ESPN 500: Players No. 151-200

Updated: March 27, 2012, 1:22 PM ET

ESPN.com

Who are the best players in Major League Baseball heading into the 2012 season? ESPN formed a panel of MLB writers, analysts and contributors to rank the top 500. The countdown from No. 500 to No. 1 began March 20 and ends April 3.

The results are being announced on ESPN.com, on Facebook and Twitter (@ESPN_MLB). Fans can use the hashtag #ESPN500 to join the discussion or to follow along.

To compile a top-500 ranking, 34 ESPN experts started with a list of the top 600 players projected to play in the majors in 2012. Using a 0-to-10 scale, they evaluated only the quality of each player for the 2012 season. Players who are expected to miss 2012 with an injury, such as Victor Martinez, were not included. But Arodys Vizcaino (No. 376) was included because he was injured after the voting. Ages are listed as of July 1, 2012.

Panelists were polled over the final two weeks of February. Dan Szymborski's ZiPS system, which projects 2012 performance, was used to break ties to the fourth decimal point.

RANK	PLAYER	SCORE
151	Roy Oswalt @royoswalt44net RHP \| Free Agent \| Age: 34 \| Stats	5.88
152	B.J. Upton @BJUPTON2 Center Field \| @RaysBaseball \| Age: 27 \| Stats	5.88
153	Alexei Ramirez Shortstop \| @whitesox \| Age: 30 \| Stats	5.88
154	Jesus Montero Catcher/DH \| @Mariners \| Age: 22 \| Stats	5.87
155	Kendrys Morales Designated Hitter \| @Angels \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.85
ESPN Top #500 continues to disappoint. Kendrys Morales at #155? He hasn't played in 2 years has a career .336 OBP. Over J.J. Hardy? #ESPN500 — Nicholas Mosvick (@nmosvick) March 27, 2012
156	Sergio Romo @SergioRomo54 RHP \| @SFGiants \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.84
157	Tyler Clippard @TylerClippard RHP \| @Nationals \| Age: 27 \| Stats	5.84
158	Desmond Jennings @d_jennings8 Left Field \| @RaysBaseball \| Age: 25 \| Stats	5.84
159	Stephen Drew Shortstop \| @Dbacks \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.84
160	Sean Marshall LHP \| @Reds \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.81
161	Anibal Sanchez RHP \| @Marlins \| Age: 28 \| Stats	5.81
162	Mike Trout @Trouty20 Outfield \| @Angels \| Age: 20 \| Stats	5.81
Mike Trout at #162? I agree he is an up and comer but after a .200 batting average last season. Come on now. @ESPN_MLB #ESPN500 — Matt Shults (@BabyBeans07) March 28, 2012
163	Jordan Walden @JWal51 RHP \| @Angels \| Age: 24 \| Stats	5.78
164	Chipper Jones Third base \| @Braves \| Age: 40 \| Stats	5.78
Chipper ranked at 164. Great recognition at his age. At least the future HOF is above someone who doesn't have a ML at-bat. BRYCE.. #ESPN500 — David Kenyon (@kenyon19dr) March 27, 2012
165	Colby Lewis RHP \| @Rangers \| Age: 32 \| Stats	5.78
166	Wandy Rodriguez LHP \| @Astros \| Age: 33 \| Stats	5.78
167	Ichiro Suzuki Right Field \| @Mariners \| Age: 38 \| Stats	5.78
Fantasy owners picking #Ichiro late based on the #ESPN500 are going to get a steal this season. I smell a bounceback. — D. Schafer (@TheSD) March 27, 2012
168	Drew Storen @DrewStoren RHP \| @Nationals \| Age: 24 \| Stats	5.75
169	J.J. Hardy Shortstop \| @Orioles \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.75
170	Carlos Ruiz Catcher \| @Phillies \| Age: 33 \| Stats	5.75
@ESPN_MLB Carlos Ruiz at 170? So a .283 avegare only gets you 170? Chooch could use a little more respect. #ESPN500 — Max Rizer (@stat4stat) March 27, 2012
171	Ivan Nova RHP \| @Yankees \| Age: 25 \| Stats	5.75
172	Sergio Santos RHP \| @BlueJays \| Age: 28 \| Stats	5.72
173	Francisco Rodriguez @El_kid_rod57 RHP \| @Brewers \| Age: 30 \| Stats	5.72
174	Chad Billingsley RHP \| @Dodgers \| Age: 28 \| Stats	5.72
175	J.J. Putz @jjp2012 RHP \| @Dbacks \| Age: 35 \| Stats	5.69
