Cubs News: Kris Bryant ranked No. 1 third baseman |
January 14, 2018 – Chicago Cubs third baseman and 2016 National League Most Valuable Player
Kris Bryant topped MLB Network’s annual Top 10 Third Basemen Right Now! program last night. Bryant, who was ranked second on last year’s countdown, finished one spot ahead of the Rockies’ Nolan Arenado.
Hosted by MLB Network’s Brian Kenny alongside MLB Network analysts, each Top 10 Right Now! ranking takes into account player performance over the last two seasons, a number of offensive and defensive metrics, both advanced Statcast data and traditional numbers, and expert analysis by the MLB Network research team. On last night’s countdown, MLB Network analyst and Gold Glove Award-winning third baseman Mike Lowell said of Bryant, “For me, Kris Bryant, not only huge power, [but he’s] starting to understand the strike zone much better. I love the fact that in his three years, strikeouts have gone from 199 to 154 to 128. That is a big sign. I know he walks a lot, I know he gets on base a lot, but I think he’s looking for his pitch and putting his pitch in-play harder more often. I think the sky’s the limit for this guy … 40-plus home runs is totally in his capability and it’s gonna be fun to watch how he develops and matures into being more of a superstar in the years to come.” Top 10 Third Basemen Right Now! 1. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs 2. Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies 3. Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays 4. Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers 5. Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals 6. Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers 7. Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians 8. Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles 9. Alex Bregman, Houston Astros 10. Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners Now in its eighth season, MLB Network’s Top 10 Right Now! series features analysis from MLB Network on-air personalities, plus roundtable discussion from President of SABR Vince Gennaro, The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh and MLB.com analyst Mike Petriello. Viewers can submit a top-10 list for each position by voting on MLB Network’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages using #Top10RightNow. All #Top10RightNow votes are incorporated into an overall fan-generated Top 10 Right Now! list in each episode.
