. 49 Ketel Marte Arizona Diamondbacks CF Marte probably got a bit lucky to put up the numbers he did last season, but even assuming a bit of regression he remains a strong producer. That's especially the case given that he can man three different premium positions. 48 Hyun-Jin Ryu Toronto Blue Jays SP Health will always be a concern for Ryu, but over his last two seasons -- a span of 44 starts -- he's pitched to a 2.21 ERA with a K/BB ratio of 6.46. Last season, he racked up his highest inning total since his rookie MLB season of 2013. 47 Aaron Judge New York Yankees RF Judge has an elite mix of power and patience at the plate, and he's an underrated defender and baserunner. Judge last season also led the majors in average exit velocity. He'd be a top-25 player if not for his recent health history. 46 Mike Soroka Atlanta Braves SP The 22-year-old former first-rounder looked every bit the young ace in 2019. Across 29 starts, Soroka boasted a 169 ERA+ and a 3.45 FIP. 45 George Springer Houston Astros CF A hamstring strain cost Springer roughly a month last season, but when on the field he was better than he's ever been with the bat. Expect another big season from the center fielder in his walk year. 44 Mitch Garver Minnesota Twins C Garver may take a bit of a step back on the power front in 2020, but the prevailing fact is that he's a catcher who last season slugged .630 with 31 home runs in 311 at-bats (!). Even if he regresses, the power will still be top-tier by catcher standards. 43 Corey Seager Los Angeles Dodgers SS Seager had a quality season in 2019 despite being not all that far removed from Tommy John surgery. In 2020, he should get back to All-Star form at age 26. 42 Zack Greinke Houston Astros SP The usual age-related caveats apply to the 36-year-old Greinke, but thanks to his command and deep repertoire he's adapted quite well to the inevitable velocity loss. Last season, he topped 200 innings yet again and registered a sub-3.00 ERA with a K/BB ratio of better than 6.00. 41 Freddie Freeman Atlanta Braves 1B The ruthlessly consistent Freeman enjoyed yet another productive season in 2019. Going into his age-30 campaign, there's no reason to expect anything different in 2020.

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40 Gary Sanchez New York Yankees C Sanchez was a strong bounce-back candidate heading into 2019, and he more than made good on that expectation. Thanks to his elite power production from the catcher position, he could be in the AL MVP discussion if healthy. Under new tutelage, Sanchez might also make gains on the pitch-framing front. 39 Trevor Story Colorado Rockies SS Story remains a top-tier defensive shortstop, and at the plate he owns a 122 OPS+ over the last two seasons. 38 Justin Verlander Houston Astros SP Yes, we have to fade the AL CY Young winner because he's now 37 years of age, and sudden decline at such an age is always a consideration. That said, the future Hall of Famer has been at vintage level and then some since the Astros acquired him in late August of 2017. His ranking is significantly lower than it otherwise would be because of his current lat injury, which raises concerns for 2020 even if it's being termed minor for now. 37 Pete Alonso New York Mets 1B Alonso smashed 53 home runs as a rookie last season, and his strong quality of contact indicators bode very well for the near-term. No matter what anyone else tells you, his nickname is "Petaters." You see, his name is Pete, and he hits taters. Petaters. 36 Jose Ramirez Cleveland Indians 3B A poor first half dragged down his overall numbers in 2019, but in the second half he was in peak form and then some. Expect Ramirez in 2020 to get back to his MVP-caliber level of 2017-18. 35 Patrick Corbin Washington Nationals SP Corbin lived up to the billing in his first season after inking a $140 million contract with the Nats. He topped 200 innings with an ERA+ of 141 and an FIP of 3.49. 34 J.T. Realmuto Philadelphia Phillies C Realmuto is in the discussion for best defensive catcher in baseball, and while his offensive numbers were down a bit last year relative to his usual standards they remained quite strong as catchers go. 33 Rafael Devers Boston Red Sox 3B Devers -- not so long ago one of the top prospects in baseball -- enjoyed an excellent 2019 breakout season at the age 22. Most notably, he racked up 90 extra-base hits and led the majors with 359 total bases. 32 Kris Bryant Chicago Cubs 3B The shoulder woes that compromised Bryant's 2018 campaign didn't hinder him as much in 2019. This past season he put up a 131 OPS+ with 31 homers and time spent at four different positions. Not that pro athletes need sources of motivation, but those earlier trade rumors provide Bryant with one just the same. 31 Matt Olson Oakland Athletics 1B Olson last season graded out as the top defensive first baseman in baseball, and he also had an OPS+ of 138 with the bat. He's going into his age-26 season, and the guess here is that he becomes a first-time All-Star in 2020.

