The Most Valuable PEBA Players – 2020 Edition
By Samuel Platt
This 7th annual edition of “The Most Valuable PEBA Players” highlights a continuing trend of less dominant outlying talent. This is particularly evident on the offensive side of things, where true standout talent like Rob Raines in his younger days don’t seem to exist. Raines used to lap the field in offensive production, whereas now the top level talent is far more evenly distributed. On the pitching side, that isn’t quite the case, which will be reflected in the higher rankings. There are some big names from the LRS who have made the transition to the PEBA a year early after some offseason trades but you won’t yet see them here. Probably the biggest question on people’s minds is how high up did Michel Provost‘s dominating season get him. Read on to find out!
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 Avery Parkinson (KEN) – 27 – Parkinson returned to the Thoroughbreds and helped push them into their first ever postseason. He went 16-4 with a 3.01 ERA and more than a strikeout per inning. His walk rate was the second lowest of his career. The Thoroughbreds recently signed him to a very reasonable 4-year contract extension. (NC – Prev: Top 50, 4, 14, NR)
24. RF Peyton Bishop (CAN) – 25 – Bishop became the SL stolen base leader in just his second season with the Longshoremen after hitting a blistering .322 that ranked 5th in the league. He could use a few more walks to take advantage of his speed, and he only poked 10 balls out of the park, but he also took home an All-Leather award for his steady glove in right. (UP – Prev: NR)
23. SP Manuel Corona (CST) – 30 – The topic of big news this offseason, the Mayor became a Statesman for what some felt was well below his trade value. Charleston then turned around and signed him to a 6 year, $120 million contract. In terms of what he did on the field, 2019 was the best season for him since his big injury in 2016. He posted a sub-3.00 ERA for the first time since, and struck out 257 in 224 2/3 innings, and gives his new team a pair of aces. (DOWN – Prev: 11, 10, 2, 11, 2, 4)
22. SP Félix Maese (REN) – 28 – Exchanged straight up for Gilbert Murray at the Winter Meetings, Maese brings another dominant arm to the Zephyr rotation. While not a high strikeout guys, he’s made his living by inducing weak contact and keeping the ball in the park. Whether or not he’s able to maintain that in Reno is a different question. Each of the last 3 seasons, he has allowed almost exactly 193 hits, with 194 hits in 2017 being the only outlier. He hasn’t had an ERA over 3.00 since 2014. [EDITOR’s note, this article was written before Maese’s injury] (DOWN – Prev: 25, 12, 11)
21. RF Tony Figueroa (TEM) – 27 – Figueroa’s .451 OBP in 2019 was the 12th highest in PEBA history and well ahead of all challengers in 2019. He hit .337 with 91 walks from the top of the Tempe order. Scouts have been frustrated at his decision to take so many pitches rather than swining for the fences, but the approach seems to be working just fine for him. While he’s still got 3 years of team control, the arbitrator has been kind to him. (UP – Prev: NR)
20. LF Don Mercer (WV) – 25 – Murcer took another expected step forward in 2019, making his first All-Star game and earning a second straight All-Leather award. He hit a career low .311 in what was the first season he qualified for the batting title, and that placed him second in the IL. He was also in the top 10 in on-base percentage and slugging percentage, smashing 24 home runs. (UP – Prev: NR)
19. CF Javier Cruz (FLA) – 28 – When the Featherheads locked Cruz up to a 4-year deal that bought out arbitration, they clearly knew what they were doing. He’s belted 34 home runs and stolen 28 bases each of the past two seasons. Only Ramón Leach has demonstrated that combination of power and speed. Defensively, Cruz can get to just about anything anyone else can. The underrated star has two more seasons with Florida that will pay him about $6 million in total, then he’ll get the chance for a big payday. (UP – Prev: 23)
18. SS Emílio Manuel (YUM) – 26 – The name of the game for Manuel is getting on base, and in 2019 he did that to the tune of a .424 OBP that was 2nd in the SL. Manuel’s good for double digit home runs annually, but beyond that, it really is all about getting on. He doesn’t play good defense and he’s not a fast runner, so it’s up to his teammates to drive him in. (UP – Prev: 20, NR)
17. SP Alfredo Velázquez (CL) – 31 – Velázquez’s 219 1/3 innings was exactly 2 shy of his total in each of the 2 prior seasons and his walk and home run rate were awfully similar to what he did last year. There were two big changes in 2019, though. First, he gave up a bunch more hits simply because they fell in. Second, he struck out 45 fewer batters. The declining K-rate could mean that his days as an elite ace are over, but he’s still very good. (DOWN – Prev: 10, 15, 23, NR)
16. 2B Nathan Carter (LON) – 27 – Carter has established himself as the premier young second baseman in the PEBA, leading the IL in hits for the second consecutive season. Among them, he had over 60 extra base hits for the second straight year, including 20 home runs. He walks more than enough to keep pitchers honest, and won his first All-Leather award. This offseason, the Undergound locked him up to a 5 year extension that keeps him in London through his age 33 season. (UP – Prev: 19)
