The Most Valuable PEBA Players – 2019 Edition
By Samuel Platt
This is the 6th annual edition of “The Most Valuable PEBA Players” and we’re at a bit of a crossroads in terms of talent. Many of the big hitting stars of the past few seasons have gotten older and either regressed or signed huge contracts that make it hard to place them ahead of younger up-and-comers. You won’t find Luis Torres and his league leading $24 million a year extension anymore, although we’re pretty sure every team in the league would love to have his bat in their lineup. There are a lot of new faces debuting on the list that are starting to form the next generation of PEBA stars. Where they fall in the coming years remains to be seen.
For a lengthier description of the methodology, reread the original listing, but the short of it is this: More often than not, a higher ranked player would not be traded 1-for-1 for a lower ranked player. Each player’s ability, contract, and age are taken into account, but actual performance at the PEBA level is weighed the most. Each of the top 25 players have been ranked and commented upon. The remainder of the top 50 will also be presented, although not ranked in order. The age listed for each player is their age for the upcoming season (age on July 1st). Previous rankings are listed in order starting with most recent (e.g. Prev: last year’s rank, two seasons’ ago rank, and so on).
The List
25. SP Félix Maese (BAK) – 27 – Maese posted a typically boring season for him. He doesn’t strike out a ton of guys, and he doesn’t give up many home runs, so fans of neither team are going to be cheering the big moment quite as often. What he does is methodically slice through the opposition. He doesn’t give up many walks or hits, just using his splitter to induce ground ball outs of the most dull kind. He was 13-8 in 2018 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, with both rates being an improvement from 2017. He signed a team friendly 4 year contract extension of a little over $10 million annually this offseason. His drop in these rankings is really more a reflection of others surpassing him than any decline he has displayed. (DOWN – Prev: 12, 11)
24. SP Randy Smith (SA) – 26 – Smith went 14-8 in his first full season of San Antonio heat. His 2.58 ERA was 2nd in the IL and his 12 home runs allowed were bested by just 5 other starting pitchers. Smith struggles with his control at times, but his strikeout rate is superb. If he can locate his pitches a little better, the first time All-Star could join the elite. (UP – Prev: NR)
23. CF Javier Cruz (FLA) – 27 – Cruz is an All-Leather winning centerfielder who has gradually increased his power each of his four seasons in the PEBA. It seems the Featherheads’ ability to churn out quality outfielders continues unabated. He fell just two stolen bases shy of a 30-30 season while hitting .295 with 56 walks and 102 runs scored in addition to his 34 home runs. All of which were career highs. (UP – Prev: NR)
22. SP Leonard Carver (LON) – 23 – Carver had a big season for the Underground, but his postseason was really where he proved himself. He was a perfect 6-0 with a 2.27 ERA and 34 K’s. His regular season record of 17-8 with a 2.87 ERA and 237 K’s left him tied for second in the Golden Arm voting with Connecticut’s Niccolo Arcimboldo. This was exactly the type of progression that the front office was hoping for out of him, and at 23 years old, he’s got a lot of years ahead of him. (UP – Prev: NR)
21. SP Francisco Robles (CL) – 28 – Fresh off of signing a 4 year deal, Robles led the SL with 251 innings of work, including 5 complete games. His 2.62 ERA was the best of his career and 6th in the league, and his 1.02 WHIP was similarly strong. He hasn’t missed a start in 6 years. The long ball is his Achilles heel, having given up at least 20 in each of the past 3 seasons. (UP – Prev: Top 50, Top 50, 6, 8)
20. SS Emílio Manuel (YUM) – 26 – Getting traded right after winning a Wunderkind Award isn’t exactly normal, and Manuel took it upon himself to prove his rookie year was no fluke. He hit .292 and drew 82 walks en route to a .398 OBP that was 4th in the SL. He hits for good gap power with a sprinkling of home runs, but defensively, he’s a bit of a mess. (UP – Prev: NR)
