MLB Team Infield Power Rankings

Rules: Infield includes Catchers. Power Rankings are based on the projected infield to start the season so injuries will be taken into effect.

Stat Meanings: OPS: On-Base-Percentage + Slugging. A great stat to measure an overall hitter's success. .800 is very good, .900 is great, 1.000 is amazing. OPS+: Compares a player's OPS to the league average. 100 represents league average. Anything above 100 is above average. For example, a player with a 130 OPS+ has an OPS 30% better than league average.

Names are displayed in this order: C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B

1) San Diego Padres - Austin Nola, Eric Hosmer, Jake Cronenworth/Kim Ha-seong, Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado

For my money, this is the best infield in baseball. It's certainly not a runaway as there were several teams that can make a case for the number one spot. The left side of this infield certainly stands out with Machado and Tatis universally considered Top 5 at their positions. What puts me over the top with the Padres is their balance and depth. They both had an OPS+ above 150 last year. The Padres have a reliable piece at every single position. Everyone knows about Tatis and his massive 14 year contract. He's one of the games' brightest stars and he's only getting better. Machado had an impressive 2020 and his power bat and elite defense always make him a favorite for All-Star votes. Nola is coming off a career year and if he can replicate it, he'll be an all-star. (He'll start the year on the IL but he's set to return soon so I left him in) We'll have a position battle at second base where Rookie of the Year runner up Jake Cronenworth will battle Japanese sensation Ha-seong Kim. The weakest of the group is probably Eric Hosmer, which goes to show how deep this infield is. The fact that one of these 6 will begin the season on the bench speaks to the depth and talent of this infield group. It's worth noting this group should be very good defensively, particularly at the corners. Hosmer is a 4x Gold Glove Winner and Machado has won the hard-to-attain Platinum Glove. If you want a nice stat, all 5 projected starters had an OPS above .800 last year. When it's all said and done, this group could have a Top 10 player at each infield position and the best backup infielder in all of baseball.

2) Los Angeles Dodgers - Will Smith, Max Muncy, Gavin Lux, Corey Seager, Justin Turner

Don't be surprised if this Dodgers team ends up near the top of a lot of lists. The 2020 World Series winners are stacked at every level and, of course, that applies to the infield. SS Corey Seager raked in the postseason, becoming the first player to earn MVP Honors in the CS and World Series since David Freese's postseason heroics in 2011. Seager was amazing all year, finishing 9th in MVP voting. Entering the final year of his contract, he'll have extra motivation to keep up this pace. While Seager was hot, 2020 was a forgettable year for Max Muncy. On a team filled with superstars, Muncy can get overlooked, but make no mistake, he can be an offensive juggernaut. The Dodgers managed to have the best record in baseball while Muncy hit .198. Imagine what they can do if Muncy is back on track. Turner's a fan favorite who enjoyed another quality season. Will Smith has quietly become one of the best catchers in baseball while the highly touted Gavin Lux will search for consistency at the MLB level as he's slated to be their starting second basemen. Call me crazy, but I'm not overly enamored with this infield. I love Smith and Seager and I do believe Muncy will bounce back but his struggles raise some eyebrows. Turner is getting older and it's anyone's guess if he can keep up his production. Finally, Lux has yet to prove he can hit consistently at the big leagues and after hitting .175 last year, that won't cut it if he wants to start for the reigning champs. On paper, this Dodgers infield just doesn't have what it takes to overtake the top 2 spots.

3) New York Mets - James McCann, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Francisco Lindor, JD Davis

The Mets shocked the baseball world when they traded for Francisco Lindor this winter. The move gave them a Top 3 SS and a superstar to hopefully build around for years to come (as long as they drop the ball and let him walk). Amed Rosario was clearly not the SS the Mets hoped he would be. Lindor gives the Mets stability at that position they haven't had since the Jose Reyes days. His power is great, and he's got a knack for postseason heroics. He also happens to be one of the best defensive shortstops in the game. Lindor is obviously the biggest name here, but he'll be added to an infield that was already a borderline Top 10. Pete Alonso took over NY as a rookie just two years after the emergence of Aaron Judge. 2020 was a sophomore slump for the Polar Bear but don't let that completely overshadow how dominant he was in 2019. His 5.7 WAR in that season alone is still better than Luke Voit's career WAR and his 53 Home Runs still stand as the rookie HR record. He needs to prove he's not a One Year Wonder for this squad to get the credit it truly deserves. At second base, we have one of my favorite current players. I once jokingly referred to him as discount DJ Lemahieu. Mets fans, please take that as a compliment. This guy is one of the best contact hitters in the sport, but don't sleep on his power. In 2019, he hit .318 with a .914 OPS. He got off to a slow start in 2020 and still managed to hit .311. In my opinion, this is the 2nd best second basemen in baseball and a guy that has the potential to hit .300 with 30 HRs. Steve Cohen didn't spend the big money on Realmuto, electing to go cheaper with Chicago's James McCann. After struggling in his first few years, McCann has seen back to back years of good offensive production. Defensively, he's below average but if he can hit, the Mets won't care. The weakest part of this infield is JD Davis. That's a testament to how good this infield is. Davis was one of Brodie Van Wagenen's only good moves as GM. He broke out in 2019, hitting .307 with a .895 OPS. Those numbers ticked down in 2020, but he's still an above average hitter to round out this infield. Don't forget the Mets also signed Jonathan Villar to be a backup infielder so he's another quality bat they can run out there. In the words of Michael Jordan, the ceiling is the roof.

