AL Central Rankings: Who is the No. 1 centerfielder?
By Brett Pnazek
Lorenzo Cain (Kansas City Royals)
Jun 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) doubles against the Los Angeles Angels during the third inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
2014 Stats
Batting Average: .301
Home Runs: 5
Runs Batted In: 53
Steals: 28
oWAR: 2.2
dWAR: 2.7
The Royals centerfielder comes away with the No. 1 overall spot. He was arguably the best all-around player on this list in 2014, and I think he can sustain that success in 2015.
He has the ability to hit for a high average and steal a decent amount of bases. The stolen bases and RBIs were career highs, and his average was his highest since his rookie year, where he only played in 43 games.
Cain’s metrics were balanced as he was positive 2-plus in both defense and offense. He’s in the prime of his career and has a good chance of repeating these number for years to come.
Cain won’t face any competition from within and has a team-friendly contract as he is heading into his arbitration years. If his numbers remain the same, he will be in line for a friendly bump.
The question is whether the Royals will want to pay that next year, sign him to a long-term contract to buy out those years or possibly trade him to acquire more pieces if this year doesn’t go as they hope.
Next: AL Central: Who has the best RF in the division?