Making the Grade: Ranking Left Fielders in the AL Central

Some of the greatest talent in the AL Central resides in left field. The most productive player at the position may be the answer to lead his team to a division crown.

From Silver Sluggers to Gold Glove, the AL Central is home to some of the most dynamic left field talent in the league.

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One of the most star-studded positions in the division, left field contains the likes of 2014 All Stars Michael Brantley, Alex Gordon and Yoenis Cespedes. It contains 2012 All-Star Game MVP Melky Cabrera, who has a World Series title to his name, and former Twins’ Minor League Hitter of the Year Oswaldo Arcia.

While the Cuban slugger was not in the division last season, the AL Central now sports a two-time Home Run Derby champion in Cespedes. It fields Brantley, who earned the AL Silver Slugger and finished in the top five in AL MVP voting, and it fields Alex Gordon, who earned his fourth consecutive Gold Glove on his way to leading Kansas City to an AL crown.

This piece highlights the left fielders who occupy the division and ranks them, from 1-5, in reverse order from least productive to most productive.

Next: No. 5

No. 5: Oswaldo Arcia, Minnesota Twins

Mar 13, 2015; Bradenton, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder

(31) hits a rbi single during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at McKechnie Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Oswaldo Arcia might possess the greatest raw power of the entire group — and this group contains a two-time Home Run Derby champion. 

Despite having just 372 at-bats last season, Arcia finished with a .220 isolated power mark, which was in the top-10 in the American League. He hit .231/.300/.452 on the season, clubbing 20 home runs and 16 doubled in limited at-bats.

Before the season, ESPN.com wrote:

"ESPN.com has a handy little tool called the Home Run Tracker that divides every home run into one of four categories: No Doubt, Plenty, Just Enoughs and Lucky Homers. Fifty percent of Arcia’s 20 dingers last year were of the “No Doubt” variety. That was the highest percentage in baseball, tied with Edwin Encarnacion (17 of his 34 homers were “No Doubters”). Additionally, only 10 percent of Arcia’s 20 homers fell into the “Just Enough” category (and none were “Lucky”). By comparison, big power bats like Nelson Cruz, Chris Carter and Jose Abreu all hit at least 33 percent “Just Enough” homers last year."

Unfortunately for Arcia, he plays in a more pitcher-friendly Target Field and his fly ball rate (41.9 percent in 2014) makes him a boom or bust type player, similar to former White Sox first baseman Adam Dunn. He swings and misses a ton, whiffing 31 percent of the time since 2013, and struggled mightily against left-handed pitching. There’s no doubting his power numbers, but there is far more too baseball — especially when 50 percent of your games are played in a stadium that is none-too-kind to left-handed power hitters.

But there’s plenty of reason for optimism, as Arcia is just 23 years old.

Arcia was a .314 hitter throughout his minor league career, including a steady .265 average against southpaws, and was significantly less prone to strike out. With that, however, he also boasted lower power numbers and drove in far fewer runs. While he may never be a .300-plus hitter in the big leagues, Arcia is certainly capable of drastic improvements to his average.

But it may cost him a few home runs in the process.

For now, though, he ranks at the bottom of the AL Central in what is a talent-filled group of left fielders.

Next: No. 4

No. 4: Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals

Oct 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder

scores a run against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning during game seven of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Gordon comes in at No. 4 among AL Central left fielders not because of a lack of production, but because of the overwhelming talent that resides at the position in the division. 

A two-time All-Star, Gordon has quietly become one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. He is a four-time Gold Glove Award winner (2011-14), a three-time Fielding Bible Award winner (2012-14) and a one-time Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award winner (2014). He has accumulated seemingly every defensive accolade possible at his position, all while posting a combined 28.6 WAR since breaking into the league in 2007.

While his playmaking prowess most often resides with his glove, Gordon is a well above-average offensive performer as well. He owns a career slash line of .267/.345/.434, consistently producing double-digit stolen bases and around 20 home runs per season. Winner of two consecutive MLBPAA Royals Heart and Hustle Awards, Gordon consistently brings high energy to all aspects of the game.

Gordon consistently ranks among the top-20 in the AL in hits, runs, on-base percentage and extra-base hits. He posted 51 doubles (1st in AL) and five triples (14th in AL) in 2012, all while ranking near the top 10 in runs (93) and on-base percentage (.368).

Though he is off to a slow start this season, going just 1-for-17 in five games. But he is playing out the final season of his contract and, whether or not he elects to stay with the low-budget Royals, one should expect Gordon to put together one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2015.

Even with a marked improvement in offensive numbers, though, Gordon would be hard-pressed to unseat the top three left fielders in the division.

