Matt Trueblood of Bleacher Report
published a slideshow on Saturday of his projected top 50 players over the next decade. I think this brings up not just a few, but many debates. Such a topic is very hard to predict considering that we probably have never even heard of most of the next decades' stars. For example, there's no way anyone knew the potential of Hanley Ramirez in 2000. The following rankings are his, followed by my spin on the ranking.
Honorable Mention: Players 60-51
60. Brett Jackson, OF, Chicago Cubs: I'm glad Jackson made this list, but I think the Cubs' top pick in the 2009 MLB Draft deserves a higher spot. Even Trueblood acknowledges that he has "plate discipline, speed, defense in either center or right field and the potential to hit 25-30 homers." Seeing as Jackson will be only 22 in 2011, I think Jackson will have a great decade.
59. Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers: Verlander is an ace as of now, which means he won't be an ace in 2020. However, he should put in a bunch of great seasons.
58. Mike Montgomery, SP, Kansas City Royals: Hasn't debuted in the Majors yet, which explains your head scratching. Has looked great in the minors though, with a 2.27 ERA in 245.2 innings.
57. Ryan Kalish, OF, Boston Red Sox: Did debut in 2010, playing in 53 games. He's developed power in the minors the last couple years, so he could be a 20-20 threat with the speed that he has.
56. Daniel Bard, RP, Boston Red Sox: He didn't leave much to complain about in his 2010 stat line, a 1.93 ERA in over 70 innings of relief. One of the hardest throwers in baseball, it won't be long before he overtakes the overemotionally inconsistent Jonathan Papelbon.
55. Brian McCann, C, Atlanta Braves: Probably a 'half-decade' star for the late 2000s and early 2010s, much like Mike Piazza ten years before. It's easy to forget he's still only 26, but let's see if his high workload takes a toll on him in his early 30s.
54. Zack Greinke, SP, Milwaukee Brewers: Many fans would put him higher, but he doesn't seem to be stable enough. I agree with this ranking because he is already 27, was really bad to start his career, had depression issues early on, and still doesn't have a great attitude.
53. Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers: An appropriate ranking here, too. Braun has flashed major power (37 homers in 2008) and not major power (25 in 2010). He'll be a lock for 25 homers for a while, but I don't know that he'll be that great.
52. Michael Pineda, SP, Seattle Mariners: A big time prospect, Pineda should be in the Majors soon.
51. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Colorado Rockies: Sort of a surprise to me. Gonzalez just had a monster season and Trueblood writes this one off due to the Colorado effect among other things. But Gonzalez's power goes to all fields, including center where Coors Field measures 425 feet. And don't forget the infamous humidor for the baseballs. I don't think the Colorado effect really makes a difference anymore.
The Main List (Top 50):
50. Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers: Speed, defense, hitting for average, a fan base that loves you, why not?
49. Joakim Soria, CP, Kansas City Royals: Often overlooked, Soria should be a great closer for a long time. He is just 27 but has 132 saves in four seasons.
48. Brian Matusz, SP, Baltimore Orioles: If you're a believer in hype, then believe it. I'm not sold on Matusz because he didn't have a standout year and hasn't proved he can be anything special in the Majors. He won't deserve this rank if he repeats 10-12, 4.30 ERA seasons.
47. Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Colorado Rockies: Like I've always preached about Jimenez, he's a tick below the league's top pitchers and will be until he cuts down on the walks. But his 15-win first half of 2010 was unbelievable, and his fastball velocity should zip him higher on this list.
46. Brett Lawrie, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays: A speedy infielder, he should cut down on the strikeouts and work on contact before he can earn this rank. A .285 average at AA isn't ideal for a speedy infielder.
45. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Kansas City Royals: Smashing 20 homers in A and AA ball in 2010, the Royals' first round pick from 2008 should be in KC sometime this summer.
