Luis Robert Jr. Makes Massive Jump In ESPN's Top 100 Rankings

The Chicago White Sox had two players crack ESPN’s 2024 Top 100 players list. To nobody’s surprise, Luis Robert Jr. was the highest-ranked South Sider coming in at No. 23. Dylan Cease came in at No. 57. 

The White Sox had five players ranked inside the Top 100 last season. Those five included Cease, Tim Anderson, Robert, Lucas Giolito, and Eloy Jimenez. The White Sox parted ways with both Anderson and Giolito, who each did not make this year's list. Jimenez also fell out of the Top 100. 

No. 23 Luis Robert Jr. 

Robert made the largest jump from any player on the ESPN Top 100 list. In 2023 he was ranked No. 92, marking a 69-spot leap. Last year he finally blossomed into the superstar the White Sox had envisioned when they signed him to a six-year deal. The 26-year had shown flashes of potential in years past but benefitted from a full season of health, playing in a career-high 145 games. Robert also set new career highs with 38 home runs, 75 extra-base hits, 80 RBIs, 20 stolen bases,  and a 5.0 WAR en route to his first Silver Slugger award. 

ESPN predicts that he will lead the White Sox in bWAR and top 30 homers once again in 2024. An argument could be made that Robert was placed too low given his contributions on the defensive end. 

Robert was tied with Kevin Kiermaier, who won the Gold Glove Award,  for the highest center field Outs Above Average in the American League at +13. That placed Robert in the MLB’s top 98th percentile. 

The Cuban outfielder also recorded 370 putouts, the most by any outfielder in the MLB. His 2.81 Range Factor Per/9 innings, which measures the number of putouts and assists per inning played, was the highest in the MLB. He also produced the most double plays from center field in the league and ranked in the top five in fielding percentage, Range Factor Per Game, and defensive games played in center field. 

ESPN argues that while his offensive production improved his strikeout rate spiked from 19.2 percent in 2022 to 28.9 percent in 2023. His 5 percent walk rate also placed him in the bottom seven percent of the league. 

No. 57 Dylan Cease 

Dylan Cease was ESPN’s highest-rated White Sox player entering the 2023 campaign, coming in at No. 43 on their Top-100 list.  A 4.58 ERA and 10.1% walk rate pushed him back 14 spots this season. 

Cease’s strikeout rate fell nearly three percent from 2022 last season, but he still managed to punch out opponents at a 27.3% clip, which was above league average. In 33 starts and racked up 214 strikeouts in 177 innings. His 10.881 strikeouts per nine innings ranked second in the American League. Cease also ranks 10th amongst all MLB pitchers in Wins Above Replacement from 2021-2023 with a 12.2 WAR in 97 starts. 

Cease told ESPN’s Jesse Rodgers that he visited a physical therapist “three to four times a week” over the offseason to help reduce tricep soreness he had been experiencing the last several winters. He hopes that the extra PT work aided his preparations for the upcoming season as he tries to return to his 2022 form. White Sox manager Pedro Grifol has already named Cease the team’s Opening Day starter. 

ESPN predicts he will get off to a fast start but will end up with a contending team by the end of the year.