Welcome to the re RE started 2020 Summer Camp preseason Top 100. It’s Corona’s world and we’re all just living in it. To wit: There is no specific time period for the Covid-19 IL. Two weeks? A month? Considering it takes two negative tests to come back, and even still medical science has more questions than answers, a positive test could turn the #1 pick into a non factor for your team. In an eight or nine week season, two weeks or more on the shelf is devastating. With that in mind, and Rudy’s alchemy, we’ve got some surprises. Keep in mind health and the Universal DH play a huge role, along with divisional changes.
With that said, once again it’s seamhead heaven, boys of summer katnip, and time to put away the hot stove. Of course we’re picking up our junior health care specialist kits, but I digress. Summer camp baseball has just started. Beer is flowing from Fenway Park to Anaheim Stadium and lazy afternoons at your house, or if you’re lucky your deck, are in vogue.
Finally, let’s be honest, no one truly knows what’s going to happen. So here’s the new pre-season Top 100.”Last” is tracking where the hitters were in the last Top 100 of March of 2020. “Change” is a change from that last 2020 ranking.
Top 100 Hitters
| Rank | Name | Position | Team | Last | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ronald Acuna Jr. | OF | ATL | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Cody Bellinger | 1B/OF | LAD | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Christian Yelich | OF | MIL | 2 | -1 |
| 4 | Francisco Lindor | SS | CLE | 7 | +3 |
| 5 | Trea Turner | SS | WAS | 8 | +3 |
| 6 | Trevor Story | SS | COL | 5 | +1 |
| 7 | Mike Trout – Mike Trout doesn’t feel comfortable playing this year. So we’re not comfortable taking him as the first, or second, or even sixth pick. Could we eat these words? Yes. | OF | LAA | 3 | +4 |
| 8 | J.D. Martinez – The first massive mover. When the dust settles it turns out the engine of still one of the very best lineups in baseball is worth a top 10 pick. | OF | BOS | 21 | 13 |
| 9 | José Ramírez | 3B | CLE | 11 | -2 |
| 10 | Mookie Betts | OF | LAD | 6 | -4 |
| 11 | Rafael Devers – Just like JD, less movement equals more time in his division, where he loves to hit. | 3B | BOS | 18 | +7 |
| 12 | Nolan Arenado | 3B | COL | 12 | 0 |
| 13 | Juan Soto | OF | WAS | 9 | -4 |
| 14 | Alex Bregman | SS/3B | HOU | 16 | +2 |
| 15 | Freddie Freeman – Yes, he has a hard case of the virus. It’s still early enough for him to fully recover, and his age, lineup, and move to playing 30% of his games in the AL East more than justifies this ranking. | 1B | ATL | 14 | -2 |
| 16 | Giancarlo Stanton – He doesn’t play full seasons anymore. But a third of a season? He can stay healthy for a third of a season right? | OF | NYY | 54 | +38 |
| 17 | Javier Baez | SS | CHC | 22 | +5 |
| 18 | Starling Marte – His right handed pull and center power will play especially nicely in AL West venues. | OF | ARI | 28 | +10 |
| 19 | Bryce Harper | OF | PHI | 17 | -2 |
| 20 | Adalberto Mondesi | SS | KC | 19 | -1 |
| 21 | George Springer | OF | HOU | 26 | +5 |
| 22 | Ozzie Albies – He is going to love hitting in Fenway, Yankee Stadium and Baltimore in particular. | 2B | ATL | 32 | +10 |
| 23 | Anthony Rizzo – DH possibilities and AL Central ballparks push him up the list. | 1B | CHC | 34 | +11 |
| 24 | José Altuve | 2B | HOU | 25 | +1 |
| 25 | Charlie Blackmon – Assuming he comes back from Covid-19 with no hickups, now he’s got the antibodies right? | OF | COL | 53 | +28 |
| 26 | Nelson Cruz – Another risk off on an older guy with a shorter season, plus getting to hit in the best hitter’s park around in Cincinnati now. | DH | MIN | 52 | +26 |
| 27 | Keston Hiura | 2B | MIL | 33 | +6 |