4) New York Yankees - Gary Sanchez, Jay Bruce, DJ Lemahieu, Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela

Before the injury to Luke Voit, I had this squad ranked 2nd. The loss of Voit definitely takes this infield down a notch, but even without him, there's plenty of talent. Let's start with the obvious. They have the best second basemen in all of baseball. In his 2 years with the Yankees, he's hit a ridiculous .336. With back to back Top 5 MVP seasons, he's been the Yankees' best player and should continue to rake like the machine he is. Gio Urshela erased all the questions about 2019 being a fluke as he continued to rake in 2020. His consistent offensive production and his elite defense at the hot corner will make him a mainstay in the Yankees lineup. Here's where we get a little dicey. Gleyber Torres shined in his first 2 seasons, being named an All-Star both times. However, he entered summer camp out of shape and paid the price with a disappointing season that left Yankees fans wanting more. Don't bet against a comeback season; he's can easily be a Top 10 SS, even if his defense is suspect. Bruce is a respectable veteran that should hold down the fort until the 2020 HR leader Luke Voit returns. And finally, we get to Gary Sanchez. Poor, poor Gary. As you all know by now, he had one of the worst seasons you can have. His .147 batting average was just part of his many issues last year. That being said, when he's right, he's the best offensive catcher in baseball. He's the second-fastest player in MLB History to 100 Home Runs and can be an absolute force at the plate. In my mind, this can be the best infield in baseball when healthy. Once Voit comes back, don't be surprised if this squad is firing on all cylinders.

5) Houston Astros - Martin Maldonado, Yuri Gurriel, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman

Look, I don't like it either. Unfortunately, there's just no denying the talent of this Houston infield. Its obvious strength is the left side. Bregman and Correa both had the worst years of their career last year (hmm not so easy without the trash cans). Correa picked it up in the postseason, hitting .362 with 6 HRs and 17 RBIs as he led Houston to Game 7 of the ALCS. Correa is easy to hate, but there's no denying his talent. Just like Seager, he's headed into the last year of his contract so watch out. Bregman wasn't as good in the postseason but his talent is clear as day. I jokingly quipped that he had the worst year of his career, but that's only because his career has been so good. He still recorded a .801 OPS and a 116 OPS+. For now, the face of Houston's villainy is still the small yet resilient Jose Altuve. Many Astros struggled last year, but Altuve may have had it the worst. He hit just .219 with a .344 Slugging and a 71 OPS+. That OPS+ means he was almost 30% worse than league average. On top of that, he seemingly forgot how to field at times. Like Correa, Altuve performed when it counted, hitting .375 with 5 HRs in the Astros postseason run. Gurriel had a down year that did not improve in the postseason, hitting .114 in 44 postseason ABs. The Catcher spot will be a toss up between Martin Maldonado and Jason Castro. Maldonado probably has the edge defensively while Castro can do a little more with the bat. Neither is much more than a league average player at best. The postseason performances of Correa, Altuve, and Bregman along with their many years of success push this infield just over contenders like the Braves and White Sox. Gurriel is a major concern after never getting it going last year. This infield will have to step it up because they won't get the benefit of the doubt if they struggle for a second straight year.

6) Atlanta Braves - Travis D'Arnaud, Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Austin Riley

I personally love Atlanta's infield. Reigning MVP Freddie Freeman is an absolute monster that headlines this impressive group. Wanna hear a crazy stat? Freeman hasn't had an OPS below .800 since 2012. He's also hit above .300 in 5 of the last 8 years. He's simply the best first baseman in the league right now. There's not much else to say, he's an absolute stud. My next favorite player here might surprise some people. Travis D'Arnaud. Hot take, this guy could be a Top 3 catcher by the end of this season. D'Arnaud hit .321 with a .919 OPS last year and continued to ball out in the playoffs. Don't be surprised if he continues to rake. On an Atlanta team that boasts plenty of young talent, 2B Ozzie Albies sometimes gets overlooked. He's not a superstar just yet, but he's put together 4 very solid years. Albies had recorded an OPS+ above 100 in his first 3 seasons, missing the mark in his 4th year by just one point. He's done enough in his young career to be considered a Top 10 second baseman. At SS, we have former #1 pick Dansby Swanson. Through the first month of 2020, he looked like a #1 pick. Then he began to cool off. He finished the year with a respectable .274 BA and a 110 OPS+. Swanson simply hasn't been able to put it together for a full season but we've seen flashes of an all-star level player. Austin Riley is slated to start at third. He's played just 131 MLB games and we've yet to see it all click. I really wanted to put this core within the Top 5. Unfortunately, there's a lot of question marks after Freeman. D'Arnaud has only had one very productive offensive season. Swanson has struggled to find any kind of consistency throughout his career. Albies has been consistent, but so far his stats don't indicate anything more than a very solid player that could be named an All-Star every few years. Austin Riley is the biggest question mark as he's yet to enjoy any prolonged success. Freddie Freeman's inhuman consistency will keep this group in Top 5 discussions but the rest of the infield needs to start carrying some of the load.

