ESPN 500: Players No. 51-100

Updated: March 29, 2012, 1:40 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 on 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
51	Stephen Strasburg @Stras37 RHP \| @Nationals \| Age: 23 \| Stats	7.15
52	Jonathan Papelbon RHP \| @Phillies \| Age: 31 \| Stats	7.09
53	Yovani Gallardo @itsyotime RHP \| @Brewers \| Age: 26 \| Stats	7.09
54	James Shields RHP \| @RaysBaseball \| Age: 30 \| Stats	7.00
55	Matt Moore LHP \| @RaysBaseball \| Age: 23 \| Stats	6.94
56	Mike Napoli @MikeNapoli25 Catcher \| @Rangers \| Age: 30 \| Stats	6.91
@ESPN_MLB Looks like Mike Napoli got the last laugh being ranked higher than C.J. Wilson on the #ESPN500. — Zachary J. Loesl (@mmm9731) March 29, 2012
57	Kevin Youkilis Third Base \| @RedSox \| Age: 33 \| Stats	6.84
58	C.J. Wilson @str8edgeracer LHP \| @Angels \| Age: 31 \| Stats	6.84
@ESPN_MLB is this for fantasy draft points?All I know is I'm getting better every year — C.J. Wilson (@str8edgeracer) March 30, 2012
59	Nelson Cruz Right Field \| @Rangers \| Age: 31 \| Stats	6.84
60	David Wright Third Base \| @Mets \| Age: 29 \| Stats	6.84
61	Ian Kennedy RHP \| @Dbacks \| Age: 27 \| Stats	6.81
62	Yu Darvish @faridyu RHP \| @Rangers \| Age: 25 \| Stats	6.81
Yu Darvish at 62??? Come on @ESPN_MLB... #Waytoohigh #ESPN500 — RoyalVince (@RoyalVince) March 29, 2012
63	Elvis Andrus Shortstop \| @Rangers \| Age: 23 \| Stats	6.78
64	Brian Wilson @BrianWilson38 RHP \| @SFGiants \| Age: 28 \| Stats	6.75
@ESPN_MLB Brian Wilson at 64? Sure if you like below average relief pitchers who can't throw strikes. Saves and beards do wonders. #ESPN500 — Brandon Gray (@bginda2g) March 29, 2012
65	Pablo Sandoval @KFP48 Third Base \| @SFGiants \| Age: 25 \| Stats	6.75
66	Ryan Howard @ryanhoward First Base \| @Phillies \| Age: 32 \| Stats	6.75
@jaskline2007 The man won't play untilJune! 66 is WAY too generous about him this year. Send him to the 300+ department. #ESPN500 — Jordan (@SomeLoudCheese) March 29, 2012
67	Chase Utley Second Base \| @Phillies \| Age: 33 \| Stats	6.75
68	Jay Bruce @JayABruce Right Field \| @Reds \| Age: 25 \| Stats	6.75
69	Matt Wieters Catcher \| @Orioles \| Age: 26 \| Stats	6.75
70	Neftali Feliz @NefFeliz RHP \| @Rangers \| Age: 24 \| Stats	6.69
71	Josh Beckett RHP \| @RedSox \| Age: 32 \| Stats	6.69
72	David Ortiz @davidortiz Designated Hitter \| @RedSox \| Age: 36 \| Stats	6.66
73	Alex Avila Catcher \| @Tigers \| Age: 25 \| Stats	6.66
74	Michael Pineda RHP \| @Yankees \| Age: 23 \| Stats	6.66
75	Paul Konerko First Base \| @whitesox \| Age: 36 \| Stats	6.63
76	Mat Latos RHP \| @Reds \| Age: 24 \| Stats	6.63
77	Ricky Romero @RickyRo24 LHP \| @BlueJays \| Age: 27 \| Stats	6.63
Ricky Romero ranked at 77! Good spot but deffinatly could be higher! Romero is going to be one of the best this season #ESPN500 — David Brick (@DaveBrick18) March 29, 2012
78	Asdrubal Cabrera Shortstop \| @Indians \| Age: 26 \| Stats	6.59
79	Brandon Phillips @DatDudeBP Second Base \| @Reds \| Age: 31 \| Stats	6.59
@espn_mlb You mean to tell me that the best 2B in the league, @DatDudeBP is 79 on your list? Too low. Too low. #ESPN500 #3030 #SilverAndGold — Kyle Hampton (@kyleThampton) March 29, 2012
80	Carlos Santana Catcher \| @Indians \| Age: 26 \| Stats	6.56
This is the season when people began to acknowledge Carlos Santana as a star and the future face of CLE, lets get him higher on #ESPN500 — Double Dees (@DeMattiOhh) March 29, 2012
