Jeff McNeil, second baseman for the New York Mets, is one of those players who has accomplished plenty in his six-year career. 2023 was not kind to him, however, and he is surely hoping for a bounce-back 2024 campaign. So, where does he rank among second basemen within the NL East? Does a poor 2023 season knock him down a spot or two? Continuing Metsmerized Online’s series of NL East positional rankings, this is how the second basemen stack up.

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

5. Luis García – Washington Nationals

There is a clear choice for the no. 5 spot here, and that’s not necessarily a knock on Luis García. All it shows is the talent each team in the division has at the second base position. Nevertheless, García is nothing more than a below-average player at best. He’s been in Washington for four years but didn’t get quality playing time until after the 2021 trade deadline, which saw Trea Turner and Josh Harrison shipped away.

In his four years in the big leagues, García carries a career .690 OPS and has never hit double-digit home runs in a single season; his career high is nine, set in 2023. He has also yet to play more than 122 games or record more than 482 plate appearances in a single season, so 2024 could certainly be a breakout year for him if he can stay healthy and play nearly every day. It’s also important to mention that, despite being in the big leagues for four years, García is still just 23 years old. While he finds himself at no. 5 on this list now, he has plenty of potential to improve his standing in the future.

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

4. Bryson Stott – Philadelphia Phillies

Bryson Stott has only been in the big leagues for two seasons, but in those two seasons, he has seen his team reach the World Series and come within one win of going to the World Series in back-to-back years. As the everyday second baseman on a dangerous Phillies team, he has provided many big moments but still leaves much to be desired.

The 25-year-old lefty improved a lot at the plate from 2022 to 2023, seeing his OPS rise nearly .100 points from .653 to .747. Still, though, he is not at the level the Phillies are hoping he can reach. 2024 could be the year he reaches that level, but to this point, he has yet to show he’s nothing more than an average hitter. Playing every day in 2023 and recording 640 plate appearances, Stott recorded just 15 home runs and 62 RBIs. While these numbers are respectable, you would probably expect more from the sheer volume of at-bats he took.

Stott happens to be a very good defender (99th percentile in OAA in 2023) so that certainly makes up for not being elite at the plate. Like García, he is still young and has plenty of room to grow. In most other divisions, Stott would find himself higher than no. 4 in the rankings, but this is where he currently lands in the NL East.

Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

3. Jeff McNeil – New York Mets

Ranking Jeff McNeil after his 2023 season is difficult because he definitely did not play up to his ability. At his best, McNeil is an All-Star and a batting champion, and he has accomplished both in his career as recently as 2022. In 2023, though, his OPS dropped over .100 points (.836 to .711) from the season before, and his average alone dropped .056 points (.326 to .270).

McNeil is now four years into a pattern that has seen him alternate good and bad years at the plate. In 2024, Eric Chávez returns as hitting coach, which is significant because McNeil won his only batting title with Chávez as the hitting coach in 2022. McNeil is surely hoping he can recapture some of the elite contact ability he has demonstrated throughout his career again in 2024. If he does? He can compete for an All-Star selection and another batting title. If he doesn’t? It’ll be another rough year in the shadow of two of the division’s (and league’s) best second basemen.

Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

2. Luis Arráez – Miami Marlins

While McNeil at his best is regarded as one of the best contact hitters in the sport, he’s not even the best contact hitter in his division anymore. In year one on the Marlins, Luis Arráez casually hit .354 in 617 plate appearances, the highest average in a single season since Josh Hamilton hit .359 in 2010. For a while, it looked like Arráez might be able to hit .400 on the year, but I’m sure he’s okay with settling for .354.

In addition to recording a hit seemingly every time he stepped up to the plate, Arráez also walked more than he struck out in 2023, the second consecutive year in which he did that. He has made two consecutive All-Star teams, won two consecutive batting titles, and carries a career .326 average.

The downside for Arráez is that hitting is the only thing he does well. He can’t run and is not very good defensively (1st percentile in OAA in 2023). He hits so well, though, that it almost doesn’t matter. There will never be another Tony Gwynn, but Arráez is the closest thing we’ve seen to him in a long time.

Ozzie Albies. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ozzie Albies – Atlanta Braves

You could absolutely make the case that Arráez is the best second baseman in the NL East, but it would be hard to argue against Ozzie Albies. Albies was an All-Star and a second-team All-MLB selection in 2023, the best year of his seven-year career. He recorded a marginally lower OPS than Arráez (.849 compared to .861) but set career highs in home runs (33) and RBIs (109), both of which led primary second basemen in 2023.

What most separates Albies from Arráez is, of course, his ability to hit for power. In 2023, Albies recorded 68 extra-base hits and had a .233 ISO compared to Arráez, who had 43 extra-base hits and a .115 ISO. Albies served as an integral member of one of the most productive lineups in MLB history and is currently one of the top players at his position in the league. Heading into 2024, he takes the crown for best second baseman in the NL East.

The post 2024 NL East Position Rankings: Second Base Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

We’re about to enter the second full season with the designated hitter in the National League. Teams are likely to use a lot of different players at the position throughout the season to rest their legs a little bit. However, each team has one or two players who are expected to get the bulk of the time at DH this season.

In the NL East, the DH spot boasts a few guys who can slug. The Mets are projected to run with the two platoon bats they picked up last summer, the Braves seem to be shifting an All-Star backstop to the role, and the Phillies have a bat that’s feared across the league. The Nationals will call upon a career minor leaguer to prove he’s more than a flash in the pan, and the Marlins will trot out two guys with huge raw power.

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

No. 5 Jorge Soler & Jesús Sánchez, MIA

Jorge Soler and Jesus Sanchez are similar players in the way that they both strike out a lot but have shown that they can hit the ball a long way.

Sánchez figures to get most of the starts against righties, as he hit all 13 of his homers against them. For the season, Sánchez hit .214/.280/.403 (93 wRC+) with 13 homers, 14 doubles, 3 triples, and 36 RBIs in 343 plate appearances. Sánchez made headlines when he hit a 496-foot home run at Coors Field back in May, showing off the 70-grade raw power he received from Fangraphs. He still strikes out a lot, though he cut his strikeout rate down from 31.1% in 2021 to 26.8% in 2022. However, his walk rate also dropped to 7.6% and his .226 xBA and .383 xSLG leave much to be desired. Sánchez also struggled badly against left-handed pitching, going just 8-for-55 with only one extra-base hit and 24 strikeouts against southpaws. Sánchez’s .759 OPS against righties suggests that he could be more effective in a platoon role.

Soler meanwhile failed to live up to expectations in the first year of his three-year, $33 million contract after winning World Series MVP in 2021. Soler played in just 72 games due to injury and hit just .207/.295/.400 (98 wRC+) with 13 homers and 34 RBIs in 306 plate appearances. While he still walked in 10.1% of his plate appearances, his strikeout rate jumped to 29.6%, and ISO dipped below .200 for the first time since 2017. Soler’s 43.1% ground-ball rate was the highest it’s been since 2018, and his 43.9% hard-hit rate was the lowest since that season. Soler hit just .203 against left-handers, but he belted six homers in 69 plate appearances against them, giving him a solid .820 OPS against southpaws. If Soler stays healthy, he could be in for a bounce-back season, and he and Sánchez could supply power for a Marlins team that hit the second-fewest homers in the NL in 2022.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4 Joey Meneses, WAS

After spending a decade in the minor leagues, Joey Meneses finally cracked the majors after the Nationals traded Juan Soto. Meneses was fantastic after getting the call, hitting a strong .324/.367/.563 (156 wRC+) with 13 homers, 14 doubles, and 34 RBIs in 240 plate appearances. The 30-year-old had a respectable 21.7% strikeout rate and a 47.4% hard-hit rate and was particularly great against left-handed pitching, posting a 1.084 OPS with five homers and seven doubles in 76 plate appearances against lefties.