7) Chicago White Sox - Yasmani Grandal, Jose Abreu, Nick Madrigal, Tim Anderson, Yoan Moancada

Talk about another group that could be a Top 5. Coming off Abreu's MVP season, this infield is on the map as one of the more talented ones in baseball. Abreu was undeniably the best AL hitter last year, and he's been one of the most consistent first baseman since his 2014 rookie season where he won ROY. His power bat headlines a very well-rounded infield. Tim Anderson has gained notoriety for his outspoken persona and stylish bat flips. After winning the 2019 AL batting title with a .335 BA, he followed it up with a .322 BA in 2020. This guy can swing the bat so don't bet against another year of high batting averages and monstrous bat flips. Sent over in the Chris Sale trade, Yoan Moncada had incredibly high expectations. After 2 disappointing years, he broke out in 2019 with a .315 BA, 25 HRs, and .915 OPS. He went back to struggling in 2020 and at this point, who knows which version of the kid we'll get this year? Grandal is one of the better offensive catchers in the game. He's typically good for a .240 BA and 20+ HRs. Chicago will happily take that. In just over 100 ABs, top prospect Nick Madrigal hit .340. The White Sox will look for him to be a good contact hitter that can also make plays with his legs. The reason this infield falls to 7 is uncertainty. Abreu has been good but this was the first year he's been a legitimate MVP talent. Let's see if he can be one through more than just 60 games. At this point, we know what we're getting from Anderson and Grandal, but Moncada and Madrigal are very uncertain. We still have no idea whether Moncada can be the stud we saw in 2019. Madrigal hit great but it was a small sample size. They're not enough to put them over the more proven infields above them.

8) Chicago Cubs - Wilson Contreras, Anthony Rizzo, David Bote, Javy Baez, Kris Bryant

This could be controversial given some of the teams I'm listing below the Cubs. Ultimately, I'm letting proven star power dictate this decision. One of the biggest factors in this move was Wilson Contreras. Elite offensive catchers are at a premium these days. On paper, his stats aren't overly impressive but when you consider the lack of hitting at the catcher position, it paints them in a better light. He's had an OPS+ over 100 in 4 of his 5 seasons. That consistency is hard to find with catchers. For the Cubs, it also helps to have Javy Baez. An elite defender that does enough with the bat to be considered an all around star. Let's put it this way, they don't give MLB the Show cover art honors to schmoes. 3 years ago we would have talked about the elite Bryzzo combo at the corners. Nowadays, that combination has lost some of its luster. When Bryant is healthy, he's very good. Since his 2016 MVP season, he's recorded a .900 OPS when he plays more than 145 games. If Bryant stays healthy, he's still an elite third baseman. Rizzo is 31 and coming off his worst season since 2013. In 58 games last year, he hit .222 but still managed to have an OPS+ over 100. Rizzo hasn't been named an All-Star since 2016 but with competition like Freddie Freeman, that's not a fair representation. He posted a .293 BA and a .924 OPS in 2019. Rizzo is still an above average first baseman but it remains to be seen if he can stay in the Top 10 range. Second base isn't exciting as Bote's been unremarkable in the bigs. The reason this group nabs the 8 spot is 4 of their 5 infielders are established stars. When given a full season, Bryant, Baez, Rizzo, and Contreras have proven they can succeed. As we get towards teams with bigger question marks, that stability is a huge asset.

9) Toronto Blue Jays - Danny Jansen, Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio

This is not going to go over well with Blue Jays fans, particularly because I ranked the Cubs above them. I get it. The problem is the Cubs have 4 established stars. The Blue Jays have 2. Kind of. While the baseball world lost its mind over Vlad Jr, it was Bo Bichette who turned out to be the true superstar in the Jays system. He's only played 75 games but boy has Bichette thrived in the bigs. He boasts a .300+ BA in his first two seasons and a career OPS of .896. Blue Jays fans can relish the fact that he might get even better in his first full 162 game season. The second biggest free agent signing for Toronto came in the form of Oakland's Marcus Semien. A Top 3 MVP finish in 2019 stands out in what's otherwise been a pretty mediocre career. He's had an OPS+ over 100 just once (2019) and isn't a particularly great hitter for average. If you take away 2019, he's a .245 hitter with an OPS bordering on .700. Coming off a terrible 2020, I'm not sure you should expect to be blown away by this guy. Biggio and Guerrero Jr at the corners will be interesting. After a decent rookie campaign, Vlad Jr played all 60 games in 2020 with similarly decent numbers. We've yet to see the star power we anticipated but give him some time. He's recorded an OPS+ above 100 in both seasons and, according to him, has lost 42 pounds this offseason. He might be primed for a breakout year. When you look at the stats, Cavan Biggio might actually be the second best son of an MLB star on the Blue Jays. His 122 OPS+ last year and increasing his batting average from .234 to .250 are promising stats. He's got a beautiful lefty stroke and could take that next step this year. The Jays are unremarkable at catcher as Jansen is coming off a season where he hit .183. Don't expect any crazy offensive numbers. 2 months from now, this might look like a terrible power ranking. Bichette, Biggio, and Guerrero could all rake and if Semien recreates 2019, you're looking at a Top 5 infield for sure. I just don't know if I can put that much faith into 3 young guys that haven't played 162 games yet. There's no denying their talent and potential. Let's give em a year and see where we're at next year.

