Stock Up, Stock Down for MLB's Top 50 Stars at the First-Quarter Mark

At the beginning of the season, ESPN ranked its Top 500 players in the MLB for the 2013 season.

Whether you agree or disagree with who was included on that list and where they were ranked, it serves as a good third-party reference when looking at who the top players in the game were entering the season.

As we've reached the first-quarter mark of the 2013 season, now is a perfect time to look back and see how the game's elite have performed here in the early going with a good ol' stock up, stock down (or stock even) overview.

If a player is performing at an All-Star level, his stock is up.

If he is playing well but his numbers are a bit short of expectations, his stock is even.

If he has produced well below expectations or has spent substantial time on the DL in the early going, his stock is down.

Keep this in mind as you read, and before you suggest a player who has been excluded from this list, that this is not a list of the top 50 players of the 2013 season so far. If it were, everyone's stock would be up and this exercise would make no sense.

Instead, this is a look at how the players who were viewed as the top 50 players entering the season—according to a third party—have performed so far in 2013.

All stats are current through May 14 games and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

50. SS Jose Reyes, Toronto Blue Jays

Jose Reyes was part of a huge package of veteran players the Blue Jays acquired in their blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins in the offseason, and he is a huge investment that is due $82 million through 2017.

One of the few players to get off to a good start for Toronto, Reyes hit .395/.465/.526 through his first 10 games before an ankle injury sidelined him. He has been on the shelf since. Getting him back will be a big first step in the team turning things around.

Stock: Down

49. 1B Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers

Not much as gone right for the Dodgers this season, as their high-priced new roster has struggled early and currently sits in last place in the NL West.

Adrian Gonzalez has been one of the few bright spots, and while his power is still down from his 40-HR days in San Diego, he's currently hitting .341/.391/.504 with a team-high 26 RBI as one of the most productive first basemen in baseball.

Stock: Up

48. LF Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics

No one was sure what to expect out of Cuban-defector Yoenis Cespedes when the A's signed him to a four-year, $36 million deal last offseason. He quickly proved he belonged, though, and wound up hitting .292 with 23 home runs and 82 RBI as a rookie.

Slotted in the middle of the lineup again this season, the 27-year-old has hit just .202 so far, though he does have a team-high seven home runs to go along with 19 RBI. A thumb sprain back in April also cost him 15 games.

Stock: Down

47. LF Justin Upton, Atlanta Braves

Acquired in an offseason blockbuster with the Diamondbacks, Justin Upton has long been on the cusp of stardom and has always had the tools to be a superstar in the league.

The change of scenery this season has worked wonders so far, as he leads all of baseball with 13 home runs and is second in the NL with a 1.033 OPS. His career-high is 31 home runs back in 2011, and he is well on his way to eclipsing that mark.

Stock: Up

46. RP Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds

After kicking around the idea of moving him to the rotation this spring, the Reds opted to leave flame-throwing Aroldis Chapman in the ninth-inning role, where he thrived last season.

He saved 38 games with a 1.51 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 71.2 innings of work last year as one of the most dominant relievers in the game. He's off to a hot start again in 2013, with eight saves and a 2.65 ERA to go along with 26 strikeouts in 17 innings.

Stock: Even

45. SP Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals

After winning 39 games and emerging as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball in 2009 and 2010, Adam Wainwright missed the entire 2011 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the spring.

He got off to a slow start last season, but he went 7-5 with a 3.28 ERA in the second half of 2012 as he began looking like the Wainwright of old.

It's safe to say that he's now all the way back to where he was, as he's currently 5-2 with a 2.30 ERA and has thrown two shutouts in his first eight starts this season.

Stock: Up

44. 3B Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals

Signed to a six-year, $100 million extension prior to last season, Ryan Zimmerman had a terrific season last year in the middle of the Nationals lineup, posting an .824 OPS with 25 home runs and 95 RBI.

He may no longer be the face of the franchise with Bryce Harper taking his game to the next level, but he remains a vital piece of the Nationals offense. He took a turn on the 15-day DL earlier this season with a thigh strain, but he's hitting .333/.442/.444 in 10 games since returning from the injury.

Stock: Even

43. LF Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals

Since becoming an everyday player in 2006, only six players have driven in more runs than Matt Holliday, as he has quietly been one of the most consistent run producers in all of baseball.

