MLB Players React to ESPN’s Top 100 Rankings: A Mix of Praise and Criticism
As the baseball season kicks off, ESPN’s Top 100 player ranking has sparked a lively debate among Major League Baseball players. While many players were polite and even deferential when given a preview of the list, some expressed concerns about the criteria used for ranking. The feedback from players, gathered over the past few weeks, suggests that the list may be more about hype than actual achievement.
One player questioned the ranking of Roki Sasaki, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rookie pitcher ranked No. 60, over J.T. Realmuto, a seasoned catcher. “In what world does that make sense?” the player asked, highlighting Realmuto’s nearly decade-long standing as one of the best catchers.
The concern about weighing potential over production was echoed by many players. Tommy Pham of the Pittsburgh Pirates noted, “I’m not going to call out anybody by name, but there are guys on this list who have had a good two months over players who had good years.”
Longtime reliever Adam Ottavino also expressed surprise at the rankings, pointing to Francisco Lindor and Elly De La Cruz being ranked back-to-back at No. 16 and 17, respectively. “I feel like there’s a huge separation in actual production at this moment between Lindor and De La Cruz,” he said.
Another sticking point for players was the ranking of pitchers versus position players. Paul Skenes, a young Pirates pitcher ranked fifth, was a point of contention. “But he’s ahead of Francisco Lindor? Like, a shortstop who plays every day and just finished second in the NL MVP race?” one player questioned.
Andrew McCutchen, in his 17th year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, argued that ranking position players and pitchers on the same list is unfair. “Shohei [Ohtani] hits and he pitches, and you have him at No. 1,” McCutchen said. “But you guys have Paul Skenes at [No. 5], but Paul Skenes doesn’t hit. That skews the list for me.”
Ottavino, now with the New York Yankees, noted the scarcity of pitchers near the top of the list, aside from Ohtani. “Position players are out there day in and day out,” he said, pointing out that Chris Sale is ranked No. 32, behind Brent Rooker, a designated hitter.
Veteran infielder Manny Machado also weighed in, advocating for Tarik Skubal (No. 10) and Zack Wheeler (No. 9) to be higher on the list. “Zack is the No. 1 pitcher in the league right now, by far,” he said.
Ottavino pointed out the discrepancy between player rankings and their market value. “First baseman, first baseman, first baseman,” he said, noting their prevalence near the top of the list despite the market not valuing them as highly.
Max Fried, ranked No. 27, recently signed a $218 million deal with the Yankees, while Pete Alonso, ranked just a few spots behind, struggled to secure a deal worth a third of that amount.
When it comes to position players, Ottavino favored those with a broader skill set. “I would have Gunnar [Henderson] higher than some of these others because of overall impact,” he said.
Perhaps no player has as much impact as Aaron Judge, who ranked fourth. Multiple players were surprised he wasn’t No. 1 or No. 2. “I like Bobby Witt [Jr.]‘s skill set,” McCutchen said, “but what Judge did for a couple of years running, it’s hard for me to put [Witt] above him.”
Tommy Pham exclaimed, “You’ve got Judge as the fourth-best player? Am I tripping here?” He continued, “Judge can’t be that low. With all due respect, everybody above him on the list is a great player — Mookie [Betts], Bobby, Ohtani is a unicorn. But Judge had a Barry Bonds season last year.”
Judge’s adjusted OPS+ of 223 in 2024 is the highest ever for a right-handed hitter, a fact that Pham emphasized. “See?” Pham said. “I can’t work with this.”
Machado agreed, suggesting the order should be “1, 4, 2, 3,” meaning Ohtani, Judge, Witt, and then Betts.
Machado also commented on the hype surrounding Paul Skenes, saying, “But he is nasty. I’m glad we missed him last year.”
Seeing his former teammate Corey Seager at No. 21, Machado said, “I don’t know why Seager is so low. I love Seager.”
Several players were surprised by the rankings of big-name stars. Atlanta Braves infielders Matt Olson and Austin Riley were taken aback by Ronald Acuña Jr.’s No. 20 ranking. Despite recovering from a second ACL tear, Acuña’s 2023 campaign was impressive, with 41 homers and 73 stolen bases.
Riley also took issue with Teoscar Hernandez‘ ranking at No. 53, after a season in which he won the Home Run Derby and helped the Dodgers win the World Series. “I think once you get past No. 30, it’s a free-for-all,” he said.
Olson was puzzled by Marcell Ozuna‘s No. 78 ranking, saying, “If he’s going to be that low, you’re going to say it’s a discount for being a DH and not playing the field. But if that’s the case, Yordan [Alvarez] can’t be at [No. 7].”
And yes, Juan Soto‘s placement one spot down at No. 8 caught the attention of a few players. “Are you f—-ing kidding?” asked one.
Please tell us how you really feel.
Originally Written by: Buster Olney