However, there are some signs that Meneses’ magic might not sustainable over the course of a full season. He only walked at a 6.3% clip, and he had a 47.7% ground-ball rate, which isn’t a great sign for a player that doesn’t have much speed. He also had a .371 BABiP, which is probably the most unsustainable aspect of his game. Meneses’ .457 xSLG and .267 xBA are signs that he’s still an above-average hitter, but likely not a .900+ OPS bat. Even if Meneses regresses though, expect to see him in the middle of the Washington lineup this season and as of right now, it wouldn’t be too surprising if he’s their representative in the All-Star Game.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 Daniel Vogelbach & Darin Ruf, NYM

The Mets acquired both Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf to help bolster their lineup last summer and they produced two drastically different results.

Vogelbach was solid in 55 games after coming over from Pittsburgh, batting .255/.393/.436 (139 OPS+) with six homers, nine doubles, and 25 RBIs in 183 plate appearances. Vogelbach owned a very impressive 18% walk rate after coming over and his 20.5% chase rate ranked in the 94th percentile of MLB. However, Vogelbach’s numbers were hurt by his 45.5% zone swing percentage, 32.2% swing rate, and 12.8% first-pitch swing percentage. Vogelbach also struggled badly against lefties, going just 10-for-72 with only one extra-base hit against them. However, he was very strong against right-handed pitching, hitting .261/.382/.497 with 18 homers, 18 doubles, and 52 RBIs in 377 plate appearances against righties.

Ruf on the other hand struggled mightily after arriving in Flushing. He hit just .152/.216/.197 with only three extra-base hits and drew just five walks in 74 plate appearances. However, even after his disastrous finish to the season, Ruf finished the year with a respectable .753 OPS in 183 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, and he owns a career .891 OPS against lefties. ZiPS projects Ruf to be a 111 wRC+ bat in 2023, which would be a huge boost to a lineup that lacked a strong DH against left-handed pitching. If Ruf can return to form in some way, he could form a strong tandem with Vogelbach. If Ruf struggles again, expect to see Francisco Álvarez get more at-bats at DH.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2 Travis d’Arnaud & Marcell Ozuna, ATL

It’s not often you see a Gold Glove finalist get moved to the DH spot, but with the Braves acquiring Sean Murphy, Travis d’Arnaud is expected to see a lot of time in the role. In his age-33 season, d’Arnaud had a nice bounce-back season offensively, hitting .268/.319/.472 (120 wRC+) with 18 homers, 25 doubles, and 60 RBIs in 426 plate appearances. While he walked in just 4.5% of his plate appearances, d’Arnaud’s strikeout rate dropped to 21.1%, which is the lowest it’s been since 2017. Furthermore, d’Arnaud’s ISO rose to .205, which is the highest it’s been over the course of a full season.

When d’Arnaud is behind the plate, Marcell Ozuna is slated to get some at-bats at DH. Ozuna is coming off another disappointing season on and off the field, which included an arrest for a DUI. On the field, Ozuna hit just .226/.274/.413 (89 wRC+) with 23 homers and 56 RBIs in 507 plate appearances. Ozuna struck out in a career-worst 24.1% of his plate appearances and his 89 wRC+ was the lowest mark he’s recorded in a full season. Furthermore, Ozuna’s negative-0.6 fWAR marks the first time he’s dipped below replacement level over the course of a full season. Ozuna also disappeared in the Braves’ NLDS loss to the Phillies, going 0-for-8 with four strikeouts. He did show some signs of life over the last few weeks of the regular season though, hitting .321/.368/.535 in 16 games in September and October. Even if Ozuna struggles again, the Braves have a couple of other formidable options in Sean Murphy and Vaughn Grissom to assist d’Arnaud.

Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 Bryce Harper, PHI

Bryce Harper underwent Tommy John surgery in November, meaning he will likely miss most of, if not the entire first half of this season. Still, Harper is by far the most dangerous bat of the DHs in the NL East. He missed time due to injuries and played through a torn UCL in 2022, but he still posted a strong .286/.364/.519 (138 wRC+) batting line with 18 homers, 28 doubles, and 65 RBIs in 426 plate appearances. While his 10.8% walk rate is his lowest mark since 2014, Harper’s 20.4% strikeout rate is the lowest he’s had in a non-Covid shortened year since 2017.

Harper’s batted-ball data remained strong, as his .380 xwOBA, .288 xBA, and .527 xSLG all ranked in the top three percent of MLB, while he ranked in the 92nd percentile of average exit velocity. The only real knock against Harper is that his chase rate spiked to a career-high 35.7%, but his whiff rate fell to 28.2%. Harper took his dominance to another level in the postseason, hitting a scalding .349/.414/.746 with six homers, seven doubles, and 13 RBIs in 71 plate appearances, winning NLCS MVP and helping the Phillies reach the World Series. When he returns to the Phillies’ lineup this summer, it’s going to be very difficult for opponents to pitch to them.

The post 2023 NL East Positional Rankings: DH Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

I have been wrapping my head around these rankings for days. For I am Sisyphus and the Fangraphs projections page is my boulder that tumbles down the mountain once I near my answer.

This persistent struggle against the absurdity that is the National League East number one starter debate will ultimately lead to an answer that can be argued for and against a million different ways.

Before we even look into the question as a whole we must determine who even are the No. 1 starters in the NL East.

Mets: Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander
Braves: Max Fried or Spencer Strider
Phillies: Zack Wheeler or Aaron Nola
Marlins: Sandy Alcantara
Nationals: Josiah Gray

Great so we have three teams with a toss-up, a reigning Cy Young Award winner, and Josiah Gray. Sorry, Josiah.

5. Josiah Gray, WSH

Gray earns the Nationals’ ace spot over Patrick Corbin due to prospect pedigree and potential. In 2020 he was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ third-overall prospect. He moved up to second in 2021 with the graduations of Dustin May and Gavin Lux. Gray was then dealt to the Nationals along with Keibert Ruiz for Scherzer and Trea Turner.

The return for the Nationals has been less than stellar. Gray, 25, is still finding his way in the league and likely won’t be Washington’s best pitcher next year (ahem, Trevor Williams). Gray has made 41 major league starts, to the tune of a 5.17 ERA in 219.1 innings.

Gray is projected for 1.0 WAR next season with a 4.60 ERA in 24 starts.

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Now let’s try and determine the true ace in these pitching battles.

Scherzer vs. Verlander

Two former teammates are back together. Two generational aces and future Hall of Fame members lead the Mets into the 2023 season but their 2022 seasons went differently.

Scherzer, 38, threw the fewest innings last season (sans 2020) since his rookie year in Arizona when he appeared in 16 games and made seven starts. Scherzer was still terrific when he pitched, a 2.29 ERA, 2.62 FIP, and 10.71 k/9 shows the Scherzdog still has it in him.

Verlander made his return from Tommy John surgery in 2022. Now 39, Verlander is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner after posting a 1.75 ERA over 175.0 innings pitched. Verlander was the Mets make-up signing for losing out on Jacob deGrom and it’s likely he’ll get the Opening Day nod so the Mets can show off their shiny new addition.