10) Minnesota Twins - Mitch Garver, Miguel Sano, Luis Arraez/Jorge Polanco, Andrelton Simmons, Josh Donaldson

All in all, this a very talented infield. The fact that Jorge Polanco or Luis Arraez could start the season as a backup infielder speaks to their depth. The scariest bat in this infield still belongs to 35 year old slugger Josh Donaldson. Since 2015, The Bringer of Rain has posted 4 seasons of an OPS over .900 and 2 over .800. His OPS hasn't dipped below .800 since 2014 when it was a .798. A major believer in launch angle and exit velo, this dude can mash. Even with his hamstring injury (which shouldn't set him back more than 2 weeks), the Twins can still turn to the rest of their infield for production. Miguel Sano had a tremendous 2019 where he hit 34 HRs with an OPS over .900. 2020 saw a regression and he ended the year barely over the Mendoza line. Sano is a massive human being that can crush the ball, but he's known to be streaky, often leading to scarily low batting lines and disappointing numbers. Mitch Garver is another interesting case. The winner of the Catcher Silver Slugger for 2019, Garver looked like the next big thing after hitting 31 HRs with a .995 OPS. 2020 saw a shocking regression where he hit .167 with a 45 OPS+. Garver watched his OPS drop 400 points and lost his starting role to Ryan Jeffers. If he can recapture his 2019 season, it would be a big boost to this infield. At second, we have one of the most underrated players in baseball. Luis Arraez is one of those pure hitters. In his first two years, he's hit .331 and is already a master of situational hitting. Stick this guy in your lineup wherever you need and he'll produce. Finally, we know what we're going to get from Andrelton Simmons at short. The Platinum Glove winner is arguably the best defensive short stop in the game and hits for contact enough to make him respectable at the plate. This infield has a lot of potential but in my eyes it's a boom or bust. Donaldson and Arraez are consistent bats but Garver and Sano could be huge hit or misses this year. Simmons doesn't do enough with the bat to have a huge impact one way or another.

11) St. Louis Cardinals - Yadier Molina, Paul Goldschmidt, Tommy Edman, Paul DeJong, Nolan Arenado

Now that we're out of the Top 10, we're gonna see a drop off in depth. Case in point, the St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis boasts arguably the best corner infield duo in the league. The Cards fleeced Colorado fleeced Colorada for their star third baseman. From 2015-2019, Arenado hit .300 with a .937 OPS. Arenado struggled at the plate in 2020 but this is a guy that had recorded 4 straight seasons with a .900+ OPS before last year. On top of that, he's set the standard for defense at third base, winning the Gold Glove in every season he's been a pro. He's also tied with teammate Yadier Molina for the most platinum gloves in MLB history with 4 (the award debuted in 2011). On the other side of the diamond, Goldschmidt will return for his 3rd year in St. Louis. Goldy has finished Top 20 in MVP votes in every season since 2015. Over his 10 year career, his OPS has never dipped below .808, which he posted in his rookie campaign. He's a reliable bat that's typically good for 30+ HRs and he's brought home 3 gold gloves. There is a noticeable step down in the rest of the infield. Yadi Molina is back behind the dish. He'll turn 39 midway through the season but his arm is still strong as ever. His offensive production has dipped in the last few years so don't expect much more than slightly above average offense for a catcher. Paul DeJong is an interesting one. In his 2019 All-Star season, he hit 30 HRs, a feat only accomplished by 23 other shortstops. That list includes the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Ernie Banks, Troy Tulowitzki, and Cal Ripken. So far, he's no Hall of Famer but he certainly has remarkable power for his position. Rounding it out at second, Tommy Edman had a promising 2019 but his production drops in 2020. If he bumps his average back up and keeps hitting for decent power, we could be looking at a very nice piece, particularly with his speed. St. Louis misses out on the Top 10 because they lack the depth to keep up with the infields above them. Arenado and Goldy carry this infield, but someone else needs to take a big step before we put them on the next level. Oh and fun fact. 10 Platinum Glove Awards have been given out. Current Cardinals players account for 8 of them.

12) Philadelphia Phillies - JT Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins, Jean Segura, Didi Gregorius, Alex Bohm

This is the last infield that I consider to have great depth. They just didn't have the star power to land above St. Louis. Let's start with the obvious. JT Realmuto is the best catcher in baseball. A broken thumb shouldn't stop him from being ready to start Opening Day. Realmuto's OPS+ hasn't dipped below 100 since 2015 and he's kept his batting average above .265 every year in that span. Let's move on to the sweet swinging first baseman Rhys Hoskins. Wanna hear a crazy stat? Hoskins had a 1.014 OPS in his rookie campaign. He hasn't quite managed to match that in his 3 subsequent seasons, but he has kept his OPS above .800. He hit 34 HRs in 2018 and 29 in 2019. He just turned 28 so we could be witnessing the prime of this slugger. Rookie sensation Alec Bohm resides at third. It's pronounced bowm but it's more fun if you pronounce it bomb cause that's what this kid hits. Bohm hit .338 with a 136 OPS+, good for second in NL ROY voting. By all accounts, he's a stud so expect him to continue hitting bombs. It pains me to see Didi Gregorius in anything other than a Yankees jersey. His postseason heroics and lovable personality made him impossible to hate. Didi had a very good 2020, hitting .284 with 10 HRs and a .827 OPS. He'll never shy away from the big moment and he's got a tendency to hit extra base hits. Jean Segura is a very talented contact hitter that can hit over .300, but simply lacks the potential power that his infield counterparts have. Nevertheless, he's a reliable bat that can definitely get the job done. With plenty of talent, this infield was very close to getting a Top 10 nod. I love their depth, but they lack that true second star that a lot of teams above them have.

