Robinson Cano and MLB's 15 Best Starting Second Basemen

The New York Yankees' Robinson Cano has solidified himself as one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball.

As he enters his eighth season as the Yankees' starting second baseman, he has become a player who many consider to be a potential AL MVP candidate each year.

Second base is a position that traditionally emphasizes defense and speed, with any power and hitting ability simply considered a plus.

But Cano combines smooth defense with exemplary power at the plate, making him one of the best second basemen of our time.

Let's take a look at some other top second basemen in MLB.

15. Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies

Despite not seeing the field yet this year, Chase Utley is still one of the best second basemen in baseball.

He had a down year in 2011, hitting a  respectable .259 while being limited to just more than 100 games due to injury.

The last-place Phillies are going to need all the help they can get from Utley and Ryan Howard when they return if they have any chance of making a run in the NL East.

14. Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers

Rickie Weeks is off to his worst start in years, if not the worst start of his career.

After hitting .269 with more than 20 home runs in each of the past two seasons, he is hitting .158 in his first 56 games.

The struggling Weeks is going to have to turn his season around if the Brew Crew wants to remain competitive in the NL Central.

13. Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels

In his seventh season with the Angels, Howie Kendicks boasts a .290 career average. But he's hitting just .263 thus far in 2012, 188 over his past 24 games, with no extra-base hits.

The Los Angeles Angels have started to get their offense going of late. But if Kendrick doesn't start hitting soon, you can expect to see Maicer Izturis get more playing time at second base.

12. Aaron Hill, Arizona Diamondbacks

In 2009, Aaron Hill had 36 HR and 108 RBI to go with a .286 batting average for the Toronto Blue Jays.

He hit .315 last season after being shipped to Arizona.

So far in 2012, he is hitting .271 with 6 HR and 27 RBI.

He seemed to fall off a bit in 2010 and 2011, but the Diamondbacks are hoping he can reclaim some of his previous power in 2012.

11. Daniel Murphy, New York Mets

The New York Mets are not championship-ready. They have a lot of holes in their pitching staff and lineup, but Daniel Murphy is not one of them.

Murphy is hitting .284 in 2012, with 21 runs scored and 24 RBI.

On a team that has been riddled with injuries, Murphy has emerged as one of the few bright spots.

The Mets are still in contention in the NL East despite their depleted squad. Murphy will have to be a key offensive producer if they hope to have a shot at the playoffs.

10. Neil Walker, Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing their best baseball in recent memory, leading the NL Central with a 32-27 record.

Second baseman Neil Walker is hitting .275 in his third full season with the team.

He has 24 RBI and five stolen bases to go with a .328 OBP.

Walker could play major role in keeping the surprising Pirates in first place.

 

9. Kelly Johnson, Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays second baseman Kelly Johnson has been a solid contributor so far in 2012.

He's proven his power with 9 HR and 29 RBI. He also is hitting a respectable .250.

Johnson has been able to add some pop to a Blue Jays team that hopes to be in the running for a playoff spot come September.

8. Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds

Brandon Phillips is coming off his first career season with a .300 batting average.

In 2012, he's hitting .271, with six home runs and 31 RBI.

He has a good glove and decent speed to go along with his bat, making him a reliable option at second for the Reds.

7. Omar Infante, Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins have a new look and, apparently, some new talent as well.

With all eyes on Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez on the left side of the infield, Omar Infante doesn't get quite as much attention.

The Marlins second baseman is hitting .296, leading all starters in batting average.

He has six home runs and seven stolen bases in what could possibly end up being his best MLB season.

6. Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

The Houston Astros 22-year-old Jose Altuve leads all major league second basemen with a .326 batting average.

In addition to his 78 hits and 22 RBI, he's shown off his wheels, stealing 10 bases.

This young star could be a household name for years to come if he continues to play the way he has in his short time in the majors.

5. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox

Dustin Pedroia is going to be near the top of this list for years to come.

He is a career .303 hitter and is coming off a season when he stole 26 bases and blasted 21 homers.

He's a great athlete who knows how to hustle and do the little things to help his team win.

He's hitting .278 and is going to need to produce more if the Red Sox plan on emerging from the bottom of the AL East before season's end.

4. Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers

Ian Kinsler is a catalyst for the highly explosive Texas Rangers offense. He leads all second basemen with 46 runs scored.

He's a base stealing threat along with Elvin Andrus at the top of the Rangers lineup, leading the way for sluggers Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz.

Not to mention he knows how to go deep as well, blasting a personal best 32 home runs in 2011 and seven so far this season.

3. Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians

The 25-year-old second baseman has officially burst onto the scene in Cleveland.

He leads the Tribe with 10 home runs and 39 RBI. It's hard to find a quality second baseman who can hit for power these days, but so far he has shown that he is a long-ball threat.

He also has 15 steals and a .285 batting average.

This kid looks like the real deal.

2. Dan Uggla, Atlanta Braves

Dan Uggla leads all second basemen with 11 HR and  41 RBI for the Atlanta Braves.

He's the only second baseman in history to hit more than 30 home runs for four consecutive seasons, as he's now on pace to do it for a sixth straight year.

With his kind of power and reliable glove at second base, what more could a team ask for?

1. Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

Everything that Robinson Cano does looks effortless.

He's a lifetime .307 hitter and is the kind of guy a team can truly build around.

This season he is hitting .300 with 11 HR and 30 RBI, despite a slow start.

If he can stay healthy and the Yankees extend his contract in 2013 (which is expected), you'll soon be hearing his named mentioned among the all-time Yankee greats.