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30 Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Angels DH This ranking is mostly about what Ohtani figures to do with the bat in 2020. In two MLB seasons, he has an OPS+ of 135 while playing with a bad elbow. Now that he's sufficiently removed from Tommy John surgery, don't be surprised if Ohtani puts up even bigger numbers at the plate. Consider whatever he gives the Angels on the mound to be lagniappe. 29 Shane Bieber Cleveland Indians SP Bieber in his "sophomore" campaign put up an ERA+ of 144 across a hefty 214 ⅓ innings, and he had the peripheral numbers to back up his elite run prevention. He looks like a legit frontline ace. 28 Jose Berrios Minnesota Twins SP The young right-hander continues his ascent. Last season, he emerged as the Twins ace with a 124 ERA+ and career best numbers at the command-and-control levels. He also topped 200 innings for the first time. 27 Josh Donaldson Minnesota Twins 3B Donaldson last year put together his first healthy season since 2016, and in not unrelated matters he also enjoyed renaissances in the field and at the plate. He's 34, but the skills that matter appear to be fully intact. 26 Walker Buehler Los Angeles Dodgers SP The 25-year-old former first-rounder is looking like a present and future ace in L.A. He owns a career ERA+ of 129, and last season he had an FIP of 3.01 with a K/BB ratio of almost 6.00. 25 Marcus Semien Oakland Athletics SS Semien made strides with the glove in 2018, and then the bat followed in 2019. Thanks to improved quality of contact, he should enjoy another big year in 2020. 24 Jack Flaherty St. Louis Cardinals SP The 24-year-old Flaherty attacks hitters with a mid-90s fastball and a pair of breaking balls. Last season, he was nearly flawless down the stretch en route to putting up a 2.75 ERA across almost 200 innings. He's thus established himself as one of MLB's best young arms. 23 Luis Castillo Cincinnati Reds SP Thanks in part to a tweaked changeup, Castillo emerged as the ace of a quietly impressive Reds rotation. At season's end, the now 27-year-old boasted a 3.40 ERA with 226 strikeouts in 190 ⅔ innings. 22 Yoan Moncada Chicago White Sox 3B Moncada busted out in a big way last season with a .315/.367/.548 slash line in 132 games and positive defensive returns at third base. Fresh off a big contract extension, he's ready to take the next step toward stardom. 21 Eugenio Suarez Cincinnati Reds 3B He's a solid fielding third baseman who cranked 49 home runs in 159 games last season after hitting 34 homers in 2018. Somehow, he's still very overlooked.