13) Boston Red Sox - Christian Vazquez, Bobby Dalbec, Kike Hernandez, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers

I'm gonna be honest, the Red Sox, Phillies, and Cardinals were all toss ups for me. I could easily see a world where I put Boston at 11 and St. Louis at 13. Boston ends up drawing the short straw here. Before we get negative, let's focus on the good. The star of this infield is shortstop Xander Bogaerts. If you don't think he's a Top 5 Shortstop, I highly suggest you take a trip to his Baseball-Reference page. Bogaerts consistently posts a batting average that ranges from .270 to .310. In the last 3 seasons, his OPS reads: .883, .939, .867. The simple fact is the guy can mash. He hit 33 HRs in 2019 and 11 in the shortened season. All stats indicate he'll be back for another impressive season. 40 feet to Bogaerts left will be young phenom Rafael Devers, who broke out in a major way in 2019. In 156 games, he hit .311 with a .916 OPS and led the MLB in total bases. Devers failed to live up to expectations in 2020. His final line wasn't terrible as he still hit .263 with a 110 OPS+, but given his potential, last year is considered a disappointment. When he's right, he can be a Top 5 third baseman. At catcher, Christian Vazquez is coming off the best year of his career and has quietly put together two very solid years of offensive production. He upped his 2019 .276 BA to .283 in 2020 and his OPS+ went from 103 to 114. Entering his age 30 season, don't expect a crazy leap but if he stays right there, the Red Sox will take it. After 6 years with the dodgers, Kike Hernandez comes to Boston. He's incredibly versatile, with the ability to play every outfield and infield position (except catcher), but his bat is rather unremarkable. Prospect Bobby Dalbec is projected to start at first after an impressive first month in the bigs. Dalbec hit 8 HRs in just 80 ABs, resulting in a very inflated OPS. He's still eligible as a rookie for 2021 and raked in Spring Training so he'll look to build on that impressive start. So why do the Sox fall to 13? Bogaerts is amazing and Vazquez is good, but Devers and Dalbec still need to prove themselves. They don't have the star power to match St. Louis and they can't match the depth of Philly.

14) Los Angeles Angels - Max Stassi, Jared Walsh, David Fletcher, Jose Iglesias, Anthony Rendon

This is one of the more underrated infields in baseball. We've all heard how good Anthony Rendon is. Let me throw some stats at you. In his last 4 years, Rendon is hitting .307 with a .949 OPS and a 145 OPS+. That level of success in 481 games is absolutely insane. Rendon shined in his first year with LA and we should expect nothing less this season. The second best player in this infield is David Fletcher. Fletcher was a good contact hitter in his first 2 seasons and took a huge step last year. After hitting .319 with a .801 OPS in 2020, we can expect big things from this guy in 2021. SS Jose Iglesias was always known as a defensive first guy. While that's still the case, we can't overlook his 2020 offensive explosion. In 39 games, Iglesias hit .373 with a 160 OPS+. We've already seen ridiculous defensive highlights from Spring Training, and if he can match even part of his offensive production from last year, this could prove to be a valuable pickup for the Angels. Believe it or not, Shohei Ohtani isn't the only two way player on the Angels. Jared Walsh had a 1.80 ERA in 5 IP in 2019 before his breakout offensive season in 2020. The plan is to have him focus on offense after Walsh crushed 9 HRs with a .971 OPS in 32 games. Only time will tell if he can keep it up, but he certainly showed a lot of promise. He might have to compete for ABs with Albert Pujols but it looks like Walsh will get the majority of the playing time. Before we overlook the catcher, Max Stassi did have a 139 OPS+ last year. He's never put up anything close to that over an extended stretch but he'll have the opportunity as the Angels starting catcher. This Angels infield has a lot of "if"s. That's not gonna stop me from saying it. If all these guys keep hitting like last year, this will be a Top 10 infield.

15) Oakland Athletics - Sean Murphy, Matt Olson, Jed Lowrie, Elvis Andrus, Matt Chapman

This Billy Beane club has a Top 3 corner infield crew. With 2 Top 10 MVP finishes under his belt and 2 Platinum Gloves, Matt Chapman has establishes himself as an elite third baseman. While the .232 batting average last year is not ideal, Chapman managed to keep his OPS above .800 before hip surgery prematurely ended his season. He's essentially the American League Nolan Arenado in terms of defense, and while his BA is inconsistent, Chapman has shown the ability to reliably hit for power. Speaking of power, 1B Matt Olson is one of my favorite bats in the game. In just 127 games in 2019, Olson hit 36 HRs with a .896 OPS. Extrapolate that over 162 games and you get 46 HRs. Even in a 2020 season where Olson's BA dropped from .267 to .195, Olson belted 14 HRs. He's an established power bat, and while the contact isn't what you'd like, as long as he keeps that average above .230 you won't hear any complaining. Unfortunately, after those two studs, the rest of this infield drops off. Catcher Sean Murphy has shown promise, maintaining a 133 OPS+ in 60 games over 2 seasons. You'll recognize Elvis Andrus but 8 years removed from his last All-Star season and coming off a year where he hit below the Mendoza line with a negative WAR, don't expect much from this veteran. Jed Lowrie is set to be the everyday second baseman after injuries sidelined him for essentially 2 years. He's back in the place where he had his best years so maybe there's some good mojo in Oakland. The defense puts this infield over the top. Along with Chapman, Olson has won 2 Gold Gloves. Murphy has the potential to be very good but the A's definitely need to improve their middle infield before we have any serious discussions about them.

