MLB Top 100: #40-31
Welcome back to the countdown of my top 100 players in Major League Baseball! To find #50-41, click here or at the link at the bottom of the page.
40. Zac Gallen (30), 2024 rank: #31
2024: 148.0 IP, 3.65 ERA, 3.38 FIP, 1.26 WHIP, 16.4 K-BB%, 2.8 fWAR
Zac Gallen has certainly established himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last three seasons. The slight drop in his ranking this year is simply due to a dip in volume and some regression in some key areas in 2024. He threw nearly 70 innings less than he did in his career year in 2023, but still managed to pitch at a high level. Since 2022 among qualified starters, Gallen finds himself ranked within the top 15 in ERA (3.20), FIP (3.22), and WHIP (1.09), while ranking seventh overall in fWAR (12.2). While he saw a decrease in strikeouts and an increase in walks in 2024, Gallen actually improved across the board in quality of contact numbers which was a weakness of Gallen’s for a while. Entering a contract year, I expect Gallen to return to his 2023 form.
39. Max Fried (31), 2024 rank: #40
2024: 174.1 IP, 3.25 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 1.16 WHIP, 15.3 K-BB%, 3.4 fWAR
Upon the news that Gerrit Cole is in need of Tommy John surgery, Max Fried steps into the role of ace for the Yankees. The good news for the Yankees is that Fried nearly had a 30 starts season just a year removed from an injury-riddled season in 2023. Since the start of 2021, Fried is the fourth best pitcher in baseball according to ERA (2.87) and eighth best according to FIP (3.11). He also has 67 innings of postseason experience under his belt which gives him the slight bump over a guy like Zac Gallen that has produced at a similar level. It’s also worth noting that Fried was one of the best in the game at limiting damage in 2024 as he finished in the top three in barrel% (5.0), average EV (86.3), and groundball rate (58.8). That should bode well for him at Yankee Stadium in 2025.
38. Jackson Merrill (22), 2024 rank: N/A
2024: 593 PA, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 16 SB, .292/.326/.500, 130 wRC+, 0 DRS, 11 OAA, 5.3 fWAR
Jackson Merrill was one baseball’s most exciting rookies and breakout players in 2024, but was also arguably the best center fielder in baseball as well. His 5.3 fWAR ranked 15th among position players last year, and he finished within the top ten among outfielders in home runs, AVG, SLG, OPS (.826), and wRC+. His 11 OAA ranked sixth among center fielders and looks even better when you consider the fact that Merrill was a 21 year old that had never played center field full time in his professional career. That should speak to just how good he can be. I’m reluctant to rank Merrill any higher than this because I got burned last year ranking Corbin Carroll within the top twenty based on his rookie campaign. That’s why track record has become important on this list and is why I’d like to see Merrill do it again in his sophomore campaign.
37. Emmanuel Clase (27), 2024 rank: #56
2024: 74.0 IP, 0.61 ERA, 2.22 FIP, 0.66 WHIP, 20.7 K-BB%, 47 SV, 2.2 fWAR
His performance in last year’s postseason unfortunately left a bad taste in baseball fan’s mouths, however, Emmanuel Clase just put up one of the best reliever seasons since the turn of the century. It was a top six performance by a reliever since 2000 according to both ERA and WHIP. Since the start of 2021, no other reliever has produced more fWAR (8.5), and the distance between Clase and second place is the same distance between second and 19th place. It was Clase’s third season in a row with 40+ saves and 70+ innings out of the bullpen. No other reliever in baseball can say they have done the same. With how much he has accomplished since his debut, it’s hard to imagine Clase is only entering his age 27 season. There’s no reason why he shouldn't be in for another stellar season.
36. Corbin Carroll (24), 2024 rank: #16
2024: 684 PA, 22 HR, 74 RBI, 35 SB, .231/.322/.428, 107 wRC+, -3 DRS, 8 OAA, 4.0 fWAR
I just mentioned that I got burned by Corbin Carroll in 2024 from putting too much stock in his rookie year, but Carroll still ended up putting together a solid season when it was all said and done. His first half was rough, but Carroll re-emerged as one of the best outfielders in baseball during the second half. Post All-Star break, Carroll posted a top ten SLG (.568) and OPS (.919) while also logging his second straight 20 home run/30 stolen base season. It was 35 steals last year, but his 2023 proved that he can be a 50+ stolen base threat in any given year. The power gives 30+ home run upside as well, which means Carroll should be a perennial MVP candidate in his prime as long as he remains healthy.