EDGE: Verlander

Fried vs. Strider

Fried is the incumbent ace of the Braves. The 28 year old lefty was Atlanta’s most reliable starter last season with 30 starts and over 185 innings pitched. Strider was the new flamethrower. He started the season in Atlanta’s pen but jumped into the rotation to start 20 games and strike out a ludicrous 38.3% of batters faced.

Strider had a better FIP (1.83) than Fried (2.70) and finished with 0.1 less fWAR than Fried in 55 fewer innings pitched. Unfortunately for Strider, his end of the season was hampered by an oblique injury. It’s unknown if Strider can handle a full-season workload and how he’ll look over time so for now I have to go with Fried.

EDGE: Fried

Wheeler vs. Nola

Wheeler and Nola have flip-flopped the ace status of the Phillies for a few seasons now.

Wheeler is a season removed from finishing second in the NL Cy Young vote where he led baseball in innings pitched and strikeouts. Then he followed it up in 2022 with a 2.82 ERA in 153.0 innings.

Nola is a one-time All-Star as well, last making the team in 2018. While Wheeler shined in 2021, Nola had the worst season of his career with a 4.63 ERA in 32 games started. But Nola bounced back in 2022 with a 3.25 ERA in 205.0 innings pitched while finishing fourth in Cy Young voting. Additionally, he proved how useless pitcher records are by going 11-13.

Nola hasn’t made under 32 starts in a season since 2017 and finished with 2.1 more fWAR than Wheeler last season. 2023 looks like another season of Nola leading the charge.

EDGE: Nola

Okay, now we have the final four: Verlander, Fried, Nola, and Alcantara.

How do they rank up?

Here’s how certain projection systems predict they’ll do.

ZiPS
1. Nola: 13-9, 188.1 IP, 3.54 ERA, 3.03 FIP, 4.6 WAR
2. Fried: 15-6, 172.2 IP, 3.02 ERA, 3.18 FIP, 3.7 WAR
3. Verlander: 14-7, 165.0 IP, 2.84 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 3.7 WAR
4. Alcantara: 12-10, 209.0 IP, 3.32 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 3.7 WAR

Well, thanks for nothing ZiPS.

Steamer
1. Nola: 13-10, 199,0 IP, 3.50 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 4.2 WAR
2. Verlander: 12-9, 180.0 IP, 3.36 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 4.0 WAR
3. Alcantara: 12-11, 211.0 IP, 3.56 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 4.0 WAR
4. Fried: 13-9, 190.0 IP, 3.59 ERA, 3.51 FIP, 3.2 WAR

Steamer also has Scherzer (4.3 WAR) over Nola and Wheeler (3.9) and Strider (3.7) over Fried.

The BAT
1. Nola: 15-9 195.0 IP, 3.39 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 4.8 WAR
2. Alcantara: 14-11, 204.0 IP, 3.37 ERA, 3.37 FIP, 4.5 WAR
3. Verlander: 12-8, 163.0 IP, 3.27 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 4.0 WAR
4. Fried: 14-9, 182.0 IP, 3.46 ERA, 3.37 FIP, 3.9 WAR

The BAT has Strider as their fourth-best pitcher (4.7 WAR), Wheeler as their seventh (4.4), and Scherzer as their ninth (4.2).

Frankly, I’m lost as to where to go from here. Nola is projected as the best but that just subjectively feels wrong.

Okay, I’ll just use the fairest scoring system of all. Mario Kart. The top starter by projected WAR gets 10 points, the second gets 8, the third gets 6, the fourth gets 4, the fifth gets 3, and so on. Here’s how all eight names rank up with the three projections.

1. Nola – 10-8-10-28
2. Scherzer – 2-10-3-15
3. Wheeler – 8-3-4-15
4. Alcantara – 3-4-6-13
5. Verlander – 4-6-2-12
6. Strider – 1-2-8-11
7. Fried – 6-1-1-8
8. Gray – 0-0-0-0

Well, Aaron Nola wins it in a runaway. If anything this list is less of a testament to who is the “top-ace” and more oh my goodness the NL East is absolutely stacked at pitching for this upcoming season.

Excluding Gray, all seven of those pitchers ranked among the top 20 starters for next season. That’s incredible. There is not a division in baseball with more pitching talent and it will be a shame the MLB schedule changed so these teams cannot play each other for half the season.

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: Ace Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

Ronald Acuña Jr.

One phrase to describe the right fielders in the National League East? Top heavy. Continuing MMO’s series of position rankings in the NL East, here are the rankings of right fielders in the division.

Avisail Garcia. Photo via USA Today.

5. Avisaíl García, MIA

Avisaíl García had a underwhelming 2022 season after signing a four-year, $53-million contract with the Miami Marlins. The 31-year-old outfielder was limited to just 98 games, slashing .224/.226/.317 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 380 plate appearances. García finished the year with a -1.1 WAR, the lowest total of his career.

The one-time All-Star was down in nearly every offensive category from the year prior. Specifically, his plate discipline took a turn for the worse, with his walk rate going from 7.4% in 2021 to 4.5% in 2022 and his strikeout rate going from 23.5% in 2021 to 28.7% in 2022.

García lands as the fifth-best right fielder in the division following his 2022 season. He could bounce back in the second year of his contract, but the outfielder is now on the other side of 30. The Marlins’ lineup lacks power, something that García has provided in the past (hit 29 home runs in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers).

Lane Thomas. Photo via USA Today.

4.  Lane Thomas, WSH

Lane Thomas played a significant role in his first full season in the Washington Nationals’ organization. The former 2014 fifth-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays was acquired by the Nationals at the 2021 trade deadline. He then hit .270 with a .853 OPS in 206 at-bats in the second half of that season.

His overall numbers decreased with more plate appearances in 2022, slashing .241/.301/.404 with a 103 OPS+ in 146 games. Thomas showed off some power as well, hitting 17 home runs and 52 RBI, both of which were career highs. Punch outs became a large part of his game with more playing time, striking out 132 times good for a 24.1% strikeout rate.

Thomas slots in as the fourth-best outfielder in the division because of his age and his ability to play more than one position. The 27-year-old can play all across the outfield, especially on the corners. He also adds the speed element, tallying eight stolen bases in 12 opportunities.

For a Nationals team that is in the midst of a rebuild, Thomas is someone manager Dave Martinez can rely on to play everyday.

Nick Castellanos. Photo via USA Today.

3. Nick Castellanos, PHI

Nick Castellanos signed a five-year, $100-million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies last off-season. Going into the year, the plan for the former Cincinnati Red was to see him get a lot of his playing time as a designated hitter. That all changed as soon as Bryce Harper suffered a small tear to the UCL in his right elbow, meaning that he could only hit when he returned from the injured list later in the season.

Castellanos, who has never been known as a great defender, all of sudden slotted in as the everyday right fielder. The 30-year-old had to think about more than just hitting, which you have wonder if that impacted his numbers at the plate.

The Phillies‘ slugger struggled with the bat, slashing .263/.305/.389 with only 13 home runs and 62 RBI in 136 games. In comparison, Castellanos hit .309/.362/.576 and was an All-Star with the Reds in 2021.

The outfielder had some big moments in the Phillies playoff run, most notably a diving catch in Game 1 of the World Series against the Houston Astros. Castellanos has been a very solid player for a numbers of years, and it would not be surprising if he bounces back in 2023. With that being said, he ends up as the third-best right fielder in the NL East going into the season.

