Texas Rangers Legend, Ace Among Top 100 Pros of 2000s

A countdown of the top 100 professional athletes of the 21st century by ESPN includes Texas Rangers legend Adrian Beltre and ace pitcher Max Scherzer.

Jul 14, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports | Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

A Texas Rangers legend and the club’s most-accomplished starting pitcher are among the top professional athletes of the 21st century.

At least according to ESPN.

The 100 best pros since 2000 are being unveiled on ESPN.com, and two so far have series Rangers ties. Hall of Famer Adrian Beltré and certain Hall of Famer Max Scherzer have made the list so far, as the players from Nos. 26-100 have been revealed.

Beltré checked in at No. 52. Per ESPN.com:

Key accomplishments: Since Jan. 1, 2000: five-time Gold Glove winner, two-time Platinum Glove winner, four-time All-Star, 455 HRs in career (fifth most since 2000); Hall of Famer.

The lore of Beltre has grown since his retirement following the 2018 season and placed him alongside Mike Schmidt and Brooks Robinson among the game's best third basemen. No one at third played more games than Beltre, a testament to his willingness to grit through pain. He manned the position with grace and consistency, two tenets that apply to the rest of his game. Beltre's counting stats never screamed superstar, he never won an MVP and his allergy to walks limited his ceiling. But that's all ancillary to the truth of who Adrian Beltre was: the ultimate ballplayer's ballplayer.

Scherzer, the subject of recent trade speculation that he’s shut down, is a tad higher at No. 46. Per ESPN.com:

Key accomplishments: Three-time Cy Young winner, two-time World Series champion, eight-time All-Star, top 10 all time in strikeouts, threw two no-hitters in 2015.

Scherzer pitched the most dominant back-to-back games in MLB history. On June 14, 2015, he pitched a 16-strikeout one-hitter, allowing only a bloop single. In his next start, he lost a perfect game when he hit the 27th batter. He has had a record-tying 20-strikeout game, postseason heroics and one of the greatest months ever in June 2019 (6-0, 1.00 ERA, 68 strikeouts) -- which he accomplished with a broken nose. He threw 98 mph while mixing in four other pitches. Most of all, though, the lasting image will be his intensity, notably his stomping around on the mound after recording another strikeout.

The website has yet to reveal Nos. 1-25.

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