Ranking the projected starting center fielders in the National League in 2019

Last season, Cain was able to finish seventh in National League MVP voting. In 141 games, the 32-year-old finished with a .308 average, 10 home runs, 25 doubles, and 30 stolen bases. It was the fourth time in the last five seasons that he has hit at least .300. Cain seemingly makes a highlight play in center field every game.

The 30-year-old Marte played 145 games last year hitting .277 with 20 home runs, 32 doubles, and 33 stolen bases. The homer total was a career-high, and he has averaged nearly 34 steals a year over the last six seasons. A two-time Gold Glove winner (as a left fielder), he has one of the strongest arms for anyone who plays in center.

The 31-year-old Pollock agreed to a four year, $55 million deal to join Los Angeles in the offseason. While he's been a very productive player, he hasn't been one that has remained healthy for sustained periods of time. In 113 games for the Diamondbacks last year, he batted .257 with 21 home runs, 21 doubles, and 13 steals. He won a Gold Glove in 2015 and remains a superb option in center field.

A Gold Glove winner for the third straight year in 2018, Inciarte mans center field like very few can. After batting .309 in 2017 though, his average dipped to .265 last year. In 2018, the 28-year-old also clubbed 10 home runs and 27 doubles while stealing 28 bases. He is still far from a power hitter, but he has been knocking the ball out of the park with more frequency (13 homers from 2014-16, 21 from 2017-18).

In what was his first extended big league action last year, Nimmo was one of the few positives on a disappointing Mets team. Playing 140 games, the 25-year-old ended with a .263 average to go along with 17 homers, 28 doubles, nine steals, and 80 walks. While he's listed as the starting center fielder, New York will likely utilize him in all of three outfield positions.

The 24-year-old Bader finished sixth in National League Rookie of the Year voting last season. A lot of his value came on the defensive end, but he was no slouch at the plate. In 138 games, he ended the year with a .264 average, 12 home runs, 20 doubles, and 15 stolen bases.

Robles is just 21 years old and has played briefly for the Nationals each of the last two years (altogether 34 games, 93 plate appearances). Over that brief time in the majors, he owns a .277 average with three homers and four doubles. Baseball America's #11 prospect heading into this season, Robles hit .278 with 10 homers last year in 40 games at Triple-A.

The 27-year-old Herrera has a hamstring strain, and it's unclear whether he will be ready for Opening Day. He appeared in 148 games in 2018 finishing with a .255 average, 22 home runs, and 19 doubles. After stealing 41 bags during his first two seasons of 2015-16, he has stolen just 13 the last two years. The hamstring strain won't likely help with the regression that defensive metrics show he has had in the field.

The 24-year-old app had a solid rookie season in 2017 but saw all of his numbers take a bit of a tumble last year. In 142 games, he hit .233 with 15 home runs, 19 doubles, and 70 walks. His slugging percentage dropped over 100 points from the previous year (.514 in 2017, .408 in 2018). Albert Almora Jr. will also likely make starts in center field while Happ can be utilized elsewhere as he started at five different positions in 2018.

A career infielder, Marte is making the transition to center field where he has made two starts in his career (both came in 2015 with the Mariners). After hitting just eight homers over his first three seasons, the 25-year-old connected on 14 in 2018. On the year, he also batted .260 with 26 doubles and a major league-leading 12 triples.

Schebler may hold the fort in center field until Uber-prospect Nick Senzel is called up, although Senzel was recently sidelined with a tight hamstring according to Cincinnati.com. Last year, the 28-year-old played in 107 games batting .255 with 17 homers and 19 doubles. He clubbed 30 long balls in the previous season. He may become the team's fourth outfielder when Senzel arrives as the team now has Yasiel Puig in Senzel's more natural position of right field.

In 40 games with the major league club last year, the 24-year-old Cordero went on to hit .237 with seven homers, five doubles, and five stolen bases. While he didn't hit for a high average in his brief stint with San Diego the previous season either, he has hit .314 in 104 games at Triple-A.

After his first two seasons with Colorado consisted of Desmond mostly playing in left field in 2017 and at first base in 2018, the 33-year-old is expected to try his luck in center this season. It wasn't a great year for him in 2018 as he hit .235 with 22 homers, 21 doubles, and 20 steals. He actually had a lower OPS in his home games at Coors Field (.724) than on the road (.734).

The Marlins hope the 24-year-old Brinson can hit over the Mendoza Line this season. Acquired in the deal that sent Christian Yelich to Milwaukee, he hit a ghastly .199 with 11 homers and 10 doubles in 2018. He walked just 17 times while striking out 120. Brinson showed excellent range at times in the field, so a better year at the plate would make him a much more useful player.

Making his MLB debut in early July of last year, Duggar made 41 appearances for San Francisco. The 25-year-old hit .255 with two homers, 11 doubles, and five steals. He owns a .271 average and six home runs in 91 games at Triple-A. His brief time in the majors showed that he can progress into an above-average defensive center fielder.