35. Adley Rutschman (27), 2024 rank: #22
2024: 638 PA, 19 HR, 79 RBI, 1 SB, .250/.318/.391, 104 wRC+, 4 DRS, 2.8 fWAR
He’s certainly coming off of a down year offensively, but Adley Rutschman is still a top three catcher in the game as far as I’m concerned, and that’s worth a lot. He’s a top ten defensive catcher in the game since he debuted in 2022 according to both DRS (24) and Fangraphs DEF (44.1). He also ranks second in fWAR at the position in the same time frame as well. Offensively, he ranks third in wRC+ among catchers since he debuted (121), sixth in OPS (.772), and eighth in home runs (52). He has always possessed the upside to be the best catcher in baseball, and he’s entering the point in his career where he should be expected to be at least a top three catcher year in and year out. I’m also willing to give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his offensive woes last year due to nagging injuries he was dealing with.
34. Logan Webb (28), 2024 rank: #25
2024: 204.2 IP, 3.47 ERA, 2.95 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, 14.5 K-BB%, 4.4 fWAR
There aren’t a whole lot of pitchers in baseball that can say they’re quite as consistent as Logan Webb. No one has thrown more innings than Webb since the start of 2022 (or have recorded more outs if you want to get technical and make it sound prettier), and only Zack Wheeler has produced more fWAR. He’s likely never going to be a top three pitcher in the game, but you can count on him to be in the top ten conversation year in and year out. He’s the eighth highest ranked starting pitcher on this year’s list. He had the third best FIP among qualified starters last year and was once again one of the best in baseball at keeping the ball on the ground (56.8 GB%).
33. Rafael Devers (28), 2024 rank: #58
2024: 601 PA, 28 HR, 83 RBI, 3 SB, .272/.354/.516, 134 wRC+, -9 DRS, -6 OAA, 4.1 fWAR
Similar to Logan Webb, Rafael Devers does the same offensively - he’s as consistent as they come. My rank last year for Devers felt way too low in hindsight when his consistency is taken into account. He’s not a top three or five hitter in the game, but you can just about pencil him in for a 130 wRC+ every season. Because he had yet another season right in line with his career numbers that have made him so good, I felt he had earned a big bump up. He led all third basemen last year in OBP and trailed only Jose Ramirez in SLG and wRC+. The weaknesses defensively are no secret, but the bat is good enough for me to nearly disregard the defensive numbers entirely - especially if he’s going to move to first base this year.
32. Devin Williams (30), 2024 rank: #29
2024: 21.2 IP, 1.25 ERA, 2.06 FIP, 0.97 WHIP, 30.7 K-BB%, 14 SV, 0.8 fWAR
His 2024 season was shortened significantly due to injury, but Devin Williams is still my top reliever in baseball, even with Emmanuel Clase’s dominance discussed earlier in this ranking. Williams has been one of at least the top three relievers in each of the last three seasons, while Clase has had some more ebbs and flows. If you include his shortened 2024, Williams is coming off of three straight sub-2.00 ERA season. He owns the best ERA (1.66) and the third best FIP (2.29), K% (39.5), and K-BB% (27.2) among relievers in that time frame. He didn’t become a full time closer until 2023 when he promptly logged 36 saves, and should start really racking them up as he takes over the closer duties for the Yankees and then will hit free agency as the hottest reliever on the market prior to 2026.
31. Chris Sale (36), 2024 rank: N/A
2024: 177.2 IP, 2.38 ERA, 2.09 FIP, 1.01 WHIP, 26.5 K-BB%, 6.4 fWAR
The Chris Sale comeback season was certainly a thing of beauty and was a campaign that should have earned him a top 20 ranking. However, I’m not completely sold on him given the injury history and age so I’m playing it safe by keeping him outside of the top 25. That is not to take away from his stellar 2024 season though. His 6.4 fWAR led all pitchers and only trailed eight position players. He of course led the entire league in ERA on his way to his National League pitching triple crown, while also leading the entire league in FIP and K-BB%. He managed a top ten finish in WHIP and BAA as well. If 2024 proved anything, it’s that Chris Sale is still an elite pitcher in this league when healthy. The health is a big if unfortunately, and it would surprise me if he logs upwards of 170+ innings again in 2025.
