Way too early 2018 MLB player power rankings: 30-21

We're getting over the hump in theScore's MLB player rankings countdown. Plenty can change in a few months, whether it's an injury or a trade to an unfavorable situation, but for now, here's how the rankings shake out just before we reach the top 20. If you're just joining us, check out the links to parts one and two below.

50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

30. Andrelton Simmons, Angels

The best defender in baseball added an offensive layer to his game this past season. He was a borderline top-50 player when all he had was a glove, and now he's a well-rounded force with the bat. Simmons has flirted with pop before, but he's been swinging a solid bat since arriving in Anaheim.

29. J.D. Martinez, free agent

Martinez hit 29 home runs in 62 games after being acquired by the Diamondbacks at the July 31 trade deadline. He hit 45 total bombs despite not making his regular season debut until May 12. The powerful right-handed slugger also matched a National League record with 16 homers in September alone. He's about to get paid accordingly.

28. Anthony Rizzo, Cubs

Rizzo is as steady a hitter as you'll find. He's hit 32 homers in three of the last four seasons, and hit 31 in the lone outlier. Where he showcased a marked improvement in 2017 is his patience at the plate. He walked more often and struck out less than he has in any season since his Cubs debut in 2012.

27. Freddie Freeman, Braves

Injuries have limited Freeman's playing time on occasion, but when he's on the field, he's a beast. He has a career slash line of .290/.376/.496 and seems to keep improving. Heck, he even played a little third base in 2017. Freeman looks to be the face of the Braves' rebuild.

26. Charlie Blackmon, Rockies

Nearly a finalist for NL MVP, Blackmon led the majors in base hits (213), triples (14), runs scored, and RBIs by a leadoff hitter en route to securing the NL batting title. Every season has been better than the one preceding it, so it remains to be seen if he's reached his ceiling.

25. Justin Turner, Dodgers

A late bloomer, Turner is coming off his best season yet. The orange one pretty much carried the Dodgers into the World Series after dismantling the Diamondbacks and Cubs (he shared NLCS MVP honors with Chris Taylor). He's one of the most valuable pieces on a championship team in waiting.

24. Justin Verlander, Astros

Verlander earned plenty of goodwill for his performance after being traded to Houston at the end of August. In five September starts, he was 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA across 34 innings. He was even better in the ALCS against the Yankees (0.56 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 16 innings). Prior to the trade, he looked like a shell of his former self. Now, he's back among the best.

23. Cody Bellinger, Dodgers

The runaway winner of the National League Rookie of the Year Award has an incredibly bright future. He's only 22 and nearly reached the 40-homer plateau. Bellinger will need to prove it wasn't a one-off, but he didn't come out of nowhere. He was considered one of the Dodgers' top hitting prospects entering 2017.

22. Nolan Arenado, Rockies

Everyone's aware Arenado plays his home games at Coors Field, so using that as a caveat for his success is getting tired. Even if his numbers are buoyed by a small home-field advantage, he has played expert defense at the hot corner no matter what stadium he's in.

21. Manny Machado, Orioles

After back-to-back finishes among the top five in MVP voting, Machado took a step back offensively. He recorded his worst batting average and on-base percentage of his career over a full season of play. The home runs were there, but he was otherwise disappointing. At 25, it's premature to knock him down too much, and that defense is often a thing of beauty. A free agent after the season, there's also plenty of speculation that his days as an Oriole are numbered, and perhaps sooner than later.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)