This year's installment is the sixth edition, although the 2043 list wasn’t published but last year’s rankings will be listed for those in this year’s Top 50. This is an attempt to figure out which players have the most value in the league heading into the upcoming 2044 trade deadline. Essentially, the best way to look at a player’s placement on this list is to ask “Would you be able to trade him, straight up, for any of the guys listed ahead of him?”
A few notes about what you'll see below:
- Ratings (OVERALL/POTENTIAL) and age are as of July 21, 2044
- 2044 WAR figures are projected out for the rest of the year
- Salary figures in italics are projected arbitration totals
- Players selected in the 2044 First Year Draft were not considered for the list due to lack of professional experience
Today we start at #50 and work our way down to #41:
- - - - - - - - - -
#50 - Jose Martinez, Edmonton, SP 60/60
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 28 | 1.6 | $4,200,000 |
| 2043 | 29 | 2.2 | $4,200,000 |
| 2044 | 30 | 5.8 | $5,500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $68,500,000
REMAINING AAV: $13,700,000
Martinez “earns” the 50th spot on this year’s list, but there’s a good handful of players who can be considered “top 50” value based on a variety of preferences. The righty benefits from being in the midst of a career year, and since arriving in Edmonton last season, he’s put up the following numbers in 33 starts: 2.99 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, 1.0 BB/9. Martinez has almost no chance of making this list next year, as he’ll see his AAV jump and pitchers over 30 in the BBA have a rocky track record. Enjoy your short term in office, “Mayor” Martinez.
#49 - Pierre Legrand , Brooklyn, SP 60/60
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 21 | 3.8 | $12,000,000 |
| 2043 | 22 | 5.3 | $17,000,000 |
| 2044 | 23 | 8.0 | $20,000,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $74,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $18,500,000
At 32 years old, Legrand is the oldest player to make the Top 50, but a Nebraska-buzzworthy season will do that to your trade value. And Legrand isn’t just some johnny-come-lately. Since 2042, the Parisian southpaw ranks second in wins (46) and quality starts (58), fourth in ERA (3.02) and ninth in FIP (3.54). Despite an “fragile” injury reputation, he’s pitched the second-most innings in that time frame, only behind ace Alaric Wullenweber. But here’s the rub: Legrand has had his share of injuries (more minor than not), is making $20M per year, a doesn’t have a scouting report that jumps off the page. While he’d be a valuable chip to dangle, those issues, plus the fact that he could opt-out after this career-best season, make him a very risky proposition.
#48 - Chris Mann, Madison, 1B 55/55
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 22 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2043 | 23 | 0.1 | $500,000 |
| 2044 | 24 | 5.6 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $18,800,000
REMAINING AAV: $3,760,000
If you didn’t know who Mann was back in May when he was hitting over .400 as a rookie, you should know him now as the 24-year-old New Yorker is still hitting .370 and was named to the Frick League All-Star team last month. The 11th-overall pick in 2042 has an uncanny control of the bat, as he’s on pace to set a modern-era season record of 1.5% strikeout rank. Okay, I don’t know if that is a record – paging Randy, paging Mike Simon, paging Ron – but it’s gotta be damn close. Mann has good doubles power and flashes a nifty glove at first. Overall, it’s a valuable package that, best-case scenario, could look like that of Hall of Famer Fraser Dodson (.328/.374/.500, four batting titles, four Zimmer Awards). Who knows, there’s been crazier career arcs.
#47 - Lorenzo de’ Medici, Nashville, RP 80/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 32
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 25 | 2.6 | $4,340,000 |
| 2043 | 26 | 6.6 | $6,908,000 |
| 2044 | 27 | 3.2 | $7,000,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $41,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $8,200,000
#46 - Al Colbert, Yellow Springs, RP 70/70
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 23 | 0.3 | $500,000 |
| 2043 | 24 | 3.2 | $500,000 |
| 2044 | 25 | 3.8 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $16,200,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,050,000
Two of the top closers in the game, take your pick...if you owned one, would you trade for the other?
de’ Medici is among the wave of high-usage stud relievers, as evidence of his ranking last year and this year. In the 2043 edition, the gangly lefty Italian was the 4th-ranked reliever. This year he improves his status amongst his peers (3nd-ranked reliever), however his overall rating and stats have slipped from last year’s stellar campaign. That said, the swing-and-miss god is under a very team-friendly deal for the next five seasons with multiple team options built in as a fail-safe should the wheels come off. But at 27 years of age, de’ Medici should thrive for several more years before having to worry about that doomsday scenario.