19. 2B Nathan Carter (LON) – 26 – Carter led the IL with 204 hits in 2018, including 40 doubles and 21 home runs. He had 88 RBI and 99 runs scored. As one might expect, he’s got good bat control striking out just 30 times, but he also drew 61 walks on the year. A deserving All-Star, he improved across the board from good to great. Just 26 years old, it’s hard to believe he was drafted in 2011. (UP – Prev: NR)
18. 1B Rod Johnson (YUM) – 27 – Johnson led his league in walks for the second consecutive season, earning 96 free passes for the Bulldozers. He added 27 home runs and 34 doubles. All that coupled with a .276 average gave him his most productive season to date, and Yuma rewarded him with a 5 year extension that will pay him $40 million. As a player who has played for 3 teams in 3 seasons, he can finally settle down and buy a house. (UP – Prev: NR)
17. SP Markus Hancock (BAK) – 33 – From a certain perspective, the biggest surprise of the 2018 season might have been the fact that Hancock suffered an injury that kept him out for an extended period of time. The 2-month DL stint from a Spring Training hamstring strain was the first time he has EVER been out of commission for more than a day. Heck, he’s only ever even been listed on an official injury report as day-to-day a few times. As good as he’s been, the stability of his presence vaulted him to the top of this list annually. How did he do after coming back? His 1.94 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 24 starts were his best since 2012, and both led the league. Now in the final year of his big contract with Bakersfield, he’ll be making $22 million this year and then possibly hitting free agency for the first time. (DOWN – Prev: 2, 1, 1, 1, 1)
16. 3B Javier Padilla (TEM) – 26 – Padilla’s .334 average in 2018 made him the first PEBA player to ever repeat as batting champion in consecutive seasons. Cory Pierce and Bud Hoffman, are the only two other players to repeat as batting champion in any fashion. Padilla swings at everything and hits most of it. He scored more runs than his walks and strikeouts combined. That which he doesn’t hit, often hits him. He’s led the SL in being hit by a pitch each of the past two seasons. Perhaps that’s the only way to get him to not swing. (UP – Prev: NR)
15. 1B William Petersen (FLA) – 31 – After struggling through injuries in 2017, Petersen bounced back to a near Royal Raker season. He matched his career high with 38 home runs and set a new career high with 64 walks and finished 2nd in the voting. It’s the 5th time he’s finished in the top 10, and his highest finish to date. His .299 average was just under his career norm, and he made the All-Star team for the 4th time. He also matched his career high with 38 home runs. No batter has more hits since he debuted in 2010. (UP – Prev: NR, Top 50, 17, Top 50)
14. CF Ieyoshi Ishikawa (NJ) – 29 – Ishikawa was so dominant in 2016 and 2017, that he still gets ranked this highly even after missing 4 months of the past season. It doesn’t hurt that he picked up where he left off upon his return to the lineup, nearly getting the Hitmen into the playoffs after they seemed lost without him. He’s more ideally suited for a corner outfield slot, but his offensive skill and the presence of some serious bats in the corners next to him leave him up the middle. (DOWN – Prev: 7, 22, NR)
13. SP Hiroyuki Nii (LON) – 30 – An All-Star for the 4th consecutive season, Nii anchored the Underground rotation that brought PEBA glory across the pond. He had 3 shutouts on the year, including one against the Nutmeggers in the Alliance Tournament. On the season, he was 14-9 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. His 189 strikeouts were a career low despite pitching a career high 239 1/3 innings. Remarkably, not one of his 86 runs allowed was unearned, which is the 3rd highest total in PEBA history when not allowing an unearned run. He has two season remaining on his current deal with London. (DOWN – Prev: 9, Top 50, Top 50)
