Ranking the top second basemen in MLB approaching Opening Day

Honorable Mentions

Starlin Castro

Once considered the future face of the shortstop position, Starlin Castro has experienced a significant offensive dropoff since 2013.  A change of scenery with the New York Yankees and a full Spring Training at second base could do wonders for the 25-year-old.

Kolten Wong

A five-year extension from the St. Louis Cardinals shows the team’s faith in the promising 25-year-old, and it’s likely he delivers in his third full Major League season.  With 11 home runs and a .707 OPS last season, Kolten Wong is poised for a breakthrough.

Brett Lawrie

A former lauded prospect, Brett Lawrie has failed to live up to expectations since his fateful 43-game debut that saw him hit .293/.373/.580.  Since then, he’s been a high-energy bat with some pop that has struggled to consistently make contact and get on base.  A full-time move to second base with the Chicago White Sox could prove to be useful, but he struggled at the position with the Oakland Athletics in 2015.

Neil Walker

Neil Walker has been a consistent producer of runs, power and decent defense.  In his first season with the New York Mets, it’ll likely be more of the same for the 30-year-old.  While he’s never been a star, Walker will always be a valuable piece in any lineup.

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10. Daniel Murphy

While he’ll forever be remembered for his heroics with the New York Mets in the 2015 postseason, Daniel Murphy enters his age-30 season on a new team in the Washington Nationals and pressure to produce.  With a .288/.331/.424 career slash line, Murphy has proven to be a solid offensive piece who’s capable of continuing his production for years to come.

9. Brian Dozier

Brian Dozier may not be the most consistent source of contact among second basemen, but he provided the most pop after posting 28 homers in 2015.  As one of the veterans on an upstart Minnesota Twins team, Dozier did much more than hit for power, though, as he stole 12 bases and scored 101 runs.  His 21 percent strikeout rate was a career-high, but at 28, it’s likely he can gain some plate discipline.  Add in solid defense, and the Twins boast one of the league’s best at the position.

8. Brandon Phillips

While Brandon Phillips has been the subject of many trade rumors, that shouldn’t affect his overall stock heading into 2016.  Despite the demise of his power, Phillips added speed back to his game last season and stole 23 bases, his highest total since 2009.  At 34, Phillips stayed healthy last season and managed to post a respectable .723 OPS, a number that is sustainable as he enters the latter part of his career.

7. Robinson Cano

Robinson Cano may never produce like he did during his prime with the Yankees again, but he’s still a consistent threat at the plate.  Cano’s 2.1 WAR last season was his lowest mark since his rookie season in 2005, which is due in large part to diminished overall numbers.

His .287/.334/.446 slash line and 21 home runs offset a trying start to the season, but are far from what the Seattle Mariners hoped for when signing him to a massive deal a few offseasons ago.  Entering this season, expect Cano to continue a slow decline but still produce enough to warrant contention among the top tier of second basemen in the league.

6. Logan Forsythe

Logan Forsythe came out of nowhere last season to post one of the best all-around seasons by a second basemen in recent years.  His .281 average, .804 OPS and 17 homers were all career-highs, and he also stole 9 bases to boot. With solid defensive numbers, the 28-year-old became one of the best players on a Tampa Bay Rays squad devoid of consistent offensive producers.

5. Dustin Pedroia

2016 Projected Stats: .297/.351/.414, 10 HR, 61 RBI, 4.7 WAR

Despite dealing with various nagging injuries in the past few seasons, Dustin Pedroia has remained one of the league’s top second basemen for his high-effort defense and ability to rake at the plate.  While he only played in 93 games last season, Pedroia hit 12 home runs (his highest total since 2012) and slashed .291/.356/.441.

This offseason, Pedroia has focused more on athleticism than training for power, so a dip in home runs and doubles may be in order, but that won’t be a major concern if he can stay on the field for at least 140 games.  His solid strikeout percentage of 12 percent and walk percentage of 8.9 keep him among the game’s best in terms of plate discipline, a skill that will likely stick with him for the remainder of his career.

Although he dealt with a hamstring issue last season, Pedroia was able to post respectable defensive numbers.  His 3.1 UZR/150 was down from years past, but that’s likely to improve given that he stays healthy going forward. There aren’t many consistently excellent defensive players in the game, but the 32-year-old is among them.

Pedroia is no longer relied upon to lead the Boston Red Sox, but he’s the de facto captain of the team and his leadership will play a big part in his and the club’s success in 2016.

4. Ian Kinsler

2016 Projected Stats: .289/.337/.418, 12 HR, 76 RBI, 9 SB, 4.4 WAR

It’s hard to believe Ian Kinsler is 33, but he’s been in the league since 2006 and still managed to post one of the best seasons of his career in his second year with the Detroit Tigers.  While his walks are down from his days with the Texas Rangers, his .296 average was his highest mark since 2008.

