MLB Network’s Top 100 Players Right Now Entering 2021
As I have done each of the last nine years, I’ll be keeping a running list of the Top 100 Players Right Now as they are revealed on MLB Network, eventually compiling the entire list.
I’ll update this same space as they reveal the remaining entries.
The criteria for the list has changed slightly this season:
- Emphasized stats from the last three (3) seasons (up from two)
- Projected 2021 performance
- Defensive position
- Accolades
- Postseason performance
- Intangibles
PREVIOUS YEARS
Top 100 Players Right Now Entering the 2020 Season
Top 100 Players Right Now Entering 2019
Top 100 Players Entering 2018
Top 100 Entering 2017
Top 100 Entering 2016
Top 100 Entering 2015
Top 100 Entering 2014
Top 100 Entering 2013
Top 100 Entering 2012
As a quick aside, the folks on MLB Network discussed six players as those who “just missed" inclusion in the Top 100 Players Right Now. Among the six were both CORBIN BURNES and BRANDON WOODRUFF of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Here now are the Top 100–1 Players as listed by MLB Network:
100. Randy Arozarena - LF - Tampa Bay Rays
99. Trey Mancini - 1B/OF - Baltimore Orioles
98. J.D. Martinez - DH - Boston Red Sox
97. Giancarlo Stanton - DH - New York Yankees
96. Tyler Glasnow - SP - Tampa Bay Rays
95. JOSH HADER - CL - MILWAUKEE BREWERS
94. Luis Robert - CF - Chicago White Sox
93. Kyle Lewis - CF - Seattle Mariners
92. Austin Meadows - RF/DH - Tampa Bay Rays
91. Byron Buxton - CF - Minnesota Twins
90. Yoan Moncada - 3B - Chicago White Sox
89. Brandon Nimmo - CF - New York Mets
88. Alex Verdugo - CF - Boston Red Sox
87. Joey Gallo - RF - Texas Rangers
86. Sonny Gray - SP - Cincinnati Reds
85. Luis Castillo - SP - Cincinnati Reds
84. Kyle Hendricks - SP - Chicago Cubs
83. Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. - LF - Toronto Blue Jays
82. Salvador Perez - C - Kansas City Royals
81. Willson Contreras - C - Chicago Cubs
80. Blake Snell - SP - San Diego Padres
79. Kenta Maeda - SP - Minnesota Twins
78. Gio Urshela - 3B - New York Yankees
77. Whit Merrifield - RF - Kansas City Royals
76. Charlie Blackmon - RF - Colorado Rockies
75. Lance Lynn - SP - Chicago White Sox
74. Dinelson Lamet - SP - San Diego Padres
73. Marcus Semien - 2B - Toronto Blue Jays
72. Ozzie Albies - 2B - Atlanta Braves
71. Cavan Biggio - 3B - Toronto Blue Jays
70. Max Fried - SP - Atlanta Braves
69. Lucas Giolito - SP - Chicago White Sox
68. Jack Flaherty - SP - St. Louis Cardinals
67. Dominic Smith - 1B/LF - New York Mets
66. Pete Alonso - 1B - New York Mets
65. Rafael Devers - 3B - Boston Red Sox
64. Gleyber Torres - SS - New York Yankees
63. Eugenio Suárez- 3B- Cincinnati Reds
62. Kris Bryant - 3B - Chicago Cubs
61. Javier Báez - SS - Chicago Cubs
60. Stephen Strasburg - SP - Washington Nationals
59. DEVIN WILLIAMS - RP - MILWAUKEE BREWERS
58. Liam Hendriks - CL - Chicago White Sox
57. Bo Bichette - SS - Toronto Blue Jays
56. Carlos Correa - SS - Houston Astros
55. José Altuve - 2B - Houston Astros
54. Eloy Jiménez - LF - Chicago White Sox
53. Brandon Lowe - 2B - Tampa Bay Rays
52. Aaron Nola - SP - Philadelphia Phillies
51. Mike Yastrzemski - RF - San Francisco Giants
50. Will Smith - C - Los Angeles Dodgers
49. Yasmani Grandal - C - Chicago White Sox
48. Ketel Marte - 2B - Arizona Diamondbacks
47. Josh Donaldson - 3B - Minnesota Twins
46. Justin Turner - 3B - Los Angeles Dodgers
45. Max Muncy - 1B - Los Angeles Dodgers
44. Matt Olson - 1B - Oakland Athletics
43. Anthony Rizzo - 1B - Chicago Cubs
42. Nelson Cruz - DH - Minnesota Twins
41. Luke Voit - 1B - New York Yankees
40. Walker Buehler - SP - Los Angeles Dodgers
39. Hyun-Jin Ryu - SP - Toronto Blue Jays
38. Clayton Kershaw - SP - Los Angeles Dodgers
37. Marcell Ozuna - LF - Atlanta Braves
36. Michael Brantley - LF - Houston Astros
35. Jeff McNeil - 2B - New York Mets
34. Michael Conforto - RF - New York Mets
33. J.T. Realmuto - C - Philadelphia Phillies
32. Paul Goldschmidt - 1B - St. Louis Cardinals
31. José Abreu - 1B - Chicago White Sox
30. Yu Darvish - SP - San Diego Padres
29. Trevor Bauer - SP - Los Angeles Dodgers
28. Max Scherzer - SP - Washington Nationals
27. Tim Anderson- SS- Chicago White Sox
26. Trea Turner - SS - Washington Nationals
25. Xander Bogaerts - SS - Boston Red Sox
24. Corey Seager - SS - Los Angeles Dodgers
23. Matt Chapman - 3B - Oakland Athletics
22. Bryce Harper - RF - Philadelphia Phillies
21. Aaron Judge - RF - New York Yankees
20. George Springer - CF - Toronto Blue Jays
19. José Ramírez - 3B - Cleveland Indians
18. Manny Machado - 3B - San Diego Padres
17. Alex Bregman - 3B - Houston Astros
16. Trevor Story - SS - Colorado Rockies
15. Francisco Lindor - SS - New York Mets
14. D.J. LeMahieu - 2B - New York Yankees
13. Nolan Arenado - 3B - St. Louis Cardinals
12. Shane Bieber - SP - Cleveland Indians
11. Gerrit Cole - SP - New York Yankees
10. Cody Bellinger - CF - Los Angeles Dodgers
9. CHRISTIAN YELICH - LF - MILWAUKEE BREWERS
8. Anthony Rendon - 3B - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
7. Ronald Acuña, Jr. - CF - Atlanta Braves
6. Fernando Tatis, Jr. - SS - San Diego Padres
5. Juan Soto - LF - Washington Nationals
4. Freddie Freeman - 1B - Atlanta Braves
3. Jacob deGrom - SP - New York Mets
2. Mookie Betts - RF - Los Angeles Dodgers
- Mike Trout — CF — Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Milwaukee Brewers end up with three (3) players on this Top 100 Players Right Now ranking: Christian Yelich, Devin Williams, Josh Hader
