6. LF Yoenis Cespedes, 2016
2016 Season stats — 479 at-bats, .280/.354/.530, 72 runs, 25 doubles, 31 home runs, 86 RBIs, 51 walks/108 strikeouts
Cliff Floyd‘s 2007 season almost took the cake here, but Yoenis Cespedes’ last season takes it due to a higher average, slugging percentage and his overall value to the team. Perhaps no one has meant more to the success or failure of any other group in franchise history.
With an already weak offense, a struggling with runners-in-scoring-position Curtis Granderson and injuries to Lucas Duda and Wright each of the last two seasons, Cespedes has a way of sparking the lineup into actually hitting. His bat provides valuable protection to anyone in front of him and his pure power may be unmatched in today’s major leagues.
His numbers in 2016 were not ‘blow away’ like some of the others on this list, but voters reacted to his team worth by placing him eighth in the NL MVP vote and giving him a Silver Slugger award. With his return to the Mets in question for 2017, fans and teammates of Cespedes alike are hoping Alderson can pay up and lure him back to Queens.
