Rankings/List

After a stop at second base, the B/R MLB 300 will now go to the left side of the infield and check in with the top shortstops in Major League Baseball.

As with first base and second base, the list ahead features the names of 25 shortstops. The scoring system for them reflects how shortstop is an extremely important defensive position with low offensive standards:

If there was ever a time for a player to not turn in a poor performance, it'd be the final two weeks of the regular season. Pennant and wild-card races are neck and neck, with division crowns and postseason dreams hanging on every pitch and every swing.

For some, such as the San Francisco Giants' Hunter Pence, the job of turning those dreams into reality fell to their teammates, as Pence and the rest of this week's All-Dud squad were unable to contribute much of anything to the cause.

Pitching is almost universally central to success in a playoff race. So news of San Francisco Giants starter Johnny Cueto’s groin strain gave reason to question whether his team would have enough firepower to win one of the NL’s two wild-card spots.

While Cueto may still be able to pitch in his next scheduled start, other playoff teams suffered injury setbacks.

Which of baseball’s training rooms were busiest this week?

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With catchers and first basemen in the bag, the B/R MLB 300 now turns its attention to second base.

After getting started at first base, it's time for the B/R MLB 300 to backtrack 90 feet to check in with the guys behind the dish.

Just two weeks remain in the 2016 MLB regular season, and while a handful of teams appear to be locks for the postseason, there are still a number of playoff spots up for grabs.

The Chicago Cubs became the first team to officially clinch a playoff berth on Thursday, while the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers are also in comfortable spots atop their respective divisions.

Hello and welcome to the first stop on the Bleacher Report MLB 300: first base.

The rankings ahead are the first in a series that will lead to the top 300 players in Major League Baseball for 2016. They feature 25 first basemen, most of whom abide by the heavy-hitting tradition of first base. As such, hitting talents account for the majority of the 100 possible points each player can earn:

It would be easy to fill out this week's MLB All-Dud team with members of the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals, two teams that have faltered in must-win weekend series against the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants, respectively.

But believe it or not, there have been far worse individual efforts from players on contending teams around the game than anyone on either of those clubs. That includes Texas center fielder Ian Desmond, who no longer looks like a sure thing to be named American League Comeback Player of the Year.

The 2016 MiLB regular season is over, and each league's respective postseason is already underway.

With that in mind, now seems like the perfect time for one final look at where all 30 MLB farm systems rank, as well as an updated look at each team's top 10 prospects.

The following factors helped determine the rankings of players and teams:

Among the reasons Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, who notably doesn't play in the field, can be considered an MVP candidate is because the award doesn't really reward defensive prowess.

The award annually acknowledges players in each league who have had outstanding offensive seasons. Such a player can be mediocre defensively and still win the award—or, in the case of Ortiz, not play defense at all. Even with new statistical measures for defense, no player can be a defensive stalwart and an average hitter and receive consideration for MVP.