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MLB power rankings: Top 25 current players

By Joshua Sadlock

April 8, 2017; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) celebrates after he hits a two run home run against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
April 8, 2017; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) celebrates after he hits a two run home run against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 2, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt against the San Francisco Giants during opening day at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt against the San Francisco Giants during opening day at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Paul Goldschmidt

1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

  • Career Stats: .298/.398/.525, 201 2B, 142 HR, 512 RBI, 101 SB
  • Career Accolades: 4x All-Star, 2x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger, 2x NL MVP runner-up

Paul Goldschmidt toils away far from the public eye in Arizona. With the Diamondbacks closing in on relevancy, this underrated superstar could finally get the national attention he deserves. Goldschmidt is just a few hits and walks here and there away from a career .300/.400/.500 line, the mark of a truly elite hitter. For all of the dominant numbers he has put up, Goldschmidt is still a fairly unknown quantity on a national scale. He is a quiet, throwback superstar who puts his head down and goes to work every day.

Goldschmidt can do it all on a baseball diamond. He did not live up to his own lofty standards in 2016, but stole 32 bases. For his career, Goldschmidt has over 100 steals, but has been thrown out only 23 times. In his two Gold Glove seasons, the first baseman was 31 runs better than average using the defensive runs saved metric. If Goldschmidt has incentive to run this season, a 30-30 year is well within reach.

The Diamondbacks have not done Goldschmidt any favors in becoming a transcendent star, but he is a top-ten player in all of Major League Baseball. Arizona is off to a hot start in 2017, fueled by the return of A.J. Pollock, Goldschmidt’s running mate. A good season for the team will help vault Goldschmidt even higher in the MVP conversation. He will eventually win one before it’s all said and done.

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