MLB Network completed their "Top 10 Players right now" series for each position on Wednesday night, and New York could make one hell of a lineup based on the Yankees and Mets positioned on the lists.
The biggest NY swag came at second base and on the mound. At the keystone, recently re-signed Yankee DJ LeMahieu move up one spot from 2020 to top the list, with Jeff McNeil – who was a Top 5 third baseman last year on the MLB lists – ranking second, while in the starting pitcher spot, Jacob deGrom repeated as MLB Network's top starter, with Gerrit Cole moving up from No. 3 to No. 2.
Three other positions saw New York's two starters both make the Top 10: First base (Luke Voit No. 3, Pete Alonso No. 7), right field (Aaron Judge fourth, Michael Conforto seventh), and left field (Dom Smith at No. 6 and Clint Frazier at No. 9).
That, of course, leaves five other positions with just one New York rep, and surely, Yankees fans will be the most upset by the snubs.
Behind the plate, new Mets catcher James McCann came in at No. 10…but neither Gary Sanchez nor Kyle Higashioka were to be found. Understandable given Sanchez's struggles in 2020, but the two bigger snubs for the pinstripes may be at shortstop and in center field; new Met Francisco Lindor retained a Top 5 spot (dropping from second to fourth) at short and Brandon Nimmo moved from ninth to fifth in center, but neither Gleyber Torres nor Aaron Hicks made the Top 10.
The Yankees did have two spots where they claimed superiority: the bullpen, where Aroldis Chapman dropped from No. 2 to No. 7 but was the lone New Yorker on the list, and third base, where Gio Urshela jumped into the rankings at No. 9 (as mentioned, McNeil was No. 5 there last year, but moved to second base in this year's rankings).
And, for those wondering what the ultimate MLB Network right now lineup is? Try to beat a starting nine of Realmuto, Freeman, LeMahieu, Story, Rendon, Yelich, Trout, and Betts around the horn, with Liam Hendriks closing it out behind deGrom.
You can check out the full selection of Top 10 lists at MLB.com.
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