After being non-tendered by the Philadelphia Phillies, César Hernández signed a one-year deal in Cleveland, one that allowed the veteran second baseman to re-establish himself.
In his first year with Cleveland, Hernández slashed .283/.355/.408 with 20 RBIs and 24 walks. His offensive production has never been earth-shattering, but he's traditionally been a nice table setter.
Additionally, Hernández posted a career-high six defensive runs saved in 2020, allowing him to win his first ever Gold Glove Award.
While Cleveland hemorrhaged accomplished veteran players this offseason, Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff prioritized re-signing Hernández, inking him to a one-year/$5 million deal with a club option for 2022.
As he prepares for his second season in Cleveland, Hernández is the first name off of our list of the top 10 second basemen in baseball for the 2021 season:
10. Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres
Jake Cronenworth had an excellent 2020 season.(Tom Pennington/Getty Images)Cronenworth finished in a tie for second place in National League Rookie of the Year Award voting in 2020, spending extensive time at three of the four infield positions for the Padres. The most likely scenario is that Cronenworth plays multiple positions again for a loaded Padres team. Second base was the position that he spent the most time at in 2020, and the guess here is that will also prove to be true in 2021.
9. Jean Segura, Philadelphia Phillies
Jean Segura is a two-time All-Star.(Greg Fiume/Getty Images)A natural shortstop, Segura began the 2020 season at third base, but was ultimately moved to second base to accommodate star rookie Alec Bohm. Segura thrived defensively at second base, as he did in 2016, when he was an All-Star while playing with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Now 31, Segura's average did dip to .266 in 2020, his lowest mark since 2015. However, he focused more on getting on base consistently, which allowed him to post a .347 on-base percentage, his highest mark in three years.
8. Nick Madrigal, Chicago White Sox
The White Sox have high hopes for Nick Madrigal.(Ron Schwane/Getty Images)Madrigal is currently working his way back from offseason surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, which could affect his availability and/or output early in the season. MLB Pipeline ranks Madrigal, who debuted in 2020, as the No. 3 prospect in the White Sox farm system and No. 40 in all of baseball. The 24-year-old hit .340 in his first 29 major league games, though the White Sox will hope that he begins to develop a bit more pop in his first full major league season.
7. Kolten Wong, Milwaukee Brewers
Kolten Wong is entering his first season with the Brewers.(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)For financial reasons, the St. Louis Cardinals declined Wong's $12.5 million option for the 2021 season, and now they'll have to watch him play for the division-rival Brewers. Wong, a Gold Glove Award winner in 2020, posted three outs above average last season. The 30-year-old will be looking to rebound after a relatively disappointing offensive campaign, but he's such an excellent fielder that the Brewers felt comfortable issuing him a two-year/$18 million deal that includes a club option for a third season.
6. Marcus Semien, Toronto Blue Jays
Marcus Semien signed with the Blue Jays this past offseason.(Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)After finishing third in American League MVP voting in 2019, Semien came crashing back down to earth offensively in 2020, slashing just .223/.305/.374. Not only that, but the typically sure-handed shortstop went from posting seven defensive runs saved in 2019 to -6 in 2020. Semien's decline not only led to him taking a one-year prove-it deal (worth $18 million) with Toronto, but he'll also shift from shortstop to second base. Assuming he remains at second base all season, Semien could very well win a Gold Glove Award at the position. The real question is whether he can prove that 2019 wasn't an outlier offensively.
5. Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
Brandon Lowe and the Rays reached the World Series last season.(Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)A third-round pick in 2015, Lowe became one of the sport's elite second basemen in 2020 after a strong showing in the prior season. In 56 regular season games last year, Lowe slashed .269/.362/.554 with 14 home runs, 37 RBIs and a 2.4 fWAR. Lowe did struggle in the Rays run to the World Series, though the 26-year-old figures to emerge as an All-Star candidate in 2021.
4. Jeff McNeil, New York Mets
Jeff McNeil is a former All-Star.(Mike Stobe/Getty Images)McNeil has had success moving all around the diamond over the past three seasons, but given the season-long PED suspension of Robinson Canó, he should see his most extensive action at second base (his natural position) in 2021. Regardless of where he plays, McNeil is going to be an excellent offensive producer. In parts of three major league seasons, the 28-year-old has slashed .319/.383/.501 with an .884 OPS.
3. José Altuve, Houston Astros
Jose Altuve is hoping to have a bounce-back season.(Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)A career .311 hitter, Altuve struggled mightily in the pandemic-shortened season, hitting just .219 with an on-base percentage well below .300. For most accomplished players, you would just shrug that off and figure he'd bounce back over a 162-game season. But given that it came the offseason after the emergence of the team's sign-stealing scandal, there will be extra scrutiny on Altuve. What we do know is that Altuve is only 30, and after a difficult regular season, he hit .375 with five home runs and 11 RBIs in the playoffs, helping the Astros to reach their fourth consecutive ALCS. Additionally, the Astros sign-stealing scandal took place for sure during home games in 2017. Despite that, Altuve hit .311 at Minute Maid Park during his American League MVP season, but .381 on the road. The narrative that Altuve was simply a product of the cheating, well, it doesn't really hold up. Expect the six-time All-Star to bounce back in 2021.
2. Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
Ozzie Albies has become one of baseball's top second basemen.(Tom Pennington/Getty Images)Injuries limited Albies to just 29 games in 2020, but in the two seasons prior, the 24-year-old had established himself as one of the game's best second basemen. The switch-hitter homered 24 times in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons, making an All-Star team in 2018 and leading the National League with 189 hits in the following season. On top of all that, Albies has 22 defensive runs saved in his young career. If Albies is able to remain healthy in 2021, the Braves may be the biggest threat to the defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League.
1. DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees
DJ LeMahieu re-signed with the Yankees this offseason.(Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)Over the course of his first two seasons in New York, FanGraphs says that LeMahieu graded out as the 12th-most valuable offensive player in all of baseball. The Yankees rewarded him with a new six-year/$90 million deal in the offseason. At some point over the course of that deal, LeMahieu will probably move to first base on a more regular basis, but for the time being, his bat makes him the best second baseman in baseball.
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