This article is part of our RotoWire Roundtable series.
It's around this time of year that people always seem to forget just how long the baseball season is. Baseball has twice as many regular season games as hockey and basketball, and ten times as many as football. The baseball season starts in the beginning of March and wraps in the end of September. It's long.
It's for this reason we've decided to put out a mid-season top 200 list - a guide to help you a) realize there's still a lot of baseball to be played and b) separate what's happened in the first 81 games from what we expect to happen in the last 81 games. As the saying goes, past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
You'll notice a fair amount of variation on the list to follow - much more so than in our pre-season rankings. Mid-season rankings are notoriously hard to do because you have to forecast both on overall player skill sets and the season that is already unfolding. That's why you'll see wide spreads, like we have below on Alejandro De Aza or Domonic Brown. These rankings were assembled for 12-team, 5x5 mixed leagues that start two catchers per team (thus there is a positional scarcity component added for catchers). We used five rankers: Jeff Erickson, Derek VanRiper, Michael Rusignola, Kevin Payne and Jason Collette. The rankings were provided completely blinded - none of the rankers saw any of the
It's around this time of year that people always seem to forget just how long the baseball season is. Baseball has twice as many regular season games as hockey and basketball, and ten times as many as football. The baseball season starts in the beginning of March and wraps in the end of September. It's long.
It's for this reason we've decided to put out a mid-season top 200 list - a guide to help you a) realize there's still a lot of baseball to be played and b) separate what's happened in the first 81 games from what we expect to happen in the last 81 games. As the saying goes, past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
You'll notice a fair amount of variation on the list to follow - much more so than in our pre-season rankings. Mid-season rankings are notoriously hard to do because you have to forecast both on overall player skill sets and the season that is already unfolding. That's why you'll see wide spreads, like we have below on Alejandro De Aza or Domonic Brown. These rankings were assembled for 12-team, 5x5 mixed leagues that start two catchers per team (thus there is a positional scarcity component added for catchers). We used five rankers: Jeff Erickson, Derek VanRiper, Michael Rusignola, Kevin Payne and Jason Collette. The rankings were provided completely blinded - none of the rankers saw any of the other rankings before the publication of this article.
And on with...
The List
Rank | Full Name | Pos | Erickson | VanRiper | Rusignola | Payne | Collette | Median |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Miguel Cabrera | 3B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
2 | Mike Trout | OF | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
