Only One Cubs Player Cracks MLB Network's Top 100 Right Now Player Rankings

MLB Network recently released its annual 'Top 100 Right Now' player rankings. Each year, the network ranks the top 100 players in Major League Baseball entering the new season.

Entering the 2023 season, only one Cubs player cracked the list, and hint, that player wasn't on the Cubs last year.

Shortstop Dansby Swanson was ranked the 39th-best player in this year's rankings. A year ago, he did not crack the top 100, at all.

In the final year of his contract with the Atlanta Braves, Swanson put together his finest Major League season yet, slashing .277/.329/.776 with 25 home runs, 96 RBI, 18 stolen bases and a 115 OPS+. Swanson received his first National League Gold Glove and his first All-Star appearance in 2022.

He was rewarded for his efforts, receiving a seven-year, $177 million contract with the Cubs.

Swanson will take over at shortstop, moving Nico Hoerner to second base, and Nick Madrigal to third base. Swanson was not the only free agent the Cubs signed over the winter.

The Cubs had a very active offseason, signing Jameson Taillon, Trey Mancini, Cody Bellinger, Tucker Barnhart, Michael Fulmer, Brad Boxberger and Eric Hosmer. Now the Cubs have a number of veteran players on short-term contracts, with the exception of Taillon and Swanson. Taillon received a four-year, $68 million deal.

The Cubs are hoping to improve from their 74-win season in 2022 and take advantage of what is expected to be a rather weak National League Central division.

One Cubs player that did not crack the top 100 list, that probably should have is Nico Hoerner.

In his first full season as the club's primary shortstop, Hoerner led the club in Wins Above Replacement (4.0). He placed second among National League shortstops in Defensive Runs Saved with 10. Hoerner broke out in his age-25 season in 2022, batting .281 with 20 stolen bases and ten home runs.

Hoerner could very well be on the top 100 list a year from now. Seiya Suzuki also impressed in his rookie season in 2022, batting .262 with 14 home runs in 111 games. He could also land on the top 100 list a year from now.

Here is a look at the entire Top 100:

100) Giancarlo Stanton, OF/DH, Yankees (2022 rank: 61)

99) Adolis García, OF, Rangers (2022 rank: not ranked)

98) Yandy Díaz, INF, Rays (2022 rank: not ranked)

97) Logan Webb, SP, Giants (2022 rank: not ranked)

96) Joe Musgrove, SP, Padres (2022 rank: not ranked)

95) Yu Darvish, SP, Padres (2022 rank: not ranked)

94) Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Phillies (2022 rank: not ranked)

93) Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B/OF, Marlins (2022 rank: not ranked)

92) Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals (2022 rank: not ranked)

91) Nestor Cortes, SP, Yankees (2022 rank: not ranked)

90) Alejandro Kirk, C, Blue Jays (2022 rank: not ranked)

89) Ty France, INF, Mariners (2022 rank: not ranked)

88) Christian Walker, 1B, D-backs (2022 rank: not ranked)

87) Eloy Jiménez, LF, White Sox (2022 rank: not ranked)

86) Luis Robert, CF, White Sox (2022 rank: 50)

85) Daulton Varsho, C/OF, Blue Jays (2022 rank: not ranked)

84) Sean Murphy, C, Braves (2022 rank: not ranked)

83) Teoscar Hernández, OF, Mariners (2022 rank: 65)

82) Devin Williams, RP, Brewers (2022 rank: not ranked)

81) Clayton Kershaw, SP, Dodgers (2022 rank: 93)

80) Cristian Javier, SP, Astros (2022 rank: not ranked)

79) Aaron Nola, SP, Phillies (2022 rank: not ranked)

78) Tommy Edman, 2B, Cardinals (2022 rank: not ranked)

77) Brandon Woodruff, SP, Brewers (2022 rank: 38)

76) Shane Bieber, SP, Guardians (2022 rank: 37)

75) Matt Chapman, 3B, Blue Jays (2022 rank: 83)

74) Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Yankees (2022 rank: not ranked)

73) Willson Contreras, C, Cardinals (2022 rank: not ranked)

72) Tim Anderson, SS, White Sox (2022 rank: 31)

71) Cedric Mullins, CF, Orioles (2022 rank: 44)

70) Nathaniel Lowe, 1B, Rangers (2022 rank: not ranked)

69) Zac Gallen, SP, D-backs (2022 rank: not ranked)

68) Shane McClanahan, SP, Rays (2022 rank: not ranked)

67) Luis Castillo, SP, Mariners (2022 rank: not ranked)

66) Steven Kwan, LF, Guardians (2022 rank: not ranked)

65) Spencer Strider, SP, Braves (2022 rank: not ranked)

