TOP 10 RIGHT FIELDERS

Each year the MLB Network presents the "Top 10 Right Now" series, looking at the best players at each position headed into each season. They usually have multiple analysts break down their own top 10's for each position, as well as "The Shredders" top 10. "The Shredder" is the MLB Network's research department algorithm based on player performance, which accounts for both offense and defense. After watching most of these "Top 10 Right Now" and disagreeing with most of the positions, I figured I would give my opinion. I will give "The Shredders" top 10, followed by the hosts Brian Kenny's top 10, another analyst top 10 and then my personal top 10 for each position.

The position that will be looked at is Right Fielders. In little league it always seemed like they put the weakest player on the team in right field, but in Major League Baseball it seems like its always the power hitter with the best arm. How many times have you seen highlights of Jeff Francouer throwing a guy out from right, or Yasiel Puig gunning someone from the wall, or Bryce Harper throwing a guy out at home, then turning around and parking a home run?  Seems like every other game you'll see a highlight from a right fielder. Now right fielders have become major power hitter too. Guys like Harper or Giancarlo Stanton or Nelson Cruz hit over 40 bombs and monster them over the wall.

10. Stephen Piscotty - St. Louis Cardinals. The Pleasanton native and former Stanford graduate rounds out the top 10 for me. In his first full season Piscotty proved he was the 1st round pick the Cardinals hoped for. Last year he led the Cardinals in runs scored and RBI's and even added 22 home runs to his resume. He hits for a high average, plays great defense and produces runs in every way. He's followed the trend of power hitting right fielder with a great arm. 

9. Gregory Polanco - Pittsburgh Pirates. Yet another Pirate goes on the list and Pittsburgh and Boston may the best most athletic outfields in the league. One thing that Polanco has more than Piscotty is the speed and thats the only reason he's ahead in my list. Polanco who swings from the left side, is like Piscotty in almost every way. Great arm, finally hit for power with 22 home runs, mid 80s in RBIs and plays great defense. Polanco has the slight edge when it comes to arm, speed and defense.

8. Jose Bautista - Toronto Blue Jays. I expect Bautista to have a big year after last season injury plagued season. Like Ian Desmond, Bautista came off a contract year where he did not perform at his best. I think age has finally caught up with Bautista as his numbers have declined over the years. 2015 was a great year with power that finally put the Blue Jays back into the playoffs, but his strikeouts have increased, his batting averages continues to decrease and I think he plays subpar defense. But he is still a huge threat at the plate and the reason why he is still in the top 10 for me.

7. J.D. Martinez - Detroit Tigers. Martinez has become a feel good story in Major League Baseball. Struggled for most of his career, being in the minors to now being the Tigers every day right fielder and an All-Star. This guy has scary power in a big ballpark in Detroit and is a good protection for Miguel Cabrera. The only problem with Martinez is he was ranked dead last among right fielders in defense. That hurts his resume and the reason he dropped to 7 for me, where most analysts had him as high as 4.

6. Hunter Pence - San Francisco Giants. I may be a little bias here, but Hunter Pence is a game changer for the San Francisco Giants. I mean he eats hot dogs with ketchup, he eats pizza with a fork, and he whispers sorry when he catches a fly ball. Pence is the most unorthodox and unusual baseball player to watch, but he is really good. The only reason he is further behind on this list is the injury plagued seasons. But once healthy he is one of the games best outfielders. He plays great defense, hits for power, average, has a weird throwing motion but guns down runners on the bases and is a team leader. I think that's one thing that Pence sets apart from most of the guys on this list, that he is the backbone of the team. Bryce Harper can carry the Nationals to the World Series, but is he going to step up in front of 40,000 fans and motivate them that his team is going to win? Haven't seen it. Pence brings all the tools in an unusual way.

5. Nelson Cruz - Seattle Mariners. Cruz has become one of the deadliest power hitters in the game. Not sure how he is hitting so many home runs in Seattle, but since being in the North West he has hit 87 home runs in two seasons. Since leaving Texas in 2013, his power has increased to another level and has made him dangerous at the plate. I don't necessarily consider him a right fielder because his fielding is so bad, and Seattle has him as their Designated Hitter. For that reason the power hitter drops to number 5 for me.

4. Carlos Gonzalez - Colorado Rockies. Did J.D. Martinez and Nelson Cruz have better seasons then CarGo? Possibly. But when I look at the Top right fielders right now, I think of the full game threat. He is a career .291/.347 hitter with 201 home runs in 1,064 games. He is a three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, and a three-time Gold Glove winner in right field. Carlos Gonzalez is a scary good player and makes me wonder what the Athletics were thinking when they traded him for Matt Holliday. Gonzalez is another player who's career has been halted by injuries and it has hurt his numbers, but when he is in the lineup he shows Hall of Fame potential. Plus he has one of the sweetest swings.

3. Giancarlo Stanton - Miami Marlins. When you think of power in baseball, you think of Giancarlo (don't call me Mike) Stanton. It seems like each night we turn on sportscenter, we receive word of yet another Giancarlo Stanton blast that travels over 470 feet. Even with all the missed time he's had over his career, Stanton is sitting on 206 career home runs, which is fourth most through age 26 for a player who debuted after the strike. He also has a career WAR of 27.4 at the age of 26, which is nuts. He is one of the best players of his generation, who ought to have another decade or more in front of him, where Hall of Fame benchmarks like 500 home runs and 60 WAR seem like they're in the ballpark.

2. Bryce Harper - Washington Nationals. The debate will always be who is better, Mike Trout or Bryce Harper? I think Mike Trout has taken that title and ran with it. Harper was the 2015 NL MVP and looked like his career was going to soar after that season. Well... 2016 was a down year for the young slugger. Maybe it's because Harper set the bar so high that we were expecting Barry Bonds to show up every year. I mean he had a 9.1 WAR in 2015, which is crazy. I'm expecting Harper to have a bounce back year and one like his MVP season, but with his decline in 2016, he lands at number two.

1. Mookie Betts - Boston Red Sox. I'm going to reiterate... The Boston Red Sox outfield is stacked!! I thought Mookie Betts was going to become the 2016 AL MVP, but the award went to Trout. Standing at just 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, Betts has one of the quickest swings in the game and is able to do everything on the diamond. When Mookie homers over the Green Monster or makes a sprawling catch near the Pesky Pole, we have an easier time imagining ourselves in his spikes than, Giancarlo Stanton's after a 500-foot home run. Mookie has become one of the most exciting players, and a superstar in this league.

MLB

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Written by

nordbyjordan

Ground Jordan

Baseball advocate and sports nut, I don't have air like Jordan.

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