16) San Francisco Giants - Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, Donovan Solano, Brandon Crawford, Tommy La Stella

Coming in at 16 is one you probably didn't expect, but a deeper dive reveals a pretty solid infield. Out of all the infields ranked 15th or lower, this one is by far the deepest. Buster Posey returns after sitting out the 2020 season. While the future belongs to prospect Joey Bart, don't rule out a couple more years of quality baseball from, I'm going to say it, the best catcher of our generation. A mediocre 2019 snapped a streak of 6 straight All-Star seasons for the future Hall of Famer. From 2010 - 2018, Posey hit .307 with a .842 OPS. Even in 2019, he still hit .257 with a .688 OPS. Expecting All-Star quality performance could be a reach but Posey still has the ability to perform. Donovan Solano has quietly put together 2 very good seasons in San Francisco. The 2B emerged as a dark horse contender for the NL Batting Title last season. His .326 BA ultimately ranked 5th behind Juan Soto, Freddie Freeman, Marcell Ozuna, and Trea Turner (very impressive company to say the least). In 135 games with the west coast Gmen, Solano has hit .328 with a .821 OPS. If he puts up another season of similar ilk, you'll see him on a lot of Top 10 2B boards. The Giants have one of the more underrated free agent signings, inking Tommy La Stella to a 3 year deal. La Stella has put up back to back seasons of .800 OPS with a BA above .280. It's unfortunate for Brandon Belt that the best season of his 10 year career came during the COVID shortened 2020. In 51 games, Belt hit .309 with a ridiculous 1.015 OPS. It remains to be seen if he can do it over a 162 game stretch as Belt's OPS has sat around the .800s for most of his career. Finally, the defensive-minded Brandon Crawford returns for his 11th year with the Giants. He's not an absolute threat with the bat, but he's maintained a .700 OPS throughout his career. The Giants have a reliable starter at every position with 3 guys coming off career years. That's not something you can say about a lot of infields on this list.

17) Tampa Bay Rays - Mike Zunino, Ji-Man Choi, Brandon Lowe, Willy Adames, Joey Wendle

The reigning AL champs don't have an overpowering lineup to begin with. When we consider that their best offensive weapons are in the outfield, ranking the Rays at 17 isn't that surprising. The Rays have one true offensive threat in the form of Brandon Lowe. Lowe built on a quality 2019 that earned him a trip to the All-Star game with an even better 2020. Lowe hit 14 HRs with a .916 OPS, finishing 8th in AL MVP voting. Lowe disappeared in the playoffs, hitting .118 even with his 3 World Series home runs. The Rays will have to hope that the 2020 postseason was nothing more than ill-timed slump, and given Lowe's track record, we can definitely give him the benefit of the doubt. After Lowe, we're looking at nice solid pieces. Willy Adames hasn't quite lived up to the hype just yet. 2020 marked the first time he's had an OPS over .800 but his overall offensive numbers aren't terribly impressive. With #1 overall prospect Wander Franco right on his tail, Adames days with the Rays could be numbered. Question, how can you not love Ji-Man Choi? The answer is you can't. Choi has put together 3 productive years with Tampa, recording an .820 OPS in his 218 games with the Rays. He's a good defender, deceptively agile, and can even break into a split every now and then. Oh yeah, and he's hit .667 with 3 HRs off of Gerrit Cole, the second best pitcher on the planet. Joey Wendle is one of those guys that can hit for a pretty good average but isn't particularly good at run producing. Zunino's hit .161 in his tenure with Tampa. He's got solid pop, but his contact is horrendous and he's only had a WAR of 1.0 or better twice in the span of 8 years. This is a solid group that could get better if one of these guys breaks out, but as of now, they're very middle-of-the-road.

18) Washington Nationals - Yan Gomes, Josh Bell, Starlin Castro, Trea Turner, Carter Kieboom

It's alarming to see an infield with Trea Turner ranked this low, but unfortunately, the Nats aren't that great once we get past him. Before we get negative, let's relish in how awesome Turner is. Wanna hear his statline from 2020? A .335 BA, .982 OPS, 163 OPS+, and a league leading 78 hits, all culminating in a 7th place finish in MVP voting. In his previous 4 full seasons, Turner stole at least 33 bags and kept his OPS+ above 100. He's an all around talent that can swing the bat and tear up the base paths with elite speed. What else can I say about the guy besides he's one of the most talented dudes in the game today. In one of the first moves of the 2020 offseason, the Nats traded for Pittsburgh 1B Josh Bell. Bell comes off the worst year of his career by far, and looking back at his stats, he's only put together 2 good years. In 2017, his first full season, Bell played well enough to finish 3rd in NL ROY. Then he had a great 2019, hitting 37 HRs with a .936 OPS. Depending on what version of Bell we get, this infield could get a huge boost. Beyond that, it's flakey. Carter Kieboom has not lived up to his name, as his career stats show a .181 BA with a .541 OPS. I'll always love Starlin Castro for being the first offensively competent Yankee 2B since Robbie Cano. That said, his best days are probably behind him, so don't expect much more than a .270 BA and a .700 OPS. Yan Gomes was productive last year but he doesn't do anything that blows your mind. Even with a productive season from Bell, I don't see the Nats getting much out of the rest of this infield.

19) Kansas City Royals - Salvador Perez, Carlos Satana, Nicky Lopez, Adalberto Mondesi, Hunter Dozier

The strength of this squad comes from its too stars. Salvy Perez had a great comeback after a UCL tear caused him to miss all of 2019. He hit .333 with a .986 OPS. A 5x Gold Glove winner, he can do it with the bat and the glove. There's a reason he's generally considered a Top 5 Catcher year in and year out. Mondesi is an elite speedster that hits well enough with the bat to get a lot of love from fans. His Diamond Card is essentially a glitch in MLB the Show but he's way more human in real life. Over the last 2 years, his BA sits at .260 with a .713 OPS. Not terrible stats, but if it wasn't for his speed, we wouldn't be talking about him. Carlos Santana enjoyed a 2019 resurgence that culminated in a Silver Slugger. There were no such awards for Santana in 2020 as he hit .199. Santana still has above average power and can still hit 20+ HRs with ease. Hunter Dozier's last 2 years have actually been very solid. In 2019, he hit 26 HRs with an .870 OPS and followed that up with a more middling 100 OPS+ season. Nicky Lopez has never recorded an OPS+ above 58. A career .228 hitter, I don't expect much production from him. I love Salvy and I'm a Mondesi believer but beyond that and possibly Carlos Santana, there's not all that much to be wowed by.

