4. Nolan Arenado – COL
.287/.358/.590-37-16-43-0, wRC+ 125, 2.2 WAR
Surprise surprise — it’s June and the Colorado Rockies are hovering around .500. Most of that is thanks in large part to their offense and leading the way is their NL ROY candidate at shortstop Trevor Story, as well as third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Ranking in the top three of a number of prominent statistical categories in the National League, the 25-year-old Arenado has mutated from a promising rookie who plays great defense at the hot corner to a true franchise player to build a team around.
2016 is the first time in his career Arenado saw his salary jump to seven figures. He’s arbitration eligible in 2017, but you can bet the Rockies’ front office will want to see Arenado and Story manning the left side of their infield for years to come. Expect discussions between his agent and the club toward a long-term deal to be ongoing this offseason.
Next: Number 3