After ranking as one of the best prospects in all of Major League Baseball for multiple years, Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez burst onto the primetime stage during the 2016 playoffs.
The combination of promise Baez has shown with the glove and the bat has paid off in strides, as he first electrified Cubs fans with a sterling performance against the San Francisco Giants in the 2016 National League Division Series and then followed that up by winning co-MVP honors in the NLCS, before capping off his showing with a crucial home run in Game 7 of the World Series.
Baez continued to make strides in 2017 as he became an everyday cog in the Chicago lineup, but his 2018 season was truly something special.
The man nicknamed “El Mago” posted career highs in homers (34), RBIs (111) and stolen bases (21) while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense and ranking in the top 15 in the big leagues in fWAR. Baez would end up finishing second in NL MVP voting behind Milwaukee Brewers slugger Christian Yelich.
Having shown significant improvement in each of his first three seasons as a full-time player in the MLB, Baez seems poised for greatness.
Here are three reasons to consider Baez as a legitimate MVP contender once again in 2019:
3. He does it all
Baez is quickly establishing himself as a five-tool player.
After hitting .273 in both 2016 and 2017, Baez hit .290 in 2018 despite having accrued 137 more plate appearances than he did in '17.
The home runs are certainly impressive, but Baez also hit 40 doubles and nine triples (which ranked him tied for fourth in the Majors), finishing the year with a .554 slugging percentage.
Baez is equally terrifying on the basepaths. His 21 stolen bases are even more impressive when considering that he did not steal a single base in September.
Overall, it is the havoc that Baez causes for opposing defenses that makes him such a threat.
Just look at these daring forays against the Brewers in a series in April:
He can create run-scoring opportunities seemingly from nowhere, which is just one of the reasons that he is a perennial MVP candidate.
This has all been without mentioning that Baez is one of the best infielders in the game. The 26-year-old posted 10 Defensive Runs Saved last season per FanGraphs and a 1.7 dWAR, according to Baseball-Reference.
But that hardly encapsulates Baez's defensive value, as he can play all over the infield and employs ridiculous range and tremendous arm strength. Defensive metrics are steadily growing in importance in yearly award voting, which bodes well for Baez's future MVP candidacy.
Baez may be one of the most well-rounded superstars in the NL, which should always boost his prospects of claiming the award.
2. The willingness to improve
Despite being the best player for the Cubs in 2018, Baez understands he has to continue to work on the holes in his game.
His 57.7 percent swing rate last season was the second-highest in the Majors. Despite striking out at a less frequent clip, Baez's walk rate also declined by 1.4 percent in 2018.
But the youngster is very cognizant of his habits, telling reporters that he will make a more determined effort to walk more this season:
1) Javy Baez spoke with reporters for the first time this spring. Couple highlights: Unprompted he said he wants to walk more this year. Usually he has to be asked about that. Most interesting was a leadership thing.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) February 19, 2019
Although he hit .290, Baez's .326 OBP leaves much to be desired. Sacrificing a few hits here and there in order to work more counts could result in even better overall numbers this season, which should terrify NL pitchers everywhere.
Baez was caught stealing seven times and also made a number of over-aggressive gaffes on the bases, which may explain why his FanGraphs base running value was just 0.1 higher than it was in 2017 despite 11 additional stolen bases.
Striking the balance between taking risks and picking his spots seems to be the theme in determining Baez's capability for improving in 2019. But if he buys in, watch out.
1. The charisma
It sounds antiquated, but being a marketable figure while also putting up prolific numbers can go a long way in garnering awards.
Not only has he developed as one of the most exciting players in baseball, but Baez also possesses the kind of personality and charm that makes him a standout individual.
The combination of passion and sheer joy Baez plays with shines through in every facet of his game. Check out this endearing moment from the 2016 NLDS:
How great is that?
From the swipe tags to the baserunning exploits to the majestic home runs, Baez has all the excitement necessary to be an MVP candidate for years to come.
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