The B/R MLB 300 gets underway with the most important position on the diamond: catcher.
Being a backstop is so difficult to master, in fact, that our list consists of only 20 of the 300 overall players we'll be evaluating over the next few weeks. As for how this list of 20 came to be, we subjected each player to a scoring system that adds up to a total of 100 possible points.
First, there are 25 points for hitting. Our focus is on how well each player is equipped to hit for average and get on base. This means looking not only at how they hit the ball, but also at how consistently they make contact and whether they have the discipline to draw walks.
Then, there are 30 points for power. We concentrated on how well each player collects extra-base hits, which means looking at how often they put the ball in the air—ground balls don't tend to go for extra-base hits, after all—how hard they hit it and how much of the field they can use for power.
Next, there are five points for baserunning. It's not a priority for catchers, but we'll still look at whether they can steal bases as well as whether they're capable of running the bases aggressively.
Lastly, there are 40 points for defense. It's a big category because catcher is baseball's most important defensive position. And while a backstop's list of responsibilities are long, our focus is on receiving and throwing skills that can actually be quantified.
As for how the scoring works, a score in the middle is meant to denote average, not failing. For example, a 15 out of 30 for power means the player has merely average power, whereas 10 out of 30 is clearly below average and 20 out of 30 is above average. It's also important to note that if two or more players end up with the same final score, the priority goes to the player we'd choose if we had to pick.
Before we begin, here's an important reminder that while we're using what's happened in 2015 as a foundation for the scores, this list projects performance for the 2016 season. Players are evaluated based on the staying power of each category with progression, decline and past luck in mind--creating a different ranking system than simply judging where each player stands today.
You may now start the show.
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