Starling Marte. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

2. Starling Marte, NYM

Starling Marte had an excellent season with the New York Mets in 2022, hitting .292/.347/.468 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI  in 118 games. The outfielder did have two separate injuries over the course of the year, but his impact was evident when he was on the field. Marte was an All-Star and finished 19th in National League MVP voting.

The biggest concern with Marte going into the 2023 season is his health. The 34-year-old underwent core surgery after the Mets were eliminated from the playoffs, somerthing he has still yet to recover fully from. His availability for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, which starts in March, is unknown. Marte could miss some time to begin the year, but his return should come at some point in April at the latest.

When Marte is on the field, he is one of the most dynamic outfielders in the game. He was great in his first season with the Mets, now, it is just about continuing that success in 2023. Marte’s all-around game places him at a very comfortable second place.

Ronald Acuña Jr. David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL

Ronald Acuña Jr. began the 2022 season on the injured list after tearing his ACL in July of 2021, missing the Atlanta Braves run to the World Series that year. His recovery continued into the next season, as his 2022 debut did not come until April 28.

Acuña was good throughout the year, but it was clear that he wasn’t quite back to full speed following the significant injury. He still put up some decent numbers, slashing .266/.351/.413 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI in 119 games.

The 25-year-old will be a year-and-a-half removed from the ACL injury when the season begins in late March. Acuña is a top-tier talent in MLB and should be in the running for an MVP in 2023.

Injuries will always be a concern with his aggressive style of play, but that is what makes him so special. He should be regarded as the unquestioned best right fielder in the NL East.

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: Right Field Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The left field position for each of the five NL East teams remains mostly unchanged from 2022, with only one or two teams making a minor change. The overall group is underwhelming, especially when considering the amount of star players that play in the division. Continuing MMO’s series of position rankings in the NL East, here are the rankings of left fielders in the division.

5. Eddie Rosario, ATL

Eddie Rosario will forever be a hero in Atlanta Braves history because of his efforts during the team’s 2021 World Series run, but that luster has quickly faded. Rosario’s 2022 season was putrid, partly due to a swollen retina that required surgery midseason. His stats suffered because of it and in 250 at-bats, he slashed .212/.259/.328/.587 with five home runs and 24 RBIs, also posting a -1.1 fWAR.

Rosario swung at the same percentage of pitches in 2022 as he did in 2021, but his whiff rate rose from 19.2% to 31.9%. A source of hope for Rosario, though, is that he faced the shift over 80% of the time and performed much better against a non-shifted infield in 2022. With the shift completely banned in 2023, he can be expected to improve offensively.

Rosario has not been a quality defender at all throughout his career, and that remained so in 2022. He had -9 DRS and -5 OAA for the season, meaning he was a defensive liability in addition to his offensive woes. Even his arm strength, which was in the 94th percentile in 2020 and the 89th percentile in 2021, dropped down to the 54th percentile in 2022.

To give Rosario the benefit of the doubt, his 2022 was an outlier when you compare it to the rest of his career. His OPS+ of 64 was by far the lowest of his career, with the second lowest mark being 91 in 2016. If Rosario had never dealt with his eye issues, maybe his 2022 season would have gone differently. But he is now on the wrong side of 30 and is clearly the weak link in the Braves’ lineup. Unless he can find that 2021 postseason spark again, Rosario is the worst left fielder in the division.

4. Corey Dickerson, WAS

Corey Dickerson, like Rosario, has his best years behind him. A one-time All-Star, he has failed to regain the power he possessed in the beginning of his career when he hit 24-plus homers three times in a four year stretch. He hasn’t seen as much playing time as he did during those years, but even still he’s hitting home runs at a lower rate. Dickerson was average in every sense of the word in 2022, exhibited by his 0.4 fWAR and 100 OPS+. In 281 at-bats he slashed .267/.300/.399/.698 with six home runs and 36 RBIs in his lone year with the Cardinals.

Dickerson’s -5 DRS and 1 OAA in 2022 show that, while not a great defender, he can hold his own in left field. He won the only Gold Glove of his career in 2018, but with age catching up to him, that part of his game has been on the decline. Still, Dickerson will be expected to man left field for the Nationals in 2022, at least for the first half of the season.

It would be a surprise if Dickerson returned to his prime form now that he is 33 years old, but it would be just as surprising if his play fell off completely. Dickerson embodies mediocrity at this stage of his career, and thus takes fourth on the list.

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

3. Bryan De La Cruz, MIA

Bryan De La Cruz is an exciting young player for the Marlins, acquired from the Astros during the 2021 season. With Jazz Chisholm set to take over in center field, De La Cruz is expected to be the team’s left fielder in 2023. Playing in 115 games last season, he slashed .252/.294/.432/.725 in 329 at-bats. As his on-base percentage suggests, De La Cruz struggled at getting on base, hindered by an abysmal 0.21 walk-to-strikeout ratio.

His finish to the 2022 season gives reason for excitement, though, as he hit .388/.419/.718/1.137 with six of his 13 total home runs in September and October alone. If he can build on this in his third season in the league, De La Cruz can be a true offensive weapon for the Marlins.

De La Cruz was defensively sound last year, but especially so in left field. He recorded 4 DRS and 1 OAA at the position and his arm strength was in the 89th percentile of all players. Shifting over to left field full time may be the best thing for De La Cruz’s career, as it is sure to make him an improved defender.

De La Cruz exudes potential and upside that Marlins fans should be excited about. His career is still young, though, and he is held back by his undisciplined approach at the plate. Until he can perform at a high level in a larger sample size, De La Cruz finds himself in the middle of the pack of NL East left fielders, but he has the ability to climb up the rankings in future years.

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2. Mark Canha, NYM

Mark Canha was an on-base machine in his first year with the Mets, posting the seventh-highest on-base percentage in the National League despite a .266 batting average. This was aided by the fact that he led all of baseball with 28 hit-by-pitches and maintained a deliberate and thoughtful approach to each plate appearance, engaging in prolonged at-bats that often resulted in walks or base hits.

Canha didn’t showcase much power until later in the year when he turned it on during a scorching August, recording a .979 OPS for the entire month. In all, though, Canha hit just 13 home runs with a .403 slugging percentage for the year, his lowest totals over full seasons in his career.

Canha is not a plus-defender in left field, but he doesn’t present a liability either. He ended 2022 with -4 DRS and 0 OAA, and his arm strength ranked in the 31st percentile. The Mets’ defense features several great defenders, including Brandon Nimmo to Canha’s left, so it’s not cause for concern that Canha himself isn’t a prolific fielder.

Most projections have Canha taking a step back in 2023. ZiPS, Fangraphs, and Steamer all have Canha’s batting average dipping into the low .240s and his OPS dropping below .750. Even if he does show some regression in 2023, Canha is still one of the better left fielders in the NL East.

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1. Kyle Schwarber, PHI

Mets fans know better than just about anyone how dangerous of a hitter Kyle Schwarber is. His best trait is crushing baseballs which he did at an elite level in his first season with the Phillies, hitting a National League-leading 46 home runs en route to his second consecutive All-Star nod and his first Silver Slugger Award.

