March 16, 2022 – Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien was ranked second on MLB Now’s Top 10 Second Basemen Right Now!last night. Semien, who ranked fourth among shortstops in 2020, finished one spot ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays’ Brandon Lowe and one spot behind the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte.
Hosted by MLB Network’s Brian Kenny alongside MLB Network analysts, each Top 10 Right Now! ranking considers player performance over the last three seasons, offensive and defensive metrics, both advanced Statcast data and traditional numbers, and expert analysis by the MLB Network research team.
On last night’s countdown, MLB Network analyst and former MLB first baseman Carlos Peña said of Semien, “At the end of the day, 45 home runs, there’s no luck when you talk about that. Those balls are over the fence and this is what he brings to the table. He is more than just a power hitter, he plays every single day. That’s another thing that’s very valuable to me in contrast to Marte. So that’s why I have them differently. This setup right here I do not agree, but look, this has been an outstanding performance by Marcus Semien going into his free agent year and now he gets rewarded for it.”
Now in its 12th season, MLB Now’s Top 10 Right Now! series features analysis from MLB Network on-air personalities and roundtable discussions with former SABR President Vince Gennaro, MLB.com analyst Mike Petriello, and MLB.com writer and editor Sarah Langs.
The offseason rankings will continue tonight as Kenny, Tom Verducci and Christopher Russocount down MLB Now’s Top 10 Shortstops Right Now! at 8:00 p.m. ET. The complete schedule for the MLB Now’s Top 10 Players Right Now! series can be seen here.
