MLB’s List Of Best-Selling Jerseys Dotted By Former Top Prospects

All it took to get the Cubs their first World Series in 108 years was several years of smart draft picks and signings, prescient trades and skilled player development from the top down.

All it took to get several of their players to the top of the majors’ most marketable and profitable players was a World Series. The league released its list of the 20 best-selling jerseys, and the Cubs can claim four of the top five spots on the list, which is as follows:

1. Kris Bryant, Cubs
2. Anthony Rizzo, Cubs
3. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
4. Javier Baez, Cubs
5. Kyle Schwarber, Cubs
6. Noah Syndergaard, Mets
7. Corey Seager, Dodgers
8. Buster Posey, Giants
9. Gary Sanchez, Yankees
10. Mike Trout, Angels
11. Yadier Molina, Cardinals
12. Madison Bumgarner, Giants
13. Yoenis Cespedes, Mets
14. Mookie Betts, Red Sox
15. Bryce Harper, Nationals
16. Francisco Lindor, Indians
17. Freddie Freeman, Braves
18. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
19. Jose Altuve, Astros
20. Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays

Another easily noticeable trend? Youth dominates. Just four players on the list—Molina, Cespedes, Pedroia and Donaldson—are older than 30. The list also includes three of BA’s Rookies of the Year (Bryant, Seager, Trout), three of our MLB Players of the Year (Trout, Harper, Kershaw), one College Player of the Year (Bryant) and one High School Player of the Year (Harper).

Thirteen of the 20 players reached No. 1 on their team’s Top 30 ranking. Lindor, in fact, ranked as the Indians’ No. 1 prospect for four consecutive seasons. Harper, Seager and Bryant each ranked as No. 1 on our annual Top 100 Prospects list. Harper, in fact, repeated the feat in 2011 and 2012.

The list came out Friday, but reading Baseball America would have helped you get a jump on getting the best jerseys before everyone else.