Fansided

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 14, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 14, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

18. Miguel Cabrera

1B, Detroit Tigers

  • Career Stats: .320/.398/.561, 2,525 hits, 523 2B, 448 HR, 1,557 RBI
  • Career Accolades: 2x AL MVP, 11x All-Star, 7x Silver Slugger, 3x MLB batting champ

For a decade and a half now, Miguel Cabrera has been the most consistent high-average/high-slugging hitter in baseball. The Tigers first baseman is the active MLB leader in batting average at .320 and is closing in on 500 home runs and 3,000 hits. When he does reach both of those major milestones, he could be years younger than anyone else in the club. Cabrera is a borderline lock to hit 600 home runs, and will become one of only six players ever in that exclusive club (assuming Albert Pujols is able to pick up the eight home runs and 166 hits he needs this year).

Cabrera had begun seeing his power decline in 2014 and 2015 while battling through nagging injuries. Over that two-year stretch, he hit only 43 home runs while driving in 185. It is worth noting, however, that he batted .338 in 2015 with a .440 OBP. In 15 years in the big leagues, Cabrera has batted below .300 in only two full seasons, and one of those came at the age of 21.

As he prepares to turn 34, anticipating Cabrera’s impending decline is not out of the question. He has been a negative defensive player for years now, and should move to DH when Victor Martinez’s contract expires. It would make sense that Cabrera would begin declining, but he has given no real indication that his offensive numbers are about to fall off a cliff. That’s good news for the Tigers, who are on the hook for $212 million through Cabrera’s age-40 season.

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