Poll says Yanks have star power
Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Gerrit Cole provide plenty of star power for the Yankees heading into the 2024 season.
All three players made the top 10 in this year’s edition of MLB Network’s annual “Top 100 Players Right Now,” with Judge selected at No. 3, Soto at No. 7 and Cole at No. 9.
Judge followed up his 2022 American League MVP season, during which he slugged an AL record 62 home runs, with 37 homers in 2023, despite hip and big toe injuries limiting him to 106 games.
The only players ahead of Judge on this year’s ranking are reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr., who delivered the first MLB season ever with 40+ home runs and 70+ stolen bases last year for the Braves, and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, who crushed a career-high 39 homers in 2023.
Judge slid down a spot after entering 2023 as MLB Network’s No. 2 player, behind only Shohei Ohtani, who came in at No. 4 this year. The two-way Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason, is expected to hit but not pitch this year as he recovers from elbow surgery, which presumably cost him a return to the top spot.
Soto, whom the Yankees acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Padres in December, moved from No. 12 in 2023 to No. 7 on this year’s list after hitting a career-best 35 home runs last season.
The 25-year-old Soto, an impending free agent, already boasts four top-10 MVP finishes, three Silver Sluggers, three All-Star selections and a batting title.
Cole, meanwhile, is MLB Network’s top-ranked pitcher thanks to his 15-4 record, 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 222 strikeouts in 209 innings last year. MLB Network ranked Cole as its No. 37 player before the 2023 season.
Judge, Soto and Cole represent the only Yankees on this year’s ranking.
The Mets, meanwhile, feature five players, with Francisco Lindor selected at No. 25, Pete Alonso at No. 37, Kodai Senga at No. 63, Brandon Nimmo at No. 70 and Edwin Diaz at No. 80.
Freddie Freeman came in at No. 5, making the Dodgers the only team other than the Yankees with three players in the top 10.
Rounding out the top 10 were the Rangers’ Corey Seager at No. 6, the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez at No. 8 and the Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez at No. 10.