The 33-year-old is signed through the 2016 season for $17 million annually, but he has yet to show any signs of falling off at this point in his career. For the season, he has an .811 OPS and 24 RBI, and there is plenty of room for him to step his production up in the weeks ahead.

Stock: Even

42. 2B Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox

Dustin Pedroia has been one of the most productive second basemen in all of baseball since he first became a full-time starter in 2007. He entered the 2013 season with a career .303/.369/.461 slash line.

He has just one home run so far this season, but he has reached base an impressive 75 times through his first 39 games and is currently hitting .338/.429/.417 out of the No. 3 spot in an improved Red Sox lineup. He also ranks among the MLB leaders with eight stolen bases.

Stock: Up

41. SP Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds

After showing flashes of being a frontline starter throughout his career, Johnny Cueto finally put it all together last season. The right-hander went 19-9 with a 2.78 ERA atop a very good Reds rotation and finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting in 2012.

He got off to a nice start this season, posting a 2.60 ERA through his first three starts, but a strained lat landed him on the DL after that, and he has now been sidelined for nearly a month. Getting him back healthy will certainly help the Reds, but in his absence, Mat Latos has proven capable of being an ace in his own right.

Stock: Down

40. 3B Chase Headley, San Diego Padres

Despite being arguably the most productive player in the Padres lineup, Chase Headley was far from a star when the All-Star break rolled around last season, as he was hitting .267/.368/.413 with eight home runs and 42 RBI.

However, something clicked for him in the second half, and he exploded for a .308/.386/.592 line with 23 home runs and 73 RBI on his way to leading the NL in RBI. He's landed somewhere in the middle to start the 2013 season, but that's still good enough for a .284/.379/.500 line, though he did miss time early with a thumb injury.

Stock: Even

39. LF Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies

There is no question that Carlos Gonzalez is at least somewhat a product of his environment, as he hit .368/.437/.609 at home last season compared to just .234/.301/.405 on the road.

Luckily for Gonzalez, he's signed with the Rockies through 2017, so he can keep playing half of his games each season in the hitter's paradise known as Coors Field. That said, he's actually putting up better numbers on the road this year and is currently hitting .313/.384/.583 overall with nine home runs.

Stock: Even

38. SP Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

Long one of the premier pitchers in all of baseball, age finally seemed to catch up with Roy Halladay last season, when he went 11-8 with a 4.49 ERA and failed to reach 30 starts for the first time since 2005.

Now 36 years old, things have gotten far worse this season. He went 2-4 with an 8.65 ERA through his first seven starts this year before hitting the disabled list. With a bone spur in his shoulder and a partial rotator cuff tear, he'll undergo season-ending surgery. An upcoming free agent, his future is certainly in doubt at this point.

Stock: Down

37. SP Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox

A lights-out reliever for the first two seasons of his career, the White Sox moved Chris Sale to the rotation last season, and he quickly became the ace of their staff.

The 23-year-old went 17-8 with a 3.05 ERA to go along with 192 strikeouts in 192 innings, finishing sixth in AL Cy Young voting and giving the White Sox a bona fide ace for the long term.

Through eight starts this season, he's 4-2 with a 2.88 ERA, and during his last time out, he threw a one-hit shutout against the Angels.

Stock: Up

36. RF Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves

The Braves handed the starting right-field job to Jason Heyward when he was just 20 years old, and he responded by hitting .277/.393/.456 as a rookie in 2010.

After enduring the dreaded sophomore slump the following season, he did a little bit of everything for the Braves in 2012. Aside from posting a solid .814 OPS, he hit 27 home runs, stole 21 bases and won the first Gold Glove of his career.

More of the same was expected this season, but he has struggled to a .121 average through his first 17 games before landing on the DL following an emergency appendectomy.

Stock: Down

35. SP Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals

After going 31-21 with a 3.17 ERA in 2010 and 2011 combined, there was understandably a good deal of interest in Gio Gonzalez when the A's made him available prior to last season.

He wound up in Washington with the Nationals, giving up four highly regarded prospects to acquire him. The steep price they paid was quickly forgotten, though, as the left-hander went 21-8 with a 2.89 ERA to finish third in Cy Young voting during his first season in Washington.

Things haven't gone quite as smoothly so far this season, as he's 3-2 with a 4.20 ERA and has just four quality starts in eight appearances.