3 | Carlos Gonzalez | OF | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 3 |
4 | Chris Davis | 1B | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
5 | Paul Goldschmidt | 1B | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 5 |
6 | Robinson Cano | 2B | 4 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 25 | 7 |
7 | Clayton Kershaw | SP | 6 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
8 | Joey Votto | 1B | 10 | 8 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 10 |
9 | Yasiel Puig | OF | 41 | 42 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
10 | Andrew McCutchen | OF | 11 | 10 | 22 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
11 | Yu Darvish | SP | 21 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 46 | 11 |
12 | Jose Bautista | OF | 9 | 18 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 |
13 | Prince Fielder | 1B | 16 | 9 | 28 | 13 | 5 | 13 |
14 | Edwin Encarnacion | 1B | 13 | 14 | 14 | 19 | 20 | 14 |
15 | Adam Jones | OF | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 48 | 15 |
16 | Jason Kipnis | 2B | 14 | 29 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 |
17 | David Wright | 3B | 12 | 15 | 19 | 27 | 17 | 17 |
18 | Giancarlo Stanton | OF | 20 | 16 | 73 | 15 | 172 | 20 |
19 | Jean Segura | SS | 17 | 22 | 31 | 6 | 30 | 22 |
20 | Evan Longoria | 3B | 22 | 6 | 30 | 18 | 34 | 22 |
21 | Stephen Strasburg | SP | 23 | 23 | 39 | 20 | 35 | 23 |
22 | Adrian Beltre | 3B | 18 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 73 | 23 |
23 | Albert Pujols | 1B | 48 | 25 | 26 | 39 | 4 | 26 |
24 | Jacoby Ellsbury | OF | 26 | 51 | 17 | 34 | 18 | 26 |
25 | Buster Posey | C | 27 | 38 | 32 | 24 | 14 | 27 |
26 | Matt Harvey | SP | 35 | 24 | 8 | 28 | 77 | 28 |
27 | Cliff Lee | SP | 31 | 39 | 9 | 44 | 26 | 31 |
28 | Jay Bruce | OF | 28 | 31 | 48 | 29 | 99 | 31 |
29 | Bryce Harper | OF | 8 | 17 | 44 | 32 | 43 | 32 |
30 | Jose Reyes | SS | 37 | 26 | 25 | 75 | 32 | 32 |
31 | Dustin Pedroia | 2B | 24 | 33 | 33 | 26 | 38 | 33 |
32 | Carlos Gomez | OF | 49 | 27 | 43 | 33 | 24 | 33 |
33 | Felix Hernandez | SP | 34 | 30 | 50 | 37 | 21 | 34 |
34 | Max Scherzer | SP | 30 | 20 | 34 | 51 | 72 | 34 |
35 | Justin Upton | OF | 19 | 28 | 53 | 36 | 49 | 36 |
36 | Yadier Molina | C | 33 | 35 | 37 | 48 | 82 | 37 |
37 | Adam Wainwright | SP | 25 | 19 | 40 | 41 | 78 | 40 |
38 | Hanley Ramirez | SS | 38 | 43 | 10 | NR | 190 | 43 |
39 | Ian Kinsler | 2B | 97 | 44 | 41 | 35 | 53 | 44 |
40 | Craig Kimbrel | CL | 56 | 36 | 60 | 45 | 15 | 45 |
41 | Joe Mauer | C | 46 | 59 | 20 | 55 | 8 | 46 |
42 | Allen Craig | 1B | 29 | 46 | 52 | 30 | 60 | 46 |
43 | Justin Verlander | SP | 47 | 55 | 46 | 71 | 33 | 47 |
44 | Shelby Miller | SP | 74 | 48 | 45 | 46 | 199 | 48 |
45 | Troy Tulowitzki | SS | 45 | 49 | 55 | 25 | 90 | 49 |
46 | Everth Cabrera | SS | 42 | 45 | 49 | 141 | 107 | 49 |
47 | Madison Bumgarner | SP | 50 | 40 | 47 | 80 | 102 | 50 |
48 | Matt Holliday | OF | 40 | 57 | 51 | 56 | 39 | 51 |
49 | Chris Sale | SP | 53 | 47 | 38 | 63 | 51 | 51 |
