Friday Five: Top 5 Position Player Rookies of 2015

This afternoon Topps posted their All-Rookie team on their blog.  As a kid I used to love finding the cards in the Topps sets with the little cup.  Sometimes they were good players, other years were a little leaner and there were some rather mediocre players running around with the Topps Cup on their cards.  When I sat down to plan my posts for this week I originally had the idea to make my own version of the Topps All-Rookie team.  

I would do a little comparing and contrasting with the Topps list when it was released, post a few pictures of the Rookie Cup next to some baseball cards.  It was going to be a great post.  Then I started looking at some of the stats for the rookie players.  I actually had a few notes written down from my podcast I made few weeks back where I did a little prognosticating about the awards season.  Well, there was the one guy from the Cubs who was the best rookie.  Another third baseman was on my list and about three or four shortstops.  

If Francisco Lindor could change his position to first base this would be a lot easier this year.  I still made the All-Topps post and will share tomorrow.  Seriously not an easy job given the fact that the best five rookies play two positions.  In the meantime, here are my five best rookie players....

5.  Matt Duffy 3B San Francisco Giants 

I am not sure that Duffy will hang with the rest of the players on this last in the long run, but he still had a great year.  In the long run, I think Duffy will be a solid everyday player.  Nothing flashy, but there's nothing wrong with running him out to the hot corner 150 times a year.  This year Duffy produced a .295/.334/.428 slash line along with 46 extra base hits.  

4.  Jung Ho Kang SS Pittsburgh Pirates 

Kang ended up missing the last few weeks of the season due to injury, but still had a really good run after moving over from the KBO.  In his first year with the Pirates he hit .287/.355/.461 with 41 extra bases.  Most years Kang would get a little bit more love, maybe even contended for the National League Rookie of the year.  In 2015, he's the third best shortstop on this list.  

3.  Francisco Lindor SS Cleveland Indians 

Lindor was a really good player in these parts a summer or to back when he starred for the Carolina Mudcats.  He was an exceptional defensive player, but I was never quite sure if he would hit when he reach the Majors.  He definitely held his own this summer with a .313/.353/.482 mark with 48 extra base hits and 12 steals playing part of the season with the Indians.  

2.  Carlos Correa SS Houston Astros 

Correa deservedly won the American League Rookie of the Year Award after helping the Astros win the American League West pennant.  The former number one overall pick hit .279/.245/.512 with 45 extra base hits in just under 400 at-bats.  He should be a fun player to watch for years to come in Houston.  

1.  Kris Bryant 3B Chicago Cubs 

An easy choice for the top spot on my list.  Bryant went .275/.369/.488 with 62 extra base hits during his first summer on the north side.  He should be around for a long time and should push his home run total higher than the 26 he hit during his Rookie of the Year campaign this season.