He’s not just a masher at the plate though. He is extremely disciplined and takes walks when given to him, as he ranked in the 94th percentile for walk rate and the 87th percentile for chase rate in 2022. His .323 on-base percentage despite a .218 batting average is further evidence of his patience at the plate. His only offensive weakness is that he swings and misses often, which resulted in an MLB-leading 200 strikeouts last year. But when he makes contact, he’s as dangerous as anybody else in the league.

Schwarber’s biggest downside, as it has been his whole career, is his defense. Schwarber was simply horrendous as a fielder in 2022 with -14 DRS and -13 OAA, though that can be overlooked given the offensive threat that he is. Even with his poor defensive play, he still posted a 2.6 fWAR in 2022. As long as he can continue to be an elite power threat and an elite on-base threat, the Phillies will ignore his defensive struggles.

Schwarber will be 30 at the beginning of the 2023 season, but he has showed no signs of slowing down offensively. Among this group of NL East left fielders, Schwarber is far and away the most productive offensive player and that alone gives him the credibility to be ranked first on this list.

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: Left Field Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

With the Mets re-signing Brandon Nimmo in December, the center field picture in the NL East remains largely unchanged from the 2022 season. The only team in the division entering 2023 with a new centerfielder is the Marlins, who will shift Jazz Chisholm Jr. to that spot after acquiring a surplus of infielders. While the NL East doesn’t necessarily boast a true superstar at the position, there is some solid depth throughout the division.

No. 5 Victor Robles, WSH

Once ranked as high as the second-best prospect in the sport by Baseball Prospectus, Victor Robles finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2019 and played a key role in helping the Nationals win the World Series. However, Robles has failed to replicate that level of production ever since. He hit just .224/.273/.311 with six homers and 10 doubles, giving him a career-worst 64 wRC+. Robles also set career lows in walk percentage, ISO, wOBA, xwOBA, and xBA.

While his offense was subpar, Robles’ speed and defense were still solid. He racked up 12 DRS and registered a 4.8 uZR, with his 6 OAA ranking in the 90th percentile of MLB. Robles also showed off his impressive arm strength, ranking in the 96th percentile in that category. His 28.7 feet-per-second ranked in the 86th percentile in that category and he swiped 15 bases in 19 tries.

Even though Robles is coming off another disappointing season, it’s worth noting that he’s only 25 years old and has time to turn his career around. With the Nationals firmly in rebuild mode, he seems to be in line for plenty of playing time for the foreseeable future.

Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4 Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA

After a solid showing in his rookie season, Jazz Chisholm came out of the gates firing in 2022. In 60 games, he hit a strong .254/.325/.535 (139 wRC+) with 14 homers, 10 doubles, 4 triples, and 12 steals. While he was still striking out at a high rate, Chisholm’s walk rate increased from 6.7% to 8.7%, his ISO went from .177 to .282, and his 2.6 fWAR eclipsed the 1.9 mark he put up in 124 games the year prior. As a result, Chisholm became the first Bahamian-born player to be named to the All-Star Game. However, he was placed on the injured list in June with a back strain and missed the rest of the season after suffering a stress reaction in his lower back.

The biggest issue holding Chisholm back in these rankings is that he has never played an inning in the outfield at the professional level. There’s a chance he rises on this list, but there’s also a chance he isn’t playing the position by the end of the first half. Chisholm should be helped by his elite footspeed of 29.2 feet-per-second and he was the one who approached Skip Schumaker about making the shift to the outfield. One way or another, it will be interesting to see how this situation plays out this season.

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No. 3 Brandon Marsh, PHI

Brandon Marsh was in the midst of a disappointing season with the Angels when he was shipped to Philadelphia for catching prospect Logan O’Hoppe. While Marsh still isn’t a masher with the bat, he made considerable strides with the Phillies, hitting .288/.319/.453 with three homers, nine doubles, and two triples in 138 plate appearances. While his strikeout rate was still high, Marsh’s hard-hit rate rose from 36.5% to 41.8%, his line-drive rate went from 22.7% to 33%, and his ground-ball rate fell from 43.6% to 37.4%.

Defensively, Marsh is solid in center, though he posted better numbers in left field. Still, he ranked in the 93rd percentile for OAA and his arm strength improved after moving positions. Marsh has always been lauded for his speed, and his 28.9 feet-per-second ranked in the 89th percentile in that category. With a full season in Philly ahead of him, expect the 25-year-old to post solid numbers in 2023.

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No. 2 Michael Harris II, ATL

When the Braves called up Michael Harris on May 28th, they were just 22-24 and facing an 8.5-game deficit in the NL East. After Harris debuted, Atlanta went 79-37 (.681) and as a result, claimed their fifth straight division crown. Harris was phenomenal in his rookie season, hitting .297/.339/.514 (136 wRC+) with 19 homers, 27 doubles, 20 steals, and 4.8 fWAR in 114 games. Harris won NL Rookie of the Year and finished 13th in MVP voting. The only knock against Harris’ game was that he walked in just 4.8% of his plate appearances and had a 39% chase rate, while he struck out in 24.3% of his at-bats. His .361 BABiP, 55.2% ground-ball rate, and 17.9% fly-ball rate suggest he may regress a little, but he’s still projected to be a well-above-average bat.

Defensively, Harris was impressive, recording 4.9 uZR while racking up 7 OAA and 8 DRS. Statcast ranked him in the 92nd percentile for OAA, the 89th percentile for outfield jump, and the 95th percentile for arm strength. Harris’ 29.4 feet-per-second put him in the 95th percentile of sprint speed, and he was only caught stealing twice. Even if his bat regresses a little bit, the 21-year-old looks to be a lock to stay near the top of this list for years to come.

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1. Brandon Nimmo, NYM

Brandon Nimmo finally was able to play a full season without a trip to the injured list, and he had the best season of his career. In a career-high 151 games, Nimmo hit .274/.367/.433 (134 wRC+) with 16 homers, 30 doubles, 64 RBIs, and 5.4 fWAR. While his 10.5% walk rate is the lowest mark he’s recorded, Nimmo cut his strikeout rate to a career-low 17.2%, making this the first time that mark has been below 20% over a full season. Once plagued by his struggles against lefties, Nimmo hit .264/.358/.428 in 234 plate appearances against southpaws, which was one of the best marks on the team. His 50.4% ground-ball rate suggests that there’s still room to improve for the 29-year-old, but he’s projected to excel with the bat again in 2023.

Defensively, Nimmo proved once again that he can man centerfield every day. He posted a career-best 6 OAA, which Statcast ranks in the 90th percentile. While his arm strength still isn’t elite, Nimmo’s 88.1 miles-per-hour average throw represents a solid increase from the 84.6 he posted in 2021. While he only stole three bases this year, Nimmo’s average sprint speed increased to a career-high 28.9 feet-per-second, which is good for the 86th percentile in MLB. Now locked in on an eight-year contract, expect Nimmo to be a mainstay at the top of the Mets’ batting order and be a catalyst for the team for years to come.

Shortstop
Second Base
Catcher
Third Base
First Base

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: Center Field Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Up next on the rankings is third base. With only one true standout, the top spot on this list was pretty easy to assign but the middle three can fluctuate very easily. Between prospect promotions and free agency additions this list could have three new faces at this time next year. But for now here’s how the position shakes out for 2023.

