VAVEL USA's Perfect MLB 25-Man Roster for 2016

With most of the superstar free agents having signed and Spring Training right around the corner, it is as good a time as ever to create the perfect 25-man roster. This roster will be comprised of current Major League players and will be based on how good they are right now, or their expected performance in 2016.

Ground rules

What are these selections based on? A variety of factors were taken into account, such as their 2015 performance, their career track record and their potential for 2016. In other words, there were instances where a player that has been productive for a long time outweighed a young prospect who has had only one or two good seasons under his belt.

These selections were not based solely on statistics, either. In some cases, this writer thought that a player would fit into a certain slot better than another player based on his intangibles, experience, versatility, etc.

The roster includes eight starting position players, a designated hitter, four bench players, a five-man starting rotation and seven relief pitchers; a closer, two setup men, two middle relievers, a left-handed specialist and a long reliever.

This roster tries to be as realistic as possible in the sense that there aren't seven closers littering the bullpen or sluggers playing out of position. However, this writer did take a few liberties throughout the process of building this team.

Without further ado, let the unveiling begin!

Catcher: Buster Posey, Giants

One of the easier choices that this writer was faced with, Posey is the perfect player to serve as the starting catcher for this juggernaut. He is the entire package: he hits for average and power, he handles the pitching staff, he plays great defense, he is very durable and he is a proven winner.

Not only was Posey productive in 2015 - he led all MLB catchers in wins-above-replacement (WAR) by a wide margin as well as weighted runs created (wRC+) - he has also been remarkably consistent. Since his first full season in 2010, Posey has been the best-hitting catcher in the game, and it's not even close.

There are other catchers who are better defensively than Posey, but not many. He was the fifth-best at framing pitches in 2015, according to Stat Corner, and what he does at the plate more than makes up for anything he might give up behind it.

1st Base: Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks

Goldschmidt is often overlooked because of his quiet, humble approach to the game, but he is certainly deserving of this spot. His 2015 stat line was one of the best in the league: he hit .321 with 33 homers, more than 100 RBI and runs scored all while being the best fielding first baseman in the league.

He finished 2015 with the fourth-highest WAR among all players, and where he really separates himself from the rest of the first base field is his athleticism. There are quite a few first sackers who hit home runs, but none of them ran the bases like Goldy. He stole 21 bases, and when that base running ability is coupled with his hitting prowess, you get the best first baseman in baseball.

2nd Base: Jose Altuve, Astros

Dee Gordon had one of the most incredible breakout seasons last year, and while he would have fit nicely in this spot, Altuve gets the nod. He has an uncanny ability to put the bat on the ball, he plays excellent defense and he wreaks havoc on the basepaths with his speed and base-stealing ability.

The diminutive Altuve won the batting title in 2014 with a whopping .341 batting average, and he followed that up with another impressive campaign. He batted .313 while also showing a little power - he hit a career-high 15 dingers in 2015 - to go along with his AL-leading 38 stolen bases.

While Gordon certainly had a big year, he was also caught stealing more than anyone in baseball and was the beneficiary of an obscenely-high .383 batting average on balls in play. Expect him to regress in 2016, while Altuve has already proven that he can repeat his elite performance.

3rd Base: Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays

Even more so than in recent years, third base is absolutely loaded with talent this year. But even with a large handful of superstars such as Manny Machado, Nolan Arenado and Kris Bryant occupying the hot corner, Donaldson has shown over the past three years that he is the best.

He made All-Star appearances in 2013 and 2014 with Oakland, but turned it up a notch when he was traded to Toronto prior to last season. Donaldson trailed only phenoms Bryce Harper and Mike Trout in WAR in 2015 en route to taking home the AL Most Valuable Player award.

The 30-year-old looks to be in store for another big year north of the border, even if his 41-homer 2015 will be tough to replicate.

Shortstop: Carlos Correa, Astros

Correa only played 99 games in 2015, but it didn't even take that long for him to establish himself as one of the best shortstops in the game. Despite playing as many as sixty fewer games as his fellow shortstops, Correa still managed to lead the position in home runs, slugging percentage and wRC+.

He repeatedly showed an advanced approach at the plate in 2015 and proved that he can hit the ball with authority to all fields. He was solid in the field as well, evidenced by his slew of highlight-reel defensive plays that he made throughout the year.

His tremendous blend of youth, power and speed make him one of the most exciting players in Major League Baseball, and there is no reason he won't be an elite caliber player for many years to come.