176	Billy Butler @BillyButlerKC Designated Hitter \| @Royals \| Age: 26 \| Stats	5.69
177	Brandon Morrow @2Morrow23 RHP \| @BlueJays \| Age: 27 \| Stats	5.68
Brandon Morrow is ranked 177 on the #ESPN500 Morrow might be the most undervalued pitcher in the Majors right now #bluejays — justin millar (@Justinmillar1) March 28, 2012
178	Daniel Bard RHP \| @RedSox \| Age: 27 \| Stats	5.66
179	Rafael Soriano RHP \| @Yankees \| Age: 32 \| Stats	5.66
180	Jason Motte RHP \| @Cardinals \| Age: 30 \| Stats	5.66
181	Chris Perez @ChrisPerez54 RHP \| @Indians \| Age: 27 \| Stats	5.66
182	Martin Prado Utility \| @Braves \| Age: 28 \| Stats	5.66
183	Brandon League @BrandonLeague43 RHP \| @Mariners \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.65
184	Carlos Quentin Left Field \| @Padres \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.63
185	Edwin Jackson @EJ36 RHP \| @Nationals \| Age: 28 \| Stats	5.63
186	Jhonny Peralta Shortstop \| @Tigers \| Age: 30 \| Stats	5.63
187	Erick Aybar Shortstop \| @Angels \| Age: 28 \| Stats	5.63
188	Jayson Werth Right Field \| @Nationals \| Age: 33 \| Stats	5.61
@ESPN_MLB #ESPN500 just proved that the big time paycheck for Jason Werth was not worth a 188 rating! He's overrated and over paid — Tony Svoboda (@tonysvoboda1) March 27, 2012
189	Joaquin Benoit RHP \| @Tigers \| Age: 34 \| Stats	5.58
190	Bryce Harper Outfield \| @Nationals \| Age: 19 \| Stats	5.58
Well, this may be the last time Bryce Harper (190) ever has a three digit ranking... #ESPN500 — Randy Daniels (@itsmerandyd) March 27, 2012
Bryce Harper nudges out Ryan Leaf and Tony Mandrich too @ESPN_MLB #ESPN500 — Dodger Therapy (@Dodger_Therapy) March 27, 2012
Call me crazy, but someone should have to actually be a MLB player to be ranked in the top 200 of @ESPN_MLB's #ESPN500. — Steve Kriske (@Kickpuncher) March 27, 2012
Bryce Harper is ranked 190th on #ESPN500? C'mon he's in the minors he shouldn't be on this list at all — Tim Stoeckle (@SJBrotherlyLove) March 27, 2012
So Bryce Harper ranks 190 based on the strength of his hypothetical stats? #espn500 — Mark Webb (@junglehappiness) March 27, 2012
Confusing how Bryce Harper hasn't played a game in Triple A yet, but still in top 200?! #ESPN500 — Taylor Kandel (@TaylorKandel25) March 27, 2012
191	Logan Morrison @LoMoMarlins Left Field \| @Marlins \| Age: 24 \| Stats	5.56
He shouldn't dignify it MT @ESPN_MLB What does @LoMoMarlins think abt Bryce Harper 1 spot ahead of him on #ESPN500 es.pn/Hbuy9h — Peter Mellman (@pmellman) March 27, 2012
192	Gavin Floyd RHP \| @whitesox \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.56
193	Russell Martin @russellmartin55 Catcher \| @Yankees \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.56
How does #ESPN500 justify having Russell Martin at 193 and Jarrod Saltamacchia at 319? Similar number last year; he's THAT much better? — Nathan Barillari (@NBarillari33) March 27, 2012
194	Austin Jackson Center Field \| @Tigers \| Age: 25 \| Stats	5.56
195	Matt Harrison LHP \| @Rangers \| Age: 26 \| Stats	5.55
196	Justin Morneau @JustinMorneau First Base \| @Twins \| Age: 31 \| Stats	5.53
Morneau ranked #196 by ESPN. Not sure if this is an anti-Canadian bias, or an anti-people who haven't been healthy since 2010 bias. #ESPN500 — Collin Beck (@beckthemediocre) March 27, 2012
197	Ike Davis First Base \| @Mets \| Age: 25 \| Stats	5.53
198	Wilson Ramos Catcher \| @Nationals \| Age: 24 \| Stats	5.53
199	Joe Nathan @JoeNathan36 RHP \| @Rangers \| Age: 37 \| Stats	5.50
Joe Nathan, a RP with huge question marks is ranked 20 spots ahead of Brandon Beachy, a SP who posted elite K numbers as a rookie #ESPN500 — Russell Brown (@rj_brown77) March 27, 2012
200	Geovany Soto Catcher \| @Cubs \| Age: 29 \| Stats	5.50