Next: No. 3

No. 3: Melky Cabrera, Chicago White Sox

Apr 9, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder

(53) throws the ball after Kansas City Royals batter

(not pictured) singled during the fourth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Melky Cabrera has bounced around the league since leaving the New York Yankees as a free agent after the 2009 season, and he has been wildly successful at every stop. 

At 30 years old, Cabrera owns a .286/.338/.414 slash line throughout his 10-year major league career. He is good for 10-15 home runs per season. He hit .301 last season and, at the time of his season-ending hand injury, Cabrera was second in the league with 171 hits (behind only Jose Altuve).

Now a member of the Chicago White Sox, Cabrera brings an electric bat to the top of a lineup already consisting of 2014 AL Rookie of the Year Jose Abreu and offseason acquisition Adam LaRoche. Cabrera brings a significant upgrade to the left field position over Dayan Viciedo, who manned the position for the White Sox for most of last season. He can get on base and drive the ball into the gaps from both sides of the plate, and he is the perfect complement to Adam Eaton at the top of the White Sox lineup.

Defensively, Cabrera is a significant upgrade over Dayan Viciedo, who manned the position for the White Sox for much of last season. He has a powerful arm, responsible for 13 outfield assists in 2014, and should help improve Chicago’s team defense in 2015. He’s made just two errors in over 10 seasons, good for a .989 fielding percentage.

Cabrera is the only one-time All-Star Game MVP and World Series champion on this list and with another resurgence, much like the one he had in 2012, Cabrera could very easily find himself atop this list by season’s end.

Next: No. 2

No. 2: Yoenis Cespedes, Detroit Tigers

Apr 6, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder

(52) hits a triple in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN’s Eduardo Perez thinks a Detroit Tigers player could win the AL MVP for the fourth time in the last five seasons. 

And his projection was not thorn-in-the-Indians-side Miguel Cabrera or last year’s award runner-up Victor Martinez. It was Yoenis Cespedes, who the Tigers acquired from the Red Sox in an offseason trade that sent Rick Porcello to Boston.

Cespedes has spent much of his young career as the focal point in the Oakland Athletics’ offense. He was schemed for, game-planned around and avoided at all costs, as teams did not allow his prolific power to beat them.

This year, however, Cespedes is in one of the most talented lineups in baseball, hitting behind the likes of Cabrera, Martinez and emerging star J.D. Martinez. As Perez said:

"You’re in an organization that has a lineup that is built for Yoenis Cespedes. You have Miguel Cabrera in the 3-spot, the best right-handed hitter of our generation. You have Victor Martinez, the best eye in the game. You have J.D. Martinez, who really came into his own watching those guys, in the 5-spot. And then you have Cespedes, who started the season in the 6-spot. He’s only going to have runners on base to drive in, and he is a prolific RBI guy. He’s only going to get better in that environment of the Detroit Tigers."

Cespedes has posted outstanding power numbers in his brief career, averaging 28 home runs and 102 RBIs per 162 games. But he has not proven to be the middle-of-the-lineup staple that can carry a lineup all on his own. His .265/.316/.465 career slash line is productive, but rather pedestrian for a potential MVP candidate.

But Perez believes the Tigers’ environment – and the relief of pressure – could spell the beginning of an absolutely dynamite season for the Cuban defector. If that plays out, Cespedes could take up residence at the top of this list. Until then, it’s tough to go away from the third-highest vote-getter for AL MVP a season ago.

Next: No. 1

No. 1: Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians

Cleveland’s lone all-star,

, takes a cut against the New York Yankees. Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Though Michael Brantley has struggled through back stiffness early in this season, he is still the most prolific outfielder of the bunch. 

Once a player to be named later in the deal that landed the Indians Matt LaPorta, Brantley put together the best season of his career in 2013. He was named to his first All-Star team and earned the Silver Slugger Award, hitting .327/.385./506. Brantley doubled his career high in home runs (20) and posted career bests in seemingly every offensive category.

The seven-year pro tallied 200 hits, including 45 doubles with 97 RBIs. He was among the elite in baseball last season, finishing in the top five of the AL MVP voting as one of few players in the big leagues to hit .300+, club 20+ home runs and steal 20+ bases. He became the 18th Indians player to record 200 hits and the first since Kenny Lofton to reach the milestone in 1996.

Brantley was eligible for arbitration before the 2014 season but, instead of going through yearly arbitration hearings with their franchise cornerstone, the Indians signed Brantley to a four-year extension worth $25 million.

Fortunately for the Tribe, the man commonly referred to as Dr. Smooth will be around for a long time — and, with any luck, he’ll continue to top this list in the division.

Next: Ranking the Shortstops