Left Field: Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

This pick marks the first liberty that this writer took. McCutchen is a center fielder by trade, but his talent, makeup and metrics suggest that he would be an excellent left fielder.

But it's what he does with the lumber that makes him an MVP-caliber player year in and year out. The Cutch took home the hardware in 2013, and he has been every bit as good since then.

Since 2011, he has averaged 25 home runs, 90 RBI and 94 runs scored per season. Those numbers are certainly gaudy, and he finished 2015 with a .292 average and a career-high 96 RBI despite a horrific start to the season.

McCutchen is a fabulous player and will have no trouble thriving as this team's left fielder.

Center Field: Mike Trout, Angels

No surprise here: Trout is the best player in baseball, so of course he will patrol center field for this squad. This writer had to decide whether to put Trout in center and McCutchen in left or vice versa, but Trout's superior defensive metrics gave him the edge.

He stumbled through a terrible August in 2015, but he still managed to launch a career-high 41 home runs to go along with a .590 slugging percentage, a .991 OPS and a 176 OPS+, all of which led the American League.

He was second in all of baseball in WAR and among outfielders, trailed only Harper is basically every meaningful hitting category.

Since his first full season in 2012, Trout has racked up a ridiculous 37.8 WAR, which tops the MLB leaderboard by a wide margin. Nobody else has even topped the 30-win mark.

Trout is well on his way to a Hall of Fame career, and while he no longer steals bases, he is also starting to hit more home runs and still hits for a high average and has the potential to make game-changing plays every time he steps on the field.

Right Field: Bryce Harper, Nationals

Harper put the finishing touches on a ridiculously awesome season by receiving his MVP award earlier this week. After a historically great year that saw him lead baseball in wRC+, OPS+, WAR, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and wOBA, Harper has cemented himself as one of the game's elite.

A variety of injuries kept him from putting together a full season in his first three seasons, and he showed in 2015 what he can do if he stays healthy. He had a Barry Bonds-like season, where he hit for enormous power but also drew more walks than anyone not named Joey Votto.

Harper tranformed himself last from a prospect dripping with talent and potential to a legit slugger with an advanced and patient approach at the plate. The sky is the limit for this guy, and some say he could be even better in 2016.

Designated Hitter: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers

Okay, so Cabrera isn't exactly a full-time DH, but he did play 36 games there over the past two seasons and his skills are perfectly suited for the DH of this squad.

He is the best pure hitter on the planet and even though injury held him to 119 games in 2015, Cabrera's .338 average led both circuits and his wRC+ total of 165 trailed only Harper, Trout and Votto.

Since 2013, Cabrera leads all of baseball in batting average, wOBA and trails only Trout in slugging percentage and wRC+.

The man can hit and can't really do much else, which makes him an ideal designated hitter. Without having to worry about defense, Cabrera could focus all of his attention on hitting, which could make him even more productive at the dish.

Bench: Yadier Molina, Cardinals

Every team needs a backup catcher, and Molina fits that role to perfection. He is revered as one of the best defensive catchers of all time and his leadership and winning nature have been the backbone for the Cardinals for the past decade.

He possesses the strongest arm of any catcher in recent memory, and his ability to absolutely eradicate the opposition's running game makes him great. There are other catchers in the league that have better numbers, but for what a backup needs to do, Molina works best.

Bench: Manny Machado, Orioles

St. Louis' Matt Carpenter was almost selected for this spot, but the only problem was that he doesn't have experience playing shortstop. And since every club needs a backup shortstop, Machado made sense.

The fact that Machado is one of the game's youngest and most talented players and is coming off a breakout season only strengthened his case.

Machado came through the minor leagues as a shortstop, but now mans the hot corner for the O's. However, he still has the skills to play short and even got some playing time there toward the end of the 2015 season.

He was an All-Star in 2015, won the Gold Glove and finished fourth in the MVP voting after mashing 35 home runs, driving in 86 and swiping 20 bags. He was also the only player in baseball to play all 162 games, and that mix of ability and durability makes him a stellar pick for this bench spot.

Bench: Jason Heyward, Cubs

The ideal fourth outfielder has the ability to play all three positions, plays terrific defense and can contribute with the bat when he gets the chance.

Jason Heyward easily checks all of those boxes. He is widely regarded as the second-best defensive outfielder in the majors behind Kevin Kiermaier, the sabermetric community loves him for his versatility and incredible ultimate zone rating (UZR) and he is a solid hitter as well.

