Four Braves players are ranked by MLB Network in the game’s top 10 at their positions.
Freddie Freeman is ranked No. 1 among MLB first basemen, Ronald Acuna No. 3 among right fielders, Travis d’Arnaud No. 8 among catchers and Ozzie Albies No. 10 among second basemen.
The Braves aren’t represented in the top 10 at shortstop, third base, left field, center field, starting pitcher or relief pitcher.
MLB Network completed its 11th annual position-by-position “Top 10 Right Now!” series this week. The rankings consider player performance over the past three seasons, taking into account offensive, defensive and pitching metrics, including traditional statistics and advanced data, as well as analysis by the network’s research team.
Freeman is ranked the No. 1 first baseman for the second consecutive year in MLB Network’s analysis. The St. Louis Cardinals’ Paul Goldschmidt is ranked No. 2 among first basemen.
In right field, No. 3 Acuna is ranked behind the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts and the Washington Nationals’ Juan Soto. (Soto played mostly in left field last season, but is slated to move to right this year. Acuna played more games in center field than in right last season, but is expected to play primarily right field this year, especially if rookie Cristian Pache holds on to the center-field job.) The New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge and the Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper are ranked Nos. 4 and 5, respectively, among right fielders.
At catcher, d’Arnaud earned the No. 8 ranking with his stellar performance in the shortened 2020 season. The Phillies J.T. Realmuto is ranked the No. 1 catcher.
Albies’ No. 10 ranking among second basemen is lower than many Braves fans would have expected. The ranking is probably attributable to Albies playing only 29 games last season because of a wrist injury.
Although the bullpen was a strength of last year’s Braves and the starting rotation is potentially a strength of this year’s team, the Braves were shut out of the top 10 in both of those areas. The New York Mets’ Jacob deGrom is ranked No. 1 among starting pitchers and the Chicago White Sox’s Liam Hendriks the No. 1 reliever.
Marcell Ozuna, a free agent after playing for the Braves last year, is ranked the No. 4 left fielder despite his defensive shortcomings at the position.