5. Jeimer Candelario, WSH

The Washington Nationals big free agent acquisition this offseason is coming off the worst season of his career. Now 29 years old, Candelario has played for the Cubs and Tigers as part of his seven year MLB career. Candelario led baseball with 42 doubles in 2021 while hitting .271/.351/.442 and flirted with a .300 batting average in the abbreviated 2020 season. Last year with the Tigers, Candelario batted .217/.272/.361 in 124 games. Steamer projects Candelario for 1.5 WAR this season, 27th most among third basemen. Additionally Steamer has his batting line at .240/.312/.404. Candelario is a negative defender at third base, finishing 2022 with a -6 outs above average, ranking in the eighth percentile. It’s likely Carter Kieboom or Jeter Downs finishes the season as their third baseman.

4. Eduardo Escobar, NYM

It’s unknown how much playing time Escobar will actually receive in 2023 but with him being the incumbent we’ll rank the NL East as him being the starter over Brett Baty. Escobar entered 2022 off an All-Star season but couldn’t replicate the success the same way. Escobar wasn’t far off from his 2021 season – 109 OPS+ vs. 106 OPS+ – but his best days do appear behind him. Projections for Esobar range due to games played. Steamer has Escobar at 109 games while The BAT has him playing in 73. Either way he should be around a 1.1 WAR player with a league-average bat. ZiPS projections heavily favor the Mets prospect over Escobar this season. Baty is estimated for a .253/.331/.424 slash line with 2.9 fWAR while Escobar is .232/.292/.417 with 1.5 WAR. Escobar is projected for 80 more plate appearances as well. If Baty is the starter and produces to that point he could jump up the rankings to No. 2 in the NL East.

3. Alec Bohm, PHI

Alec Bohm was the second worst defender at third base in baseball but his bat will push him above Escobar in these rankings. Last season, Bohm was in the fourth percentile in outs above average with -9 at the hot corner. Still, Bohm’s bat added to a deadly Philadelphia lineup with an expected batting average in the 98th percentile at .290. Bohm’s actual batting average in 2022 was .280, indicating he can reach new heights in his fourth season. Steamer projects Bohm as the 16th best third baseman next season with 2.6 WAR with a .272/.324/.416 slash line. ZiPS has Bohm worse than Baty with a 1.5 WAR and a sub-100 OPS+.

2. Jean Segura, MIA

Segura tops the list of middle-of-the-pack third basemen mainly because of all the problems he’s caused against the Mets over the years. Segura is making the full-time transition from second base to third base in Miami and projects to be just fine after patrolling second and shortstop throughout his career. Segura’s offensive profile isn’t anything exciting with Steamer putting him at a .274/.331/.393 slash line and a 2.9 WAR . ZiPS is further down on Segura with a 2.0 WAR but a similar slash of .271/.329/.387.

1. Austin Riley, ATL

A legitimate stud and probably the best position player on the Braves next season, Riley is the clear-cut choice for best third baseman in the NL East. Steamer has Riley as the sixth-best third basemen in baseball next season with a 4.4 WAR and a .274/.343/.512 slash line. Riley, like the rest of the NL East, is a poor defender, but he does criminal things to baseballs. In 2022 he was in the 96th percentile of average exit velocity, 97th max exit velocity, 95th hard hit percentage, and 96th barrel percentage. Only 26 when the season starts the All-Star and Silver Slugger should remain atop this group for years to come barring a Baty breakout or a Manny Machado free agent signing.

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: Third Base Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

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The National League East enters the 2023 campaign with a perfect blend and mixture of talent at the second base position. After a recent trade by the Marlins, both batting title winners from 2022 are in the division while another familiar face re-enters the fold following an unfortunate series of injuries. With that, here is MMO’s rankings of the NL East second baseman headed into next season.

5. Luis García, WSH

Luis García has had a peculiar start to his career. Once the Nationals No. 2 prospect, he was called up during the 2020 season at age 20 despite never appearing above Double-A. He went on to struggle as a rookie, slashing .276/.302/.366 with a 79 wRC+ and -0.5 fWAR in 40 games. It was clear then and now that he was rushed to the big leagues, and his development was more or less stunted as a result. While he showed incremental improvement in 2022 with a .275/.295/.408 slash line, he still has plenty to prove in order to cement himself as a regular for Washington moving forward.

García’s profile as a hitter is unique in that his bat-to-ball skills were often lauded as his crowning trait coming up through the minors, but it simply hasn’t translated to the majors thus far. He’s posted a mediocre 74.8% contact rate over his career and put up a 22.3% strikeout rate last season. Considering the fact that he has below-average power (.401 career slugging percentage) and one of the worst walk rates in the league (2.9% in 2022), García’s offensive outlook is rather bleak as things currently stand.

Where there should be optimism, though, is in the field. García struggled immensely during his time at shortstop with -20 Outs Above Average and -2 Defensive Runs Saved total but has fared far better at second. He posted 1 OAA and 3 DRS at the position last campaign and should continue to improve with more consistent reps there now that CJ Abrams projects as the full-time starter at short.

García has some work to do to move up these rankings in the future, but the potential is there, and he has yet to receive a full body of work while still being just 22 years old.

4. Bryson Stott, PHI

Bryson Stott was thrust into a sizable role as a rookie in 2022 and performed admirably, slashing .234/.295/.358 with an 84 wRC+ and 1.4 fWAR in 127 games. While his bat lagged behind in his first taste of major-league pitching, his impact on the basepaths and with the glove made him a valuable part of a Phillies’ team that made the World Series.

Stott recorded 3 Outs Above Average and 1 Defensive Run Saved in limited action at second last season, far outweighing his production at shortstop. He also put up 12 stolen bases and a 4.7 BsR according to Fangraphs, which ranked second on the team. His sprint speed, which was in the 91st percentile according to Baseball Savant, is a further indicator of just how much of a weapon his legs are and will continue to be in the long run.

Stott’s peripherals and expected stats were not particularly good last year, highlighted by a .284 xwOBA, 36.8% hard hit rate and 4.4% barrel rate. Additionally, he failed to generate much of a power stroke despite playing his home games at one of the league’s most hitter-friendly parks, hitting 10 home runs in 466 plate appearances. He did, however, show the ability to avoid swing-and-misses with a 17.2% whiff rate and displayed increased prowess at the plate in the second half with a 106 wRC+, providing optimism that he could keep the momentum rolling into 2023.

Stott likely will never be a marquee hitter, but he doesn’t have to be in order to stay an effective player on a game-to-game basis. With newcomer Trea Turner superseding him at shortstop, Stott’s move to second base is a likely positive for his career as he looks to become a long-term solution for the Phillies.

3. Luis Arráez, MIA

Luis Arráez has one of the more distinct skill sets in the majors with his hit tool. The 2022 All-Star and American League batting champion, who was acquired from the Minnesota Twins on January 20, slashed .316/.375/.420 with a 131 wRC+ and 3.2 fWAR. Arráez finished in the 100th percentile in both strikeout and whiff percentage while also ranking in the 97th percentile for expected batting average last season, speaking to just how prolific of a contact hitter he has become. Outside of that though, there are some noticeable holes in his game that drag him down to No. 3 on this list.

The Marlins announced that Arráez would be the club’s starting second baseman in 2023, shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. to center field in the process. The decision was met with some confusion, as Arráez played just 41 games at the position last season and was also a Gold Glove finalist at first base. He put up 1 OAA and 3 DRS at second in 2022, but has stumbled there over the course of his career with -15 OAA and -2 DRS.

