The top 15 MLB plays of 2017

Baseball fans across the world are wowed by the remarkable plays made throughout any given year - and 2017 was no exception. From spring training to the World Baseball Classic right on through to a bonkers World Series, this year's highlight reel is not short on "wow" moments.

So before we say farewell to 2017 for good, let's look back one last time at the top 15 plays in baseball from last season.

15: Josh Harrison's unique skip-slide

Stopping short is Josh Harrison's move. When he looked to be dead on arrival at second during a game against Washington, Harrison cheekily avoided the tag with a pop-up slide several feet from the bag, before jumping past the outstretched glove to safety.

14: Andrelton Simmons dekes out the Astros by himself

Andrelton Simmons will tag you out as you sleep. He's head and shoulders above the rest of his peers defensively, as evidenced by this insane sequence that saw him lure Jose Altuve into an out while simultaneously faking out every member of the Houston Astros organization in the process.

13: Byron Buxton, regular-season edition

There are too many plays to choose from when looking for Byron Buxton highlights, so we're picking this Mother's Day grab that stole extra bases from Carlos Santana as his best work during the regular season. No wonder he was named the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year in November.

12: Kevin Pillar hits the bricks

Fear is not a word that's in Kevin Pillar's vocabulary. The Toronto Blue Jays center fielder, known for his acrobatic catches that often feature him coming face to face with outfield walls, took things to a whole new level in August when he ran straight into Wrigley Field's bricks - and still somehow managed to hang onto Kris Bryant's fly ball.

11: Byron Buxton, playoff edition

The Twins may have lost this wild-card game, but not before Buxton stole the show in the Bronx with this dramatic catch against the wall versus Todd Frazier. Unfortunately there wasn't a happy ending for Buxton as he hurt his back on the play and had to leave the game, but it's still a remarkable grab given the circumstances.

10: Alex Bregman cuts down Greg Bird in Game 7

It's hard to believe that Alex Bregman only started playing third base two years ago. To nail Greg Bird at the plate on this crucial play in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, Bregman's throw had to be on-the-button perfect - and that's exactly what the 23-year-old did. Bregman showed poise beyond his years making this Brooks Robinson-esque throw for an incredible out that all but clinched Houston the pennant. Bonus points to Brian McCann for the wicked (and legal) tag.

9: Adam Jones' WBC-saving catch

This catch is already firmly entrenched in both World Baseball Classic and Team USA lore. Adam Jones absolutely robbed the Dominican Republic's Manny Machado of a game-changing homer in the second round with this sensational grab in San Diego. No doubt Jones reminded Machado of this one frequently in the Orioles' clubhouse.

8: Aaron Judge hits baseball to Albany

All rise for this 495-foot blast off the bat of Aaron Judge that was the longest hit by anybody in 2017. Your move, Giancarlo Stanton.

7: Andrelton backpedals, juggles, hangs on anyway

At some point we've got to start the Andrelton Simmons-Ozzie Smith comparisons, because he's just that good at playing shortstop. Simmons makes an incredibly difficult play like this circus act of a pop-up catch - which is probably an error 95 percent of the time - look absolutely routine. We wouldn't put it past him to have planned that bobble on the run for showmanship.

6: Buxton's record sprint 'round the bases

In case you needed any reminders about Buxton's speed, his legs created this inside-the-park home run, which he completed in a StatCast record 13.45-second dash around the bases at Target Field. That'll earn you a nice big circle from Bert.

5: JBJ steals one from Judge

Judge finished 2017 with a rookie record 52 home runs, because Jackie Bradley Jr. got in the way of No. 53. Ranging deep into the always treacherous Fenway Park triangle, Bradley went up the wall for a ridiculous leaping grab. That's about the only way you can stop Judge.

4: Billy Hamilton, backhand on the wall

Try and find one logical reason why Billy Hamilton has still never won a Gold Glove. Seriously, go ahead. We can wait.

3: Andrelton reaches around to tag Segura mid-air

We're running out of superlatives for Simmons' defense. Yes, he needed the help of replay here, but in fairness to the poor umpire how could anyone but Simmons himself have noticed this tag in real time? How does Simmons even have the flexibility to apply this tag with such ease? Such are the mysteries of the universe.

2: Chris Coghlan leaps over Yadier Molina

You might not remember that Chris Coghlan played for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017, but Yadier Molina sure does. Back in April, Coghlan risked life and limb and neck to score a run by leaping - or was it a dive? A jump? - over a puzzled Molina and touching home plate with his head in one of the most weird, insane, and truly remarkable "slides" ever seen on a diamond. Sorry, Yadi, but this really was the baseball equivalent of a posterizing dunk.

1: Austin Jackson wall-flipping HR grab

We are speechless. We are without speech. Just like Hanley Ramirez was moments after Austin Jackson did this to him.

It was quite possibly the greatest catch ever made at Fenway Park, and easily the best play of 2017. Take a bow, Austin Jackson.