2015 Outfielder Rankings
As has become an All-Star break tradition, here’s a peek ahead at some very, very preliminary 2015 player rankings. I’m only concerned with next year here, so these aren’t true keeper rankings; if I were factoring in 2016 and beyond, some younger players would be listed quite a bit higher. As always, I’m going position by position (trying to account for next year’s position eligibility) and including a top 300 overall.
This winter’s free agents are listed without teams. Players facing option years are listed as “opt” in the team column.
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Click to see other preliminary 2015 rankings:
Top 300 | SP | RP | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH
2015 Outfielder Rankings
2015 | Outfield | Team | 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mike Trout | Angels | 1 |
2 | Giancarlo Stanton | Marlins | 8 |
3 | Yasiel Puig | Dodgers | 17 |
4 | Billy Hamilton | Reds | 19 |
5 | Andrew McCutchen | Pirates | 5 |
6 | Bryce Harper | Nationals | 6 |
7 | Carlos Gonzalez | Rockies | 3 |
8 | Jacoby Ellsbury | Yankees | 4 |
9 | Jose Bautista | Blue Jays | 14 |
10 | Carlos Gomez | Brewers | 11 |
11 | Ryan Braun | Brewers | 2 |
12 | Adam Jones | Orioles | 9 |
13 | Justin Upton | Braves | 10 |
14 | Michael Brantley | Indians | 27 |
15 | Gregory Polanco | Pirates | 127 |
16 | Shin-Soo Choo | Rangers | 7 |
17 | Jay Bruce | Reds | 12 |
18 | Hunter Pence | Giants | 15 |
19 | George Springer | Astros | 80 |
20 | Yoenis Cespedes | Athletics | 18 |
21 | Jason Heyward | Braves | 13 |
22 | Matt Kemp | Dodgers | 20 |
23 | Mark Trumbo | Diamondbacks | 10 1B |
24 | Kole Calhoun | Angels | 29 |
25 | Corey Dickerson | Rockies | 84 |
26 | Alex Rios | opt | 24 |
27 | Matt Holliday | Cardinals | 16 |
28 | Christian Yelich | Marlins | 50 |
29 | Wil Myers | Rays | 21 |
30 | Jayson Werth | Nationals | 26 |
31 | Starling Marte | Pirates | 25 |
32 | Leonys Martin | Rangers | 35 |
33 | Alex Gordon | Royals | 33 |
34 | Marcell Ozuna | Marlins | 69 |
35 | Josh Hamilton | Angels | 30 |
36 | Oscar Taveras | Cardinals | 91 |
37 | Nelson Cruz | 39 | |
38 | Charlie Blackmon | Rockies | 112 |
39 | Carlos Beltran | Yankees | 22 |
40 | Desmond Jennings | Rays | 28 |
41 | Allen Craig | Cardinals | 9 1B |
42 | Coco Crisp | Athletics | 51 |
43 | Brett Gardner | Yankees | 57 |
44 | Austin Jackson | Tigers | 32 |
45 | Mookie Betts | Red Sox | NR |
46 | Curtis Granderson | Mets | 47 |
47 | Avisail Garcia | White Sox | 45 |
48 | Joc Pederson | Dodgers | 175 |
49 | Nick Markakis | opt | 41 |
50 | Angel Pagan | Giants | 54 |
51 | B.J. Upton | Braves | 48 |
52 | Denard Span | Nationals | 52 |
53 | Michael Cuddyer | 23 | |
54 | J.D. Martinez | Tigers | 153 |
55 | Melky Cabrera | 53 | |
56 | Michael Morse | 71 | |
57 | A.J. Pollock | Diamondbacks | 55 |
58 | Torii Hunter | 37 | |
59 | Ben Revere | Phillies | 49 |
60 | Josh Reddick | Athletics | 36 |
61 | Carl Crawford | Dodgers | 42 |
62 | Adam Eaton | White Sox | 62 |
63 | Michael Bourn | Indians | 43 |
64 | Will Venable | Padres | 38 |
65 | Jackie Bradley | Red Sox | 94 |
66 | Shane Victorino | Red Sox | 34 |
67 | Lorenzo Cain | Royals | 64 |
68 | Oswaldo Arcia | Twins | 60 |
69 | Dexter Fowler | Astros | 75 |
70 | Khris Davis | Brewers | 74 |
71 | Marlon Byrd | Phillies | 78 |
72 | Andre Ethier | Dodgers | 46 |
73 | Dustin Ackley | Mariners | 14 2B |
74 | Colby Rasmus | 59 | |
75 | Norichika Aoki | 44 | |
76 | Rajai Davis | Tigers | 58 |
77 | Dayan Viciedo | White Sox | 70 |
78 | Josh Willingham | 72 | |
79 | Kevin Kiermaier | Rays | 248 |
80 | Domonic Brown | Phillies | 31 |
81 | Gerardo Parra | Diamondbacks | 63 |
82 | Matt Joyce | Rays | 77 |
83 | James Jones | Mariners | 245 |
84 | Juan Lagares | Mets | 107 |
85 | Cameron Maybin | Padres | 100 |
86 | Chris Young | 56 | |
87 | Michael Saunders | Mariners | 96 |
88 | Seth Smith | Padres | 98 |
89 | Yasmani Tomas | NR | |
90 | Grant Green | Angels | 41 2B |
91 | Craig Gentry | Athletics | 97 |
92 | Justin Ruggiano | Cubs | 90 |
93 | Eric Young Jr. | Mets | 89 |
94 | Carlos Quentin | Padres | 81 |
95 | David Murphy | Indians | 82 |
96 | Jon Jay | Cardinals | 106 |
97 | Domingo Santana | Astros | 246 |
98 | Andy Dirks | Tigers | 110 |
99 | Drew Stubbs | Rockies | 85 |
100 | Chris Denorfia | 95 | |
101 | Daniel Nava | Red Sox | 76 |
