Mets legend defends $800,000 Royals ace’s top spot over Max Fried and Framber Valdez in MLB rankings 

In the latest MLB Top 100 Right Now rankings, Kansas City Royals ace Cole Ragans was ranked higher (No. 43) than New York Yankees ace Max Fried (No. 44) and Houston Astros right-hander Framber Valdez (No. 45). This comes after Ragans went 11-9, posting a 3.14 ERA and 223 strikeouts in 2024.

During Wednesday's appearance on "MLB Network", New York Mets icon Al Leiter agreed when asked if Ragans deserved to be ranked ahead of Fried (11-10, 3.10 ERA) and Valdez (15-7, 2.91 ERA).

"This is a tough one. But yes, I am, and for a lot of different reasons," Leiter said. "Max Fried is obviously going to New York, and there’s going to be an adjustment there. Framber Valdez in Houston is soon to be a free agent.

"What I like — no question — about Cole Ragans is what he has brought since he was traded a couple of years ago from the Texas Rangers. He added velocity—four and a half miles an hour. It wasn’t just a little bit; it was a lot. He had a big winter in 2023," he added.

Earlier in January, Cole Ragans and the Royals avoided arbitration by settling on a $800K salary for 2025.

Al Leiter raves about Cole Ragans pitching arsenal

Defending Cole Ragans over Framber Valdez and Max Fried, Al Leiter opened the book on his pitching arsenal, especially the changeup.

"He always had the changeup," Leiter said. "This is the fifth-highest swing-and-miss pitch in baseball. You saw him with the Rangers, then he added that velocity. So he had that, and he’s got multiple pitches."

He further delved into his other pitches, with special mention to Ragans' backdoor curveball.

"This is a postseason-caliber pitcher," Leiter said. "You can see his delivery—he’s got deception, he’s tall, he’s got a high release point. He’s got the fastball, the slider, and the slow curveball. I love the backdoor curveball, and then yes, the changeup — that’s a big swing-and-miss pitch. He throws it as a lefty mostly to right-handed hitters, and it’s really effective.

"I can’t say enough good things. I think the sky's the limit. I think he continues to improve. The velocity came down a little bit, but I think that’s a product of pitching more and not just trying to throw as hard as he can. Really, really good," he added.

Do you agree with Cole Ragan being ranked higher than veteran aces like Max Fried and Framber Valdez? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.