In the process of ranking the top 50 MLB players heading into the 2014 regular season, there are a ton of ridiculously talented ballplayers who were left off the list. After all, on any given day during the season, there are 750 active players spread across the league.
The criteria that was used to compile this list is as follows: The most important factor in determining which player earned a spot on the list was 2013 performance. That means that young players on the rise often got the nod over more experienced players whose careers appear to be trending in the wrong direction. However, this was not simply a list of the 50 best players from a season ago.
A player’s larger track record was also part of the equation. That explains the inclusion of a few veterans who experienced down seasons in 2013, but who are primed for bounce-back seasons in the upcoming campaign.
Before we get started with the top 50 countdown, let’s first take a look at the players who just barely missed the cut.
Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.