Arráez’s offensive profile severely lacks any sort of power element, as he hit eight home runs in over 600 plate appearances and had a hard-hit rate of just 7% in 2022. His second half was cause for concern too, as he slashed .285/.325/.389 with a 106 wRC+ after recording a 150 wRC+ in the first half. However, he has shown that he can reach base at a decent clip and posted an xwOBA that was in the 69th percentile, perhaps signaling that there is more depth than meets the eye for Arráez at the plate.

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2. Ozzie Albies, ATL

Ozzie Albies had a rough go of it in 2022. He fractured his left foot in June only to come back in September and immediately fracture his pinky sliding into second base. In his 64 games last season, he slashed .247/.294/.409 with a 93 wRC+ and 1.1 fWAR. He has quickly garnered the reputation as being one of the league’s premier second basemen, and for good reason.

Albies has always been an above-average hitter, putting up 92 homers and a 106 wRC+ to go with a .271/.322/.470 slash line across his career. What makes him stand out from the rest of the pack, though, is his defense and ability on the basepaths. He has had three seasons of double-digit stolen bases while consistently recording an elite sprint speed and ranking among the top players in baserunning metrics. With the glove, Albies has recorded 22 DRS and 16 OAA while being nominated for several Gold Glove awards.

Albies is the quintessential player in many ways, providing a balance in every area of the game. However, that wasn’t quite enough to get him No. 1 honors on this list.

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

1. Jeff McNeil, NYM

Jeff McNeil tops this year’s list after a 2022 season that saw him earn All-Star and NL Batting title honors while slashing .326/.382/.454 with a 143 wRC+ and 5.9 fWAR. McNeil, who was just awarded an extension for four years and $50 million, was a catalyst for the Mets’ 101-win campaign and got back on track in a big way after a disappointing 2021 season.

McNeil’s body of work isn’t all that dissimilar from Arráez’s, as both won the batting title and relied on their elite hit tools to succeed despite failing to make hard contact on a consistent basis. However, what sets McNeil apart from him, and the rest of the players on this list, is his truly elite play on both sides of the ball. He finished in the 95th percentile for OAA with 8 at second base, which was among the leaders at the position and a nice step-up for McNeil from prior years.

McNeil’s 143 wRC+ fell inside the top-15 among qualified hitters in the majors this season while his 5.9 fWAR finished just outside that range at No. 16. It was a career year for McNeil in what’s been a stellar run for him, and he will continue to be a face of the Mets’ organization for years to come.

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: Second Base Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

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With pitchers and catchers set to report in just over two weeks, we’re continuing our rankings of each position within the NL East. With catchers, you rarely have just one player get regular playing time, especially with the universal designated hitter option. For that reason, we will be ranking each team by their tandem of catchers heading into the 2023 season.

5. Keibert Ruiz and Riley Adams, WAS

Keibert Ruiz was the centerpiece of the return Washington got when they sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers in 2021. Ruiz assumed the starting catcher role full-time in 2022 and showed some signs of greatness. While his .251/.313/.360 (90 wRC+) batting line doesn’t jump off the page, Ruiz struck out in just 11.5% of his at-bats. In addition, Ruiz’s .277 xBA ranked in the 91st percentile on Statcast and suggests that he could improve this season. A switch-hitter, Ruiz had some alarming splits, as he had just a .584 OPS with no homers batting right-handed, compared to a .700 OPS as a lefty. Defensively, Ruiz registered a below-average pitch framer and he threw out a solid 28% of attempted base stealers.

Backing up Ruiz is 26-year-old Riley Adams, who wasn’t much of a factor on either side of the ball in 2022. In 48 games, Adams chipped in negative-1.2 fWAR, almost outweighing Ruiz’s 1.7 mark. Adams hit just .176/.245/.310 while striking out 29.7% percent of his at-bats. The one positive Adams has from 2022 is that he went 4-for-12 with two homers against the Mets.

Jul 17, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Jacob Stallings (58) hits a game winning grand slam home run to defeat the New York Mets during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Pittsburgh won 9-7. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

4. Jacob Stallings and Nick Fortes, MIA

After being one of the more productive catchers in 2021, Jacob Stallings took a major step back in 2022. His OPS dropped from .704 to .584, his wRC+ fell from 94 to 71, and he tallied just four homers and 12 doubles in 384 plate appearances. Stallings regressed significantly on defense as well, registering negative-4.3 framing runs in 2022 after recording 8.8 in 2021. His arm took a step back too, as he threw out just 19% of attempted base stealers. All told, Stallings’ fWAR fell from 2.5 to negative-0.6 in 2022.

Nick Fortes, however, emerged as a solid backup option for the veteran Stallings. In 240 plate appearances, Fortes hit a respectable .230/.304/.392 (100 wRC+) with nine homers and struck out in just 18.8% of his at-bats. Defensively, Fortes was an above-average framer with 1.8 framing runs and he threw out 29% of attempted base stealers. In just 72 games, Fortes was able to put up 1.4 fWAR. There’s a strong chance that he will assume the starting catcher role at some point this season.

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3. Omar Narváez and Tomás Nido, NYM

At some point this season, Francisco Álvarez is expected to take over as the Mets’ starting catcher. For now, though, Omar Nárvaez and Tomas Nido are slated to share most of the catching duties.

Neither Nárvaez nor Nido provided much value offensively in 2022. A year after making his first All-Star Game, Nárvaez hit just .206/.292/.307 (71 wRC+) with four homers in 296 plate appearances for the Brewers. His walk rate remained around 10% though and he struck out in under 20% of his at-bats. Nido meanwhile hit a slightly better .239/.276/.324 (74 wRC+) in 313 plate appearances with three homers, all of which came in September. Nido did show some promise though with an .854 OPS over the final month of the regular season and he hit .333/.395/.410 with two outs and runners in scoring position. He also led MLB with 12 sacrifice bunts.

Both players, however, were fantastic behind the plate. Once considered one of the worst framers in baseball, Nárvaez posted his third straight above-average season of framing, recording 7.5 framing runs. Statcast ranks him in the 89th percentile of pitch framing. Nido was a Gold Glove finalist, racking up 7.2 framing runs and ranking in the 93rd percentile for pitch framing. Thanks to their defense, Nárvaez and Nido combined for 2.0 fWAR in 2022, which is greater than both the Washington and Miami tandems.

2. J.T. Realmuto and Garrett Stubbs, PHI

There is a gargantuan gap between the second and third spots on this list, as the Phillies have one of the best catching duos in MLB.

Through the end of June, J.T. Realmuto had just a .677 OPS and just five homers. However, from July 1 on, Realmuto was one of the best hitters in baseball. He hit .311/.366/.591 with 17 homers, 15 doubles, and 55 RBIs in 284 plate appearances. Realmuto’s 163 wRC+ during that stretch ranked eighth among hitters with at least 160 plate appearances and his OPS ranked fifth. Overall for the season, Realmuto hit .276/.342/.478 (128 wRC+) with 22 homers, 21 steals, and 84 RBIs. Defensively, Realmuto recorded 1.1 framing runs and threw out an MLB-best 44% of attempted base stealers. Realmuto’s 6.5 fWAR led all catchers, and he won his second Gold Glove and third Silver Slugger while finishing seventh in MVP voting.

Backing up Realmuto is Garrett Stubbs, who also had a strong offensive season, albeit in a small sample size. In 121 plate appearances, Stubbs hit .264/.350/.462 (128 wRC+) with five homers, four doubles, and 16 RBIs. However, he grades as a below-average framer, and as a result, he only racked up 0.6 fWAR. Still, having two catchers who can put up a 128 wRC+ is quite the luxury.