44. Brett Gardner, OF, New York Yankees: Already 27 having only recorded one full season in the Majors, Gardner is in his prime right away. You'll be seeing his scrawny 5'10" frame on ESPN for the next half-decade, until he loses his speed and therefore any value to anybody.
43. Yovani Gallardo, SP, Milwaukee Brewers: Already a star, I think Gallardo should be in the 30s at least. Now without the pressure of being a forced ace at age 23 (in 2009) when he probably wasn't ready for it, I think he'll thrive in his #2 role. His on-the-job ace training has been successful even though he still has areas to improve on, like walks.
42. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves: It sounds like a name computer-generated for a video game, but the name Freddie Freeman is one you'll hear about plenty. This dude is a big power hitter who had his best season in 2010 and is simply an RBI machine.
41. Gio Gonzalez, SP, Oakland Athletics: Some baseball experts are picking the Oakland A's as a surprise pick in the AL West to upset the incumbent Texas Rangers, but here's the way I look at it: no Gio, no go. Gonzalez had his first decent season in the Majors in 2010, posting 15 wins after two partial seasons where he showed potential but struggled.
40. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox: It seems like this guy was forgotten down the stretch of 2010 due to his injury and the fading Red Sox. But people shouldn't yet forget about the 2008 AL MVP because, if nothing else, he's just a good hitter. Pedroia will probably pick up where he left off.
39. Kyle Drabek, SP, Toronto Blue Jays: And the displeasure of having to deal with Pedroia will be something Drabek will face, a stud starter and the crown jewel in the Roy Halladay trade. No problems with this rank.
38. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Boston Red Sox: 'Gonzo' will be a half-decade star for sure because of the short right field line distance and Green Monster at Fenway, as Gonzo is a terrific opposite field power hitter.
37. Dustin Ackley, 2B, Seattle Mariners: I'm not sold on Ackley, a highly touted prospect in the MLB Draft last year who didn't hit well in the minors. He should develop though, as he was rushed forwards by the Mariners in the minors and he deserves a higher spot on this list.
36. Prince Fielder, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers: Fielder is one of the most underrated players in the game because besides his 50-homer season in 2007, the Brewers haven't contended at the same time as him having an elite season. A change of scenery could put him on the map once again, seeing as he's a free agent after 2011.
35. Starlin Castro, SS, Chicago Cubs: For more on this dude, read the post right below this one. But without bias, he deserves a higher spot on the list. Scouts have noticed Castro has the correct work ethic and although he hasn't put it all together yet, he has the raw talent to be like a slightly less speedier Jose Reyes-type player. But because he was rushed to the Majors, he still needs to put it together himself soon.
34. Jesus Montero, C, New York Yankees: In this day and age, the traditional, three-outcome (homer, strikeout, or walk) kind of DH has fallen out of favor with baseball executives; players like Jim Thome and Frank Thomas are becoming more uncommon in favor of tandems of fielding players to get them 'a day off'. All this means Jesus Montero is swimming against the current. Trueblood notes Montero could hit 35 homers a season in the Majors, although his defense as a catcher isn't good enough to justify him fielding. One of the few traditional DHs we will see in the 2010s.
33. Martin Perez, SP, Texas Rangers: Definitely not. Although he looked to be a great up and coming pitcher in 2009 with a sub-3.00 ERA, he didn't look at all in 2010 as that number climbed over 5.00, including a 10.9 H/9 ratio. Although he will be a good player in the next decade, let's not jump the gun here. Also, he does play in the bandbox that is Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
32. Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Tampa Bay Rays: Hellickson has a stat line to drool over in the minors, with a 2.71 ERA in six seasons of Minor League ball covering 580.1 innings. In those innings, he has 634 strikeouts to just 137 walks. His career 4.63 K/BB ratio is the new meaning of 'control freak'. He got his first taste of the Majors with four starts last year.
31. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates: A multi-tooled star, this is probably the right spot for him because he has less power than some of the standout 20/20 talent-caliber five tool players of today.