50 | Brandon Phillips | 2B | 32 | 68 | 58 | 21 | 52 | 52 |
51 | Matt Kemp | OF | 52 | 84 | 18 | 38 | 84 | 52 |
52 | Adrian Gonzalez | 1B | 39 | 67 | 54 | 60 | 23 | 54 |
53 | Alex Rios | OF | 54 | 73 | 65 | 53 | 45 | 54 |
54 | David Ortiz | DH | 57 | 32 | 27 | 82 | 157 | 57 |
55 | Shin-Soo Choo | OF | 78 | 58 | 91 | 54 | 28 | 58 |
56 | Nelson Cruz | OF | 59 | 65 | 59 | 61 | 47 | 59 |
57 | Yoenis Cespedes | OF | 66 | 61 | 24 | 62 | 40 | 61 |
58 | Ian Desmond | SS | 75 | 53 | 86 | 43 | 61 | 61 |
59 | Ryan Zimmerman | 3B | 44 | 62 | 80 | 47 | 121 | 62 |
60 | Matt Cain | SP | 62 | 54 | 94 | 90 | 55 | 62 |
61 | Starling Marte | OF | 71 | 63 | 62 | 31 | 76 | 63 |
62 | Wilin Rosario | C | 63 | 93 | 99 | 59 | 63 | 63 |
63 | Domonic Brown | OF | 51 | 64 | 69 | 22 | NR | 64 |
64 | Ryan Braun | OF | 65 | 69 | 42 | 40 | 134 | 65 |
65 | Freddie Freeman | 1B | 43 | 34 | 82 | 67 | 179 | 67 |
66 | Aroldis Chapman | CL | 73 | 37 | 83 | 52 | 68 | 68 |
67 | Carlos Santana | C | 68 | 50 | 68 | 87 | 62 | 68 |
68 | Carlos Beltran | OF | 58 | 95 | 35 | 68 | 81 | 68 |
69 | Mark Trumbo | OF | 81 | 52 | 70 | 50 | 70 | 70 |
70 | Jordan Zimmermann | SP | 67 | 71 | 29 | 70 | 96 | 70 |
71 | Mike Napoli | C | 101 | 107 | 36 | 73 | 13 | 73 |
72 | Alex Gordon | OF | 55 | 74 | 64 | 101 | 74 | 74 |
73 | Josh Donaldson | 3B | 64 | 108 | 72 | 74 | 167 | 74 |
74 | Anthony Rizzo | 1B | 69 | 75 | 150 | NR | 42 | 75 |
75 | Aaron Hill | 2B | 140 | 66 | 74 | 76 | 140 | 76 |
76 | Manny Machado | 3B | 36 | 83 | 77 | 42 | 152 | 77 |
77 | Jason Grilli | CL | 77 | 77 | 89 | 64 | 86 | 77 |
78 | Michael Cuddyer | OF | 70 | 78 | 56 | 98 | 115 | 78 |
79 | Desmond Jennings | OF | 76 | 110 | 78 | 72 | 88 | 78 |
80 | Hisashi Iwakuma | SP | 79 | 91 | 66 | 58 | 125 | 79 |
81 | Mat Latos | SP | 61 | 80 | 90 | 108 | 67 | 80 |
82 | Hunter Pence | OF | 88 | 79 | 61 | 81 | 129 | 81 |
83 | Dexter Fowler | OF | 82 | 109 | 115 | 57 | 29 | 82 |
84 | Jason Heyward | OF | 83 | 41 | NR | 78 | 106 | 83 |
85 | Josh Hamilton | OF | 99 | 137 | 71 | 85 | 58 | 85 |
86 | Gio Gonzalez | SP | 72 | 82 | 85 | 100 | 137 | 85 |
87 | Ben Zobrist | 2B | 115 | 112 | 75 | 88 | 75 | 88 |
88 | Mariano Rivera | CL | 104 | 60 | 140 | 89 | 44 | 89 |
89 | Michael Bourn | OF | 90 | 121 | 81 | 115 | 36 | 90 |
90 | Coco Crisp | OF | 95 | 123 | 63 | 91 | 87 | 91 |
91 | Cole Hamels | SP | 93 | 56 | 116 | 117 | 57 | 93 |
92 | Kenley Jansen | CL | 130 | 76 | 87 | 94 | 93 | 93 |
93 | Billy Butler | 1B | 86 | 94 | 112 | 79 | 95 | 94 |
94 | David Price | SP | 60 | 81 | 200 | 96 | 101 | 96 |
95 | Aramis Ramirez | 3B | 96 | 96 | 111 | 69 | 186 | 96 |
96 | Jeff Samardzija | SP | 126 | 92 | 96 | 92 | NR | 96 |
97 | Howie Kendrick | 2B | 80 | 97 | 92 | 124 | 123 | 97 |
98 | Jose Altuve | 2B | 111 | 98 | 100 | 65 | 56 | 98 |
99 | Joe Nathan | CL | 87 | 104 | 118 | 99 | 66 | 99 |
100 | Austin Jackson | OF | 92 | 100 | 57 | 107 | 128 | 100 |
101 | Alejandro De Aza | OF | 118 | NR | 67 | 102 | 27 | 102 |
102 | CC Sabathia | SP | 89 | 102 | 120 | NR | 31 | 102 |
103 | Matt Carpenter | 3B | 102 | 85 | 122 | 93 | NR | 102 |
104 | Jered Weaver | SP | 91 | 124 | 103 | 111 | 50 | 103 |