Last year, his first full season in the Brewster, Colbert pitched under the shadow of Tiernan O’Macken, the Frick League Egan Award winner in 2043. This year it’s Colbert as the top dog in Yellow Springs most important late-inning moments. The rare “finesse” closer, a role typical earmarked for flame throwers, “Big Time” pairs a heavy sinker and a fastball that saws off righties with pinpoint control. Colbert, O’Macken, Angel Hernandez, Roberto Ramirez…the list goes on and on for the league’s top and deepest bullpen. Colbert hasn't shown a peak like de' Medici yet, but he is two years younger and has a shockingly low AAV for the rest of his current contract. So I ask again: which one would you prefer and therefore give greater value to?
#45 - Carlos Valle, Yellow Springs, SP 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: 46
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 29 | 6.6 | $30,000,000 |
| 2043 | 30 | 4.8 | $25,000,000 |
| 2044 | 31 | 8.2 | $19,000,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $52,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $17,333,333
Here are Valle’s Trade Value ratings since the first list in 2039: #16, #15, #29, #26, #46 and again at #46. Now that’s a pitcher you want on your squad for what looked like a decade in Yellow Springs. Despite his age, Valle continues to be on the shortlist of best pitchers in the league and at 31, he’s on pace to set career bests in wins (25), ERA (2.52), IP (229), WHIP (0.85) and WAR (8.2), not to mention tie career bests in HR/9 (0.7) and BB/9 (1.9), as well as his second-best K/9 (9.9). To say this is a career year by an elite pitcher is an understatement. And the kicker which makes him so valuable is his AAV is on the downswing thanks to a massively front-loaded contract. What’s not to love?
#44 - Gilberto Nevárez , New Orleans, SP 60/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 33
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 21 | 0.2 | $500,000 |
| 2043 | 22 | 3.0 | $500,000 |
| 2044 | 23 | 4.2 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $19,700,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,925,000
Once the top-rated prospect in all of baseball, let’s check in on what was said in the 2042 list: “Nevárez’s value has the chance to be as volatile as anyone’s on this list.” Despite the fanfare when he debuted two seasons ago, Nevárez has yet to take off, but he’s still been very good. A spotty injury history and scouts downgrading his movement are the only red flags. Otherwise, every team would love to have the services of Nevárez under team control for the next four years, although he’ll start to make real money in 2046.
#43 - Steven Collins III, Edmonton, 3B 75/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 31
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 25 | 5.4 | $12,800,000 |
| 2043 | 26 | 5.1 | $12,800,000 |
| 2044 | 27 | 5.6 | $12,800,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $72,900,000
REMAINING AAV: $14,580,000
Edmonton’s face of the franchise has been a mainstay every year in this list, however he’s seen his rankings drop from 4th to 12th to 11th to 20th to 31st to now 43rd. That’s no slight on SC3, has he continues to be one of the most consistent and productive players in the league. The reason for his slide is merely due to aging (who isn’t, right?) and either seeing his team control dwindle before an extension in 2042 or more recently, seeing his AAV jump due to a long-term extension signed earlier this year. Still, the third bagger will make under-market money for the next three years before facing a mutual option in 2048.
#42 - Salvador Allende , Madison, SS 75/75
PREVIOUS RANK: 41
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 21 | 4.3 | $500,000 |
| 2043 | 22 | 2.7 | $3,688,000 |
| 2044 | 23 | 3.6 | $6,572,500 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $20,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $10,000,000
Allende was the youngest player to make the Top 50 back in 2041 after his rookie season saw him make the All-Star Game. In his third season, he won the Puckett Award but since then, we haven’t heard much about Allende. That soon may change, as the shortstop has only two years left of team control. Will Madison make headlines by extending their lefty-swinging Chilean? Or maybe his name becomes a topic of conversation on the trade block. Allende has yet to breakout and may have to be pulled off of shortstop soon, but until then, he’s got some good value.
#41 - David Simpson, California, LF 80/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 28
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2042 | 25 | 6.2 | $750,000 |
| 2043 | 26 | 6.8 | $12,020,000 |
| 2044 | 27 | 4.0 | $12,020,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $12,020,000
REMAINING AAV: $12,020,000
Pay no mind of the nickname, Simpson is awesome. One of the premiere corner outfield bats in the Frick, Simpson is gearing up to cash a big check. Whether that’s via free agency (doubtful) or an extension (however it may not be from Sacramento, given their recent roster overall that seemingly has no end), we’ll know soon enough. Simpson’s value is at a peak, as he’ll be 30 during the middle of his next contract and is becoming slowly less passable in the outfield.