| 28 | Gleyber Torres | 2B/SS | NYY | 24 | -4 |
| 29 | Luis Robert – More secure playing time, hitting in the NL Central Parks, sometimes that gives you a 31 bump in the poll. | OF | CHW | 60 | +31 |
| 30 | Ketel Marte | 2B/OF | ARI | 30 | 0 |
| 31 | Fernando Tatis Jr. – Ouch, the young fella getting dinged for moving to AL West parks 30% of the time. | SS | SD | 10 | -21 |
| 32 | Manny Machado | SS/3B | SD | 38 | +6 |
| 33 | Xander Bogaerts – Someone had to move down from Boston. | SS | BOS | 23 | -10 |
| 34 | Josh Donaldson – Seriously, the AL Central batters who have center power are all getting a boost who get to play in the NL Central parks. | 3B | MIN | 47 | +13 |
| 35 | Austin Meadows | OF | TAM | 37 | -2 |
| 36 | Yordan Alvarez | DH | HOU | 31 | +5 |
| 37 | Bo Bichette – He’s really good, and people are waking up to that fact. | SS | TOR | 50 | +13 |
| 38 | Kris Bryant – Think of Bryant and Donaldson as two sides of the same coin. Bryant going to the other way to AL Central parks is good for his power. | 3B/OF | CHC | 56 | +18 |
| 39 | Marcell Ozuna – The AL East will be very good for his right handed power stroke. | OF | ATL | 62 | +23 |
| 40 | J.T. Realmuto – Same as Ozuna for a different NL East hitter. | C | PHI | 65 | +25 |
| 41 | Anthony Rendon – Ouch Number 1, NL West parks are not good for his stroke. | 3B | LAA | 13 | -28 |
| 42 | Pete Alonso – Ouch Number 2. Because he’s so vulgar I guess? Also over-hyped more likely. | 1B | NYM | 15 | -27 |
| 43 | Tommy Pham – Unlike Tatis, his bat will appreciate the AL West parks. | OF | SD | 58 | +15 |
| 44 | Yoán Moncada | 3B | CHW | 41 | -3 |
| 45 | Jonathan Villar – Back home in the AL East. | 2B/SS | MIA | 29 | +16 |
| 46 | Tim Anderson | SS | CHW | 49 | +3 |
| 47 | Whit Merrifield – Late bloomer, can he keep up the .300/100 RBI 20 steal equivalent pace? | 2B/OF | KC | 67 | +20 |
| 48 | Andrew Benintendi – When Benny has the flow going, good things are sure to follow. | OF | BOS | 76 | +28 |
| 49 | Marcus Semien – If Grey can say Starlin Castro is going to win the NL MVP I can say Semien is going to win the AL MVP. | SS | OAK | 44 | -5 |
| 50 | Eloy Jiménez – Right handed pull power greatly diminished moving to NL Central parks overall. I mean, he wasn’t moved past 50. | OF | CHW | 36 | -14 |
| 51 | Shohei Ohtani – Is great at batting to center, move to NL West opponents greatly enhances his chances of success. | DH | LAA | 77 | +25 |
| 52 | Carlos Correa – Injury concerns have waned, zooming him up the list. | SS | HOU | 93 | +41 |
| 53 | Victor Robles | OF | WSH | 61 | +8 |
| 54 | Kyle Schwarber – DH possibilites expand his playing time. | OF | CHC | 80 | +34 |
| 55 | José Abreu – One batter who’s left handed pull tendency isn’t helped by Cincinnati or Milwaukee. | 1B | CHW | 35 | -20 |
| 56 | Eddie Rosario | OF | MIN | 51 | -5 |
| 57 | Yuli Gurriel – Underrated .300 hitter who’s RH pull tendency is perfect for NL Central locals. More at bats available with the DH. | 1B/3B | HOU | 69 | +12 |
| 58 | Michael Brantley – Another overlooked Astro, what were we just saying about RH pull tendency? | OF | HOU | 75 | +17 |
| 59 | Lorenzo Cain | OF | MIL | NA | NA |
| 60 | Paul Goldschmidt | 1B | STL | 55 | -5 |
| 61 | Max Kepler – One of the biggest upgrades because 30% of his games are in Milwaukee and Cincinnati. | OF | MIN | 90 | +27 |
| 62 | Mike Moustakas – The opposite of Kepler, he’s hurt going to the AL Central parks. | 2B/3B | CIN | 48 | -14 |
| 63 | Matt Chapman – Move to NL West hurts his “to all fields” power. | 3B | OAK | 46 | -17 |
| 64 | Jorge Polanco – Another Twin benefiting from playing the NL Central. | SS | MIN | NA | NA |