105 | Sergio Romo | CL | 109 | 88 | 104 | 139 | 79 | 104 |
106 | Starlin Castro | SS | 84 | 87 | 187 | 104 | 159 | 104 |
107 | Jonathan Papelbon | CL | 106 | 89 | 127 | 135 | 37 | 106 |
108 | James Shields | SP | 107 | 70 | 76 | 113 | 124 | 107 |
109 | Mike Minor | SP | 85 | 114 | 102 | 110 | 127 | 110 |
110 | Chase Utley | 2B | 113 | 111 | 126 | 84 | 98 | 111 |
111 | Elvis Andrus | SS | 114 | 86 | 95 | 112 | 146 | 112 |
112 | Pablo Sandoval | 3B | 108 | 119 | 117 | 109 | 131 | 117 |
113 | Edward Mujica | CL | 116 | 118 | 139 | 164 | 83 | 118 |
114 | Brian McCann | C | 119 | 130 | NR | 95 | 97 | 119 |
115 | Brett Gardner | OF | 154 | 122 | 110 | 136 | 6 | 122 |
116 | Johnny Cueto | SP | 167 | 72 | 121 | 122 | NR | 122 |
117 | Torii Hunter | OF | 134 | 163 | 79 | 123 | 89 | 123 |
118 | Kyle Seager | 3B | 123 | 128 | 109 | 83 | NR | 123 |
119 | Rafael Soriano | CL | 124 | 105 | 171 | 144 | 65 | 124 |
120 | Kris Medlen | SP | 103 | 146 | 124 | 116 | 139 | 124 |
121 | Greg Holland | CL | 125 | 132 | 133 | 77 | 122 | 125 |
122 | Salvador Perez | C | 182 | 148 | 101 | 114 | 126 | 126 |
123 | Addison Reed | CL | 143 | 103 | NR | 126 | 69 | 126 |
124 | Asdrubal Cabrera | SS | 112 | 127 | 84 | 138 | 145 | 127 |
125 | Zack Greinke | SP | 127 | 125 | 198 | 169 | 54 | 127 |
126 | Nick Markakis | OF | 128 | 99 | 108 | 142 | 148 | 128 |
127 | Adam LaRoche | 1B | NR | 90 | 128 | 118 | 156 | 128 |
128 | Matt Wieters | C | 139 | 129 | 130 | 105 | 80 | 129 |
129 | Glen Perkins | CL | 158 | 131 | 141 | 125 | 104 | 131 |
130 | Jimmy Rollins | SS | 131 | 140 | NR | 97 | 64 | 131 |
131 | Patrick Corbin | SP | 146 | 115 | 134 | 86 | 197 | 134 |
132 | Homer Bailey | SP | 121 | 134 | 169 | 133 | 196 | 134 |
133 | Daniel Murphy | 2B | NR | 113 | 125 | 134 | NR | 134 |
134 | Hiroki Kuroda | SP | 135 | 126 | 106 | 165 | 181 | 135 |
135 | Shane Victorino | OF | 136 | NR | 113 | 130 | 138 | 136 |
136 | Grant Balfour | CL | 153 | 133 | 137 | 161 | 94 | 137 |
137 | Pedro Alvarez | 3B | 94 | 141 | 145 | 49 | 164 | 141 |
138 | Lance Lynn | SP | 98 | 145 | 142 | 103 | 175 | 142 |
139 | Ryan Howard | 1B | 145 | 142 | 164 | 128 | 111 | 142 |
140 | Jonathan Lucroy | C | 142 | 143 | 152 | 168 | 117 | 143 |
141 | Chase Headley | 3B | 105 | 144 | 149 | 66 | 160 | 144 |
142 | Ervin Santana | SP | 188 | 101 | 119 | 146 | NR | 146 |
143 | Jose Fernandez | SP | 120 | 158 | 147 | 121 | 161 | 147 |
144 | Hyun-Jin Ryu | SP | 138 | 147 | 93 | 160 | 198 | 147 |
145 | J.P. Arencibia | C | 148 | NR | 196 | 131 | 92 | 148 |
146 | Anibal Sanchez | SP | 186 | 150 | 97 | 120 | NR | 150 |
147 | Alexei Ramirez | SS | 132 | NR | 165 | 150 | 114 | 150 |
148 | Kendrys Morales | 1B | 129 | 160 | 156 | 151 | 150 | 151 |
149 | Norichika Aoki | OF | 141 | 152 | 174 | 152 | 41 | 152 |
150 | Matt Moore | SP | 100 | 153 | NR | 106 | 171 | 153 |
151 | Miguel Montero | C | 151 | 169 | 154 | NR | 100 | 154 |
152 | Yovani Gallardo | SP | NR | 154 | 175 | 155 | 120 | 155 |
153 | J.J. Hardy | SS | 163 | 156 | 135 | 119 | 170 | 156 |
154 | Victor Martinez | C | 147 | 183 | 157 | NR | 91 | 157 |