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20 Nolan Arenado Colorado Rockies 3B Arenado remains a force at the plate and in the field, but he did show some slight signs of decline with the bat (i.e., his batted-ball indicators degraded just a bit). That said, he still projects as a worthy superstar for 2020. 19 Javier Baez Chicago Cubs SS Baez last season thrived defensively at shortstop while slugging .531 with 29 homers in 138 games. He remains one of the most exciting players in baseball. 18 Jose Altuve Houston Astros 2B Altuve's still on the right side of age 30, and he's won five of the last six Silver Sluggers at second base. 17 Gleyber Torres New York Yankees SS Steady as she goes for the gifted young Torres. In his second season, he authored an OPS+ of 128 with 38 home runs, and he also logged the hefty majority of his defensive innings at shortstop, where he'll be full-time moving forward. 16 Stephen Strasburg Washington Nationals SP Strasburg's coming off one of his strongest seasons in the majors, and he also led the NL in innings pitched in 2019. Freshly signed to an extension with the Nats, the stuff remains as imposing as ever. 15 Yasmani Grandal Chicago White Sox C Grandal remains one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, especially in terms of pitch-framing, and he's a relentlessly consistent producer at the plate. On top of all that, he's been quite durable by catcher standards. 14 Xander Bogaerts Boston Red Sox SS The most underrated player in baseball? It seems an odd question to ask about a Red Sox shortstop who earned a ring in 2018, but here we are. He's a shortstop who hits like an All-Star first baseman. 13 Alex Bregman Houston Astros 3B The All-Star third baseman produced at a high level again in 2019. Over the last two seasons, he's combined an OPS+ of 157 with durability and plus fielding. 12 Max Scherzer Washington Nationals SP Scherzer's 35, but his work 2019 is right in line with the remainder of his dominant run in D.C. That is to say, he remains one of the best pitchers on the planet. 11 Juan Soto Washington Nationals LF Childish Bambino enjoyed a coming out party during the 2019 postseason, and the hype is more than justified. He's a complete hitter at the plate, with power and plate discipline beyond his years. What a special player.

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10 Ronald Acuna Atlanta Braves CF Acuna looked like a present and future star during his rookie season of 2018, and that was still the case in 2019. Thanks to his excellence at the plate, in the field, and on the bases, he'll be an MVP candidate for years to come. 9 Francisco Lindor Cleveland Indians SS No, Indians, you should not trade a 26-year-old power-hitting, slick-fielding shortstop who steals bases and has one of the most marketable personalities in baseball. 8 Anthony Rendon Los Angeles Angels 3B The other big free agent catch of the offseason has been an elite performer over the last three seasons, and that figures to continue with the Angels. 7 Matt Chapman Oakland Athletics 3B Chapman may be the best defensive third baseman in baseball, and last season at the plate he racked up 36 homers, 36 doubles, and 73 unintentional walks despite the run-suppressing nature of his home ballpark. Put him on the AL MVP short list for 2020. 6 Cody Bellinger Los Angeles Dodgers RF Bellinger's 24, and you can argue that he was the best player in all of baseball last season. He's necessarily high on this list, but we won't quite put him at the tip-top until he proves capable of repeating his 2019 level of performance. 5 Jacob deGrom New York Mets SP The back-to-back NL Cy Young winner has become, as you would expect given said hardware, as the best pitcher in the senior circuit. He'll be that again in 2020. 4 Christian Yelich Milwaukee Brewers RF Some of us thought Yelich would regress in his second season with Milwaukee, particularly in terms of home run power. Instead, he was even better on a rate basis than he was in his MVP season of 2018. He's an elite force at the plate who also adds value on the bases. 3 Gerrit Cole New York Yankees SP Cole has been the most dominant pitcher in all of baseball over the last two seasons -- over that span he's struck out 602 batters in 412 ⅔ innings while registering an ERA+ of 164. On Houston's watch he paired his elite stuff with a ramped-up spin rate, and he found a new level. Expect that to continue in the Bronx. 2 Mookie Betts Los Angeles Dodgers CF Thanks to Betts' durability and excellence at the plate, in the field, and on the bases, he can safely be called the best non-Trout player in baseball. Kudos to the Dodgers for taking advantage of the Red Sox's cynical idiocy. 1 Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels CF The reigning AL MVP is still just 28 years of age, and he's already got more than 70 WAR for his career. Until further notice, the top spot (still) belongs to him.

Outraged by that upon which you have just laid eyes? Of course you are! As always, reach out to the author at his personal email address -- hotmail@hotmail.jpg -- with all your complaints.