Listing the Top 5 Players in the NL West: MLB 2022
The NL West is arguably the deepest division in the MLB with three teams possessing a record above .500. So it's no surprise that the NL West harbors some of the best talent baseball has to offer in 2022. To put it in perspective, five of the top 10 batting-average leaders in the National League derive from the NL West. This list breaks down the best players in the National League's Western Division based on hitting, fielding, and all-around ability in the current campaign. Fasten your seatbelts because our list, much like the race in the West, will take you for a wild and unexpected ride.
MLB's top 5 Players in the NL West
#5 Luis Gonzales: San Francisco Giants
This is a pick that begs one to question, "Who?" That's because the San Francisco Giants' 26-year-old rookie has batted a sneaky good .330 in his first 28 games, good enough for the fifth highest in the entire National League. He's quietly matched Freddie Freeman's home run totals at four HRs in 18 fewer games while amassing 15 RBIs across those 28 contests. The league has also taken note of his strong arm in right field. Even with his small sample size, there aren't many guys willing to challenge third base with a ball hit down the first base line with him in right. Proof of his arm can be found in his two stints on the mound. Yes, you read that correctly. In his two mound appearances, he topped out at 86 mph. There's still a lot of baseball to determine if he can sustain this pace. But he's been playing well-rounded enough to cruise into the fifth best spot on this list.
#4 CJ Cron
In 44 games, CJ Cron's 12 HRs and 34 RBIs, to go along with a .308 average, have slid under the radar. That's probably due, in large part, to playing for the fourth-placed Rockies. Aside from his numbers, Cron continues to be an example and leadership envy of every other MLB clubhouse. For a young, rebuilding Colorado Rockies squad, Cron's true value extends beyond what you see on the field. He leads by example. His underrated glove at first base is also a large reason this, at times, cringeworthy defense doesn't have more errors. With Colorado having the third-worst defense in the MLB by field-percentage metrics, Cron has his work cut out for him at first base.
#3 Joe Musgrove: San Diego Padres
Ever since becoming a padre in 2021, Joe Musgrove has been an entirely different pitcher than the one he was in Pittsburgh. Again, in the 2022 MLB campaign, Musgrove has been performing far beyond his "prove it or lose it" one-year $8.6M deal he signed in the most recent offseason. His first and fourth best 1.90 ERA in the National League and MLB, respectively, is a reflection of his well-rounded ability contributing to his success. By working heavily on redefining the grip and precision of his pitches during the break, he's never been more lethal. It's the same elite form we've grown accustomed to seeing from the 29-year-old San Diego native in a Padres uniform. If you're unfamiliar with Musgrove's tenure as a member of the Padres, it looks a lot like this:
IT HAS HAPPENED ‼️
JOE MUSGROVE HAS THROWN THE FIRST NO-HITTER IN PADRES HISTORY 🙌 https://t.co/zCWHtlG5Pk
"JOE MUSGROVE HAS THROW THE FIRST NO-HITTER IN PADRES HISTORY"-@SportsCenter
Having been undefeated in eight starts with a 5-0 record, it appears the National League's early season CY Young candidate has taken it up a notch in 2022. If that's a sign of what to expect for the remainder of the season, watch out for the Padres.
#2 Mookie Betts: Los Angeles Dodgers
If this were written last month, Mookie Betts wouldn't even make the list. But in May, Mookie was Mookie again. No player has been hotter than Betts throughout the month of May. With 10 HRs and 25 RBIs, the superstar right-fielder brought his average up to .301 at the time of this article. His 14 HRs in the young MLB season are good enough for the third-most in baseball. Even though the Dodgers are loaded with high-end talent, Mookie's abilities are a large part of the reason his team is rolling right now. His equally elite glove is a double whammy on both sides of the ball for his opponents. Take Exhibit-A for instance:
Oh my, @mookiebetts! 😱 https://t.co/l4M0WMjz5u
Needless to say, Mookie will never be a DH with how important his glove is. Additionally, Betts' speed on the basepaths and the ability to shift momentum in the game with his legs is what places him among MLB's elite with his multidimensional abilities. With this month's resurgence, he's re-established himself as one of the best hitters in the league. Whether it be his bat, glove, or baserunning, Mookie Betts represents one of the best, if not the best triple threat in baseball.
#1 Manny Machado: San Diego Padres
Machado has been too valuable to the Padres and too hot with his bat to dethrone as the greatest all-round player in the NL West. His consistency from the start of the year is what earns him the top spot on this list. He may not have as many RBIs to his name as others on this list, but his hits have been more timely than any player in the NL. His .357 batting average leads all National League hitters and ranks fifth in the MLB. Love him or hate him, he has a knack for getting underneath his opponents' skin with his demeanor as equally as his bat. What puts him over-the-top is his work at the hot corner. For the two-time Gold Glove winner, his defense speaks for itself.
Manny Machado doesn't need a glove. https://t.co/wHJujomZwU
"Manny Machado doesn't need a glove"-@MLB
Plays like this are what make Machado one of the greatest fielding third-basemen in baseball. His .989 fielding percentage leads all major-league defenders, putting the cherry on top of our number-one all-around player in MLB's stacked National League West.