12. SS Ronald Lowry (CON) – 31 – Lowry missed some time in 2018 to injuries that kept him out in late July and most of September, but he still hit 29 home runs. While he was firing on all cylinders when he got hurt, a slow start to the year kept his season from being an All-Star and resulted in his weakest season of the last several. After missing the Division Series against Florida, he was back in the lineup only to be swept by London in the Alliance Tournament. Add the fact that he’s in the final year of his contract with the Nutmeggers and you’ve got a player who has a lot to prove in 2019. (DOWN – Prev: 6, 4, 4, 7, 10)
11. SP Manuel Corona (GLO) – 29 – The Mayor wasn’t quite back to this Golden Arm form, but 2018 was another step in a positive direction for him. He was just 10-9 on the year, but posted a 3.04 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, the latter of which was 3rd in the IL. His 228 strikeouts were also 3rd, and his walk rate was similar to those golden years. It was the 6th time that he’s struck out more than a batter per inning, missing out on that only in his injury shortened season. (DOWN – Prev: 10, 2, 11, 2, 4)
10. SP Alfredo Velázquez (CL) – 30 – Velázquez makes it easy to compare his previous two seasons by pitching almost exactly the same number of innings. It’s easy to see the 5 win improvement and the big jump to a 2.52 ERA as steps in the right direction. He struck out exactly 181 hitters both years. The big difference that jumps out is that in 2018, he had a league leading .240 BABIP. That was huge drop from the .315 BABIP of 2017, and it helped him finish second in the Golden Arm voting for the second time in 3 years. He did give up a few more home runs and walks, but if those things all balance out next year, he should be somewhere in between. (UP – Prev: 15, 23, NR)
9. SS Chris Long (LON) – 27 – Long had another great season for the Underground and was a key component of their championship run. While his batting average dipped to .300 and was only 7th in the IL this past year, he set a new career high with 20 home runs, 41 doubles, 99 RBI, and 52 walks. It’s easy to think of Long as an average first guy, and while that’s true, his moderate power and discipline make him a well rounded offensive force. He’s also got an IL All-Leather Award under his belt, sporting some flashy leather. While he isn’t locked in for the long term, the Underground do have him tied to arbitration for another year beyond this one. (UP – Prev: Top 50)
8. LF Javier Soto (NJ) – 27 – Soto is a durable hit machine with power. He’s a bit like Eduardo Molina in his younger days, with a slightly lower average but a bit more gap power. Soto has played in at least 158 games in each of his 4 seasons, averaging .312 with 30 home runs, 100 RBI, and 100 runs a year. His hit rate projects him at over 200 hits annually. He could use to draw a few more walks, but that doesn’t detract from him still being one of the best young hitters in the game. (Up – Prev: 18, 13, NR)
7. Gunner MacGruder (YUM) – 25 – The 2018 SL Golden Arm winner finally stayed healthy for a full season and delivered what everyone thought he could. He was every bit as good in 2017, too, he just made half the number of starts due to a strained shoulder. There is no longer any question that he has been able to come back from multiple injuries and maintain his talent, and the Bulldozers have him locked up to a team friendly deal for the next three seasons. (UP – Prev: NR)
6. SP Fred Benjamin (BAK) – 29 – Benjamin had a second consecutive rise in his ERA, this time up to 3.13 on the year, but his 0.99 WHIP was an improvement and 4th in the SL. His problems came from incremental increases in home runs and walks allowed, but he kept the hits to a minimum and struck out 183, second most in his career. (DOWN – Prev: 5, 9, NR)
Players Ranked 26-50, In Alphabetical Order
Before we finish out the list with the top 25, here are the next 25! These are the players that for one reason or another, perhaps an injury or high salary or age or simply the depth of quality players in the league, aren’t quite worthy of the top 25. These players aren’t ranked in order, so you’re welcome to place them in whatever order you like. Perhaps the real debate begins with the players not listed at all.