Stock: Down

34. SP Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers

All told, between his posting fee and the six-year contract that he signed, it cost the Rangers $111.7 million to sign Yu Darvish last offseason. But all signs point to that investment being well worth it.

After going 16-9 with a 3.90 ERA and 221 strikeouts as a rookie last season, Darvish has taken his game to the next level this year, starting with a near-perfect game in his first start of the season. Through his first eight starts, the right-hander is 6-1 with a 2.73 ERA and an MLB-high 80 strikeouts in 52.2 innings.

Stock: Up

33. C Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins

Entering the 2011 season, Joe Mauer had three batting titles, an AL MVP and a slash line of .327/.407/.481 for his career, as he had already established himself as one of the best offensive catchers of all time.

However, a myriad of health issues limited him to just 82 games in 2011, and many were quick to write that off as the beginning of the end for Mauer. That couldn't have been further from the truth, as he rebounded to hit .319/.416/.446 last season and is off to another great start this year at .340/.426/.489.

Stock: Even

32. LF Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals

Few players have entered the league with the sort of hype that surrounded Bryce Harper last season, and he responded better than anyone could have hoped a 19-year-old would. 

In 139 games last season, he hit .270 with 22 home runs and 18 steals to take home NL Rookie of the Year honors. Moved to the No. 3 spot in the lineup and expected to be more of a run producer this season, Harper is already hitting .303/.400/.622 with 10 home runs and 21 RBI—and he's still just scratching the surface of his potential.

Stock: Up

31. SP Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers

It cost them $147 million over six years, but the Dodgers got the second frontline arm they wanted to slot behind Clayton Kershaw when they signed Zack Greinke this offseason.

The right-hander posted a 1.59 ERA through his first two starts, but his second outing was cut short. A beaning of Carlos Quentin sparked a bench-clearing brawl, and Greinke walked away from the fracas with a fractured clavicle. He was activated from the DL on Wednesday, and he will look to get back on track.

Stock: Down

30. SP CC Sabathia, New York Yankees

Since joining the Yankees prior to the 2009 season, CC Sabathia has gone 74-29 with a 3.22 ERA in four full seasons. He's the definition of a workhorse and has been one of the most reliable arms in the game for a long time now.

The 32-year-old is currently sitting on 195 career wins. This season, he is putting up his standard solid numbers across the board with a 4-3 record, 3.19 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 59.1 innings of work.

Stock: Even

29. SP R.A. Dickey, Toronto Blue Jays

Not many pitchers enjoy a breakout season at the age of 37, but then again, R.A. Dickey is not your everyday big league pitcher. The journeyman turned his career around when he adopted the knuckleball full-time, and it culminated in a Cy Young season last year.

The right-hander went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and 230 strikeouts in 233.2 innings for the New York Mets last year, but the rebuilding Mets opted to trade him to the Blue Jays for an impressive prospect package this past offseason.

Expected to be the ace of the retooled Blue Jays staff, he's been inconsistent early on, going 3-5 with a 4.83 ERA.

Stock: Down

28. C Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals

Long regarded as the best defensive catcher in the game, Yadier Molina has stepped up his offensive game over the past couple seasons, as he put up career highs across the board in 2012.

The 30-year-old hit .315/.373/.501 with 22 home runs and 12 stolen bases, and he's off to a great start again this year with a .331/.367/.451 line. He signed a five-year, $75 million extension prior to last season, and he remains the most important player on a very good Cardinals team.

Stock: Even

27. 3B David Wright, New York Mets

After watching Jose Reyes depart in free agency after the 2011 season, the Mets decided to lock up David Wright this past offseason, giving him an eight-year, $138 million extension that should keep him in a Mets uniform for the entirety of his career.

The extension was well-earned, as Wright has been one of the best third basemen in all of baseball throughout his career and was coming off a season in which he hit .306/.391/.492 with 21 home runs and 93 RBI. He's been solid again in 2013, posting a .926 OPS and driving in 24 runs so far.

Stock: Up

26. SS Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies

The consensus top all-around shortstop in baseball entering last season, Troy Tulowitzki averaged a line of .304 BA, 30 HR, 97 RBI over the three-year span from 2009-2011.

However, a nagging groin injury limited Tulowitzki to just 47 games last season and raised some questions about his long-term health. Those questions have been answered (and put to rest) this season, as he's hitting .324 with a 1.031 OPS to go along with eight home runs and 32 RBI in the middle of the Rockies' high-powered offense.

