No. 2. Manny Machado, Orioles
Age: 23. Key figures for 2016: .350/.404/.660, 7 home runs, 16 RBI, 10 doubles
The bat: When you look at Machado’s numbers, remember that he’s only 23 years old. He’s been pretty incredible. He became an offensive superstar in 2015, when he hit 35 home runs, stole 20 bases, scored 102 runs, and batted .286 with an .868 OPS. And he’s been even better this season, continuing a trend. Look at his progression in on-base percentage from his rookie season in 2012 to now: .294, .314, .324, .359, .404. Most of his strikeout numbers follow the same pattern (wOBA is just another example: .317, .325, .332, .370, .450). Through the first month of the 2016 season, he’s tied for the MLB lead with 66 total bases (10 doubles, seven home runs, 18 singles). Who’s he tied with? Josh Donaldson and Nolan Arenado, of course.
The glove: Machado played a total of two games at third base in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut at the position. That’s it. Two. He was drafted (third overall in 2010) out of high school as a future Baltimore shortstop, but he was so good in the minor leagues that he forced his way to the big leagues in August 2012, about a month after his 20th birthday. But the Orioles still had JJ Hardy, who had just signed a three-year, $22.5 million extension in the 2011 offseason, playing shortstop in the big leagues, so They put Machado on third baseand he’s been brilliant ever since. He’s been so good at third base, in fact, that the Orioles gave Hardy another three-year extension to stay at shortstop after the 2014 season. In each of his two full seasons (he played just 82 games due to injury in 2014), Machado won the Gold Glove.
Manny’s case: You could definitely say that Machado is the best player in baseball right now, and you wouldn’t be wrong. He’s an absolute superstar, and he’s only getting better. If we do this list again next year (or, hell, in September), he might just take the top spot. Most of all, we’re just happy to get to watch a guy this talented play baseball every day.
