15-11
15. Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun had a remarkably solid 2015 season, but it doesn’t look like he’ll ever return to his days of being a feared slugger in the heart of the Milwaukee Brewers lineup. Expect another year of a near .290 average with anywhere from 20-30 home runs.
14. Justin Upton
Now with his fourth team in the Detroit Tigers, Justin Upton is looking to finally make the leap into superstardom that has eluded him for so many years. Still just 28, Upton has the tools to be one of the better hitters in the Detroit lineup. At his worst, though, he’s a .260 hitter that can hit 25 homers. It’s likely he’ll top those numbers this season.
13. Starling Marte
Starling Marte came within one home run of joining the elusive 20-20 club last season, and it’s possible he can make the leap this season. Despite his inability to draw walks, Marte finds ways to get on base and score runs – and with 81 RBI last season, he emerged as a run producer in a solid Pittsburgh Pirates lineup. Expect him to creep toward a .300 average while stealing plenty of bases in 2016.
12. Kevin Kiermaier
Despite a relatively weak bat, Kevin Kiermaier is among the league’s best defensive outfielders and looks poised to improve on all fronts as he enters his age 26 season. With a 32.0 defensive WAR and 2.2 offensive WAR, Kiermaier was among the Tampa Bay Rays best all-around players last season.
11. Adam Jones
While Adam Jones is a superstar in his own right and the undoubted face of the Baltimore Orioles, he struggled to an extent last season and saw his average dip to .269. His walk rate slightly increased, which could possibly go up again this season as he continues to mature. At the same time, however, his OBP will never be among the best in the game – and that just offsets his game changing power enough to keep him out of the top 10.