15. SP Hiroyuki Nii (LON) – 31 – Another year, another All-Star performance from Nii, who has only missed the midsummer classic in his rookie year. He finished 3rd in Golden Arm voting after posting a 14-9 record with a 2.88 ERA, the second lowest of his career. While he continues to be extremely stingy with free passes, his strikeout rate has declined each of the past 5 years. He’s in his final year of arbitration, and while the Underground has locked up several of their stars to extensions, Nii is not on that list. (DOWN – Prev: 13, 9, Top 50, Top 50)
14. 3B Javier Padilla (TEM) – 27 – With a .340 average to pace the SL, Padilla is now the first ever 3-time batting champion in PEBA history, having accomplished the feat consecutively. He rarely strikes out and only hits a handful of home runs, his goal at the plate is to spray liners all over the outfield. His 224 hits in 2019 were the 3rd highest total ever, and his 54 doubles led the league. All of this amounted a very nice arbitration award of over $9 million in his first year of eligibility. (UP – Prev: 16)
13. DH Jaime Espinoza (KEN) – 25 – Espinoza belted 45 home runs and led the IL with 122 RBI in 2019. Both numbers were improvements from him as he played in every game of the season for the second straight year. Unlike 2018, he didn’t see a single inning in the field. Still making the league minimum, he’ll be due for his first arbitration hearing after the season. (UP – Prev: Top 50)
12. SP Fred Benjamin (BAK) – 30 – It’s hard when you’re an All-Star with a 1.05 WHIP and a career high 192 strikeouts to see yourself drop down a list like this, but that’s Benjamin’s fate this year. He really didn’t do anything wrong so much as other players are overtaking him. The pitching rich Bears have him locked up for the next 4 years at a very affordable rate, and there’s no reason to think he’s slowing down. (DOWN – Prev: 6, 5, 8)
11. SS Chris Long (LON) – 28 – Long wasn’t quite as good in 2019 as the previous few seasons, but he did hit over .300 for the 4th straight year while playing superb defense. He’s earned a long term contract from the Underground that will pay him as the superstar that he is today, but by the end of it he could struggle to be worth it. While he has some power, he doesn’t have enough or draw enough walks to be of much offensive value if his batting average dips. (DOWN – Prev: 9, Top 50)
10. 1B Ángel Cortéz (DUL) – 31 – Cortéz joined elite company as a repeat Royal Raker winner, adding the 2019 award to his 2016 one. While he led the league in slugging, it was really an all-around offensive onslaught that earned him the award. His .322 average was 4th in the SL, and he was in the top 10 in total bases and walks. For all this, Duluth paid him just $5 million plus a $750,000 bonus for being chosen the league’s top batter. Given that he won’t be making $10 million in either of the remaining years on his contract, he’ll be hoping to cash in on that bonus again. (UP – Prev: Top 50, 14, 9)
9. SP Carlos Rivera (CON) – 27 – The Nutmeggers’ ace led the PEBA with 21 wins last year and led the IL for the second straight year in innings pitched, finishing as the runner-up in IL Golden Arm voting. While Rivera doesn’t match the elite ace status of some of the league’s top pitchers, he can hang with them. He’s struck out over 200 each of the last four seasons. He’s been hurt somewhat by the long ball, allowing a career high 26 home runs this past season. (UP – Prev: Top 50, Top 50, Top 50)
8. 1B Ramón Leach (REN) – 28 – Leach improved somewhat on a slightly down year in 2018 to once again lead the SL in home runs, RBI, and runs. He led the SL with 78 extra base hits. His 36 stolen bases made it 4 straight 30-30 seasons, the only PEBA player to have done it that many times. Still, he finished just 6th in Royal Raker voting due to his low .254 batting average, and he hasn’t been an All-Star either of the past two years. He’s in the 2nd year of a 7-year deal. (DOWN – Prev: 4, 3)
7. Arthur Collins (CON) – 27 – He struggled during his first two months of the year with the Cyclones before being traded to Connecticut, but began mashing once being inserted into the protection of the Nutmegger lineup. When it was all said and done, he hit 37 home runs on the year which ranked 5th in the PEBA. Collins is a versatile defender who’ll steal a few bases and is under team friendly control for the next 3 seasons. (DOWN – Prev: 5)
6. RF Gilbert Murray (BAK) – 26 – Murray set career highs in almost every offensive category in 2019. He hit 26 home runs, had an SL leading 106 walks, hit .291 and led the league in OPS. For his efforts, he finished 3rd in the SL Royal Raker voting. What is probably most impressive, though, is a 40% reduction in strikeouts from 109 in 2018 to 65 this past year. The Zephyrs took note and have given him a 5 year, $70 million extension to stay in Reno until he’s 30. (UP – Prev: Top 50)
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.
