Top 12 baseball players of 2019

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The 2019 Major League Baseball season began on March 28.
Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Alex Bregman are among some of the top players of 2019.
Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals has topped the 200-inning mark in each of the past six seasons.
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The 2019 Major League Baseball season kicked off on March 28 — the earliest opening day ever in MLB history, according to the league. With the new season already underway, you may be wondering which players to keep an eye on this season.

We crunched the numbers and checked the stats to identify this year’s top talents in the MLB. Here are the top 12 baseball players of 2019.

Mike Trout — Los Angeles Angels

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When someone agrees to pay you $430 million, typically it means you’re doing something right. That’s exactly what happened last month when Trout, a five-tool player thought to be baseball’s biggest active star, signed an extension with the Angels that will keep him in Los Angeles through at least 2030. Those big bucks are well-deserved for the 27-year-old New Jersey native, who has finished first or second in American League MVP voting in six of his seven full MLB seasons.

The only thing missing from Trout’s resume? A playoff win. The Angels have only made the postseason once during the Trout era and were swept in three games in the opening round.

Mookie Betts — Boston Red Sox

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The reigning American League MVP and batting champion, Betts has posted a .308 batting average to go with 87 home runs, 295 RBI and 82 stolen bases for the Boston Red Sox over the past three years combined.

Add to that an elite glove that has earned the right fielder three consecutive Gold Glove awards, and it’s easy to see why Betts — who moonlights as an elite bowler — is considered one of the best all-around players in the game.

Jose Ramirez — Cleveland Indians

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A Cleveland Indians infielder, Ramirez keeps getting better with each passing year and has finished third in AL MVP voting each of the past two seasons.

In 2018, Ramirez finished with a career-high 39 home runs to go with 34 stolen bases making him the first player since Trout in 2012 to join the 30-30 club. Shortly after, he was joined there by Betts — not bad company.

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