30. Mat Latos, SP, San Diego Padres: Latos had a breakout season in 2010 at the age of 22, and there is no reason to think he shouldn't continue. Playing in Petco Park is an advantage for him, but it also hurts his offense and this may result in him having lower win totals than some other top line starters. Not to worry, Latos has the tools to make the 2010s great for the Padres.
29. Dominic Brown, OF, Philadelphia Phillies: A 20/20 talent in the Minors, 23 year old Brown didn't hit well in his playing time with Philadelphia in 2010. Brown is overrated and will make some noise with Philly, but he's going to need to hit Major League pitching first.
28. Carlos Santana, C, Cleveland Indians: In the summer of 2008, the Dodgers traded Santana and prospects to the Indians for Casey Blake and other prospects. While Blake has had just a disappointing 10.2 WAR in two and a half seasons in Los Angeles, Santana produced a 2.2 WAR in just 150 at-bats at the Major League level in 2010. Santana is the next Victor Martinez-style power-hitting catcher who should become a star in Cleveland, proving the winner of that trade.
27. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals: Yes, another Kansas City Royal. The stats speak for themselves, but they're so incredible I'll speak for them anyway. 36 home runs? Who does that in the Minors?
26. C.C. Sabathia, SP, New York Yankees: Trueblood notes here that although Sabathia has already played a lot of baseball and is 30 years young, if anyone is capable of being the best in the next decade it's him. This guy is a workhorse who has won at least 12 games in 10 straight seasons, never throwing less than 188 innings. Sabathia has a better chance than anyone at winning 300 games, especially with his run production from the Yankees.
25. Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins: With his salary, Mauer better be this good. His surprising power vanished in 2010, but that wasn't what made him famous in the first place and he should have at least five more elite seasons.
24. Tim Lincecum, SP, San Francisco Giants: Lincecum is no freak, but the hitters freak when they have to face him. This should stay the same for most of the 2010s because any time you make the hitter uncomfortable in the box, you have an advantage right off the bat (no pun intended).
23. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers: Many baseball experts and fans were buying big on Kershaw after his impressive first full season of 2009. I was not one of them. Once again, I am not a buyer on Kershaw because of his alarmingly high walk rate of 4.2 BB/9 IP in his career.
22. Julio Teheran, SP, Atlanta Braves: Teheran's highest level in 2010 was AA but he's sure to be moving up soon with his strikeout stuff. Remember this name, definitely.
21. Jon Lester, SP, Boston Red Sox: Already a star, Lester is one of the most effective starters in the game right now. Trueblood is spot on with this ranking; just wait till he really gets paid.
20. Mike Stanton, OF, Florida Marlins: If you follow baseball, you know about Stanton. The new stadium of the Marlins which opens in just over a year is slightly larger than Sun Life Stadium, but this will prove no issue for one of the best power hitters in the game for the next decade.
19. Madison Bumgarner, SP, San Francisco Giants: A World Series-clinching victory may have jumpstarted his career, and he's definitely proved he can deal with pressure. The next step is to adjust to hitters adjusting on him, and he'll have no trouble avoiding a sophomore slump.
18. Josh Johnson, SP, Florida Marlins: Johnson looked like a Cy Young candidate for much of the 2010 season before fading at the end. But he should be in contention again soon, especially with that new ballpark in Miami just mentioned with Stanton. A certain star of the 2010s.
17. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Washington Nationals: A scout told Trueblood "he's so much better than David Wright at this level" which is not an opinion you hear everyday about New York's golden boy. Remember Zimmerman's 30 game hit streak in 2009? A prime example of what a fixture he is in the Washington lineup. With an improved team this year, Zimmerman could be primed for his best year ever.
16. Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks: Upton had a quiet year in 2010, but this isn't the same kid called up to the Majors at 19 years young in 2007. He's been around the block a few times and should be ready for an even better season this year. This will be his 5th year in the Majors, at 23 years old. So don't worry, because he has plenty of time to turn on the tools.