1. Sean Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud, ATL

What’s better than having one top-10 catcher on your roster? Having two of them. While they dealt away William Contreras, the Braves brought in Sean Murphy, who’s coming off the best season of his career. In 612 plate appearances for the A’s, Murphy hit .250/.332/.426 (122 wRC+) with 18 homers, 37 doubles, and 66 RBIs. Murphy also struck out in a career-low 20.3% of his at-bats and walked in 9.2% of his plate appearances, which is the highest he’s recorded over a full season. Defensively, Murphy put forth another fantastic season of framing, recording 8.7 framing runs, and he threw out 31% of attempted base stealers. Overall, Murphy racked up 5.1 fWAR and received an MVP vote.

Travis d’Arnaud is expected to back up Murphy and serve as the team’s starting DH. In 426 plate appearances, d’Arnaud hit .268/.319/.472 (120 wRC+) with a career-high 18 homers, 25 doubles, and 60 RBIs. While he walked in just 4.5% percent of his plate appearances, he cut his strikeout rate down to 21.1%, which is the lowest it’s been since 2017. Defensively, d’Arnaud had arguably the best season of his career, recording 8.9 framing runs and throwing out 25% of attempted base stealers, which is a huge increase from the 16% he recorded in 2021. All told, the former Met put up a career-high 3.9 fWAR, was a finalist for a Gold Glove, and made his first career All-Star Game. Regardless of who the Braves put behind the plate on a given day, they will always have a strong bat and a great defensive catcher in the lineup.

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: Catchers Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The NL East was loaded with first-base talent during the 2022 MLB season. New faces emerged at the position for the Nationals and Braves, and even with the departure of Freddie Freeman, two players represented the NL East at first base in the all-star game. Taking last season’s stats into account, MMO has ranked the NL East first basemen heading into the 2023 season.

No. 5 – Garrett Cooper

Garrett Cooper at five seems unfair. He made his first all-star appearance in 2022 and recorded a respectable 113 OPS+ in 119 games. His advanced stats were above average as well, and in 2022, Cooper was in the 71st percentile of HardHit%, 73rd percentile of xSLG, and 75th percentile of Barrel%.

Unfortunately for Cooper, first base is a stacked position in the NL East. In 2022, he ranked last among NL East first basemen in slugging percentage, OPS, home runs, and average exit velocity. While Cooper does have a respectable OBP, he is in the 53rd percentile for BB%, which means he heavily relies on his BABIP to get on base.

Cooper is a solid bat to have in the lineup for any team. According to Baseball Reference, he’s projected to have a .338 OBP for the 2023 season and club 12 home runs in 407 at-bats. However, in terms of a first-base/DH bat, Cooper falls short due to his lack of power and reliance on singles to get on base.

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No. 4 – Joey Meneses/Dominic Smith

Joey Meneses was one of the best stories in MLB last season. After spending 11 years between the MiLB and NPB, he finally got his shot in MLB after the Nationals traded away Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the Padres. In a short 56-game sample size, Meneses dominated MLB pitching, slashing .324/.367/.563/.930 and recording a 165 OPS+. Maneses’ advanced stats were no laughing matter either, as he posted a 91.4 average exit velocity and 9.9 Barrel%.

The Nationals also signed Dominic Smith this off-season after he was non-tendered by the Mets. Smith was horrific during the 2022 season and was regulated to Triple-A most of the season after posting a 62 OPS+ in 58 games. However, Smith is looking to reestablish himself in Washington after posting a 168 OPS+ and finishing 13th in the MVP race in 2020.

The tandem of Meneses and Smith is interesting heading into the 2023 season. Meneses posted MVP numbers in a short sample size in 2022 and Smith has proven in the past that he can be a valuable piece in MLB. However, there are a lot of questions for the two of them. Can Maneses replicate his dominant statistics over a 162-game season? Can Smith find his power stroke from 2020 that resulted in a .993 OPS? Both of these questions will be answered at the end of 2023, but for now, the duo finds themselves sitting at number four.

Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 – Rhys Hoskins

With every passing MLB season, Rhys Hoskins continues to be an underrated player. Maybe it’s due to all the other stars surrounding him, such as Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, and now, Trea Turner, but the guy rakes. In 2022, Hoskins clubbed 30 home runs, recorded a .332 OBP, and posted a 122 OPS+.

Most of Hoskins’s baseball savant page is red as well. He was in the 80th percentile in BB%, 78th percentile for Barrel% and 81st percentile for chase rate. The one hole in Hoskins’s bat is the inability to hit the breaking ball. In 2022, he batted .179 against breaking pitches and recorded an ugly .376 slugging percentage.

While Hoskins has hit throughout his career, his defense has been nothing short of ugly. Last season he committed 12 errors at first and recorded a horrific -9 OAA. Defense has always been an issue for Hoskins and the best defensive season he’s had was in 2019, where he recorded one OAA and committed nine errors.

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2 – Matt Olson

Losing Freeman was a big blow to the Braves organization as a whole, but when you replace him with Matt Olson, the wound heals a little quicker. Olson demonstrated his raw power in 2022 and clubbed 34 home runs while recording a .477 slugging percentage. His advanced statistics were impressive too, as Olson finished in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 93rd percentile in Barrel%. Besides hitting the ball hard, Olson also impressively knocked in 103 runs his first year in the NL, leading the Braves in RBI and recording a second consecutive season with 100+ RBI.

Olson wasn’t just impressive on offense. The former gold glover flashed the leather in 2022, recording 3 OAA and five defensive runs saved. For his performance on the field, Olson was nominated as a gold glove finalist for NL first basemen but lost to Christian Walker.

Ranking Olson number two was a tough decision. He excels on both sides of the ball and can decide the outcome of a game by himself. However, he had a mediocre second half where he slashed .219/.303/.462, and that stretch was enough to put him behind the top player on the list.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 – Pete Alonso

Pete Alonso ranked as number one may seem like a biased and obvious pick coming from MMO, but the truth is, only half of that is correct. The pick is obvious. Alonso had one of the greatest offensive seasons in the Mets’ history.

Starting with the basic stats, Alonso was fantastic. He slashed .271/.352/.518/.869, drove in 131 runs and clubbed 40 home runs. By doing so, Alonso set the Mets’ franchise record in RBI and became the only Met to have multiple 40+ home run seasons. Alonso also drove in 27 game-winning RBI in 2022, tying an unofficial record held by Willie Mays and Joe Torre. 

Alonso’s advanced metrics were also impressive. He was in the 86 percentile for Barrel%, 75th percentile in HardHit%, and was in the top two percent of the league for max exit velocity. While Alonso’s average exit velocity dropped to 89.8 mph in 2022, he still raked and finished with an outstanding 146 OPS+.

Like Hoskins, the only knock on Alonso is his defense. He was atrocious in 2022 and recorded a -8 OAA. Defensive play fluctuates every year and there is still hope for Alonso to improve. He did record a 3 OAA back in 2021.

For his performance on the field, Alonso was named a 2022 all-star and finished eighth overall in the NL MVP voting. If not for Paul Goldschmidt‘s ridiculous year, Alonso might have won his first Silver Slugger.

Overall, Alonso was everything the Mets could have asked him to be in 2022. He led the team in RBI, home runs, OPS, and OPS+. More impressively, Alonso was durable and played in 160 games. If the Mets are going to be successful in 2023, they are going to have to rely on the best first baseman in the NL East.

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: First Base Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.