He doesn't hit for a ton of power - about 13 per season over the last three years - but he works deep counts and grinds through at-bats. Heyward's skills were good enough to earn him an eight-year, $184 million contract from the Cubs, and he will perform admirably for this club whenever McCutchen, Trout or Harper needs a day off.

Bench: Ben Zobrist, Cubs

Every superteam has to have Zobrist, right? He can play any position on the field, and he plays them all well.

For the last bench player, all of the pieces were pretty much accounted for, so this writer went with the most versatile utility player in baseball. I thought about adding yet another hitter to this already loaded offensive nucleus - an Anthony Rizzo, Joey Votto or Jose Bautista type of player - but Zobrist got the nod.

He is known as a solid clubhouse presence and has postseason experience under his belt to boot. He hit well for the Royals during their run to the World Series, and he should do the same for this team.

Starting Pitcher No. 1: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

The unquestioned best pitcher in baseball, Kershaw is the guy I want at the head of my starting rotation. He might have played second fiddle to the Jake Arrieta-Zack Greinke train last season, but he had a stellar season too.

All he did was strike out more than 300 batters, win 16 games and pitch to a sparkling 2.13 ERA. He has pitched at least 198 innings in each of the past six seasons - usually easily surpassing that total - he was still the most valuable pitcher in the business last year.

Starting Pitcher No. 2: Zack Greinke, Diamondbacks

Greinke recently signed the most lucrative contract for a pitcher in MLB history, and if any kind of season was good enough to deserve that kind of payday, it was the one Greinke had in 2015.

The 32-year-old won the Cy Young with the Royals in 2009, but his efforts last year easily surpassed 2009. His win-loss record was a sparkling 19-3 and, while wins can be a deceiving stat for a pitcher, it wasn't for Greinke in 2015. He was just that good.

"Christmas came early," D-Backs general manager Dave Stewart said after the deal was made official.

Using adjusted ERA+, Greinke's 2015 campaign was the best season a pitcher has had since Pedro Martinez's epic run in 2000. Greinke's numbers will likely take a step back in 2016 in hitter-friendly Arizona, but his incredible control and command will not be leaving anytime soon.

Starting Pitcher No. 3: Jake Arrieta, Cubs

While Greinke was historically great in 2015, so was Arrieta. Jon Lester was supposed to be the ace of the squad after signing a big contract the previous offseason, but it was Arrieta who was dominant down the stretch for the Cubs.

He pitched to the tune of a 0.75 ERA in the second half of last season, which set the MLB record for the lowest second-half ERA. He won 22 games, led the league in games started, complete games and shutouts.

Arrieta was arguably the most dominant pitcher in 2015. He struck out 236 batters and allowed the fewest hits and home runs per nine innings in baseball.

He takes his conditioning more serious than almost anyone in the game, so there is no doubt in this writer's mind that he will continue to be incredibly effective in 2016 and beyond.

Starting Pitcher No. 4: Dallas Keuchel, Astros

The 2015 American League Cy Young winner was terrific all season long and served as one of the main catalysts for an Astros team that was one of baseball's biggest surprises last summer.

Besides Arrieta, Keuchel had more wins than anyone in baseball, but where he really thrived was in his durability and keeping the ball off the barrel. He worked an AL-leading 232 innings pitched, and allowed the lowest percentage of hard contact of any pitcher in MLB, per FanGraphs.

Keuchel led the American League in ERA+ and WHIP, and the bearded ace should be productive once again in 2016.

Starting Pitcher No. 5: Madison Bumgarner, Giants

On paper, Bumgarner is nowhere near the obvious choice for this fifth slot in the rotation. Actually, he was outside the top ten in ERA and ninth in WAR for pitchers in 2015.

But baseball isn't played on paper, it's played on the field. And when this superteam is making a run in the postseason, there is not a pitcher in the league that I would rather have on the mound in a must-win game.

MadBum has already cemented his legacy as the greatest postseason pitcher in this generation, and he is also a darn good pitcher during the regular season.

He went 18-9 with a 2.93 ERA in 2015. He has worked at least 200 innings in each of the past five seasons. He is the epitome of clutch and consistency and was too good to resist to be the fifth man in this phenomenal rotation.

Middle reliever: Darren O'Day, Orioles

A middle reliever needs to be someone who can enter the game in any inning and shut the door on the opposing team's rally. He needs to be someone who can strike batters out, but more importantly just put a zero on the scoreboard.

Well, O'Day can do all of those things and he has a funky submarine delivery on top of his skills. He has finished the past two seasons with microscopic ERAs well below 2.00 and he even managed to make the All-Star Game in 2015.

