In the spirit of MLB Network’s “Top 10 Right Now” positional rankings that appear every offseason, I have decided to embark on my own journey to rank the best players at each position. These rankings fluctuate year-to-year and people’s subjective views on positional rankings can lead to many disagreements and much debate but this activity is always fun.
I’ll navigate my way through each position, moving next to the best left fielders right now. Prior to each write-up, I will explain my methodology to give readers an understanding of where I’m coming from. For each position, I’m looking at a wide range of factors, including recent success, track records, trends, age, injury history, etc. You can find my other top 10 lists below.
In regards to my left fielder rankings I will list here, the most important factors I am looking at are recent success, track record, age and offensive value. Left field is near the bottom of the spectrum for defensive importance, meaning higher levels of offense are more valued at this position. Left field was a bit tough to rank given the amount of guys who have played left field in the past but have moved positions (Christian Yelich, Michael Conforto, Starling Marte) or may play elsewhere in 2020 (Brett Gardner, Giancarlo Stanton). This meant the list got thin really quick and this is clearly one of the weaker positions in the game right now.
Listed below each left fielder is their Fangraphs version of Wins Above Replacement (fWAR) from 2019 along with their positional raking, their three-year stretch of fWAR from 2017 to 2019, their 2020 Steamer WAR projection and their age. These four tidbits give us a good idea not only about recent success but also help project what they may do in the upcoming seasons.
*Kudos to the YouTube Channels “MVPLF” , Nicks Highlights and MLB for providing highlights on each player that I utilized in these rankings. Also a special shoutout to Fangraphs and Baseball Reference for the numbers provided.*
1. Juan Soto (WAS)
- 2019 fWAR: 4.8 (first)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 8.5 (sixth)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 4.8 (first)
- Age: 21
Soto is far and away the best player at this position right now and it’s not particularly close. The young phenom has been the best player at the position since he debuted in 2018, hitting .287/.403/.535 with a 143 wRC+ and 8.5 WAR in 266 MLB games. The fact that he did this in his age 19-20 seasons just adds more to his resume as the best at the position.
Soto is an electric player all the way around with the flair that made him a hit in the Nationals World Series title run. Soto combines monstrous power to all fields (56 career home runs) with an absurdly good eye at the plate (16.2 walk percent). Even more encouraging is the fact that Soto turned his weak defense in 2018 into a strength in 2019. After ranking 182nd in Statcast’s Outs Above Average (-6) in 2018, he ranked 20th (+6) in OOA in 2019.
“Childish Bambino” is one of the most promising young players in all of baseball and has kickstarted what looks like a Hall of Fame career. With the loss of Anthony Rendon to the Angels, Soto will be the best Nationals position player moving forward.
2. Tommy Pham (SD)
- 2019 fWAR: 3.3 (third)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 13.6 (first)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 3.2 (second)
- Age: 31
Pham will find himself on this third team as many years following his trade to the Padres for Hunter Renfroe and a slap dick prospect. Even though he’ll turn 32 before Opening Day in 2020, it’s puzzling that the player who leads the position in WAR over the past three years has moved around so much. Pham is your perfect example of a guy whose not great at any one thing but is good in many areas.
Over the last three years, Pham has hit .284/.381/.475 with a 132 wRC+, 65 home runs and 65 stolen bases. Pham’s defensive metrics took a hit last year (minus 11 OOA) but his track record defensively had been strong until this point. Even with the down year defensively, he made up for it with his 121 wRC+ and his second 20 HR/20 SB season in the past three years.
Pham will be a mighty fine addition to a Padres team that could use some more bats to supplement Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Pham’s career is definitely an anomaly but there’s no doubting that this is a high-quality player.
3. Michael Brantley (HOU)
- 2019 fWAR: 4.2 (second)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 9.2 (third)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 2.7 (seventh)
- Age: 32
Brantley added even more depth and a left-handed presence to an Astros team that nearly won its’ second World Series in three years. After years of providing superb production in Cleveland, Brantley’s first year in Houston was no different when he hit .311/.372/.503 with 4.2 WAR in 148 games.
Brantley continued to do what he’s always done: control the strike zone (0.77 BB/K) and hit for some power (career-high 22 home runs). His defense was poor once again in 2019, an issue that led him to being lifted late in games for defensive replacements throughout the year. Still, Brantley is one of the more professional hitters in baseball and he’s put together two straight healthy years after having abysmal luck from 2016-2017.
At 32 years old, Brantley may have to make a move to designated hitter at some point soon but his offense still makes him one of the best left fielders in baseball.
4. Joey Gallo (TEX)
- 2019 fWAR: 3.6 (t-third)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 8.6 (fourth)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 3.2 (third)
- Age: 26
Is there a player who better encapsulates this era of three true outcomes (home runs, strikeouts and walks)? 59.27 percent of Gallo’s 1559 plate appearances have ended in either a home run, strikeout or walk. There’s a perception (mainly among the old school crowd) that a guy with a career .212 batting average and 38 percent strikeout rate is bad but Gallo has been plenty valuable.
Standing at 6’5″ and 235 lbs, Gallo is one of the strongest dudes in all of baseball and routinely ranks near the top of the league in average exit velocity, barrels and home run distance. Gallo also made drastic improvements in an injury-shortened 2019 season, cutting down on his swing percentage, upping his walk rate and setting career highs in batting average (.253), on-base percentage (.389), slugging percentage (.598) and wRC+ (144).
Gallo’s improvements in 2019 came in just a 70 game sample and it’ll be interesting to see if he can repeat this over a full season. Gallo’s contact issues will always limit his overall ceiling but given his sheer power, solid walk rates and athletic ability to handle left field, he should be a very solid everyday player.