RP Alfredo Aranda (KEN) – 25 – Aranda is a strikeout machine, sending 133 opposing hitters back to grab some pine after facing off against him. His 12.69 K/9IP was among the top rates of any pitcher, and his 30 holds led the IL. He posted a 1.62 ERA and 0.86 WHIP over 94 1/3 innings. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Dave Barker (DUL) – 29 – Heading into the 2018 season, Barker had been remarkably consistent in his results, causing us to rank him consistently in the “Next 25” portion of this list. Then, rather unexpectedly, he got off to a great start. He was shutting teams out. He won SL Pitcher of the Month for May. Halfway through the year he was 8-3 with a 1.23 ERA and talked about as the best pitcher in the SL. Well, he was very good, but then the classic Zoom Zoom showed up. The rest of the way he was 8-7 and his ERA finished up at 2.90 on the year. Still very good, but only 11th in the league, and 11 is the number that keeps looking odd in his stat line. It’s right there in the middle: 11 home runs allowed. Why is that odd? Well, it’s less than half of what he’s allowed every other season. The best result for him from the past season? 232 2/3 innings pitched proved he was healthy again. (NC – Prev: Top 50, Top 50, Top 50)
3B Mike Britt (AUR) – 24 – Britt continued the process of combining his prodigious talents into a cohesive package in 2018 as he made the All-Star team for the first time. He hit .279 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI. Borealis fans are still convinced that there are brighter moments ahead. Expect more of the same, but with a bit more power, and then pray that he stays healthy. (UP – Prev: NR)
C Danny Burke (YUM) – 24 – Catchers can be notoriously fickle in their hitting. Most of the best hitting catchers that came up through the minors either took some time to develop their swing or had early success followed by some growing pains. Burke has now taken the first step with a great first full season. His 37 home runs were 2nd in the SL and he finished 5th in the SL Royal Raker voting. Two other catchers finished ahead of him, and now it remains to be seen if Burke will build on his success or if the pitchers will adjust. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Todd Burns (BAK) – 27 – Burns’ 16-3 record gave him the highest win percentage in the league. Only 8 times has a pitcher lost fewer games in a season. He had a 3.06 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP while striking out exactly 200 batters in 215 innings. Oh, and he’s the Bear’s #4 starter, which goes a long way towards explaining how the Bears gave up 0.7 fewer runs per game last year than anyone else in the SL (they also have a fine #5 starter and bullpen). That’s 113 runs over the course of a season, or about 11 wins. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Miguel Cantú (FLA) – 27 – Cantú established himself as one of the top pitchers in the league in 2017, and he picked up right where he left off in 2018. Through 15 starts, he was an incredible 9-1 with a 2.22 ERA. Then he missed the rest of the season with a partially torn labrum. A healthy Cantú will mean a lot of unhappy offenses in the IL next year. (DOWN – Prev: 13)
SP Avery Carson (FLA) – 27 – Carson took an incremental step back in his season numbers as he increased his workload. He threw a career high 219 2/3 innings and also set a career mark with 188 strikeouts. He’s not an ace, but any team would be happy to have him in their rotation, except, perhaps, the aforementioned Bears. (NC – Prev: Top 50)
C Jason Corbett (CON) – 30 – Corbett’s 2015 season was one of the catalysts behind the Cyclones’ run through the postseason, but it was a couple of merely good seasons after it that had fans wondering what happened. In 2018, he responded with career highs of 34 home runs and 100 RBI. He was once again an All-Star. As a result, a lot of fans were pretty unhappy when he was traded to the Nutmeggers this offseason. Fans in Connecticut were stunned to see Corbett installed as the replacement for fan favorite Samuel Kettley, but if Corbett hits this way again, they’ll welcome him gladly. (UP – Prev: NR, Top 50, Top 50)
1B Ángel Cortéz (DUL) – 30 – Cortéz continued to slide in his performance, leaving a big question mark in the minds of Warriors fans. Was his triple crown season of 2016 a complete fluke? Even a return to his production of 2017 would be warmly welcome, and that shouldn’t be too hard to do. He strikes out so rarely that a moderate amount of better luck could go a long way. (DOWN – Prev: 14, 8)
