6. Cody Bellinger – Los Angeles Dodgers
With an unexpected stellar 2017 MLB season, Cody Bellinger finds himself at No. 6 on this list. Not too bad for a guy that was a 22-year-old rookie in 2017. Many didn’t believe that Bellinger would make a significant impact on the Dodgers last season. But the complete opposite happened.
The Dodgers didn’t call up Bellinger until May. But by the end of the season, Bellinger was arguably the MVP of the Dodgers 2017 season. When a shot at the big leagues came, he capitalized on his opportunity.
In his first big league season, Bellinger hit .267/.352/.581 with 39 home runs, 97 RBI, 87 runs and a bWAR of 4.2. And even without playing in April, Bellinger led all MLB first basemen in home runs.
Although Bellinger does strikeout quite a bit — his struggle was on display in the World Series. The Houston Astros’ pitching staff faced Bellinger 29 times in the World Series and struck him out 17 times. They only allowed him to reach base five times in the seven-game series.
With teams having more scouting reports and film on Bellinger, it’ll be interesting to see how he fairs in his sophomore season.
5. Anthony Rizzo – Chicago Cubs
Coming in at No. 5 on our list is one half of the Chicago Cubs’ duo Bryzzo (the nickname that combines Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant). Rizzo continues to shine in the Windy City and certainly carries himself as the face of the Cubs.
Rizzo played a considerable role in the Cubs ending their 108-year World Series drought in 2016. He hit .360/.484/.600 in the Fall Classic. Rizzo proved he lives for the big moment.
In 2017, Rizzo hit .273/.392/.507 with 32 home runs, 109 RBI, 99 runs scored and a 4.4 bWAR. It was his fourth straight season with at least 30 home runs and his third consecutive season with at least 100 RBI. Rizzo’s established consistency over the past few seasons.
Last season, while the Cubs were struggling, manager Joe Maddon decided to let Rizzo hit leadoff, despite him not fitting the typical leadoff hitter persona. Rizzo survived 14 games as the leadoff man and put up some of his best numbers in 2017 from that spot. That’s just a testament to how versatile Rizzo is for the Cubs.