Add in a solid .342 on-base percentage and .428 slugging percentage, and Kinsler looks the part of one of the game’s better offensive players.  His 11 home runs last season make it seem as if his power is slowly diminishing, but he still managed to hit 35 doubles.

Kinsler also secured a career-high seven triples, showing that his base-running won’t slow down just yet.  With 10 steals and 94 runs scored, Kinsler is still a sneaky good force on the base paths.  A 6.7 UZR/150 and 19 DRS are very solid, and bode well for his future at the position.

Going forward, it’s unclear if Kinsler’s offensive resurgence last season was a fluke or a sign of things to come.  While he may not repeat last season’s success, Kinsler’s floor is still an above-average contributor in all aspects of the game.

3. Dee Gordon

2016 Projected Stats: .311/.348/.412, 93 R, 61 SB, 4.8 WAR

There was a time in 2015 that some thought Dee Gordon could knock on the door of hitting .400 after he started out on fire with a .425 average to start the season.  While he cooled down a bit, Gordon finished the season with the second-highest batting average in the majors at .333, second only to future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera.

Gordon’s surge at the plate wasn’t completely out of nowhere, however, as he enjoyed a rather productive 2014 campaign in which he hit .289 and stole 64 bases.  Gordon’s speed makes him one of the top threats in the game on the base paths, as he stole 58 bases last season.  He’ll never be a power threat after only hitting four home runs last season, but his knack for getting on base offsets that.

The only true knock on Gordon’s game is his inability to draw walks, as he only walked 3.8 percent of the time last season. As a hitter toward the top of the Miami Marlins lineup, he’ll need to improve in that regard.  But at the same time, he only struck out 13.9 percent of the time last season, which could be a positive if he looks to walk more.

Defensively, Gordon’s athleticism puts him among the best at the position, as he posted a 6.0 UZR/150 and 13 DRS. He also won a Gold Glove award for the first time in his career.

Expect him to only improve as he ages, as he’s only about to turn 28. Gordon was a bright spot for an underperforming Marlins team in 2015, and is likely to play the same role in 2016.

2. Jason Kipnis

2016 Projected Stats: .295/.365/.462, 16 HR, 67 RBI, 10 SB, 5.5 WAR

After a breakout 2013 campaign, Jason Kipnis produced a flop in 2014, but bounced back nicely last season to reestablish himself as one of the game’s top second basemen.  In another even year though, it’s possible Kipnis regresses if he has some old-age curse attached to his name, but let’s hope that’s not the case.

In the past three seasons, Kipnis has managed to decrease his strikeout percentage by roughly three points each season, getting it down to a respectable 16.7 percent last season.  While his walk rate has decreased, he’s still managed to get on base at a very high rate.  A .303 average and .823 OPS were marked improvements from his .240 and .640 marks just a season before.

Despite a dip in home run power over the past two seasons, Kipnis churned out 43 doubles in 2015 and should continue that trend going forward.  It’s likely that some of that power translates into more home runs as well.

While he’s never been known for his glove, Kipnis was markedly improved last season as he bumped his UZR/150 up to 5.8 and increased his DRS from -11 to 1.  Just a month from turning 29, Kipnis is in the midst of his prime and is poised to rake at the plate this upcoming season.

1. Jose Altuve

2016 Projected Stats: .327/.381/.461, 17 HR, 71 RBI, 42 SB, 4.7 WAR

While he didn’t light up opposing pitchers to the tune of a .341 average like he did back in 2014, Jose Altuve proved he’s one of the league’s premier offensive forces after posting a .313 average and .812 OPS in 2015.  Despite his 5’6″ stature, Altuve is taking the Pedroia route to dominating with high effort and surprising pop.

Now with four straight seasons of at least a .280 average, Altuve added an unexpected power element to his game by belting 15 homers last season while also adding 40 doubles.  Add in game-changing speed, as evidenced by his 38 steals, and Altuve represents the complete package for a contending Houston Astros team.

Altuve rarely walks, but with a 9.7 strikeout percentage, he is able to get on base in a variety of other ways. His play is sustainable, too, as his BABIP last season was only .329, a number that wouldn’t inflate his stats to unreachable heights.

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The 25-year-old was also a game-changer on defense, as he won a Gold Glove Award while posting a 4.8 UZR/150. The metrics don’t quite recognize his value on defense, but it’s clear when Altuve plays he’s among the best in the infield.

While once again leading the American League in hits and steals, Altuve is a flat-out star ready to lead his Astros to glory.