2. Goldy takes home gold, wins NL MVP
Since breaking out in 2013, Paul Goldschmidt has been a perennial betting favorite to win an MVP. That season, he finished second on the ballots to Andrew McCutchen, still managing to win a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and his first All-Star Game berth in the process.
His rare blend of speed, power and high contact rate make him a generational talent. Last season, Goldy arguably had his best season to date as a pro. He set personal bests with a .321 BA, .435 OBP and .570 SLG. His 1.005 OPS was second only to Bryce Harper, whom he was the MVP runner-up to last season.
Goldschmidt’s 33 home runs and 21 stolen bases from 2015 made him the first at his position to compile a 20-20 season since Derrek Lee hit 31 and stole 21 in 2003 with the Marlins.
Goldy should have ample support and protection at the top of the lineup — more than he’s had in past seasons while still managing and average oWAR of 5.7 from 2013-15. His raw ability, coupled with the next prediction on this list, will be the main contributing factors to Goldschmidt taking home NL MVP honors in 2016.
Next: October baseball returns to Arizona