Julie Jacobson, AP

Although the pitching is top notch between the New York Yankees and Mets, we shouldn’t sleep on the power. Here are the city’s top sluggers.

By Jeremy Fialkow

With the New York Yankees aging, but powerful lineup, and the New York Mets new-found slugging renaissance, who takes the cake as New York’s current Leader of the Longball?

This list won’t tell you Player A is better than player B based upon which blasted the most home runs in their career.

It takes into account the player’s trends over the past few seasons, with the additional consideration of their career production, age and potential output in the future.

For example, everyone knows Alex Rodriguez isn’t getting any better. He’s still incredibly productive – when not suspended – but can only go downhill from here. On the other hand, a player such as Lucas Duda, who just turned 30, has finally begun to figure out how to use his brute strength to the best of his ability.

So, without further ado, here’s how we rank the top power hitters in New York:

8. Carlos Beltran, Yankees

For most Mets fans, their lasting memory of Carlos Beltran in a Metropolitan uniform was…well, I think you can take an educated guess.

But, let’s look on the bright side. These days Beltran’s career seems to be nearing its end. The talk around town went from strike three looking to whether or not he belongs in the Hall of Fame.

(My take: Carlos is absolutely worthy of the Hall of Fame, but that’s a story for another day.)

From 2006-2008, during the Mets “glory days” of the mid-2000s (which included just one playoff appearance and two epic collapses), Beltran slammed 101 homers into the stands at Shea (RIP).

Now, Carlos is on the wrong side of 30 and his power is gradually (maybe, rapidly) declining. Yet, at times last year – on his way to 19 bombs – Beltran reminded both Mets and Yankees fans why he was so beloved in New York City.

7. Curtis Granderson, Mets

There are many things Curtis Granderson can’t do, which include: Manning center, left and right field all at once, and single-handedly winning the 2015 Fall Classic for his team.

However, one thing is for sure: The Grandy-Man can blast the stitches off a baseball. His ability to pull a ball down the first base line is like no other.

In 2011 and 2012 with the Yankees, Grandy reached career numbers in home runs with 41 and 43, respectively. Impressively, he’s proved it was no fluke.

Last season, his second in Flushing, Mets manager Terry Collins decided to put Grandy in a peculiar position by choosing to have him lead-off, top of the batting order. No one, not even Curtis at 34-years-old, knew how his power bat and approach at the plate would adapt to the new role.

The transition has seemed seamless. He smashed the new job out of the park (pun intended) to the tune of 26 homers and 70 RBI’s. Quite impressive for a player normally seen in the middle of a lineup, now tasked with getting on base for the meat of the order.

6. Brian McCann, Yankees

McCann was an easy and obvious addition to the list. However, if you think the six-spot is too low on this list, you’re crazy.

Since his rookie season in 2005, the 32-year-old has posted 20+ home runs in every year. In 2015, he exceeded his career high, knocking 26 balls over the outfield walls. He is the physical embodiment of consistency.

Add it all up and McCann has compiled 225 homers and six Silver Slugger Awards along the way.

While he doesn’t post 30+ HR seasons like his New York catcher-counterpart Mike Piazza once did, McCann’s power numbers coupled with his play behind the plate are beyond admirable.

5. Michael Conforto, Mets

This…is a tough one to justify. Conforto, 23, doesn’t even have a full season in the Bigs under his belt, yet, it’s hard not to be compelled to throw him in here at #5.

In his three-plus months with the Mets, after a late-July call up, Conforto’s posted a slugging% of .506. Over a full season, that number would lie around the likes of MLB All-Stars Manny Machado and Anthony Rizzo.

He impressed the nation with his composure at the plate, ability to put balls in play to all fields, and, most of all, a tendency to utterly demolish a baseball. The best part about it? The lefty’s approach at the plate doesn’t just focus on pull, he instead shoots them over to opposite-field.

In the end Conforto’s play made it clear why the Mets drafted him with in the 10th pick in 2014, and scouts and personnel touted him as the best hitter in New York’s farm system.