SP Niccolo Arcimboldo (KAL) – 26 – Perhaps no player surprised more in 2018 than Arcimboldo. Fresh off a 5.68 ERA with Tempe in 2017, Arcimboldo was an All-Star and runner up in the Golden Arm voting in his first year with Connecticut. He went 16-9 with a 2.68 ERA. Naturally, there were many who expected a big regression. That regression came, but it wasn’t big. He went just 11-7 but had a robust 3.36 ERA and struck out 190 and was once again an All-Star. The only real difference was a big jump in his home run rate, which nearly doubled. The Nutmeggers shipped him off to the Badgers for some salary relief and a draft pick, and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares on his return to the SL. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Dave Barker (DUL) – 30 – From an ERA perspective, Barker’s 3.69 ERA in 2019 was one of the worst of his career. He set career highs in hits and walks allowed, although he maintained his strikeout rate. Through the quirks of run support, he tied for the PEBA lead with 21 wins against only 5 losses. In the offseason, he signed a team friendly 4 year extension. (NC – Prev: Top 50, Top 50, Top 50, Top 50)
C Danny Burke (YUM) – 25 – Burke followed his Wunderkind winning season with another 30 home run campaign. His 32 home runs placed him 2nd in the SL, and he also had 100+ RBI for the second straight year. He’s a free swinger who has drawn just 13 walks in each of his first two full season. That’s tied for 5th fewest among batting qualifiers in PEBA history. (NC – Prev: Top 50)
SP Todd Burns (BAK) – 28 – Burns went 14-12 with a 3.55 ERA and 192 K’s in 2019. After giving up a relatively low 41 walks in 223 1/3 innings, posted a 3rd straight WHIP of about 1.10. The 30 home runs he allowed were 3rd in the SL. (NC – Prev: Top 50)
SP Miguel Cantú (FLA) – 28 – Cantú’s returned from his torn labrum and posted a healthy 2019. His 3.53 ERA wasn’t quite as good as before his injury, but it was respectable. He threw over 200 innings and his strikeout rate was back up to pre-injury numbers. The primary issue was a jump in home runs allowed, which is something he’ll work to control better this year. (NC – Prev: Top 50, 13)
SP Leonard Carver (LON) – 24 – Carver suffered a torn rotator cuff last June and isn’t expected back till the middle of this season. Still, he pitched so well in the year and a half prior to his injury that it’s hard to leave him off this list completely. He was striking out more than a batter an inning and had posted a 0.91 WHIP during that timespan. (DOWN – Prev: 22)
3B Chad Collins (CL) – 28 – Collins hit a career high 31 home runs with 112 RBI as he became an All-Star for the first time in 2019. He added 71 walks and an All-Leather award in his finest season to date. (UP – Prev: NR)
1B Brad Davis (WV) – 24 – Davis led the IL with 44 doubles in his sophomore season, adding 25 home runs and 101 RBI. His strikeout rate is a bit higher than one would like, and he’ll need a spike in power or walk rate to move up this list, but he’s one of the youngest players on the list. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Martín Francisco (AUR) – 31 – Francisco matched his career high with 19 victories in 2019. He pitched over 200 innings for the 2nd straight year and had a career low 1.04 WHIP. While his strikeout rate was the lowest of his career, he has learned to be more of a pitcher, keeping the ball in the park and the hitters guessing. (NC – Prev: Top 50, Top 50, Top 50, 24)
SP Markus Hancock (BAK) – 34 – Hancock has now spent 6 full seasons with the Bears, matching the 6 seasons he spent in Tempe. So how does his time with each squad compare? He’s been an All-Star 5 times for each team, and he won 3 Golden Arm awards with each team. Perfect symmetry there. His win-loss record is also an identical 93-38 for each squad. How many earned runs has he allowed? 319 with Tempe and 320 with Bakersfield. In terms of home runs, it was 65 for the Knights and 68 for the Bears. He’s thrown a few more innings with the Bears so his ERA is slightly better, but he is the ultimate model of constancy and excellence. Hancock is now poised to become the PEBA’s first 200 game winner. He sits 14 games back, and for a pitcher who’s averaging 18 wins per 162 game season, that would seem like a lock. However, he won 10 games in 2018 and 12 last year, so it’s no sure thing. Our bet is that he’ll earn win #200 sometime in late August. (DOWN – Prev: 17, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1)