Stock: Up

25. SP Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies

The 2012 campaign was an odd one, to say the least, for Cliff Lee. The veteran left-hander didn't record his first victory of the season until July 4, and he ended the season just 6-9 despite a solid 3.16 ERA.

He'll make $25 million in each season through 2015, then he has a vesting $27.5 million option with a $12.5 million buyout for 2016. Despite that, the Phillies may be able to find a taker on the trade market if they make him available, as he's 4-2 with a 2.86 ERA on the season and still ranks as one of the best clutch pitchers in the game today.

Stock: Up

24. RF Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

A late-bloomer on the grandest of scales, Jose Bautista emerged from relative obscurity to launch an MLB-best 54 home runs in 2010, and he led the league again the following season when he hit 43.

Like much of the Blue Jays roster, he was hampered by injuries last season, but he still managed to hit 27 home runs and post a solid .886 OPS over 332 at-bats. His average is low this year at .256, but he's drawing enough walks to post a .375 OBP to go along with nine home runs, as he remains one of the most feared sluggers in the game.

Stock: Even

23. SP Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels

A former first-round pick in 2004, Jered Weaver broke into the league two years later and has gotten progressively better over the course of his seven-year career. Last season, he went 20-5 with a 2.81 ERA and an AL-best 1.018 WHIP.

He signed a five-year, $85 million extension with the Angels in August of 2011, and considering the five-year, $80 million deal that Anibal Sanchez got this past offseason from the Detroit Tigers, Weaver's deal now looks like a steal.

That said, Weaver has made just two starts this season after he fractured his non-throwing elbow trying to get out of the way of a liner, and he has been on the DL since early April.

Stock: Down

22. 3B Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers

He has not always been the most consistent performer, but over the course of his 16-year big league career, Adrian Beltre has quietly put together one of the best careers of all time by a third baseman. In fact, his 60.5 career WAR ranks No. 17 all-time at the position, and another 10.0 WAR would move him into the top 10.

His last three seasons have been the best three-year stretch of his career, as he's put up an average line of .314 BA, 32 HR, 103 RBI and won a pair of Gold Glove awards. He's still playing at a high level with an .818 OPS, nine home runs and 24 RBI on the season, and his Hall of Fame case will be an interesting one.

Stock: Even

21. SP Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies

After pitching behind Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee the past few seasons, there was no question that Cole Hamels was the best pitcher in Philadelphia last season, and he has assumed the role of staff ace in 2013.

He went 17-6 with a 3.05 ERA and career-high 216 strikeouts last season, and the Phillies locked him up last July with a six-year, $144 million extension. He's been far from ace-caliber in the early going this season, though, as he's 1-6 with a 4.61 ERA through his first nine starts.

Stock: Down

20. RF Josh Hamilton, Los Angeles Angels

The prize of the 2013 offseason (at least from an offensive standpoint), Josh Hamilton signed a five-year, $125 million deal with the Angels this offseason to join Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Mark Trumbo in what was supposed to be the best lineup in baseball.

Instead, the Angels have stumbled out of the box, and Hamilton has been the biggest culprit of the team's early-season struggles. After hitting a career-high 43 home runs last season, he's batting just .214/.264/.358 with 12 RBI through his first 40 games in L.A.

Stock: Down

19. SP Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants

With Tim Lincecum falling off over the past couple seasons, Matt Cain has slowly moved into the role of staff ace in San Francisco, and he had a phenomenal all-around season in 2012.

Aside from going 16-5 with a 2.79 ERA to finish sixth in Cy Young voting, he also threw a perfect game against the Astros, started the All-Star game and won a pair of playoff games.

His overall numbers don't look great in 2013 (2-2, 5.04 ERA), but he's been pitching like he Cain of old lately, after sporting a 7.15 ERA through his first four starts.

Stock: Down

18. 1B Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels

After getting off to an incredibly slow start following his signing of a massive 10-year, $240 million deal, Albert Pujols righted the ship to finish the season with 30 home runs and 105 RBI last year.

While he hasn't struggled to the level of new teammate Josh Hamilton, he has been far from a superstar so far in 2013. His .746 OPS is far from stellar, though he does have six home runs and 23 RBI. It'll be interesting to see where his talent level is at when he's making $30 million as a 41-year-old in 2021.