64) Jeremy Peña, SS, Astros (2022 rank: not ranked)

63) Luis Arraez, INF, Marlins (2022 rank: not ranked)

62) Randy Arozarena, LF, Rays (2022 rank: 71)

61) Starling Marte, RF, Mets (2022 rank: 41)

60) Bryan Reynolds, OF, Pirates (2022 rank: 43)

59) Willy Adames, SS, Brewers (2022 rank: 81)

58) Wander Franco, SS, Rays (2022 rank: 40)

57) Alek Manoah, SP, Blue Jays (2022 rank: not ranked)

56) Framber Valdez, SP, Astros (2022 rank: not ranked)

55) Dylan Cease, SP, White Sox (2022 rank: not ranked)

54) Brandon Nimmo, CF, Mets (2022 rank: not ranked)

53) Michael Harris II, CF, Braves (2022 rank: not ranked)

52) Emmanuel Clase, RP, Guardians (2022 rank: not ranked)

51) Edwin Díaz, RP, Mets (2022 rank: not ranked)

50) Julio Urías, SP, Dodgers (2022 rank: 49)

49) George Springer, CF, Blue Jays (2022 rank: 33)

48) Byron Buxton, CF, Twins (2022 rank: 39)

47) Andrés Giménez, 2B, Guardians (2022 rank: not ranked)

46) Marcus Semien, 2B, Rangers (2022 rank: 20)

45) Jeff McNeil, 2B, Mets (2022 rank: not ranked)

44) Kyle Schwarber, LF, Phillies (2022 rank: 80)

43) Matt Olson, 1B, Braves (2022 rank: 26)

42) Will Smith, C, Dodgers (2022 rank: 53)

41) Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles (2022 rank: not ranked)

40) José Abreu, 1B, Astros (2022 rank: 45)

39) Dansby Swanson, SS, Cubs (2022 rank: not ranked)

38) Carlos Rodón, SP, Yankees (2022 rank: not ranked)

37) Gerrit Cole, SP, Yankees (2022 rank: 16)

36) Max Fried, SP, Braves (2022 rank: 48)

35) Zack Wheeler, SP, Phillies (2022 rank: 25)

34) Bo Bichette, SS, Blue Jays (2022 rank: 32)

33) Corey Seager, SS, Rangers (2022 rank: 21)

32) Xander Bogaerts, SS, Padres (2022 rank: 23)

31) Pete Alonso, 1B, Mets (2022 rank: 62)

30) Kyle Tucker, RF, Astros (2022 rank: 30)

29) J.T. Realmuto, C, Phillies (2022 rank: 54)

28) Jacob deGrom, SP, Rangers (2022 rank: 7)

27) Corbin Burnes, SP, Brewers (2022 rank: 24)

26) Fernando Tatis Jr., RF, Padres (2022 rank: 3)

25) Ronald Acuña Jr., CF, Braves (2022 rank: 10)

24) Alex Bregman, 3B, Astros (2022 rank: 29)

23) Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros (2022 rank: 28)

22) Carlos Correa, SS, Twins (2022 rank: 14)

21) Francisco Lindor, SS, Mets (2022 rank: 68)

20) Austin Riley, 3B, Braves (2022 rank: 34)

19) Rafael Devers, 3B, Red Sox (2022 rank: 22)

18) Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays (2022 rank: 8)

17) Bryce Harper, RF, Phillies (2022 rank: 5)

16) Julio Rodríguez, CF, Mariners (2022 rank: not ranked)

15) Max Scherzer, SP, Mets (2022 rank: 12)

14) Justin Verlander, SP, Mets (2022 rank: 92)

13) Sandy Alcantara, SP, Marlins (2022 rank: 84)

12) Juan Soto, RF, Padres (2022 rank: 4)

11) Trea Turner, SS, Phillies (2022 rank: 13)

10) Freddie Freeman, 1B, Dodgers (2022 rank: 9)

9) Yordan Alvarez, LF, Astros (2022 rank: 46)

8) Jose Ramirez, 3B, Guardians (2022 rank: 15)

7) Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Cardinals (2022 rank: 27)

6) Nolan Arenado, 3B, Cardinals (2022 rank: 19)

5) Manny Machado, 3B, Padres (2022 rank: 18)

4) Mookie Betts, RF, Dodgers (2022 rank: 6)

3) Mike Trout, CF, Angels (2022 rank: 2)

2) Aaron Judge, RF, Yankees (2022 rank: 11)

1) Shohei Ohtani, SP/DH, Angels (2022 rank: 1)

Check out the latest episode of the Jack Vita Show!

More MLB Offseason Coverage:

For more from Jack Vita, follow him on Twitter @JackVitaShow, and subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and wherever podcasts are found.