Way too early 2018 MLB player power rankings: 50-41

The winter meetings have come and gone, and the wait for the regular season has begun in earnest. In the months before pitchers and catchers report, it's time to ask who will be 2018's kings of baseball. The following rankings are a combination of past performance and future projections. There were plenty of tough decisions (Robinson Cano was a narrow miss) and some that will prove overly optimistic (are we too enamored with Aaron Judge's small sample?), but if there's one thing these rankings show, it's that this is a golden age for baseball talent.

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

Honorable mentions: Dallas Keuchel, Astros; Marcus Stroman, Blue Jays; Yoenis Cespedes, Mets; Jake Arrieta, free agent; Evan Longoria, Rays; Edwin Encarnacion, Indians; Robinson Cano, Mariners; Lorenzo Cain, free agent; Jose Quintana, Cubs; Jose Abreu, White Sox

50. Chris Archer, Rays

2017 stats

Don't let the ERA fool you, Archer is one of baseball's preeminent aces. He's a lock for around 200 innings and has a serious swing-and-miss arsenal. After suffering through a career-high .325 batting average on balls in play, his failures can at least partially be chalked up to bad luck.

49. Gary Sanchez, Yankees

No victim of the dreaded sophomore slump, Sanchez's power was unleashed in the second half of the season, in which he drilled 20 of his 33 homers. His strong arm helps forgive some of his blocking issues behind the plate, but it's a reminder he's got room to grow. Really, though, it's his bat that does the talking. He's the first Yankees catcher to hit 31 bombs in a single season.

48. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

After looking dead in the water in 2016 and the start of 2017, McCutchen reclaimed past glory with an incredible run through June and July. This may not be the Cutch of old, but that smile he flashes when he's on his game makes you think he's found the fountain of youth. He capped a resurgent season by finally hitting the first grand slam of his career.

47. Justin Upton, Angels

Upton put up a steady 2017 between the Tigers and Angels, reaching career bests in home runs and RBIs. He should continue to see plenty of pitches if he continues to slot in behind superstar Mike Trout. It's also worth noting that Upton has never had a bad full season.

46. Jacob deGrom, Mets

The Mets' only qualified starter in 2017, deGrom is blossoming into one of the most reliable arms in the NL. He struck batters out at the strongest clip of his career, throwing a balanced array of five pitches with a sickening (to batters) amount of movement and velocity.

45. George Springer, Astros

Were it not for Charlie Blackmon, Springer would be the most impactful leadoff hitter in the game. As is, he continues to make strides at the dish, striking out less often than ever while improving his home run stroke. He showed it off in style in the postseason, blasting five long balls during the World Series alone.

44. Carlos Carrasco, Indians

The second half of the American League's best one-two punch atop a rotation, Carrasco topped 200 innings for the first time in his career, recording a rare immaculate inning in the process. He'd be most teams' ace pitcher. In Cleveland, he's still playing second fiddle, but that might not be the case much longer.

43. Buster Posey, Giants

Still the best all-around catcher in the game, Posey was one of the Giants' few bright spots. There isn't a hole in his game, and he'll only be 31 when the 2018 season gets underway.

42. Brian Dozier, Twins

While he didn't have as potent a season as his 2016, Dozier continued to showcase a balance of power and speed. He's no longer suffering on the batting average front, which plagued him early in his career.

41. Kevin Kiermaier, Rays

A defensive wizard, Kiermaier runs at breakneck speeds and makes absurd catches with relative ease. And he's no slouch with the bat these days, either. Imagine what these numbers would have looked like expanded across a full season. A future 30-30 campaign isn't out of the realm of possibility.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)