Stock: Down

17. 1B Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers

Though he was understandably overshadowed by teammate Miguel Cabrera and his Triple Crown season in 2012, Prince Fielder put up terrific numbers in his own right during his first season in Detroit after signing a nine-year, $214 million deal with the Tigers.

All told, he hit .313 with 30 home runs and 108 RBI last season, but there is no question that he is capable of much more from a power standpoint. So far this season, he has a .938 OPS with nine home runs and 33 RBI, as the Tigers have been the game's top offensive team.

Stock: Up

16. RF Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins

One of the few Marlins left standing after the team's offseason purge, Giancarlo Stanton entered 2013 with 93 career home runs under his belt—and he just turned 23 in November.

The slugger has perhaps the best raw power in all of baseball, and despite spending some time on the DL last season, he still managed to hit a career-high 37 home runs in 449 at-bats while leading the NL with a .608 slugging percentage.

He got off to a slow start this season, hitting .227 with three home runs and nine RBI through his first 20 games before a hamstring injury landed him on the DL.

Stock: Down

15. 3B Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays

There may be no player in baseball who means more to his team than Evan Longoria does to the Rays, evidenced by the team's 47-27 record with him last season and its 43-45 record without him.

He's been healthy so far this season, and he's leading an improved Rays offense with a .329/.395/.591 line to go along with nine home runs and 26 RBI. Still just 27 years old, he is just entering his prime and is poised for a career year.

Stock: Up

14. RP Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves

In his first two-plus seasons in the big leagues, Craig Kimbrel quickly established himself as the top relief pitcher in the game today. He's led the NL in saves in back-to-back seasons, converting 89-of-100 chances with a 1.46 ERA and 15.9 K/9 from 2011-2012.

He's not been quite as untouchable in the early going this season, though, as he's converted 11-of-14 save chances with a 3.14 ERA. He has also seen a drop in strikeouts, although it still stands at an impressive 13.2 K/9.

He's way too good for there to be reason to think this was anything but a hiccup, but he's not been as good as expected.

Stock: Down

13. CF Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

Last season, Matt Kemp got off to an absolutely ridiculous start, hitting .417 with 12 home runs and 25 RBI over the first month of the season. However, a thigh strain cost him all of June and half of July, and he finished the season with just 23 home runs and 69 RBI despite a terrific .905 OPS.

Back healthy this season, the 28-year-old has not gotten off to quite the same start he did last year, hitting .282/.329/.356 with just one home run through his first 149 at-bats.

Stock: Down

12. CF Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

Andrew McCutchen single-handedly carried the Pirates offense through the first half of the 2012 season, entering the All-Star break with a .362/.414/.625 line, 18 home runs and 14 stolen bases. He fell off a bit in the second half, but still finished with 31 home runs, 20 steals and an impressive .953 OPS, good for a third-place finish in NL MVP voting.

The Pirates have gotten better all-around offensive production from the team so far this season, but McCutchen is hitting just .260/.331/.425 to kick off 2013.

Stock: Down

11. SP Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals

In his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, the Nationals made the controversial decision to shut down Stephen Strasburg last September, despite their being in contention and eventually making the playoffs.

At the time he was shut down, after 159.1 innings of work, the right-hander was 15-6 with a 3.16 ERA and 197 strikeouts.

With the leash off this season, a monster year was expected from him, but so far he has been merely average. His 3.10 ERA is solid, but he's just 1-5 on the season and is striking out batters at a slightly less-impressive 9.3 K/9 rate.

Stock: Down

10. SP David Price, Tampa Bay Rays

As reigning AL Cy Young winner, David Price could wind up being the biggest trade chip to hit the block since the Mariners dealt a 29-year-old Ken Griffey Jr. to the Reds back in 2000. Price is not a free agent until 2016, but he's already making $10.1 million, and the Rays won't be able to afford him much longer.

That said, he's done little to boost his value so far in 2013, going 1-4 with a 5.24 ERA and 10.6 H/9 over his first nine starts. Making matters worse, he suffered a strained left triceps on Wednesday night against Boston, and he will likely miss his next start.

Stock: Down

9. 1B Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

Had it not been for July knee surgery that wound up costing him roughly two months, Joey Votto very well might have won his second NL MVP award last season. As it was, he still managed to lead the NL with a .474 on-base percentage thanks to 94 walks.

