For the third year in a row, Christian Yelich has made the top 10 on Major League Baseball’s Top 100 Right Now.
He is honored with the number nine slot this year. Yelich was ranked number two in 2020 behind Mike Trout. Mike Trout also took number one in this year’s list. Make that at least three years now. After his MVP season in 2018, Yelich was ranked eighth. This year’s ranking would make it his lowest ranking in the past three.
The ranking seems a bit low, but not ultimately surprising after Yelich’s disappointing 2020 season.
2020 Season a Factor?
He ended with a .205 batting average after having a batting average above .320 in 2018 and 2019. He still had 12 home runs and 22 RBIs on the year, but his strikeout percentage did increase by almost 30 percent.
But, it’s very clear that Brewers fans and baseball experts aren’t buying a repeat down season from Yelich. He is still one of the best players in the game, and don’t be surprised if he makes the Top 10 by almost all major MLB player lists for the 2021 season.
The Brewers outfielder just signed a $215MM contract extension in March of 2020, and will be in Milwaukee until at least 2028. Yelich isn’t going anywhere, and there is no reason to doubt your franchise player after maybe the strangest MLB season we will ever witness. The return of In-Game Video this season should also help him at the plate. Fans back at American Family Field is going to change everything.
Other Top 10 Players
Coming in behind Yelich and finishing off the Top 10 was MVP competitor and 2019 winner Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Coming just ahead of Christian Yelich was Anthony Rendon. The Los Angeles Angel ended with a higher batting average and RBIs than Yelich, but had less home runs and less at-bats. Rendon was listed at number six last year. You could argue that Yelich should have been ahead of him, but it was probably more of a coin flip situation.
Ronald Acuna Jr. (Braves) was number seven, Fernando Tatis Jr., the new 300 million dollar name of San Diego, was six, Juan Soto (Nationals) five, Freddie Freeman (Braves) four, Jacob deGrom (Mets) three, Mookie Betts (Dodgers) two and then Trout at the top.
The top 10 shows how dominant and tough the National League should be this season. Eight of those players are from the NL, including two each from the Dodgers and Braves. Only one pitcher made the Top 10 this year, and deGrom is in the National League.
If you want to compare last year’s list quick, here you go. The Top 10 from 10 to one was Francisco Lindor, Nolan Arenado, Jacob deGrom, Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rendon, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, Christian Yelich and Trout.
Good Signs For Milwaukee
Other Brewers that made this year’s list were Devin Williams at 59 and Josh Hader at 95. If anyone should be insulted for their ranking, it should be Hader.
Yelich being nine might seem a bit low, but still a good sign for Milwaukee. He was the only NL Central player in the Top 10. Newly acquired Nolan Arenado was number 13 for the St. Louis Cardinals. The highest ranking Chicago Cub? Anthony Rizzo at 43. So we’ll always have that.
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