| 65 | Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. – NL East parks will not be kind to his right handed power. | 3B | TOR | 42 | -23 |
| 66 | Matt Olson – One who will really feel the negative effects of moving to NL West stadiums. | 1B | OAK | 20 | -46 |
| 67 | Jeff McNeil | 2B/3B/ OF | NYM | 71 | +4 |
| 68 | Josh Bell | 1B | PIT | 68 | -0 |
| 69 | Justin Turner – His right handed bat is going to enjoy the AL West. | 3B | LAD | NA | NA |
| 70 | David Dahl – Relative youth, left handed power and the DH will be served against the AL Central | OF | COL | NA | NA |
| 71 | Rhys Hoskins – His right handed bat is going to love Baltimore and Boston, among others, in the AL East. | 1B | PHI | 91 | +20 |
| 72 | Franmil Reyes | OF | CLE | 78 | +6 |
| 73 | Andrew McCutchen – Another bat that’s going to love the AL East. | OF | PHI | NA | NA |
| 74 | Gary Sánchez | C | NYY | 72 | -2 |
| 75 | Carlos Santana – Another beneficiary of the NL Central venues. | OF | CLE | 94 | +19 |
| 76 | DJ LeMahieu – Slight depression thanks to NL East visits. (PHI isn’t as offensively inflationary as you think). | 1B/2B/ 3B | NYY | 66 | +10 |
| 77 | Oscar Mercado – NL Central not nearly as kind to opposite field power. | OF | CLE | 59 | -18 |
| 78 | Ryan Braun – DH beneficiary. | OF | MIL | NA | NA |
| 79 | Eugenio Suárez – Ouch, massive drop as AL Central doesn’t love right handed power. | 3B | CIN | 39 | -40 |
| 80 | Jorge Soler – This short season is really unkind to right handed power playing 30% of their games in the NL Central. | OF | KC | 40 | -40 |
| 81 | Byron Buxton – Might we finally see some promise? Right handed slap hitters will fare much better in the now familiar NL Central | OF | MIN | NA | NA |
| 82 | Aaron Judge – Free falling due to injury concerns (recovering from a broken rib, fairly crucial are for crushing pitches) and his RHH power being depressed in the NL East. Seriously, don’t judge us. | OF | NYY | 27 | -55 |
| 83 | Michael Conforto – On who is hurt by the AL East confines. | OF | NYM | 63 | -20 |
| 84 | Ramón Laureano – Should thrive with his right handed bat vs the NL West. | OF | OAK | NA | NA |
| 85 | Yasmani Grandal – Can’t catch a break, even though he’s going to his old stomping grounds. | C/1B | CWH | 74 | -11 |
| 86 | Nick Castellanos – Right handed power sapped against the AL Central. | OF | CIN | 64 | -24 |
| 87 | Amed Rosario | SS | NYM | 87 | 0 |
| 88 | Corey Seager – AL West opponents should be good for him. | SS | LAD | NA | NA |
| 89 | Salvador Perez – All fields approach will help against the NL Central. Sure he just tested positive for the virus, but he’s asymptomatic, it’s all fine! | C | KC | NA | NA |
| 90 | Adam Eaton – AL East opponents will make him feel just fine. | OF | WSH | NA | NA |
| 91 | Joey Gallo – Some have to lose, and that .200 BA potential is tough to swallow. | OF | TEX | 57 | -34 |
| 92 | Paul DeJong – Will like going against the AL Central. | SS | STL | NA | NA |
| 93 | Khris Davis – His right handed power will love the NL West. | DH | OAK | NA | NA |
| 94 | Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. | OF | TOR | 98 | +4 |
| 95 | Willson Contreras | C | CHC | 97 | +2 |
| 96 | Joey Votto – Battling the AL Central may give him one last hurrah. | 1B | CIN | NA | NA |
| 97 | Miguel Sanó – A possibility to have his right handed pull power hurt by the NL Central. And if you didn’t click on the Sal Perez link, Sano’s got maybe an asymptomatic case too. Unlike Sal, it doesn’t help. | 3B | MIN | 82 | -15 |
| 98 | Eduardo Escobar – Unlike others, his bat won’t love the AL West. | 2B/3B | ARI | 70 | -18 |
| 99 | Alex Verdugo – Injury concerns abated. Could be ready for a big year. | OF | BOS | NA | NA |
| 100 | David Peralta – Left handed power likes the AL West. | OF | ARI | NA | NA |
