AL East 2015: Center Fielder Rankings
By Nate Wardle
Sep 19, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (22) hits a two-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
2. New York Yankees – Jacoby Ellsbury, Chris Young, Mason Williams
Ellsbury again comes in second, although I would say Jones widened the gap between first and second. Another veteran, Ellsbury in his first year with the Yankees was in many ways their best hitter, even while having a down year. Ellsbury again was a force on the bases, swiping 39. His slash line of .271/.328/.419 was around 20 points worse than his career marks across the board.
Ellsbury finished second in the AL in stolen bases, and also had one of the best fielding percentages by an outfielder. He is still a very good player, but his offensive year was probably a bit worse than Yankee fans hoped for.
Chris Young is the fourth outfielder for the Yanks in 2015, but Mason Williams is a guy the team likes a lot. Rated as one of the top 100 prospects in baseball, Williams struggled last year in AA Trenton, so he likely will have more seasoning in store in the minors in 2015.
Next: Rising star on the horizon...