One month from now we’ll be seeing the true form of Michael Conforto, facing MLB level talent day-in, day-out.

Maybe Terry Collins will even let the prodigious talent take a couple swings at some lefty pitching…and likely break their hearts along the way.

4. Yoenis Cespedes, Mets

A fan of country music and an innate ability to smash baseballs a country-mile. – the Diva that is Yoenis Cespedes continues to entertain and impress baseball fans across the nation. Simply put, this dude knows how to put on a show.

From his incredible home run derby performance in 2013 at Citi Field, to his remarkable second-half stint of 2015 at the very same ballpark, Cespedes knows how to leave a mark. Just ask the baseballs thrown his way.

Everyone’s seen the statistics. The Mets were the worst offense in the MLB (and one of the worst in baseball’s 100+ year history) prior to Yo’s arrival, and the best in the two months after.

What did Yo do last season, aside from completely change the state of the entire New York Mets organization on their way to a World Series birth, of course? Try a .291 average, 105 RBIs, and 36 home runs. In 57 games with the Mets: 17 home runs, 44 RBIs. His historic August/September stretch of bashing baseballs left and right speaks for itself.

Thankfully, the Wilpon’s forked over the cash and handed Cespedes a guaranteed $27 million for 2016. No complaints.

3. Alex Rodriguez, Yankees

Alex Rodriguez. Is. A. Monster.

Most people can take that in two very different direction. Here’s my spin: A-Rod is a monster for the way he’s treated the opposition in his remarkable career. Not because of his behavior, but because of his production.

Steroids or not, Rodriguez was born to make headlines put runs on the board. Sitting at a cool 687 moon-shots for his career, Rodriguez may never see himself enshrined in Cooperstown.

An unfortunate circumstance, yes, but at least we can enjoy his final years on the diamond. After sitting out all of the 2014 for his suspension, and missing the 20-homer mark in 2012 and 2013, many wondered whether A-Rod had anything left in the tank.

If you had any doubt, you probably look pretty foolish now. Going yard 33 times and batting in 86 runs is more than enough from an aging superstar. Still, at 40-years-old, it will be difficult for A-Rod to replicate last season’s success once again.

2. Lucas Duda, Mets

Here’s another tricky one, much like Conforto. If we’re talking sheer strength and power, Lucas Duda is second to none.

The 30-year-old first baseman stands tall and talented at 6-4, 255 pounds, so, you don’t want to pick on this guy.

Lucas’s grand-slam in the first inning of the Mets NL East-clinching win against Reds was as memorable as this sport gets; helping the Mets clinch their first postseason birth since 2006.

The issue with Duda, other than his knack for swinging at balls thrown in the dirt, is consistency. However, in the past two years, Big Luke has finally figured out how to put his massive frame to good use, even if for only a couple 10-15 game stretches across a full season.

In 2014 and 2015 combined, Duda mashed 57 home runs, most of them into the newly-name Coca Cola Corner of Citi Field (RIP Pepsi Porch). While he has tons of room for improvement, his power is unquestioned.

1. Mark Teixeira, Yankees

Taking age, career production, and recent trends all into account, how could anyone argue with putting Tex at No. 1?

Here are Teixeira’s HR numbers for his career (in seasons when he played over 100 games): 26, 38, 43, 33, 30, 33, 39, 33, 39, 24, 22, and just when you thought the reign may end, 33 last year.

Sometimes it’s easy to wonder if Tex, 35, doesn’t get the full credit he deserves. It’s hard to argue he wasn’t well worth he 8-year, $180 million contract signed in 2009.

In his first three years with the Yanks, the 3x Silver Slugger Award winner totaled 341 RBIs. Much like Duda, the man may not actually be human. Maybe part machine? A machine built to swat puny leather-wrapped balls hundreds of feet in the distance to everyone’s amazement.

Machine or not, Teixeira surely tops this list.