DH Jaime Espinoza (KEN) – 24 – Only Tsumemasa Morimoto has hit more home runs at the same age or younger than Espinoza. Of course, only 4 players have hit more in a season, period. Espinoza also led the IL with 109 RBI, 75 extra base hits, and 344 total bases. He hit .280 with 54 walks, and a whopping 183 strikeouts. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Martín Francisco (AUR) – 30 – The departure of Darryl Lewis to the LRS leaves Francisco as the defacto ace of the Borealis rotation. A healthy 2018 and his lowest walk rate since his rookie year have fans optimistic that he’s up to the challenge. A career worst 24 home runs allowed does not, although home run rates do tend to fluctuate more. (NC – Prev: Top 50, Top 50, 24)
SP Jhong-shun Kong (REN) – 24 – It’s no coincidence that Reno’s been to the postseason ever since Kong joined the rotation. He’s won 15 games each of the past two seasons, and led the SL with 236 strikeouts this year. A converted reliever, Kong relies almost exclusively on his blazing fastball and devastating curve. He averages under 6 innings per start, and if he could somehow manage to slow his changeup down a bit more, that might let him go deeper into games by having a third major league caliber pitch. As it stands, it’s just too fast. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Bill Lewis (FAR) – 27 – Lewis was incrementally better in 2018. Despite a drop to 13 wins on the year, he only had 4 losses. He has never really been able to control the movement of his pitches with the precision of others, resulting in him being in the top 5 of three true outcome (strikeouts, walks, and home runs allowed) pitchers each of the past 5 years. He led the SL in that category in 2018. (NC – Prev: Top 50, NR, NR, Top 50)
RF Gilbert Murray (REN) – 25 – It’s funny to think of a player who debuted in the PEBA the same year he was drafted in June as being a slow developer, but that’s a bit of how people feel about Murray. Some of that was some needed extra conditioning in the minors, and some of it was injuries, but in 2018 he played a career high 143 games. His offensive prowess wasn’t as prolific as his shorter 2017 campaign, but he’s shown that he’s got some pop and is one of the more disciplined hitters around the league. (UP – Prev: NR)
LF Dave Nash (NO) – 24 – How does one lea
d the league in hitting while striking out 140 times? Try having 41% of your batted balls falling for hits. Nash began to flash the power stroke that scouts envisioned when he was taken 4th overall in the 2016 draft, too, belting 22 home runs and 38 doubles. A regression in BABIP should see a slight reduction in average but the hit tool is real. (UP – Prev: NR)
LF Albert Oliveira (WV) – 28 – Oliveira struggled to maintain his form from the previous two years as injuries cut into his season. He’ll now look to lead an offense that was gutted by free agency, but there is hope. Young studs like Brad Davis and Don Mercer have now gotten their feet wet. Ironically, it’ll be players like them that push Oliveira off this list if he doesn’t bounce back. (DOWN – Prev: 19)
SP Avery Parkinson (KEN) – 26 – We won’t rank him in the Top 25 again until he pitches some meaningful games, but Parkinson was a beast before he got hurt. He’ll jump right up again if he shows he’s healthy. (DOWN – Prev: 4, 14, NR)
CF John Prentiss (CST) – 27 – A second straight season of health saw Printiss put up a second consecutive 30 home run season. He maintained his walk rate, although his average dipped a bit as his strikeout total rose to 185, 3rd in the entire PEBA. He’s a bit of an odd hitter in that he’s got a decent eye and will draw some walks, just a loopy, aggressive all-or-nothing swing. (NC – Prev: Top 50)
1B Leonard Ramsey (LON) – 28 – Ramsey tore through IL pitching in 2017 and handily won the Wunderkind award. His second tour through the league was interrupted by some minor injuries, but he still played in 137 games and hit 28 home runs with an increased walk rate. Even with the lower average of .266 from his 2018 season, Underground fans can be pretty happy with him in the lineup. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Carlos Rivera (CON) – 26 – Rivera was the Nutmeggers’ workhorse in 2018, compiling a PEBA record 256 2.3 innings over 36 starts. He went 17-12 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, the first time he’s been in the top 10 in each of those categories. He headlines a rotation that was one of the best in the league last year, but also still needs to prove they can repeat that performance. He signed a 4 year extension with the club in November. (NC – Prev: Top 50, Top 50)