102 | Rusney Castillo | NR | |
103 | Chris Heisey | Reds | 68 |
104 | Peter Bourjos | Cardinals | 66 |
105 | Alfonso Soriano | 40 | |
106 | Alejandro De Aza | White Sox | 79 |
107 | Nate Schierholtz | 73 | |
108 | Jonny Gomes | 83 | |
109 | Junior Lake | Cubs | 92 |
110 | Darin Ruf | Phillies | 118 |
111 | Scott Van Slyke | Dodgers | 136 |
112 | Jake Marisnick | Marlins | 154 |
113 | Chris Coghlan | Cubs | 144 |
114 | Cody Ross | Diamondbacks | 99 |
115 | Jose Tabata | Pirates | 88 |
116 | Michael Choice | Rangers | 124 |
117 | Brandon Guyer | Rays | 117 |
118 | David DeJesus | Rays | 93 |
119 | Grady Sizemore | 67 | |
120 | Nolan Reimold | Blue Jays | 4 DH |
121 | James Ramsey | Cardinals | 244 |
122 | Byron Buxton | Twins | 129 |
123 | Jarrod Dyson | Royals | 120 |
124 | Abraham Almonte | Mariners | 87 |
125 | Michael Taylor | Nationals | NR |
126 | Aaron Hicks | Twins | 65 |
127 | Franklin Gutierrez | NR | |
128 | Jordan Schafer | Braves | 119 |
129 | Steven Souza | Nationals | 271 |
130 | Kyle Parker | Rockies | 165 |
131 | Nate McLouth | Nationals | 111 |
132 | Ryan Raburn | Indians | 103 |
133 | Randal Grichuk | Cardinals | 258 |
134 | Anthony Gose | Blue Jays | 116 |
135 | Delmon Young | 114 | |
136 | David Peralta | Diamondbacks | NR |
137 | Ichiro Suzuki | 102 | |
138 | Tyler Naquin | Indians | NR |
139 | Bryce Brentz | Red Sox | 188 |
140 | Mikie Mahtook | Rays | NR |
141 | David Lough | Orioles | 109 |
142 | Ryan Ludwick | 130 | |
143 | Michael Taylor | White Sox | 145 |
144 | Billy Burns | Athletics | 214 |
145 | Robbie Grossman | Astros | 86 |
146 | Jorge Soler | Cubs | 256 |
147 | Alex Presley | Astros | 126 |
148 | Kirk Nieuwenhuis | Mets | 180 |
149 | John Mayberry Jr. | Phillies | 140 |
150 | Chris Parmelee | Twins | 157 |
Outfielders
This winter’s outfield crop is very short on all-around players. Cruz, Cuddyer, Morse and Willingham all belong at DH or maybe first base in the case of Cuddyer and Morse. The Orioles will decline Markakis’s $17.5 million option, but figure to seek to bring him back at a more modest price. I imagine that Rios’s $13.5 million option will be picked up, though it’s possible he’ll be traded before that happens. Rasmus would seem to be the only legitimate starting center fielder in the bunch, which would seem to make for an interesting trade market.
There are two Cuban defectors here in Yasmani Tomas (No. 89) and Rusney Castillo (No. 102). Tomas has at least 25-homer power, though he might be more useful at first base than in the outfield. It’s uncertain when he’ll be cleared to sign. Castillo is free to ink a deal and probably will sometime in the next month or two. He doesn’t have Tomas’s bat, but he can play center and might be talented enough to make it as a regular.
Teams with expendable outfielders this winter include the Cardinals, Rays and Dodgers. With Matt Adams now settled in at first base, trading Craig seems like an obvious move for St. Louis. They could also put Bourjos back on the market. With Ramsey and Grichuk in the minors, they really have any number of options. Maybe they’ll trade Jay and keep Bourjos if they think Ramsey, a left-handed hitter, is capable of taking over in center.
Kiermaier’s emergence could lead to Jennings’s exit. Kiermaier has been playing right field alongside Jennings, but he’s probably the better center fielder of the two anyway, and despite Jennings’ disappointing lack of progress, he’d still be an attractive piece given the barren center field market.
The Red Sox will have to decide whether they can count on Victorino to contribute next year or if it will make sense to go get a bopper to play left field. Bradley doesn’t look like a future star, but his offense is picking up and he’s proving himself to be one of the game’s best defensive center fielders. Betts could settle in an as a legitimate right fielder if the Red Sox want to go that route, but a Betts-Bradley-Victorino outfield, with Nava in reserve, would be awfully short of power. If the Red Sox want to get back into the race next year, finding a 25-homer guy to play left would seem to be an easy upgrade.
The Rockies are talking about re-signing Cuddyer, but they already have Justin Morneau under control for next year and their 2015 outfield should be Dickerson-Blackmon-Gonzalez, at least against righties.
