2018 Positional Top 10: Second Base
Matt Linder
After the top spot, the second base position is wide open. It is currently in a state of transition, as former shoe-ins like Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia are being replaced by younger, unproven players. The current crop of second basemen does not boast a ton of elite talent at the top, but there are quite a few players who just missed the list.
1. Jose Altuve
Altuve is far and away the best second baseman in baseball. He is the reigning AL MVP, thanks to his all-around superstar production. He is a threat on the bases, stealing 30 or more bags six straight season. Also, as the 27-year old has matured as a hitter, his power numbers have skyrocketed. Altuve’s .547 slugging percentage was higher than Kris Bryant last season. Additionally, he combines elite contact skills with an increasingly strong batting eye (.410 OBP in 2017). His defense is good, but not spectacular. However, when you lead the league in hits four consecutive seasons, fielding ability is just gravy.
2. Daniel Murphy
Over Murphy’s first two seasons with the Nationals, he has proven that his fantastic 2015 postseason with the Mets was no fluke. Since 2016, the 33-year old has hit .335/.387/.957 while leading the league in doubles both years. Murphy has battled through some nagging injuries over the past few seasons, which is a concern for 2018, considering he is beginning the season on the DL. While his defense has never been very good, his elite offensive production makes him one of the best second basemen in baseball.
3. Robinson Cano
After a down year by “Cano standards” in 2017, maybe this #3 ranking is slightly high. However, the crop is second basemen is not particularly loaded with high-end talent, so I am going to roll with the future Hall-of-Famer who posted a 7.3 WAR with 39 home runs just two seasons ago.
4. Brian Dozier
The Twins’ second baseman has emerged as one of the most powerful hitters in baseball. Over the past two seasons, Dozier has averaged 38 home runs per year. Also, he improved his OBP to .359 in 2017. In addition to the strong offensive production, Dozier is threat on the bases and does not hurt the team defensively.
5. Jonathan Schoop
Schoop had a breakout season in 2017. He clubbed a career-high 32 home runs, while increasing his OBP to a solid .338. The Orioles’ second basemen finished second among his positional peers with a 5.1 WAR. Schoop is also a strong defender, and at only 26 years old, there is still time to fine-tune his game.
6. Cesar Hernandez
Hernandez has been one of the most underrated players in baseball over the past two seasons. Since 2016, the 27-year old has reached base in over 37% of his plate appearances and hit .294. The Phillies’ second baseman also stole 16 bases in only 128 games last season and is a solid fielder. I expect Hernandez to earn his first All-Star appearance in 2018.
7. D.J. LeMahieu
The Rockies’ second baseman came down to earth in 2017, but still produced at a high level, hitting .310/.374/.409 last season. Although Coors Field might inflate his numbers, LeMahieu’s hard-hit rate of 41.2 percent was still well above the Major League average of 33.3 percent. In addition to the solid offensive production, the 29-year old plays stellar defense.
8. Javier Baez
The Cubs’ second baseman has a ton of potential, but has yet to put it all together. He has good power, hitting 23 home runs in 2017. However, he needs to improve his plate discipline if he wants to take the next step as a player. The 25-year old is a good defender and has all of the tools to breakout in 2018.
9. Ian Kinsler
The first-year Angels’ second baseman is coming off a terrible offensive 2017 season, in which he only hit .236/.313/.412. However, just two years ago, Kinsler finished fourth among his positional peers in WAR (6.1). Despite his struggles with the bat last year, Kinsler remained an elite defender. Also, even though he is 35 years old, there are reasons to believe that last year’s ineffectiveness was at least partially due to bad luck, considering his hard-hit rate stayed consistent from 2016 to 2017.
10. Whit Merrifield
The 28 year old had a breakout season for the Royals last season. Merrifield finished fifth in WAR (3.9) among second basemen, thanks to a strong slash line of .288/.324/.460. He also led the AL in stolen bases with 34. I would not be surprised if he boosted his OBP in 2018 after gaining a full year of experience in the big leagues. It is always risky to judge an older player off of one good season, but there is a lot to like about Merrifield’s game.
Also Considered:
Joe Panik - Giants
Kolten Wong - Cardinals
Neil Walker - Yankees
Ozzie Albies – Braves
Jed Lowrie – A’s
Yolmer Sanchez – White Sox
Scooter Gennett - Reds
**All WAR stats come from Baseball Reference
Please check back again tomorrow for my top 10 third basemen in 2018.
