While prospect rankings from multiple publications have dominated Major League Baseball headlines in recent weeks, MLB Network has also been in the process of unveiling their top 10 players at each position — with the Los Angeles Dodgers being well-represented.
Just as Jose De Leon, Corey Seager and Julio Urias have been among the prospects to receive national recognition, so have Clayton Kershaw, Joc Pederson and Corey Seager. Unsurprisingly, MLB Network’s ‘The Shredder’ again named Kershaw the best pitcher at present time.
Pederson did not receive the same honor amongst top-10 center fielders, but analyst Brian Kenny listed the 23 year old the No. 8 player at his position.
Kenny and Bill Ripken also ranked Seager a top-10 shortstop right now.
As for first baseman, Adrian Gonzalez was ranked seventh by The Shredder, and eighth by Carlos Peña and Kenny.
Gonzalez was ranked ninth entering the 2015 season, and finished sixth based on WAR (3.9). He was fourth entering 2014 and third in 2013. Peña, someone who has taken issue with the The Shredder’s factoring of sabermetrics, didn’t take issue with where the 33-year-old Gonzalez was ranked:
“I love this pick by The Shredder. [Gonzalez] is exactly what I’m talking about. He’s able to say you know what, ‘I’m going to get a pitch and drive it out of the ballpark because that’s what my team needs right now.’ And yet, you see the high average, you see that he puts the ball in play, and all the things we like with that middle-away approach. And when it’s time to go deep, he can do it as well. I love the fact that he can make those adjustments in-game, per at-bat, and every single pitch.”
Kenny and Peña expect Gonzalez to remain in top 10 due to his work ethic and approach. Since being traded by the Boston Red Sox in 2012, Gonzalez has been a steady force at the plate and played a consistent first base for the Dodgers.
He’s appeared in at least 156 games all the while assuming a leadership role over that same stretch. Despite battling a pinched nerve in his back that affected the left side of his body, Gonzalez posted an .830 on-base plus slugging percentage last season, which was his highest mark since 2011.
Overall, Gonzalez hit .275/.350/.480 with 28 home runs, 90 RBIs, a .354 wOBA and 129 wRC+ last season. He led the Dodgers in batting average, on-base percentage, home runs, RBIs, total hits (157) and doubles (33).
Among those who have spent a minimum of 50 percent of games played at first base since 2011, Gonzalez ranks first in games (790), second in RBIs (531) and total bases (1,464), third in runs (411) and fourth in WAR (22.2).
| Rank | The Shredder | Carlos Peña | Brian Kenny |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) | Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) | Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) |
| 2 | Joey Votto (CIN) | Miguel Cabrera (DET) | Joey Votto (CIN) |
| 3 | Miguel Cabrera (DET) | Jose Abreu (CWS) | Miguel Cabrera (DET) |
| 4 | Anthony Rizzo (CHC) | Anthony Rizzo (CHC) | Anthony Rizzo (CHC) |
| 5 | Edwin Encarnacion (TOR) | Edwin Encarnacion (TOR) | Jose Abreu (CWS) |
| 6 | Jose Abreu (CWS) | Joey Votto (CIN) | Edwin Encarnacion (TOR) |
| 7 | Adrian Gonzalez (LAD) | Eric Hosmer (KC) | Freddie Freeman (ATL) |
| 8 | Freddie Freeman (ATL) | Adrian Gonzalez (LAD) | Adrian Gonzalez (LAD) |
| 9 | Chris Davis (BAL) | Chris Davis (BAL) | Chris Davis (BAL) |
| 10 | Brandon Belt (SF) | Albert Pujols (LAA) | Brandon Belt (SF) |
