Cardinals Eight-Time All Star Nolan Arenado Left Off ESPN Top 100 List

The 33-year-old has a hit in all seven games this season, including three multi-hit games. 

Arenado is slashing .357/.455/.571 with four extra base hits and seven RBI, leading the team in doubles (3) and walks (5) and ranking in the top three of nearly every other offensive category. 

Following a down 2023, Arenado was moved down to No. 44 prior to last season. MLB insider Jeff Passan predicted that Arenado would eclipse 30 home runs, and his gold-glove offense would return, which is not how things shook out, leading to him being left off the 2025 list. 

The team's only other 30-plus-year-old fielder, Willson Contreras, was the only Cardinal to appear on the list, being ranked No. 96. 

The ranking noted Contreras' .848 OPS in 2024 and his move to first base as motivation for a good year, but that's not the way the cookie has crumbled for the now-first baseman so far this season. 

Contreras is batting just 2-for-28 (.071) in seven games this season, striking out 13 times and only knocking in three runs. 

ESPN MLB expert Alden Gonzalez interestingly predicted that Contreras will finish with his first 30-home run season, while "anchoring a bad Cardinals lineup that will be without Nolan Arenado" by the end of the year, insinuating that the Cardinals are still pursuing a trade of the former All-Star third baseman. 

It's still too early to tell whether or not leaving Arenado out of the top 100 was a poor choice by ESPN experts or not, but so far, he's proven them wrong.