Top 10 MLB second basemen heading into the 2018 season
By Anthony Sosa
10. Jed Lowrie – Oakland Athletics
Out in Oakland, very few players garner attention due to the small market and recent poor play from the Athletics, however, Athletics’ second baseman Jed Lowrie merits a spot on this list at No. 10.
Lowrie’s played 10 seasons in the major leagues but hasn’t stayed consistent throughout his career. The 33-year-old has produced two of his best seasons with the Athletics. Back in 2013, Lowrie had a career year, posting career highs in almost every category.
Last season was another excellent year for Lowrie. In 153 MLB games played, the second baseman hit .277/.360/.448 with 14 home runs, 69 RBI, 86 runs scored and a 4.0 bWAR. Lowrie also hit 49 doubles in 2017, giving him the most among second basemen and the second-most in all of MLB.
Lowrie might not stand out as one of the best players in baseball but a 4.0 bWAR, fourth among all second baseman, is enough to get him on to this list.
9. Whit Merrifield – Kansas City Royals
The 2017 season was rough for the Kansas City Royals. With a bunch of key MLB players becoming free agents at the end of the season and a team that could still compete, the front office had to decide to sell or not at the deadline. They chose to compete but failed to make the playoffs.
During the offseason, they’ve seen their former center fielder Lorenzo Cain sign with the Milwaukee Brewers and their former first baseman Eric Hosmer sign with the San Diego Padres. After losing two talented players (and more than likely three when Moustakas signs with another team), the Royals now have to lean on different to carry the team.
One of those players they’ll lean on is second baseman, Whit Merrifield. The 29-year-old broke out in 2017 and shored up a position that the team’s lacked since Ben Zobrist left.
In 145 games, Merrifield hit .288/.324/.460 with 19 home runs, 78 RBI, 80 runs scored and a 3.9 bWAR. He also stole 34 bases, which led all AL second basemen.
Among Royals’ returning players in 2018, Merrifield led the team in hits (169), steals, runs, triples (6), RBI, average and on-base percentage.
With just two seasons under his belt, the second baseman could find himself higher on this list if he performs well again in 2018.