5. Marcell Ozuna (FA)
- 2019 fWAR: 2.6 (t-seventh)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 10.4 (second)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 3.1 (fourth)
- Age: 29
Ozuna was certainly a quality player in his two years in St. Louis, hitting .263/.327/.452 with a 108 wRC+ and 5.4 WAR. It likely felt like a bit of a disappointment to the Cardinals, however, who probably wanted more of the 2017 Marlins version, when Ozuna hit .312/.376/.548 with 5 WAR.
Ozuna is a bit of a polarizing player as a guy who shows only one real plus tool: his ability to hit the snot out of baseballs. Ozuna’s exit velocities are continuously near the top of the league and he’s blasted 89 home runs over the last three years. His ability to crush baseballs and his durability (average 143 games a year since 2014) makes him a solid everyday player.
It’ll be interesting to see how teams value him on the free agent market given his age and the fact that there may be some untapped potential here.
6. Andrew Benintendi (BOS)
- 2019 fWAR: 2.0 (12th)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 8.4 (sixth)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 2.6 (eighth)
- Age: 25
Benintendi was viewed as a potential cornerstone player in Boston but he’s instead turned into a league average regular rather than a star. Through his first 2052 plate appearances, Benintendi has a 109 wRC+ to go with his below average defense. There’s certainly nothing wrong with this type of production but many people are expecting a bit more out of him.
After breaking out in 2018 (122 wRC+ and 4.4 WAR) in Boston’s title season, Benintendi fell off in a big way last year, posting a 100 wRC+ and 2 WAR. The decline was a bit concerning given his walk rate and strikeout rate went in a negative direction and his defensive numbers were abysmal (minus 10 OOA).
Benintendi is only 25, has strong prospect and college pedigree and is one year removed from a great season so not all is lost. For now, he’s roughly a league average regular with the potential to blossom into something more.
7. Joc Pederson (LAD)
- 2019 fWAR: 3 (sixth)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 6.4 (11th)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 3 (t-fifth)
- Age: 27
Pederson has been an underrated cog in the Dodgers machine over recent years, posting 2.7+ WAR in four of his five full MLB seasons. 2019 was another strong season where Pederson hit a career high 36 home runs and hit .249/.339/.538 in 149 games. In four of his five seasons, Pederson has hit 25+ home runs and posted a wRC+ of 116 or better.
Some changes to Pederson’s game (and position) have led him to being a steady regular in Los Angeles. A move to left field has alleviated some defensive concerns and led to positive defensive metrics in 2019 (+3 OOA). At the plate, Pederson has started swinging a lot more, leading to less walks but less strikeouts in the process. The tradeoff at the plate has been minimal but he’s been plenty productive nonetheless.
Pederson’s extreme splits make him unplayable against left-handed pitchers (career 57 wRC+) but he’s crushed righties (131 wRC+) en route to a steady role with the Dodgers.
8. Kyle Schwarber (CHC)
- 2019 fWAR: 2.6 (t-seventh)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 7.4 (ninth)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 3 (t-fifth)
- Age: 26
Schwarber has somehow managed to stay productive in left field despite a glove that is routinely near the bottom of the league (minus 26 Outs Above Average the past three years). Schwarber’s career .235/.339/.490 line might be a notch below what he was projected to do but it’s still enough for him to carve out a role.
Schwarber’s swing-and-miss in his game ( career 27.9 percent strikeout rate) is partially offset by his healthy walk rate (13 percent) and power (110 home runs). It’s not quite enough to overcome his poor defense and be a great player but he’s settled in as a solid everyday regular. Realistically, Schwarber would be better suited for a team that is in the American League or doesn’t employ Antony Rizzo so he could get reps at first base and designated hitter.
9. Bryan Reynolds (PIT)
- 2019 fWAR: 3.3 (t-fourth)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 3.3 (16th)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 2.0 (12th)
- Age: 24
Reynolds had a strong rookie season and was one of the relative bright spots in a forgettable year in Pittsburgh. Reynolds finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year Award voting thanks to a .313/.377/.503 line, 131 wRC+ and 3.2 WAR.
Reynolds was viewed more as a fringe regular or platoon piece coming into 2019 but the MLB success continued a trend of sheer production. His lowest wRC+ at any minor league stop was 122 so it’s fair to wonder if Reynolds is just possibly better than anticipated. Reynolds looks like he could settle in as a solid league average player in Pittsburgh.
10. David Peralta (ARI)
- 2019 fWAR: 1.7 (17th)
- 2017-2019 fWAR: 7.4 (ninth)
- 2020 Steamer WAR Projection: 2.1 (11th)
- Age: 32
This last spot was really up for grabs but Peralta grabbed it based on his track record. Peralta dealt with a bevy of injuries that ended his season in August last year but he was still fairly productive, posting a 107 wRC+ and 1.7 WAR in 99 games. Based on his past three years and his projection for 2020, he seems like the perfect fringe candidate to make this list and bounce back some.
Peralta’s results have been a bit hit-or-miss, alternating some very good seasons (3.9 WAR in 2015 and 2018) with average-ish seasons, including two seasons under 2 WAR in the past three years. Peralta combines above-average production with average defense and durability concerns, essentially making him a league average everyday regular.
Just missed the list
- Eloy Jimenez (116 wRC+ as rookie; could easily make list next year)
- Eddie Rosario (.300 OBP and minus 17 OAA in 2019 knocked him off list)
- Justin Upton (Injury-riddled 2019 season with only 63 games and -0.2 WAR; good bounce back candidate)
- Khris Davis (Abysmal -1.0 WAR season after three straight 40+ HR campaigns)
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