He's never going to have 40-HR power, but he has the best plate discipline in all of baseball and continues to be a force in the middle of a very good Reds lineup. He's currently hitting .327/.457/.473 with a league-high 34 walks, though he has just 17 RBI.

Stock: Even

8. SP Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

Signed to a then-record seven-year, $175 million deal this offseason, Felix Hernandez has been one of the game's most dynamic arms since breaking into the league as a 19-year-old back in 2005.

It's a crime that he's gone just 40-35 over the past three seasons, but he is the poster boy for a win-loss record being a poor determinant of how good a pitcher really is. Over that span, he has a 2.92 ERA, 1.138 WHIP and has thrown an impressive 715.1 innings. Still just 27, he'll be a big part of the Mariners' return to contention in the not-too-distant future.

He's 5-2 with an AL-best 1.53 ERA so far this season.

Stock: Up

7. 2B Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

Seemingly the only healthy player on the Yankees roster entering the season, Robinson Cano posted career highs last season with 33 home runs and a .929 OPS, as he has been relied upon more and more to be a leader in the middle of the offense.

In the final year of his contract, the 30-year-old Cano is headed for a huge payday this offseason, and he has done nothing to hurt his value so far. He's currently hitting .301/.345/.552 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI for a surprisingly good, albeit injury-depleted, Yankees team.

Stock: Up

6. C Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

The Giants are 2-for-2 on World Series titles when they have Buster Posey for a full season. That may be a ridiculous stat, but it does speak to just how valuable the young backstop has been so far in his career and how much success he has already enjoyed.

The reigning NL MVP was locked up on a nine-year, $167 million deal in late March, and he continues to be the Giants' biggest offensive threat. He's not quite matching the .336 average he sported when he won the NL batting title last season, but he is hitting a solid .286/.391/.508 with five home runs and 25 RBI so far in 2013.

Stock: Even

5. LF Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers

Despite an offseason filled with PED controversy, Ryan Braun came out and turned in another MVP-caliber season in 2012. In posting his second-straight 30/30 season, Braun led the NL with 41 home runs and a .987 OPS, finishing second in MVP voting to Buster Posey.

He's been without Corey Hart and Aramis Ramirez protecting him in the lineup for most of the season so far, but he has still managed to hit .315/.403/.592 with eight home runs and 26 RBI. He's also an absolute bargain this year at $9.5 million, making him that much more valuable.

Stock: Up

4. SP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

After capturing NL Cy Young honors in 2011 with a 21-5, 2.28 ERA, 248 K performance that also won him the pitching Triple Crown, Clayton Kershaw very well could have taken home Cy Young honors again last season when he led the NL with a 2.53 ERA.

With Felix Hernandez and Justin Verlander signing long-term deals this offseason, Kershaw will be the next big-time arm to get paid, and he could be baseball's first $200 million pitcher. It's hard to argue with his numbers, as he's 4-2 with an MLB-best 1.40 ERA on the year. Oh, and he's still only 25 years old.

Stock: Up

3. LF Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

As a 20-year-old last season, Mike Trout turned in a rookie year for the ages. Despite not being called up until the team's 20th game of the season, he hit .326/.399/.564 with 30 home runs and posted AL-bests of 49 steals and 129 runs scored.

That set the bar impossibly high for the young star, but he has managed to avoid a drastic fall-off so far in his sophomore campaign. He's currently hitting .293/.364/.549 with eight home runs and seven steals, and while that may not make him the third best player in the game, they're fantastic numbers nonetheless.

Stock: Even

2. SP Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Now the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history after signing a seven-year, $180 million deal in March, Justin Verlander continues to be the gold standard on the mound—though Clayton Kershaw is right there with him at this point.

The 30-year-old Verlander followed up his MVP season in 2011 with another great year last year, going 17-8 with a 2.64 ERA over an AL-high 238.1 innings to finish second in Cy Young voting.

It's been more of the same from him so far this season, as he's 4-3 with a 1.93 ERA and 10.0 K/9 over his first eight starts.

Stock: Up

1. 3B Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

Long one of the most consistent all-around offensive players in the game, Miguel Cabrera took things to another level last season when he hit .330 with 44 home runs and 139 RBI to become the first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.

That would be a hard act for most to follow, but Cabrera has been an absolute beast once again in 2013, and he seems poised to make another run at the Triple Crown. He's currently hitting .369 with eight home runs and an AL-high 41 RBI, and he remains the top player in the game today.

Stock: Up