With less than a week before the start of spring training, we take a stab at ranking the top 20 MLB players for the 2021 season. We start with numbers 20-11 today and then will have the top 10 for you tomorrow. Here are some honorable mentions that did not make the list, but came very close.

Honorable Mentions:

SP Walker Buehler – Los Angeles Dodgers

SS Trevor Story – Colorado Rockies

SS Xander Bogaerts- Boston Red Sox

SS Corey Seager – Los Angeles Dodgers

CF George Springer – Toronto Blue Jays

SP Trevor Bauer – Los Angeles Dodgers

SS Trea Turner – Washington Nationals

3B José Ramírez – Cleveland Indians

C J.T. Realmuto – Philadelphia Phillies

No. 20-16

20. SP Shane Bieber – Cleveland Indians

To be completely honest, I was debating between Shane Bieber or Walker Buehler here, but I went with the 2020 AL Cy Young winner. The Indians’ right-hander was probably the best pitcher in all of baseball last season. He went 8-1 with an astounding 1.63 ERA while leading the MLB with 122 strikeouts. Despite being part of a rebuild in Cleveland, Bieber still projects to have a great 2021 and has a chance to become a back-to-back Cy Young winner.

19. 1B José Abreu – Chicago White Sox

José Abreu is another guy who absolutely dominated the shortened season. The 34-year-old first basemen hit 19 home runs, second-most in the American League, and led baseball with 60 RBIs and 148 total bases. Abreu also hit over .300 for the third time in his career and had a .987 OPS. The power-hitting slugger will be apart of an up-and-coming White Sox team in 2021 that looks poised to make a deep postseason run.

18. 2B DJ LeMahieu – New York Yankees

Oh, how I wish DJ LeMahieu was a Washington National. He was my dream fit for the Nats this offseason, but he predictably went back to New York. If we are strictly talking pure hitters, not power but just overall hitters in baseball, LeMahieu might be the best. The guy has hit above .300 five out of the last six seasons and consistently barrels up baseballs. He would have looked great in the Curly W, but LeMahieu will once again rake in the Bronx in 2021.

17. OF Aaron Judge – New York Yankees

Another guy who people may think is too high on this list, but I’m pretty high on Aaron Judge. If the guy can finally just catch a break and stay healthy, he’s one of the best power hitters in the game. Judge once again suffered injuries in 2020, playing in just 28 games. For his sake, and baseball viewers as a whole, I’m hoping Judge is able to stay on the field this season and put on a show. If he’s able to play 130 or more games, he’s almost a shoo-in for 30 plus homers and 90-100 RBIs.

16. OF Bryce Harper – Philadelphia Phillies

I say it every year, and I’ll say it again, Bryce Harper is one of the most underrated players in baseball. Harper quietly had a very nice 2020, slashing .268/.420/.542 with 13 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a league-high 49 walks. I think this is the year we see Harper breakout, and by that I mean 40 plus homers, 100 plus RBIs, and an OBP over .400. I don’t think it will be enough to get Philadelphia to the postseason, but it will be his best year since his 2015 MVP season with the Nats.

No. 15-11

15. SS Fernando Tatís Jr. – San Diego Padres

This might be the most criticized ranking of the entire list, but I just can’t put a guy who has played 143 Major League games higher on the list. I think Fernando Tatís Jr. has a chance to be the best shortstop in baseball, and he certainly showed that in 2020. The 22-year-old hit 17 home runs and drove in 45, leading “Slam Diego” to the postseason. However, I think he will go through some growing pains this year as teams learn how to pitch to him. He’ll still be an All-Star, but I think Tatís will have some struggles for the first time in his career.

14. 3B Alex Bregman – Houston Astros

The Astros as a team had a weird 2020, and Alex Bregman was no exception. The third basemen had by-far his worst year of his MLB career, hitting just .242 with six home runs. As a team, I think Houston is going to play much better this upcoming season, and a lot of that will be due to Bregman increasing his play. This is a guy who’s proven he can put up numbers not just in the regular season, but on the biggest stages. The Astros may surprise some people this year, and Bregman will be leading the charge.

13. 3B Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

Now, this may be considered a homer pick, but I truly believe Anthony Rendon is the second-best third basemen in baseball. In his first season for the Angels, Rendon slashed .286/.418/.497 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs in just 52 games. Getting to watch Rendon on a day-to-day basis for seven years really makes you appreciate just how good of an overall player he is. He’s one of the best pure hitters in the game, and his defense rivals Arenado’s as one of the best gloves in the league. With an upgraded Angels’ roster, Rendon has a chance to get back in the MVP convo this season.

12. 1B Freddie Freeman – Atlanta Braves

It’s hard to rank the reigning MVP at number twelve overall, but that’s where Freddie Freeman lands on my list. Freeman’s slash line of .341/.462/.640 with 23 doubles, 13 home runs, and 53 RBIs made him well deserving of the award. While I don’t think he’ll be an MVP candidate again in 2021, he’ll still do what he always does which is hit around .300, drive-in close to 100 runs, and record 30-40 doubles and home runs.

11. 3B Manny Machado – San Diego Padres

Machado was one guy who excelled in the shortened season. The third basemen hit over .300 for the first time in his career, and added 16 home runs and 47 RBIs to go with it. With a Padres team that is among the National League elite, Machado should have another big year in 2021.