No need for a long intro.
I explained last Friday that I’m ready to begin posting my rankings of the 100 best players in Major League Baseball. Today’s installment is the first, launching the countdown from 100th place to 91st.
My standings are determined by the overall base values (OBV) accumulated by batters and pitchers during 2023’s regular season, with ties broken by their respective ratios of bases per out (BPO).
If you’d like a detailed explanation of the rating formula, you can click here. (The same link also defines the other stats that are featured in each player’s profile.)
And now, without further ado, here are the first 10 members of 2023’s top 100:
100. Adley Rutschman (Orioles)
99. Ha-Seong Kim (Padres)
98. Brandon Woodruff (Brewers)
97. Kevin Ginkel (Diamondbacks)
96. Shawn Armstrong (Rays)
95. Merrill Kelly (Diamondbacks)
94. Wander Franco (Rays)
93. Jarren Duran (Red Sox)
92. Mike Trout (Angels)
91. Devin Williams (Brewers)
Brief profiles of today’s 10 honorees can be found below. I’ll be back on Friday with the rankings from 90th place down to 81st.
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100. Adley Rutschman (Orioles)
OBV: 42
Primary position: C
BPO (batting): .798
BA: .277
Other batting stats: PA 687, HR 20, RBI 80
Notes: Rutschman, a second-year catcher, was one of the sparkplugs who powered Baltimore’s dramatic rise in 2023. He played 154 games in all, including 110 behind the plate. His homer and RBI totals both ranked third on the team, and his BPO was second.
99. Ha-Seong Kim (Padres)
OBV: 42
Primary position: 2B
BPO (batting): .802
BA: .260
Other batting stats: PA 626, HR 17, RBI 60
Notes: San Diego’s roster was loaded with stars, a designation that did not include Kim. Yet he outproduced such big names as Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr. in terms of base value and BPO. He finished second on the club in both categories to Juan Soto.
98. Brandon Woodruff (Brewers)
OBV: 42
Primary position: P
BPO (pitching): .495
ERA: 2.28
Other pitching stats: IP 67.0, W-L 5-1, SO 74
Notes: Woodruff spent much of 2023 on the injured list, yet he was so productive in his 11 starts for Milwaukee that he qualified for the top 100. He worked at least six innings and yielded two or fewer runs in seven of those appearances. But another injury may keep him on the sidelines in 2024.
97. Kevin Ginkel (Diamondbacks)
OBV: 42
Primary position: P
BPO (pitching): .487
ERA: 2.48
Other pitching stats: IP 65.1, W-L 9-1, SV 4, SO 70
Notes: Ginkel pitched in anonymity until the playoffs, when the nation’s fans finally had an opportunity to witness his effectiveness. He made 10 postseason appearances for Arizona without allowing a run. His rank here is based on his stellar regular-season work in 60 relief stints.
96. Shawn Armstrong (Rays)
OBV: 42
Primary position: P
BPO (pitching): .437
ERA: 1.38
Other pitching stats: IP 52.0, W-L 1-0, SO 54
Notes: Armstrong emerged as a key reliever for Tampa Bay in 2023. His overall ERA for the previous two seasons had been disappointingly high (5.25), so this year’s 1.38 came as a shock. He surrendered earned runs in only five of his 39 appearances.
95. Merrill Kelly (Diamondbacks)
OBV: 43
Primary position: P
BPO (pitching): .622
ERA: 3.29
Other pitching stats: IP 177.2, W-L 12-8, SO 187
Notes: National League hitters were already aware of Kelly’s excellence — his combined record for 2022-2023 was 25-16 with a 3.33 ERA — but the World Series established him as a star. He worked into the sixth inning or beyond in 24 of his 30 starts this season.
94. Wander Franco (Rays)
OBV: 43
Primary position: SS
BPO (batting): .826
BA: .281
Other batting stats: PA 491, HR 17, RBI 58
Notes: There’s no doubt about Franco’s exceptional potential, which inspired Tampa Bay to sign him to an 11-year contract. But his 2023 season came to a premature halt when he was placed on indefinite leave after allegations of inappropriate relationships with minors. His future status is up in the air.
93. Jarren Duran (Red Sox)
OBV: 43
Primary position: CF
BPO (batting): .884
BA: .295
Other batting stats: PA 362, HR 8, RBI 40
Notes: Duran batted .215 and .221 for Boston in part-time duty the previous two years, so his .295 breakout in 2023 was unexpected. He led the Red Sox in BPO and stolen bases, and he finished third on the club in base value.
92. Mike Trout (Angels)
OBV: 43
Primary position: CF
BPO (batting): .888
BA: .263
Other batting stats: PA 362, HR 18, RBI 44
Notes: It’s a measure of Trout’s greatness that he qualified for the top 100 despite missing half of the 2023 season with injuries. He still managed to rank second for the Angels in base value, BPO, and on-base percentage. Who was first in all three categories? A guy named Shohei Ohtani.
91. Devin Williams (Brewers)
OBV: 43
Primary position: P
BPO (pitching): .464
ERA: 1.53
Other pitching stats: IP 58.2, W-L 8-3, SV 36, SO 87
Notes: Williams took over the reins as Milwaukee’s closer after Josh Hader was traded in the middle of the 2022 season. He finished fifth in the majors in 2023 with 36 saves, three more than Hader notched for San Diego.