MLB Network’s Top 100 Players Right Now Heading Into 2012

This is the complete list, 100–1, of the MLB Network’s Top 100 Players “Right Now”.

In other words, if every player was available in a draft prior to the 2012 season, this is the order that they should be selected, according to MLB Network’s ranking system.

The system is built on:

• Emphasized stats from last 3 seasons, weighting 2011
• Projected 2012 performance
• Defensive position
• Intangibles
• Accolades

A total of six (6) Milwaukee Brewers made the list and, as this is a Milwaukee Brewers blog, I have emphasized them accordingly.

So without further adieu, here is the list. My comments follow.

100. Ichiro Suzuki — RF — Seattle Mariners

99. Carl Crawford — LF — Boston Red Sox

98. Stephen Strasburg — SP — Washington Nationals

97. Starlin Castro — SS — Chicago Cubs

96. Chase Utley — 2B — Philadelphia Phillies

95. Michael Morse — 1B/LF — Washington Nationals

94. Michael Bourn — CF — Atlanta Braves

93. Craig Kimbrel — CL — Atlanta Braves

92. Ryan Madson — CL — Cincinnati Reds

91. Shin-Soo Choo — RF — Cleveland Indians

90. Madison Bumgarner — SP — San Francisco Giants

89. Adam Wainwright — SP — St. Louis Cardinals

88. Gio Gonzalez — SP — Washington Nationals

87. Kevin Youkilis — 3B — Boston Red Sox

86. Alex Rodriguez — 3B — New York Yankees

85. Howard Kendrick — 2B — Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

84. Dan Uggla — 2B — Atlanta Braves

83. Rickie Weeks — 2B — Milwaukee Brewers

82. Carlos Beltran — OF — St. Louis Cardinals

81. Ben Zobrist — 2B/OF — Tampa Bay Rays

80. Joe Mauer — C — Minnesota Twins

79. Carlos Santana — C — Cleveland Indians

78. Heath Bell — CL — Miami Marlins

77. John Axford — CL -Milwaukee Brewers

76. Brian Wilson — CL — San Francisco Giants

75. Jhonny Peralta — SS — Detroit Tigers

74. Brett Lawrie — 3B — Toronto Blue Jays

73. Eric Hosmer — 1B — Kansas City Royals

72. Yovani Gallardo — SP — Milwaukee Brewers

71. Tim Hudson — SP — Atlanta Braves

70. Adam Jones — CF — Baltimore Orioles

69. Alex Gordon — LF — Kansas City Royals

68. Cole Hamels — SP — Philadelphia Phillies

67. David Freese — 3B — St. Louis Cardinals

66. Aramis Ramirez — 3B — Milwaukee Brewers

65. Ricky Romero — SP — Toronto Blue Jays

64. Zack Greinke — SP — Milwaukee Brewers

63. David Price — SP — Tampa Bay Rays

62. Jose Valverde — CL — Detroit Tigers

61. Jonathan Papelbon — CL — Philadelphia Phillies

60. Buster Posey — C — San Francisco Giants

59. Ryan Howard — 1B — Philadelphia Phillies

58. Shane Victorino — CF — Philadelphia Phillies

57. Josh Beckett — SP — Boston Red Sox

56. Chris Carpenter — SP — St. Louis Cardinals

55. Mark Teixeira — 1B — New York Yankees

54. Carlos Gonzalez — OF — Colorado Rockies

53. David Ortiz — DH — Boston Red Sox

52. Derek Jeter — SS — New York Yankees

51. Lance Berkman — 1B — St. Louis Cardinals

50. Jon Lester — SP — Boston Red Sox

49. Ian Kennedy — SP — Arizona Diamondbacks

48. Miguel Montero — C — Arizona Diamondbacks

47. Brian McCann — C — Atlanta Braves

46. Matt Cain — SP — San Francisco Giants

45. James Shields — SP — Tampa Bay Rays

44. Pablo Sandoval — 3B — San Francisco Giants

43. Matt Holliday — LF — St. Louis Cardinals

42. Andrew McCutchen — CF — Pittsburgh Pirates

41. Giancarlo “Mike” Stanton — RF — Miami Marlins

40. Brandon Phillips — 2B — Cincinnati Reds

39. Alex Avila — C — Detroit Tigers

38. Yadier Molina — C — St. Louis Cardinals

37. Dan Haren — SP — Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

36. Hunter Pence — RF — Philadelphia Phillies

35. Nelson Cruz — RF — Texas Rangers

34. Mike Napoli — C — Texas Rangers

33. Paul Konerko — 1B — Chicago White Sox

32. Asdrubal Cabrera — SS — Cleveland Indians

31. Ian Kinsler — 2B — Texas Rangers

30. Josh Hamilton — LF — Texas Rangers

29. Michael Young — UTIL — Texas Rangers

28. Justin Upton — RF Arizona Diamondbacks

27. Mariano Rivera — CL — New York Yankees

26. CC Sabathia — SP — New York Yankees

25. Jose Reyes — SS — Miami Marlins

24. Hanley Ramirez — 3B — Miami Marlins

23. Curtis Granderson — CF — New York Yankees

22. Ryan Zimmerman — 3B — Washington Nationals

21. Evan Longoria — 3B — Tampa Bay Rays

20. Felix Hernandez — SP — Seattle Mariners

19. Tim Lincecum — SP — San Francisco Giants

18. Cliff Lee — SP — Philadelphia Phillies

17. Jacoby Ellsbury — CF — Boston Red Sox

16. Adrian Beltre — 3B — Texas Rangers

15. Joey Votto — 1B — Cincinnati Reds

14. Adrian Gonzalez — 1B — Boston Red Sox

13. Jered Weaver — SP — Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

12. Dustin Pedroia — 2B — Boston Red Sox

11. Albert Pujols — 1B — Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

10. Prince Fielder — 1B — Detroit Tigers

9. Ryan Braun — LF — Milwaukee Brewers

8. Robinson Cano — 2B — New York Yankees

7. Roy Halladay — SP — Philadelphia Phillies

6. Jose Bautista — RF — Toronto Blue Jays

5. Clayton Kershaw — SP — Los Angeles Dodgers

4. Troy Tulowitzki — SS — Colorado Rockies

3. Miguel Cabrera — 3B — Detroit Tigers

2. Justin Verlander — SP — Detroit Tigers

1. Matt Kemp — CF — Los Angeles Dodgers

— -

My main comment is that while I realize that this show was obviously recorded prior to the announcement that Ryan Braun won his appeal of a 50-game suspension, based on their composite criteria there should be no way he’s ninth best on this list. He’d absolutely be higher, maybe as high as three on my personal list and no lower than four.

I want to hear from you on this one!

What is your biggest complaint with the rankings? Who should be higher? Who should be lower?