If you have any questions, comments or criticisms feel free to reach out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com
After the top spot, the second base position is wide open. It is currently in a state of transition, as former shoe-ins like Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia are being replaced by younger, unproven players. The current crop of second basemen does not boast a ton of elite talent at the top, but there are quite a few players who just missed the list.
 |
| si.com |
1. Jose Altuve
Altuve is far and away the best second baseman in baseball. He is the reigning AL MVP, thanks to his all-around superstar production. He is a threat on the bases, stealing 30 or more bags six straight season. Also, as the 27-year old has matured as a hitter, his power numbers have skyrocketed. Altuve’s .547 slugging percentage was higher than Kris Bryant last season. Additionally, he combines elite contact skills with an increasingly strong batting eye (.410 OBP in 2017). His defense is good, but not spectacular. However, when you lead the league in hits four consecutive seasons, fielding ability is just gravy.
 |
| Matt Hazlett - Getty Images |
2. Daniel Murphy
Over Murphy’s first two seasons with the Nationals, he has proven that his fantastic 2015 postseason with the Mets was no fluke. Since 2016, the 33-year old has hit .335/.387/.957 while leading the league in doubles both years. Murphy has battled through some nagging injuries over the past few seasons, which is a concern for 2018, considering he is beginning the season on the DL. While his defense has never been very good, his elite offensive production makes him one of the best second basemen in baseball.
 |
| Dean Rutz - The Seattle Times |
3. Robinson Cano
After a down year by “Cano standards” in 2017, maybe this #3 ranking is slightly high. However, the crop is second basemen is not particularly loaded with high-end talent, so I am going to roll with the future Hall-of-Famer who posted a 7.3 WAR with 39 home runs just two seasons ago.
 |
| Bruce Kluckjohn - AP |
4. Brian Dozier
The Twins’ second baseman has emerged as one of the most powerful hitters in baseball. Over the past two seasons, Dozier has averaged 38 home runs per year. Also, he improved his OBP to .359 in 2017. In addition to the strong offensive production, Dozier is threat on the bases and does not hurt the team defensively.
 |
| Mitchell Layton - Getty Images |
5. Jonathan Schoop
Schoop had a breakout season in 2017. He clubbed a career-high 32 home runs, while increasing his OBP to a solid .338. The Orioles’ second basemen finished second among his positional peers with a 5.1 WAR. Schoop is also a strong defender, and at only 26 years old, there is still time to fine-tune his game.
 |
| Bill Streicher - USA TODAY Sports |
6. Cesar Hernandez
Hernandez has been one of the most underrated players in baseball over the past two seasons. Since 2016, the 27-year old has reached base in over 37% of his plate appearances and hit .294. The Phillies’ second baseman also stole 16 bases in only 128 games last season and is a solid fielder. I expect Hernandez to earn his first All-Star appearance in 2018.
 |
| David Zalubowski - Associated Press |
7. D.J. LeMahieu
The Rockies’ second baseman came down to earth in 2017, but still produced at a high level, hitting .310/.374/.409 last season. Although Coors Field might inflate his numbers, LeMahieu’s hard-hit rate of 41.2 percent was still well above the Major League average of 33.3 percent. In addition to the solid offensive production, the 29-year old plays stellar defense.
 |
| Getty Images |
8. Javier Baez
The Cubs’ second baseman has a ton of potential, but has yet to put it all together. He has good power, hitting 23 home runs in 2017. However, he needs to improve his plate discipline if he wants to take the next step as a player. The 25-year old is a good defender and has all of the tools to breakout in 2018.
 |
| latimes.com |
9. Ian Kinsler
The first-year Angels’ second baseman is coming off a terrible offensive 2017 season, in which he only hit .236/.313/.412. However, just two years ago, Kinsler finished fourth among his positional peers in WAR (6.1). Despite his struggles with the bat last year, Kinsler remained an elite defender. Also, even though he is 35 years old, there are reasons to believe that last year’s ineffectiveness was at least partially due to bad luck, considering his hard-hit rate stayed consistent from 2016 to 2017.
 |
| Getty Images |
10. Whit Merrifield
The 28 year old had a breakout season for the Royals last season. Merrifield finished fifth in WAR (3.9) among second basemen, thanks to a strong slash line of .288/.324/.460. He also led the AL in stolen bases with 34. I would not be surprised if he boosted his OBP in 2018 after gaining a full year of experience in the big leagues. It is always risky to judge an older player off of one good season, but there is a lot to like about Merrifield’s game.
Also Considered:
Joe Panik - Giants
Kolten Wong - Cardinals
Neil Walker - Yankees
Ozzie Albies – Braves
Jed Lowrie – A’s
Yolmer Sanchez – White Sox
Scooter Gennett - Reds
**All WAR stats come from Baseball Reference
Please check back again tomorrow for my top 10 third basemen in 2018.
If you have any questions, comments or criticisms feel free to reach out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com
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