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While it may not get as much attention as the other middle infield position, second base is still an important spot for MLB teams. After all, they call it the keystone for a reason.
With plenty of star players at that position, let’s rank the top second basemen heading into 2021.
10. Tommy La Stella
Tommy La Stella has made a nice transition from bench player to a solid everyday player.
He was even an all-star in 2019. At age 32, his best years may have passed him by, but he’s still a solid bet to have a productive 2021 campaign in San Francisco.
9. David Fletcher
After he hit .319 last season, we have a good feeling about David Fletcher moving forward.
He started to break out in 2019, which means the 26-year-old should be moving into his peak years.
8. Jake Cronenworth
A year ago, not even Padres fans had likely heard of Jake Cronenworth.
He changed all of that in a hurry and now gives San Diego stability at the keystone, which is great news for a team that expects to contend for a championship.
7. Marcus Semien
After spending several years as Oakland’s shortstop, Marcus Semien projects to play second base with the Blue Jays in 2021.
That position change should give him a leg up over a few other second basemen. Of course, he needs to regain his 2019 form rather than a sluggish 2020 campaign in which he posted an OPS of .679.
6. Jose Altuve
Admittedly, it’s a little weird not having Jose Altuve higher on our list of the best second basemen in baseball.
However, he had a rough 2020 season, hitting just .219 with an OPS of .629. He’s also 30 and has had a few trips to the IL in recent years. He gets the benefit of the doubt over some of the youngsters, but it’s no longer a lock that he’s among the elite second basemen in the game.
5. Ketel Marte
Ketel Marte is just one year removed from a brilliant 2019 season.
He came back down to earth a little last season, but he’s 27 and very much in his prime. The only question is whether he’ll play more at second base or center field in 2021.
4. Ozzie Albies
There have been a few ups and downs for Ozzie Albies, but the guy is only 24.
He also hit 24 home runs in both 2018 and 2019. His upside is tremendous and sooner or later he’s going to become the premier second baseman in baseball.
3. Jeff McNeil
With Robinson Cano out of the picture in 2021, Jeff McNeil should finally be able to stay at one position.
More importantly, he’s a career .319 hitter with an OPS of .884 in just over 900 at-bats.
2. Brandon Lowe
Brandon Lowe has spent parts of the last three seasons in the big leagues and gotten considerably better each year.
He launched 14 home runs in just 56 games last year, and then four more during the postseason. Keep in mind he was an all-star in 2019 before being sidelined due to injury.
He’s the real deal and should be an all-star again his year.
1. DJ LeMahieu
Frankly, the top spot in our rankings isn’t even close.
DJ LeMahieu won his second batting title and his second Silver Slugger Award last year. He’s hit over .300 in five of the last six seasons, including a .364 clip in 2020. He’s a special hitter and has been at his best over the last two years with the Yankees.
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