Top 15 List of the Week

Top 15 Baseball Players (26 and Under)

This is a little bit different of a "top" list. What I'm really doing here is making a team of the top baseball players currently playing that are age 26 and under. It's a top 15 list because I'm taking 8 positional players, 1 DH, 5 starting pitchers, and 1 closer to comprise the best team of young players that I possibly can. So, here it is:

1B: Prince Fielder - Has played one full (almost two) seasons, is 23 years old, and is poised to be a legit powerhitting lefty. He'd got 35 homers so far this season, and hit a solid 28 in his rookie year.

2B: BJ Upton - The (almost) 23 year old Devil Ray has a career .288 avg with 21 dingers in what amounts to a season and a half. His power numbers are coming up and he is pretty versatile.

SS: Jose Reyes - 24 year old switch-hitter for the Mets, Reyes has a career .289 avg with 210 stolen bases in what basically works out to three and a half seasons of play. Kid is good.

3B: David Wright - He's 24 years old, plays solid defense, and has a career .305 with 87 taters and 329 RBI in what's almost 4 seasons of play.

C: Russell Martin - The 24 year old Dodger is among the league's best catchers. In what's almost 2 seasons of play, he's batting .290 with 22 homers and 133 RBI.

OF: Carl Crawford - In about 5 and a half seasons, the 26 year old Crawford has posted a career .295 with 264 stolen bases and 137 doubles. He's also got a .331 OBP and 468 runs scored. And he's very fast.

OF: Grady Sizemore - 25 years old, gold glove defense, and in what's almost three and a half season, he has a career .283, 245 RBI, 73 HRs, and 119 doubles.

OF: Jeff Francoeur - In what's almsot two and a half seasons, he's hitting .283 with 223 RBI and 56 homers.

DH: Miguel Cabrera - He's 24 years old and, in what's almost 4 and a half seasons of play, has racked up 132 homers with a great .314 career batting average.

SP: Justin Verlander - 24 years old. 284 SO with 3.74 ERA and 28 wins.

SP: Jake Peavy - 26 years old. 1009(!) SO with 3.32 ERA and 69 wins.

SP: Dan Haren - 26 years old. 541 SO with 3.75 ERA and 47 wins.

SP: Dontrelle Willis - 25 years old. 709 SO with 3.67 ERA and 65 wins.

SP: Francisco Liriano - This assumes he'll be the same after surgery. 23 years old. 177 SO with 2.74 ERA and 13 wins (in what amounts to one season).

CL: Jonathan Papelbon - 26 years old. 168 SO with a 1.64 (!) ERA and 61 saves.

Please note these players are too old: Chase Utley (28), CC Sabathia (27), Josh Beckett (27), Ryan Howard (27), Matt Holliday (27), Albert Pujols (27)

- Jordan M.
Commerce, TX