SP Octávio Rivera (REN) – 31 – Reno’s Rivera went 13-6 with a 2.89 ERA and was tremendous for the Zephyrs in the Division Series and Alliance Tournament. His strong ERA came despite a high walk rate. The Dominican clearly never learned to harness his control in an environment of free swingers, but he induces enough weak contact to make up for it. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Roberto Rodríguez (NJ) – 32 – Another strong season from Rodríguez saw him post a 14-9 record with a 3.34 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. He upped his innings slightly, kept walks to a minimum, and flew provided stability to the Hitmen rotation. He’s got 2 years remaining on his current deal. (NC – Prev: Top 50, NR, 30, 10)
2B Mario Tessier (NJ) – 29 – Tessier’s batting average “plummeted” to .297 in 2018, the first time in his career he’s hit below .300, but it still ranked 11th in the IL. The Mad Hatter’s power looked more like his 2016 than his great 2017, but with a huge drop in hits. He also struggled with pitch recognition, seeing a drop in his walks and a spike in his strikeouts. Despite this, he won his second consecutive All Leather award for his work at second base. (DOWN – Prev: 16, Top 50, Top 50)
LF Newton Wilcox (FLA) – 27 – Wilcox missed a fair amount of time in 2018 with an oblique strain, but he’s healthy again and the power still appears to be there. When he was in the lineup, his average was back up and defensively he was still one of the better corner outfielders in the league. (NC – Prev: Top 50, Top 50)
CF Tuo-Zhou Yang (LON) – 30 – Yang’s Royal Raker season caught almost everyone by surprise. Yes, he’d been an All-Star in 2015, but in the two interceding years had been beset with injuries. Even so, his game was predicated on a strong average and tons of walks. There was no rational reason to predict that he would have hit twice as many home runs in 2018 as he had in his entire career to that point. He also went off on the bases, stealing 25 bags after never stealing more than 12 in a season prior to it. Can he do it again, well that’s the million dollar question. (UP – Prev: NR)
And now …
The Top 5
5. Arthur Collins (OMA) – 26 – Collins broke out in 2018 and led the PEBA with 84 extra base hits. He had 35 doubles, 13 triples, and 36 home runs. He added 22 stolen bases and 60 walks to finish as the runner up in the SL Royal Raker voting. The Cyclones have him locked up through 2022 to a deal that maxes out at $8 million annually, although it wouldn’t be surprising to see him cash in on the $750k bonus for being chosen the league’s best hitter. He really hasn’t yet had a great season in terms of BABIP, and if that goes up for a year, watch out. (UP – Prev: NR)
4. 1B Ramón Leach (REN) – 27 – A year after hitting 50 home runs and stealing 40 bases, Leach’s 2018 season felt like a major let down. The reality of the situation is that it really was a step backwards but it was still incredibly impressive. He belted 33 home runs, stole 37 bases, had a league leading 112 RBI and drew a career high 77 walks. The real disappointment was the batting average of .244 that weighed him down. The Zephyrs have him signed through 2025 at an annual average of $11.4 million, which is pretty hard to see turning out badly for them. (DOWN – Prev: 3)
3. SP Conner Hurst (CST) – 23 – Black Jack came up aces in 2018 after a promising rookie season. His sophomore campaign saw him improve in every way possible. It was punctuated with a perfect game against New Orleans on June 8th, and culminated in being chosen as the IL Golden Arm winner. Hurst was top 5 in the IL with a 2.68 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. This will be his final season under the league minimum, and the Statesmen would be well served to lock in a deal before he appears in front of an arbiter. (UP – Prev: NR)
2. Adrian Peterson (YUM) – 25 – It’s scary to think that the Bulldozers sport last year’s Golden Arm winner and it wasn’t Peterson. Peterson finished 3rd in the voting after finishing with an unimpressive 11-5 record in 32 starts. He finished 2nd in the SL with a 2.27 ERA and 233 K’s, while finishing 3rd with a 0.95 WHIP. He’s under team control for 4 more seasons before he hits free agency. Unlike MacGruder, Yuma hasn’t locked him in to an arbitration avoiding contract, but that likely wouldn’t scare any potential suiters away. (UP – Prev: 20)
1. SP Chris York (FLA) – 29 – Despite falling to 4th in the IL Golden Arm voting, his lowest finish in 4 years, York led the league in ERA and strikeouts for the 3rd consecutive season. His sustained strikeout rate has been untouched by any other IL pitcher the past four seasons. In 2018, he gave up a career high 18 home runs, but balanced that with a career low 1.65 BB/9IP. The Featherheads have him locked in at a rate of under $12 million annually for the next 3 seasons. On a note of trivia, York’s 2.55 ERA was the highest ever by an ERA title winner. (NC – Prev: 1, 3, 21)
Samuel Platt covers the Nutmeggers for the Connecticut Post
