To see rankings for projected starting American League left fielders, click here.
To see rankings for projected starting American League third basemen, click here. For National League, click here.
1. Marcell Ozuna - St. Louis Cardinals
- 2017 stats: 679 PA, .312 BA, .924 OPS, 37 HR, 30 2B, 2 3B, 124 RBI, 93 R, 1 SB
Not only was Ozuna a beast at the plate, but he also won his first Gold Glove in 2017. His excellent season helped him to a 15th-place finish in National League MVP voting. After struggling after the All-Star break the past few seasons, he hit .307 in 72 games last year.
2. Rhys Hoskins - Philadelphia Phillies
- 2017 stats: 212 PA, .259 BA, 1.014 OPS, 18 HR, 7 2B, 0 3B, 48 RBI, 37 R, 2 SB
Hoskins finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting despite playing in only 50 games. While he played like a man possessed by hitting 18 homers in his first 32 games, he went homerless with a .135 batting average in his last 14 games. He hit 29 Home Runs with a .284 batting average in 115 games at AAA last year.
3. Yoenis Cespedes - New York Mets
- 2017 stats: 321 PA, .292 BA, .892 OPS, 17 HR, 17 2B, 2 3B, 42 RBI, 46 R, 0 SB
Injuries limited Cespedes to just 81 games last season. A Gold Glover in 2015 with a cannon for an arm, he has looked a bit sluggish in the field over the past two years.
He's still one of the best offensive outfielders with 65 home runs and a .900 OPS in 270 games with the Mets.
4. Ryan Braun - Milwaukee Brewers
- 2017 stats: 425 PA, .268 BA, .823 OPS, 17 HR, 28 2B, 2 3B, 52 RBI, 58 R, 12 SB
The 2011 National League MVP is coming off a season with his second-lowest batting average and OPS of his 11-year career.
The OPS was still well above league average as he had 47 extra-base hits in 425 plate appearances. Braun has never been known for his defense, so he needs to continue hitting well in order to remain as one of the better National League left fielders. He also is expected to man first base at times against left-handed pitchers.
5. Ronald Acuna - Atlanta Braves
- 2017 stats (AAA): 243 PA, .344 BA, .940 OPS, 9 HR, 14 2B, 2 3B, 33 RBI, 38 R, 11 SB
Yes, Acuna will start the year in the minors, but that should only last a couple weeks before he is called up in order for the Braves to gain an extra year of his services. In 52 plate appearances in spring training, the 20-year-old hit .432 with four home runs and four stolen bases. He is the top-ranked prospect heading into the season according to Baseball America.
6. Adam Eaton - Washington Nationals
- 2017 stats: 107 PA, .297 BA, .854 OPS, 2 HR, 7 2B, 1 3B, 13 RBI, 24 R, 3 SB
A torn ACL limited Eaton to just 23 games last year. In the previous two seasons with the White Sox, he owned a .286 batting average with 28 home runs, 57 doubles, 18 triples, and 32 steals.
He has experience at all three outfield positions but will at least start the year in left with Michael Taylor in center and Bryce Harper in right.
7. Steven Souza - Arizona Diamondbacks
- 2017 stats: 617 PA, .239 BA, .810 OPS, 30 HR, 21 2B, 2 3B, 78 RBI, 78 R, 16 SB
Souza joins the Diamondbacks after three seasons with the Rays. While his batting average wasn’t high, he walked 84 times last year giving him a .351 on-base percentage in 2017. A strained shoulder will likely keep him out until May.
8. Kyle Schwarber - Chicago Cubs
- 2017 stats: 486 PA, .211 BA, .782 OPS, 30 HR, 16 2B, 1 3B, 59 RBI, 67 R, 1 SB
While 2017 was a struggle at the plate for Schwarber, he hit much better after being sent down to AAA for 11 games.
Upon his return to the big leagues, he hit a much more respectable .255 with a .903 OPS and 18 home runs in 225 plate appearances. The outfield can still be an adventure for him at times.
9. Adam Duvall - Cincinnati Reds
- 2017 stats: 647 PA, .249 BA, .782 OPS, 31 HR, 37 2B, 3 3B, 99 RBI, 78 R, 5 SB
The powerful Duvall has hit 64 home runs, 68 doubles, and driven in 202 runs over the last two seasons. Despite his power, he has posted slightly over a league-average OPS over that time due to his lack of walks (80, compared to 334 strikeouts) and a batting average of .245. He did lead all National Leaguers with 15 outfield assists.
10. Corey Dickerson - Pittsburgh Pirates
- 2017 stats: 629 PA, .282 BA, .815 OPS, 27 HR, 33 2B, 4 3B, 62 RBI, 84 R, 2 SB
Dickerson was surprisingly designated for assignment by the Rays, and then traded to the Pirates.
An All-Star for the first time last year, he reached career-highs in homers and runs. He doesn’t draw a lot of walks with 68 in his two years with Tampa Bay compared to 286 strikeouts.
11. Jose Pirela - San Diego Padres
- 2017 stats: 344 PA, .288 BA, .837 OPS, 10 HR, 25 2B, 4 3B, 40 RBI, 43 R, 4 SB
After having just 144 plate appearances with the Yankees and Padres from 2014-16, Pirela received his first regular playing time in the big leagues last year. He was one of the few who performed well offensively for a Padres team that struggled to score. He also raked last year in AAA batting .331 with 13 homers in 48 games.
12. Ian Desmond - Colorado Rockies
- 2017 stats: 373 PA, .274 BA, .701 OPS, 7 HR, 11 2B, 1 3B, 40 RBI, 47 R, 15 SB
While Desmond may start the season at first base, he likely will move to left field once Ryan McMahon is called up.
His first year in Colorado was a major disappointment. Injuries limited him to 95 games so there’s hope he can return to the player who averaged 22 home runs and 20 stolen bases from 2012-16.
13. Matt Kemp - Los Angeles Dodgers
- 2017 stats: 467 PA, .276 BA, .781 OPS, 19 HR, 23 2B, 1 3B, 64 RBI, 47 R, 0 SB
Kemp rejoins a Dodgers team he played for from 2006-14. While he has hit 102 home runs over the last four seasons, according to metrics he has arguably been the worst defensive outfielder in all of baseball over that time. At 33 years old, that isn’t likely to change at this point.
14. Hunter Pence - San Francisco Giants
- 2017 stats: 539 PA, .260 BA, .701 OPS, 13 HR, 13 2B, 5 3B, 67 RBI, 55 R, 2 SB
After two injury-plagued seasons where he appeared in just 158 games, Pence was relatively healthy playing in 134 last year.
He just wasn’t very productive as he finished with the lowest OPS of his 11-year career. He moves to left field with Andrew McCutchen taking over in right.
15. Derek Dietrich - Miami Marlins
- 2017 stats: 464 PA, .249 BA, .758 OPS, 13 HR, 22 2B, 5 3B, 53 RBI, 56 R, 0 SB
With the Marlins trading their entire starting outfield from last season, Dietrich will make the transition to left field where he has made 53 starts in his career. Adept at drawing hit by pitches, he led the National League with 24 in 2016 and had 18 last year.
