Leandre: Top 30 second basemen entering 2024, 30-21
The fifth position ranked ahead of the 2024 MLB regular season will be second base.
Quietly, the second base position became one of the deepest in Major League Baseball.
Dating back to the early 2000s, there’s always been top-flight production out of second base. We’ve seen eras with the likes of Roberto Alomar leaning into Jeff Kent, who passed the torch along to Robinson Canó, Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia.
Time goes on, but where you end up seeing the depth of a position is those guys who rank in the 10s and 20s. While the likes of Kelly Johnson, Rickie Weeks and Marco Scutaro had productive big-league careers, they pale in comparison to the guys ranking in their slots now.
Moreover, despite the depth, this is the first position where we start to see some top prospects sneak into the top 30; who will be the first?
Let’s find out.
30. Jonathan India — Cincinnati Reds
Those who follow me on X probably view me as a Jonathan India hater, and this ranking will do little to change that perception.
However, looking at the player he’s been since his Rookie of the Year campaign, he’s somewhat lucky to have not fallen out of the top 30 entirely.
In his defense, he did battle through some injuries in 2023 before ultimately stabilizing at a 99 wRC+, but that was only slightly above the league average for a second baseman in 2023.
To couple with that, he also consistently ranks amongst the worst defensive second basemen in baseball. Last year, his -7 defensive runs saved ranked 25th out of 27 players with 500 or more innings at second base. His -6 outs above average ranked 23rd.
29. Vaughn Grissom — Boston Red Sox
Grissom is something of a wild card defensively at second base but the bat projects to play at a comfortably above-average level in 2023.
That said, he’s hit a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury by straining his groin. Thus, his Opening Day status is in jeopardy.
Be that as it may, Grissom is a contact-over-power bat that’s raked at every level in the minor leagues to date. From a batting average standpoint, that’s translated to the majors.
I think Grissom has a chance to be one of the game’s biggest breakout stars, assuming this groin strain is the last setback on his road to Fenway Park.
28. Andy Ibáñez — Detroit Tigers
This goes to show the depth at the position that Ibáñez, coming off a 1.6-win season and a .330 xwOBA with good defense can still rank 28th at his position.
I like the 30-year-old Tigers’ second baseman a lot, I just wonder who he truly is as a hitter. Since he debuted in 2021, he’s put up wRC+s of 104, 56 and 103. While 2023 was, by far, his largest sample size for a season, I still wonder if he can sustain that success from year to year.
Add that to the fact he’s already almost 31 and you have me questioning how much better he can get. Given the talent at second base, that’s enough to hold him back in the rankings.
27. Cavan Biggio — Toronto Blue Jays
One of my worst takes ever, and I’ve had plenty of stinkers, was that Biggio would be the best legacy child of the three north of the border.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s a fine player, but ‘fine’ isn’t going to keep pace with the perennial All-Star status of Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Last year, Biggio posted a 103 wRC+ with 21 extra-base hits in 111 games, accumulating one win above replacement in the process.
Defensively, he is what he is: fine. In 1,731 career defensive innings at second, he’s posted -1 DRS and OAA with 0.9 UZR/150.
He walks a lot, his 11.8% ranked seventh among second basemen with at least 250 plate appearances and avoids hitting the ball on the ground. However, to jump these rankings, he’s going to need to start putting baseballs in the bleachers or become an otherworldly defender.
26. Colt Keith — Detroit Tigers
Keith marks the first prospect to crack one of my top 30s this Spring while also marking the second Detroit Tiger in this third of second basemen.
FanGraphs’ RosterResource projects their No. 46 prospect as the opening-day second baseman for Detroit, thus pushing Ibáñez to the bench.
MLB.com gives him a 60-Grade hit tool and 60-Grade power. Baseball America echoes that he’s got impressive power, but adds that he’s capable of leaving the ballpark “without having to sell out for it.”
I’m anxious to see this influx of youth into a Tigers lineup that already features Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter.
25. Mauricio Dubón — Houston Astros
Dubón is in a tremendous situation for his skillset.
For starters, he doesn’t have to lock into one position because the Astros gave him burn at seven in 2023. Also, he’s in such a potent lineup that he’s going to continue to get good pitches to hit — which fits right into his aggressive approach at the plate.
I think Dubón could’ve ranked in center field as well, especially since José Altuve is still in Houston, but I view the 29-year-old as more of a traditional second baseman.
24. José Caballero — Tampa Bay Rays
Caballero ranks at No. 24 solely on his defensive prowess. Offensively, he ranked 30th among my top 30 in batting average and slugging percentage.
However, he posted seven DRS and OAA apiece despite fewer than 500 innings at the position for Seattle in 2023. Thanks to that defensive skillset, he managed to post 2.2 fWAR — 21st among second basemen with 250 plate appearances — and 2.4 rWAR.
He posted that many wins above replacement despite ranking 35th in games played.
Anyway, given that he’s on the Rays now, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him turn into an above-average MLB hitter either. This seems to be what they do regularly.
23. Luis Rengifo — Los Angeles Angels
Right now, RosterResource projects Rengifo as the Angels’ opening-day second baseman.
The past two seasons have been something of a breakout for the recently turned 27-year-old. In 253 games, he has 33 home runs, 103 runs batted in, 3.5 fWAR and a 108 wRC+.
Defensively, he’s still something of a work in progress, posting -3 DRS and OAA in 2023.
What made Rengifo a more convincing player last year was the dramatic increase in walks following a year where he drew Ball 4 3.3% of the time. Last year, he walked over 9% of his plate appearances while also improving his isolated power slightly.
Yes, that did come with more strikeouts but hardly a grand enough leap to be a red flag.
22. Jackson Holliday — Baltimore Orioles
The consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball is on the precipice of making his MLB debut. He might even make it on Opening Day in Baltimore on Mar. 28.
Positionally, it’s a question mark where Holliday would fit on the 2024 roster, mainly because Gunnar Henderson is the likely shortstop this season. So, by default, he’ll debut on my rankings as a second baseman.
While Triple-A wasn’t the 20-year-old’s strongest level of the four he played at in 2023, he still showed he’s extremely polished at the dish for his age. In 91 plate appearances, he walked 16 times and added six extra-base hits en route to a 109 wRC+.
I think this kid is going to be a superstar — I know, I’m Mr. Hot Takes today — it just will start with him at second base.
21. Jeff McNeil — New York Mets
Rounding out this third of second basemen is the 2022 NL batting title champion, Jeff McNeil.
The 2022 All-Star came screeching down to earth last season. While he still posted 2.6 fWAR, it was a far cry from the 5.7 he accumulated in 2022.
McNeil ranks where he does because of his limitations as a hitter: he doesn’t walk much and doesn’t hit for power. As a result, the 31-year-old is heavily reliant on his luck on balls in play.
In years those softly hit baseballs find holes, he can win you a batting title. In years they’re finding gloves, his slumps will be grating to watch.
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