155 | Eric Hosmer | 1B | 157 | NR | 155 | 182 | 85 | 157 |
156 | Doug Fister | SP | 159 | 135 | 107 | NR | 168 | 159 |
157 | Jim Johnson | CL | 161 | 155 | NR | NR | 108 | 161 |
158 | Matt Joyce | OF | NR | 161 | 123 | 147 | NR | 161 |
159 | Justin Morneau | 1B | 133 | 172 | 163 | 156 | 163 | 163 |
160 | Justin Masterson | SP | 137 | 165 | 181 | 140 | 185 | 165 |
161 | Clay Buchholz | SP | 156 | 166 | 98 | 185 | NR | 166 |
162 | Adam Lind | 1B | 181 | 106 | 131 | 167 | NR | 167 |
163 | Nick Swisher | OF | 168 | 120 | 146 | 188 | 174 | 168 |
164 | Nate McLouth | OF | 169 | NR | 159 | NR | 105 | 169 |
165 | Mark Reynolds | 1B | 110 | NR | 170 | 149 | NR | 170 |
166 | Wil Myers | OF | 171 | 149 | 132 | 171 | NR | 171 |
167 | Derek Holland | SP | 172 | 116 | NR | 148 | NR | 172 |
168 | Erick Aybar | SS | 173 | NR | 138 | NR | 173 | 173 |
169 | R.A. Dickey | SP | 122 | 174 | NR | 163 | NR | 174 |
170 | Francisco Liriano | SP | 175 | 159 | NR | NR | 130 | 175 |
171 | David Freese | 3B | 176 | 176 | 193 | 145 | NR | 176 |
172 | Jayson Werth | OF | 166 | NR | NR | 127 | 177 | 177 |
173 | A.J. Burnett | SP | 155 | 157 | NR | 177 | NR | 177 |
174 | Koji Uehara | CL | 179 | 117 | 129 | 178 | NR | 178 |
175 | B.J. Upton | OF | NR | 173 | NR | 179 | 112 | 179 |
176 | Josh Willingham | OF | NR | NR | 88 | 181 | 109 | 181 |
177 | Jed Lowrie | SS | NR | 136 | 183 | 158 | NR | 183 |
178 | A.J. Pierzynski | C | 165 | NR | 143 | NR | 183 | 183 |
179 | C.J. Wilson | SP | 152 | 189 | 190 | 184 | 151 | 184 |
180 | Todd Frazier | 3B | 185 | 186 | NR | 172 | 165 | 185 |
181 | John Lackey | SP | 164 | NR | NR | 187 | 158 | 187 |
182 | Adam Dunn | 1B | 144 | NR | 188 | 200 | 144 | 188 |
183 | Huston Street | CL | 178 | 188 | NR | NR | 133 | 188 |
184 | Carl Crawford | OF | 198 | 139 | 148 | 189 | NR | 189 |
185 | Matt Garza | SP | 189 | NR | 189 | NR | 143 | 189 |
186 | Mike Morse | OF | NR | NR | 186 | 159 | 189 | 189 |
187 | Curtis Granderson | OF | NR | 138 | 105 | 190 | NR | 190 |
188 | Casey Janssen | CL | 190 | NR | 160 | NR | 119 | 190 |
189 | Paul Konerko | 1B | 191 | 199 | 199 | 183 | 59 | 191 |
190 | Jhonny Peralta | SS | 200 | 151 | 144 | 191 | NR | 191 |
191 | Mitch Moreland | 1B | NR | 191 | 173 | 143 | NR | 191 |
192 | Bartolo Colon | SP | 174 | NR | 191 | NR | 180 | 191 |
193 | Jake Peavy | SP | 192 | 167 | NR | 186 | NR | 192 |
194 | Rickie Weeks | 2B | NR | 185 | NR | 195 | 132 | 195 |
195 | Bobby Parnell | CL | 195 | 187 | NR | NR | 136 | 195 |
196 | A.J. Griffin | SP | NR | 196 | 153 | NR | 176 | 196 |
197 | Nick Franklin | SS | 197 | NR | 114 | 175 | NR | 197 |
198 | Martin Prado | 3B | 160 | 198 | NR | 129 | NR | 198 |
199 | Fernando Rodney | CL | 117 | NR | NR | NR | 135 | 233.5 |
200 | Neil Walker | 2B | 149 | NR | NR | NR | 116 | 233.5 |
NR = Not Ranked
Abst = Abstained from Ranking
Players with the same median were ranked secondarily by their average ranking. Players who were not ranked were assigned a ranking of 233.5 (the midpoint between 201 and 267, the total number of ranked players) for the purpose of computing the median and average.