15. Tommy Hanson, SP, Atlanta Braves: With the Braves' history of pitching, Hanson is a welcome addition to a team looking to improve on a playoff team from 2010. Him and Tim Hudson will make a great duo. Definite future star.
14. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels: With a .428 OBP, he got on base a lot in 2010 in the Minors. But you won't often find him at first base. Yeah, he just stole second, that fast. His super speed (56 steals in A ball in 2010) will zoom into the Majors in about two years, and then watch out.
13. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds: Votto got his first MVP award in 2010, but it probably won't be his last. Watch for Votto and Albert Pujols to go at each other for the entire next decade, and Votto will succeed Pujols as the best hitter in the division at some point.
12. Aroldis Chapman, SP, Cincinnati Reds: His speedy debut came quickly for a Reds organization that pulled a surprise in signing him. Believe the annoying hype; he's here to stay and for real. The definite future ace of the Reds once those old guys step out in Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo.
11. Bryce Harper, C, Washington Nationals: The first pick in the 2010 MLB Draft by the Nationals, Harper should be a Buster Posey-type player. The jury is out, because we haven't seen much of him.
10. Felix Hernandez, SP, Seattle Mariners: Imagine what Hernandez could do if not for that historically horrible Mariners offense. Hernandez should have won around 20 games based on his pitching, and would have won 24 with a team like the Yankees. However, baseball finally got something right and gave him the AL Cy Young. If he could get off the Mariners, he would be widely regarded as the best pitcher in baseball at 25 in 2011.
9. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins: 2010 was supposed to be the season where Ramirez put it all together, but he put up yet another season that left people wondering how he hasn't yet unleashed his full potential except for a dynamite 2007 season. As Trueblood points out, anytime you hit .300 and hit 21 homers, stealing 32 bases and still being told you're having a down year, you know you're good.
8. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays: Longoria's production will go down with the absence of Carl Crawford and run producing former teammate Carlos Pena, but Longoria will still hit for average and play good defense. He may be a bit overrated here, though.
7. Jason Heyward, OF, Atlanta Braves: 'J-Hey' is getting star treatment in Atlanta, but didn't finish the 2010 season very well. Watch for Heyward to get better, but he'll need to put in the work first.
6. Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants: Most rookies on championship teams contribute behind the core of established players. At 23, Posey was arguably the most important piece to the World Champion Giants. Expect big things out of the biggest Giant of them all.
5. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies: The Rockies gave 'Tulo' a big extension just because this is exactly what they think he'll become. During a stretch with "video game" stats (14 homers, 31 RBI in 15 games) in early September, it became clear that Tulowitzki is capable of carrying the Rockies. However, he had only 6 RBI after that and the Rockies missed the playoffs. If he can carry his team into the playoffs, he will earn this rank.
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers: His entire career, it seems Cabrera has been flying under the radar . His monster seasons have come when his team wasn't contending, and therefore he hasn't received the publicity he deserves. Cabrera already had 126 RBI in only 150 games in 2010, meaning he's at the top of his game right now to enter the new decade.
3. David Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays: Price gained a lot of popularity in the 2008 playoffs, and with good reason. Price was one of the top candidates for AL Cy Young and will be the ace of Tampa Bay for a long time barring a trade. Look for Price to finish the next decade in the top 10 in wins.
2. Stephen Strasburg, SP, Washington Nationals: Red flag. I will never, ever again trust a young hardthrower with major surgery complications in just the first year of his Major League career. So maybe he will come back and blow away the league, but be very, very careful about expecting this out of him. Plus, the fact he showed signs of vulnerability in his rookie season. There's a lot of pressure on him, so we'll have to see what he can do in the future.
1. Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals: At 31, Pujols is one of the oldest guys on this list. But he is absolutely the favorite to be the best player of the 2010s after being the best of the 2000s. His consistency is incredible, and ten more equal seasons will give him the all time home run crown. He has never been stopped consistently, so just watch him go.