CF Ieyoshi Ishikawa (NJ) – 30 – Ishikawa’s injury woes continued in 2019 allowing him to play in just enough games to qualify for the batting title, which he won with a .341 average. His power was down slightly, but he did make the All-Star team for the 3rd time in 4 years. He also set a new PEBA record by hitting in 29 consecutive games. The streak was interrupted by a shoulder injury and ended promptly upon his return. (DOWN – Prev: 14, 7, 22)
SS Boyd Johnson (BAK) – 30 – Johnson had a hard time breaking into the Bears lineup, but he has since made up for that. He hasn’t been able to hit for a high average despite the fact that scouts love his swing, but he’s hit over 20 home runs each of the past two years in a cavernous ballpark. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Jhong-shun Kong (REN) – 25 – Kong suffered through some injuries in 2019 that limited him to 23 starts. He compiled a 7-7 record with a 3.12 ERA and an impressive 191 K’s in 144 innings. His 11.94 K/9IP would’ve placed him first had he qualified. The Zephyrs avoided arbitration with him by agreeing to a 1-year, $8 million contract. (NC – Prev: Top 50)
SP Bill Lewis (FAR) – 28 – Lewis has been consistent the past 3 seasons, pitching just under 200 innings with a strikeout rate just better than one per inning and a lot of walks. He’s a solid pitcher who probably won’t surprise anyone, but at he’ll be out there battling every 5th day. (NC – Prev: Top 50, Top 50, NR, NR, Top 50)
SP Clayton Lewis (CON) – 26 – Lewis had been a top prospect with potential for a long time in Tempe, but the offensive environment hindered his results. Upon being traded to the Nutmeggers, he went on a 15 game tear as good as just about anyone. He went 10-4 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.82 WHIP over 120 innings. That’s right, he averaged 8.0 innings per start for Connecticut, an unprecedented number. (UP – Prev: NR)
SP Anastasio López (AUR) – 28 – López led the SL in win percentage after going 16-3 for the Borealis in 2019. With 200+ strikeouts in each of the last two seasons, his up and down career is starting to look a bit more like he just had some growing pains. On May 18, he matched Bill Bradley’s franchise record of 16 K’s in one game. (UP – Prev: NR)
SS Ronald Lowry (CON) – 32 – In 2019, Lowry became the first player since Luis Torres in 2013 to hit 40 doubles and 40 home runs in the same season, a feat that’s only been done 8 times. He earned his second IL Royal Raker for his troubles, setting him up nicely for a big payday in free agency. The Nutmeggers, not wanting to see their star shortstop leave, moved a couple of albatross contracts in order to give him one of his own. (DOWN – Prev: 12, 6, 4, 4, 7, 10)
LF Dave Nash (NO) – 25 – Nash avoided the injury bug in 2019 but wasn’t able to match his IL leading batting average from the year before. He hit .299 with a career high 26 home runs, although that was at a slightly lower rate. His solid hitting earned him his first All-Star appearance and a big contract extension that bought out all of his arbitration years at $12.9 million annually. That’s not a tremendous bargain but it gives the team certainty around their top young hitter. (NC – Prev: Top 50)
1B William Petersen (FLA) – 31 – Petersen’s injuries popped back up in 2019, but he was still able to play in 120 games and pop 31 home runs. The disturbing trend was a .269 average that dropped his career average to an even .300. (DOWN – Prev: 15, Top 50, 17, Top 50)
CF John Prentiss (CL) – 28 – Prentiss hit 27 home runs and drove in 85 for the Statesmen before being traded to Crystal Lake in the offseason. The Sandgnats plan to have him hit in the cleanup spot where he’ll have plenty of opportunity to drive in guys like Juan Hernández. (NC – Prev: Top 50, Top 50)
1B Leonard Ramsey (LON) – 29 – Ramsey hit a career high 44 home runs and added 116 RBI, but neither of those numbers even led his own team. He and Decheng Wen became just the 3rd pair of teammates to hit 40 or more home runs in the same season. (NC – Prev: Top 50)