20) Cincinnati Reds - Tucker Barnhart, Joey Votto, Mike Moustakas, Kyle Farmer, Eugenio Suarez

The Reds are in a similar position to the Royals, led by their 2 stars. In fairness to Reds fans who are most definitely irate to find their team below the Royals, I will give you this. The duo of Moustakas and Suarez can definitely give Perez and Mondesei a run for their money. What the Royals ultimately have over Cinci is better depth. Suarez has been a very good third baseman for Cinci, even hitting 49 HRS with a .930 OPS in 2019. Moustakas surpassed 30 HRs twice from 2017-2019 and the one time he didn't, he hit 28. But after Moose and Suarez, this infield drops off a cliff. It hurts to say that the prime of Joey Votto is essentially over. Yes, he hit 11 HRs last year, but his BA was a paltry .226. We're talking about a guy that used to hit .300 on the regular. He still has some pop in his bat but he's nowhere near the player he used to be. Tucker Barnhart won the NL Catcher Gold Glove but hit .204. His defense will allow him to keep his starting job but in terms of a bat, he's nothing special. Shortstop is going to be a position battle with Kyle Farmer as the frontrunner. A quick look at his Baseball-Reference sheet and you'll see that he's simply never been able to do that much with the bat. The power of Moose and Suarez is the only reason this group is in the Top 20 to begin with, and when you look at the Royals, there's no denying their infield has more talent beyond their Top 2.

21) Cleveland Indians - Roberto Perez, Jake Bauers, Cesar Hernandez, Andres Gimenez, Jose Ramirez

Jose Ramirez is a legitimate MVP candidate year in and year out. In 3 of his last 4 seasons, he's had an OPS over .900 and finished Top 3 in MVP voting. After that, it's dicey. Hernandez was promising last year, but even still, it's his glove that excites you more than anything else. Perez has been an Indian for 7 years and he's never shown the ability to be even an average hitter. Andres Giminez and Amed Rosario both came over in the Lindor deal and while both were highly regarded prospects at one point, we've yet to see that come to fruition. At least for Giminez, he's only played 1 year; the outlook is a lot darker for Rosario, who has yet to show excellence in 4 years. In 213 games, Bauers has a negative career WAR. Not what you want. Cleveland's infield significantly drops off after Ramirez, and even though their depth is better than many of the teams below them, it's simply doesn't match the teams above.

22) Wilson Ramos, Renato Nunez, Jonathan Schoop, Willi Castro, Jeimer Candelario

Detroit has 2 names that you should recognize and 3 others that you might want to learn soon. The first is catcher Wilson Ramos. He won a Silver Slugger in Washington and has 2 All-Star appearances to his name. He's a couple years removed from his last .800 OPS season but there might be enough left in his bat for a couple above average years of offensive production at the catcher position. The other name is Jonathan Schoop. Schoop's outlook is significantly brighter than Ramos's. He just came off a 116 OPS+ season and he's still only 29. In his last 4 full seasons, he's hit at least 20 Home Runs. Renato Nunez has 3 straight quality OPS+ seasons and just came off a terrific year with Baltimore. Jeimer Candelario is coming off a tremendous year where he had a 136 OPS+, but he's never hit that well before so it remains to be seen if that's his new norm. Similarly, Castro had a .932 OPS but he's played less than 70 games over 2 years so we're not entirely sure on him too. Detroit's been rough these past few years but this infield has a lot of upside and some established talent to go along with it.

23) Miami Marlins - Jorge Alfaro, Jose Aguilar, Isan Diaz, Miguel Rojas, Brian Anderson

Despite lacking star power, this Miami infield is surprisingly solid. Jose Aguilar is the veteran presence but he still brings a lot to the table. Since 2017, his OPS+ is 116 and he just put up a 117 OPS+ in 2020. Brian Anderson has now posted 3 straight years of an OPS+ greater than 110, hitting double digit Home Runs in all 3 seasons, even with the shortened 2020. Miguel Rojas just posted a 138 OPS+ season. Jorge Alfaro's power numbers make up for some other offensive flaws and make him an interesting boom or bust case. Isan Diaz is the only truly weak player in this infield, never hitting above .182. It's not a lot of household names but this infield has a lot of guys coming off of good years. If they build on it, we could be looking at a Top 20 infield.

24) Colorado Rockies - Elias Diaz, CJ Cron, Brendan Rodgers, Trevor Story, Ryan McMahon

After trading away Nolan Arenado, the only thing saving this infield is the star power of Trevor Story. Story is one of just 8 shortstops in Major League history to hit 30 Home Runs twice. After him, we discover why the Rockies will be at the bottom of the league this season. CJ Cron can hit for power but he's never put it all together to have an All-Star caliber season. Brendan Rodgers was a highly touted prospect, but he just posted a -40 OPS+ in 7 games. Belief in him is waning so this will be a big season for him. Ryan McMahon has yet to have an OPS+ over 100 and while he's not an abysmal player by any means, there's nothing he does with the bat that makes you overly impressed. Even for a catcher, Diaz's stats are below average. Rodgers could potentially breakout, but even then, there's not enough talent surrounding Story to rank this infield within the Top 20.

