Tampa Bay Rays: Brandon Lowe Ranked American League’s 3rd Best 2B

Tis’ the season to do rankings! The Tampa Bay Rays’ minor league systems have been repeatedly honored by ranking after ranking, but let’s not forget about their big league club.

MLB.com is running through their top-ten positional rankings for the 2020 season and the Tampa Bay Rays have found a few of their everyday players among the best thus far.

Major League Baseball’s top 10 list for second basemen in 2020 only returns two players from last season’s rankings.

One of the eight new guys wears a “TB” on his cap. As a rookie, Brandon Lowe made the All-Star game by clobbering 17 homers in only 296 at-bats.

Here’s a look at MLB.com’s official second baseman rankings:

1. Ketel Marte
2. DJ LeMahieu
3. Jose Altuve
4. Ozzie Albies
5. Brandon Lowe
6. Keston Hiura
7. Mike Moustakas
8. Cavan Biggio
9. Kolten Wong
10. Luis Arraez

Lowe posted a phenomenal 2.9 rWAR in only 82 games for the Rays last season.

Brandon led the Rays in line-drive percentage last season with 26.9% of his batted balls being frozen ropes.

He was on pace for 11 defensive-runs saved at second base last season, prior to suffering his season-ending quad injury in a rehab assignment in Triple-A.

Lowe first hit the injured list in July with a bruise on his leg from a foul ball. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t play again.

2020 Outlook

In addition to line-drive percentage, Lowe also led the team in strikeout percentage. If he can maintain the high line-drive rate it will create a nice floor for his batting average.

Over his career 125 games, Lowe has 425 total at-bats and 23 home runs. His career-power numbers are through the roof for a second baseman thus far.

His 162-game average sits at 30 doubles, 30 home runs, and 98 RBI. He is slugging .494 for his young career.

Brandon Lowe has exploded onto the Major League scene with relentless power from the keystone position. Lowe has been every bit the slugger he was in college (.509) and Triple-A (.596).

The remaining positional rankings are scheduled to be released by MLB.com as follows:

Feb. 1: Shortstops & Starting pitchers
Feb. 8: Relief Pitchers & Shortstops