The 33-year-old veteran possesses all the ingredients of a successful reliever, which is why he deserves a spot in this bullpen.

Middle Reliever: Carson Smith, Red Sox

I thought about going with the Royals' Kelvin Herrera in this spot, but Smith got the nod for his excellence in 2015. As a member of the Mariners' relieving corps, he sported a sparkling 2.31 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP in 70 innings pitched.

He mostly relies on a dynamic fastball and a wipeout slider to get outs, but he also mixes in a changeup ever now and then to keep hitters honest. Smith did so well last year that the Red Sox traded for his services this offseason, and he projects to be a vital part of Boston's worst-to-first hopes.

Left-handed Specialist: Tony Watson, Pirates

Watson is plenty good enough to get both righties and lefties out, but for this team he will be able to specialize a little more. He held left-handed batters to a paltry .186 batting average, showing that he could thrive in this new role.

As a whole, the Nebraska alum went 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA in 2015. He pitched in 77 games, so he knows what it is like to be available out of the 'pen every day of the season. My thought process here was that if he can already get lefties out with tremendous aplomb, then he should be even more effective against them when he can focus solely on that side of the plate.

Long Reliever: Drew Pomeranz, Athletics

While it is going to be very rare for this bunch's starting pitchers to not go deep into games, every teams still needs a long relief pitcher. Someone very flexible who can pitch multiple innings when called upon as well as make a spot start here and there.

Pomeranz fits that role perfectly. He was formerly an ace pitcher in college at Ole Miss and in the minor leagues, so he has experience starting games. In 2015, he tossed 86 innings in 53 games, nine of which were starts.

He has proven that he can start games as well as pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen, and he is the ideal candidate to be the long reliever for this club.

Setup Man: Dellin Betances, Yankees

Betances has closed a few games for the Yankees in the past two seasons, but he has been mostly employed as a setup man. The 6-8, 265 pound monster has recorded ERAs of 1.50 and 1.40 in the past two seasons, respectively, and he has established himself as one of the best relievers in the game.

He is an absolute nighmare for opposing hitters, especially when he has all his pitches working. His overpowering repertoire consists of a 97-mph fastball, a wicked cutter that frequently surpasses 95 mph on the radar gun and biting slider that makes batters look silly.

He is also very durable, as he has pitched at least 84 innings in each of his two full seasons, and has shown an incredible ability to record five or six outs at a time.

Setup man: Andrew Miller, Yankees

Betances' teammate, Andrew Miller, occupies the other setup role on this list. The smaller but still hard-throwing southpaw is the perfect complement to the beast that is Betances.

Miller was the primary closer for the Bronx Bombers last season, but manager Joe Girardi announced that the newly-acquired Aroldis Chapman will close games in 2016. That's good for this club, as it gets to add a guy with Miller's track record to its bullpen.

The former North Carolina Tar Heel is absolutely filthy against everyone. He pitched in 60 games in 2015, struck out 100 batters and maintained an ERA of 2.04. The duo of Miller and Betances gives this team a dominant righty and a dominant lefty, giving the manager increased flexibility to play the matchups in the later innings of the ball game.

Closer: Wade Davis, Royals

8-1, 0.94 ERA, 78 Ks in 67.1 IP.

That statline doesn't really even need further description, but I'll continue anyway. Davis served as the setup man for Greg Holland for much of the season, but when Holland went down with an arm injury, Davis stepped into the closing role admirably.

Even though he is a reliever and pitches only one or two innings at a time, he was still invited to the All-Star Game and finished 6th and 28th in the Cy Young and MVP voting, respectively. He finished 2015 as the owner of a whopping 444 ERA+ and at one point he had a streak where he did not allow a home run in 125.2 innings.

“I hate comparing anyone to Mariano,” current Royals pitching coach and former Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland told Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY. (Davis) has been the best reliever in baseball the last year and a half. … When he gives up a hit or a run, it’s like the whole world stops.”

That's a legit comparison from a coach who saw both of them first-hand. Davis is the most dominant reliever in baseball, and expect him to record the final three outs as this loaded team wins the World Series.

Lineup

1. 2B Jose Altuve

2. CF Mike Trout

3. RF Bryce Harper

4. DH Miguel Cabrera

5. 1B Paul Goldschmidt

6. 3B Josh Donaldson

7. LF Andrew McCutchen

8. C Buster Posey

9. SS Carlos Correa

Bench

C: Yadier Molina