Carlos Santana at 80? What a joke. He hit .239 last year. This list just keeps getting worse #ESPN500 — Mark Munizzi (@LaFlamaBlanca_9) March 29, 2012
@DeMattiOhh @espn_mlb you still have to hit for a higher average than .239 to be a top 100 player. I'd put him around 125. — Mark Munizzi (@LaFlamaBlanca_9) March 29, 2012
81	Michael Young Utility \| @Rangers \| Age: 35 \| Stats	6.56
82	David Robertson @DRob30 RHP \| @Yankees \| Age: 27 \| Stats	6.55
@ESPN_MLB So if Robertson @DRob30 had a stache like @JohnAxford, would he merit 25 places above his true value? #ESPN500 — WC Thompson (@mrbigscore) March 29, 2012
83	Brett Lawrie @blawrie13 Third Base \| @BlueJays \| Age: 22 \| Stats	6.55
84	John Axford @JohnAxford RHP \| @Brewers \| Age: 29 \| Stats	6.53
85	Lance Berkman First Base \| @Cardinals \| Age: 36 \| Stats	6.53
86	Madison Bumgarner LHP \| @SFGiants \| Age: 22 \| Stats	6.53
If we throw out a rough April, Bumgarner had a 2.83 ERA with a strikeout to walk ratio of 5.Expect to see in the top 50 in 2013. #ESPN500 — John Leary (@GreenLineOutfit) March 29, 2012
87	Hunter Pence @HunterPence3 Right Field \| @Phillies \| Age: 29 \| Stats	6.53
@ESPN_MLB wait Hunter Pence at 87! He's 10x better than brett lawrie and utley. Dont let houston days ruin ranking. Check the stats #ESPN500 — Max Rizer (@stat4stat) March 29, 2012
@ESPN_MLB @HunterPence3 is wayyyyyy better than 87. He should be under 50 easy. #ESPN500 — Melissa Linn (@melissaalice18) March 29, 2012
@espn_mlb you gotta be kidding me. this list is the worst possible list. pence before castro are u serious? poor poor decision making — Steven Kasper (@hashtagsteve001) March 29, 2012
88	Starlin Castro Shortstop \| @Cubs \| Age: 22 \| Stats	6.53
Starlin Castro is the top rising star in the MLB how can he be at 88 #ESPN500 — Brett Steilen (@UncleSteilen) March 29, 2012
89	Eric Hosmer @Hos3KC First Base \| @Royals \| Age: 22 \| Stats	6.52
@ESPN_MLB actually think @Hos3KC is too low. He is going to be a superstar. Definitely better than quite a few people ahead of him #ESPN500 — Terry Roberts (@TRoberts313) March 29, 2012
90	Rickie Weeks Second Base \| @Brewers \| Age: 29 \| Stats	6.50
91	Shane Victorino @ShaneVictorino Center Field \| @Phillies \| Age: 31 \| Stats	6.50
92	Gio Gonzalez LHP \| @Nationals \| Age: 26 \| Stats	6.47
93	Jonny Venters LHP \| @Braves \| Age: 27 \| Stats	6.45
94	Jimmy Rollins @JimmyRollins11 Shortstop \| @Phillies \| Age: 33 \| Stats	6.44
95	Carlos Beltran @carlosbeltran15 Right Field \| @Cardinals \| Age: 35 \| Stats	6.41
Here's the latest #ESPN500 link if you're curious: espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id& Enjoy that Beltran got some love. A lot of it's good. — Sky Kalkman (@Sky_Kalkman) March 29, 2012
96	Alex Gordon Left Field \| @Royals \| Age: 28 \| Stats	6.41
97	Ben Zobrist @TheZobrists Utility \| @RaysBaseball \| Age: 31 \| Stats	6.41
Ben Zobrist not getting a lot of love from the #ESPN500 rankings. The most versatile player in the MLB that is also extremely productive. — Kyle Walleser (@KyleWalleser) March 29, 2012
98	Matt Garza RHP \| @Cubs \| Age: 28 \| Stats	6.41
99	Ryan Madson @RyanMadson46 RHP \| @Reds \| Age: 31 \| Stats *OUT FOR THE SEASON*	6.38
100	Heath Bell @HeathBell21 RHP \| @Marlins \| Age: 34 \| Stats	6.38
@ESPN_MLB How can @HeathBell21 (100) be that far behind Brian Wilson (64)? I'm a Giants fan, but lets be real here. #ESPN500 — Ben Yarrington (@benyarrington) March 29, 2012