25) Milwaukee Brewers - Omar Narvaez, Keston Hiura, Kolten Wong, Orlando Arcia, Luis Urias

The Brewers pulled away Kolten Wong in the offseason after 8 years with the Cardinals. He's a decent bat that has won 2 straight Gold Gloves and will ultimately be a valuable asset. In 143 career games, Hiura has a .843 OPS. He's been shifted to first base with the addition of Wong, and despite a down year, he's a good power bat that should do good things in his first full season. Omar Narvaez had 3 good offensive seasons before he hit .176 in 2020. If it really was just a tough stretch, he'll go back to being an above average catcher. Orlando Arcia shares my name and possibly my hitting ability too -- and that's not a compliment. Over 5 years, he's yet to post an OPS+ over 100 and his run-producing numbers are particularly lacking. Likewise, Urias is a .226 hitter that has yet to hit 5 Home Runs. In a league where super stars are a top commodity, this Brew Crew infield is very forgettable and while it doesn't lack talent, it lacks anything that makes it remotely above average.

26) Arizona Diamondbacks - Carson Kelly, Christian Walker, Josh Rojas, Nick Ahmed, Eduardo Escobar

Eduardo Escobar might be the only name you recognize but this infield is better than they look. Escobar has put up an OPS+ better than 100 in 5 of his last 7 seasons. He's not an All-Star caliber player but he does enough good with the bat to lead this infield. Christian Walker has had back to back seasons with a 111 OPS+. His power potential is good but at already 30 years old, I don't think we'll get a huge leap from here. Carson Kelly has one good statistical year that gets bogged down by years that are, to put it simply, not good. The verdict's still out on whether or not 2019 was a fluke. Nick Ahmed considered underrated in MLB circles but he's nowhere near to a standout player just yet. Finally, Josh Rojas has put up a negative WAR in his first two seasons. There's a little more talent beyond Escobar than you might initially think but it's really nothing special.

27) Seattle Mariners - Tom Murphy, Evan White, Dylan Moore, JP Crawford, Kyle Seager

Kyle Seager returns for his 11th season with the M's to lead an inexperienced group of young infielders. Seager has posted an OPS+ above 100 in 8 of his 10 pro seasons. He's an established pro that continues to hit year in and year out. Dylan Moore had a 138 OPS+ last year, a surprising uptick from his subpar rookie year. Tom Murphy missed all of 2020 with an injury but he hit 18 HRs in just 75 games in 2019. Seattle fans are very optimistic he'll do well given a full season. JP Crawford has been pretty light offensively through 4 years and Evan White had a very poor first season, hitting .176 in 54 games. The Mariners have young talent, but unfortunately not a lot of it is in the infield. Even if you bank on Seager, Moore, and Murphy having productive seasons, this infield isn't super impressive.

28) Pittsburgh Pirates - Jacob Stallings, Colin Moran, Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman, Ke'Bryan Hayes

The Pirates were the worst team in the league last year for a reason and their infield certainly played a part in that. Almost everyone in their infield is coming off a horrendous year. The only guy coming off a truly great year is promising rookie Ke'Bryan Hayes. In 24 games, Hayes hit .376 withh a 1.124 OPS. He retains his rookie eligibility and will be a favorite for NL ROY. Kevin Newman hit .308 in 2019 but watched his average fall nearly a 100 points in 2020. If he can recapture his 2019 season, he's a talented contact hitter that can do some good. Moran did hit 10 HRs in 2020, giving his OPS+ a decent boost, but his BA and OBP were still less than ideal. A power uptick in 2021 could create some buzz around his name and make up for his lacking numbers in other areas. Adam Frazier and Stallings had forgettable years and their career stats don't point to a change anytime soon. Besides the development of potential super star Ke'Bryan Hayes, there's not much for Pirates fans to get excited about here.

29) Baltimore Orioles - Chance Sisco, Ryan Mountcastle, Yolmer Sanchez, Freddy Galvis, Maikel Franco

There's really only one positive for me in this infield. Ryan Mountcastle. In 35 games, the rookie hit .333 with a 140 OPS+. It'll be tough to replicate stats like that over 162 but I still think this guy is gonna go off this year. The rest of these guys are really just placeholders for future talent. Yolmer Sanchez had a 1.164 OPS last year BUT it was only in 11 games and he's only had an OPS above .700 once in his 6 previous seasons. Sanchez's 2020 stats are clearly the product of playing 1/6 of a shortened season so don't count on anything in that realm. Former Phillies Freddy Galvis and Maikel Franco take up the left side of the infield. Galvis has never met even average offensive production and Franco's had a couple good years but nothing that warrants any kind of big attention. Chance Sisco is just holding the fort until #1 overall pick Adley Rustchman is ready to take over the catching duties. Besides Mountcastle, there's not much to be excited about here.

30) Texas Rangers - Jose Trevino, Ronald Guzman, Nick Solak, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Brock Holt

Here we are. The worst infield in all of baseball. The Ranger's decision to cut Rougned Odor just days before Opening Day sums up how their season is going to be. It's a tank year for Texas and that's reflected in their infield. Kiner-Falefa might be a name you recognize after he won the 2020 AL Gold Glove for 3B. He's a decent hitter for average but he's lacking in the run producing numbers. Ronald Guzman just put together his first 100 OPS+ season. He might be the best offensive bat in their infield and that's not a good sign. Jose Trevino's offense is pretty bland and Nick Solak put up a -1.1 WAR in just 58 games. Brock Holt's a fun utility guy but he's just a cheap replacement for Odor. There's really very little to like about this infield. At least the Pirates and Orioles have guys with serious upside. It's tough to look at this Rangers crew and not get depressed. They definitely earned last place in this ranking.