SP Francisco Robles (CL) – 29 – Robles is has been one of the most durable pitchers in his career. He’s thrown over 200 innings in each of the last 7 seasons, including leading the SL twice in a row now. In fact, since 2013, he’s thrown nearly 100 more innings than any other PEBA starter. He’s been hovering around 14 wins since he won 19 in his first season with the Sand Gnats, and despite a stellar record with the team, has yet to make an All-Star team in the SL. (DOWN – Prev: 21, Top 50, Top 50, 6, 8)
SP Randy Smith (SA) – 27 – The Calzones finished 5 games out of the wild card race last year and the fact that Smith made just 5 starts is a big reason why. Of course, it’s also a big reason why the team traded for Glenn Dixon, who will now give San Antonio a formidable top of the rotation. (DOWN – Prev: 24)
LF Javier Soto (NJ) – 28 – 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. (DOWN – Prev: 8, 18, 13)
DH Decheng Wen (LON) – 32 – Wen had a mysteriously lousy 2018 season in which he hit just .225, but he still hit for some power and drew some walks. In 2019, the average was back up in line with his career average, as he hit .255. As a result, he belted an IL best 47 home runs with 122 RBI. He scored 104 runs and came just 6 walks shy of 100. (UP – Prev: NR, 21, 24, Top 50)
And now …
The Top 5
5. SP Chris York (FLA) – 30 – York reclaimed the IL Golden Arm award that Featherheads fans have come to think of as his by right. He led the IL for the 4th consecutive season in ERA and strikeouts and is now putting together a career that challenges Conan McCullough for the best IL pitcher ever. Those looking for the chink in York’s armor might point to career highs with 164 hits allowed or 22 home runs allowed. However, his 7.13 K/BB ratio was only the 4th in IL history above 7.00. Don’t think he’s slowing down just because he turns 30. (DOWN – Prev: 1, 1, 3, 21)
4. SP Conner Hurst (CST) – 24 – Following up on his Golden Arm season in 2018, Hurst increased his strikeout rate, decreased his walk rate, and was again one of the top pitchers in the league. For his efforts, he finished 3rd in Golden Arm voting with a 13-8 record for the offensively challenged Statesmen. The team wisely locked him up to a 7 year contract extension that pays him well, buys out his arbitration years, and locks him up for 4 seasons beyond that time. (DOWN – Prev: 3)
3. SP Michel Provost (AUR) – 28 – Provost’s performance in 2019 kept opposing batters wondering when the TILT switch was going to trigger. His pinpoint control led to 258 K’s and just 9 walks. That’s a 28.67 K/BB ratio, or more than double what any other pitcher has ever done over a full season. In fact, only Markus Hancock has even posted a total a third as high. Only 20 other seasons in PEBA history match a quarter of that. It was also, completely out of line with anything Provost has done in the past. He’s always had potential, but until this past year, he’s barely even been league average. So is the new Provost the real Provost? We’d bet on it! (UP – Prev: NR)
2. Gunner MacGruder (YUM) – 26 – MacGruder led the SL in strikeouts and strikeout rate in 2019, while maintaining his walk and home run rate. The result was not another Golden Arm award, but rather a 12-9 record that comes across as nothing special. Despite his won-lost record, MacGruder was actually a better pitcher than the previous year, and there’s no reason to think he can’t maintain that improvement. (UP – Prev: 7)
1. Adrian Peterson (YUM) – 26 – Peterson overtook the top spot in the rankings after signing an incredibly team friendly contract that keeps him in Yuma for the next 4 seasons at about $10 million per year. In 2019, he set a career high with 13 wins to 8 losses, and a career low 0.91 WHIP. He posted a 2.31 ERA while striking out 245 in 210 2/3 innings, finishing 2nd in the SL Golden Arm voting. The one knock on Peterson is his ability to pitch deep into games. He simply doesn’t have the stamina of other top starters, averaging about 6.2 innings per start over the past 3 seasons. (UP – Prev: 2, 20)
Samuel Platt covers the Nutmeggers for the Connecticut Post