Who do you assume was essentially the most priceless participant within the NL Central final season?
Paul Goldschmidt? No. Nolan Arenado? No. Cody Bellinger or Dansby Swanson or Christian Yelich or Corbin Burnes? No. The reply is definitely William Contreras, who led the division with 5.4 Wins Above Substitute, per FanGraphs.
The purpose is: The highest gamers in any given 12 months simply aren’t at all times who you’d anticipate. It is simple to see an Adley Rutschman or Julio Rodríguez or Corbin Carroll as the following high canine of their divisions. However let’s attempt to discover some extra under-the-radar candidates who may take MLB by storm in 2024.
This is one darkish horse who may emerge as the highest participant in each division.
AL East: Anthony Volpe, SS, YankeesTop participant in 2023: Aaron Decide (5.3 WAR)
Let’s begin with this snapshot of Volpe’s rookie season: 21 dwelling runs, 24 stolen bases, a Gold Glove Award at shortstop. In the event you simply noticed that, you’d assume the Yankees already had one of many league’s high rising stars on their palms. However actually, Volpe has huge untapped potential after Yr 1. There’s room for an enormous leap offensively — Volpe batted solely .209 with a .666 OPS and 81 OPS+ in his large league debut. And provided that he is solely 22, was a high prospect coming into the massive leagues and flashed his thrilling instruments as a rookie, that vast leap is not laborious to consider for Volpe in Yr 2. Together with his power-speed combo and Gold Glove potential at a premium place, the Yankees shortstop may shortly turn into among the finest gamers in a stacked division.
Different candidates: Randy Arozarena (Rays), Triston Casas (Crimson Sox), Masataka Yoshida (Crimson Sox), Jackson Holliday (Orioles)
AL Central: Riley Greene, CF, Tigers Prime participant in 2023: Bobby Witt Jr. (5.7 WAR)
Getting into his age-23 season, Greene already has a formidable all-around recreation at one of many recreation’s most dear positions in heart subject, with 4 plus instruments in his contact hitting, energy, pace and glove. He is already made a formidable leap on the plate from his rookie season in 2022 to his sophomore season in 2023, bettering from a 97 OPS+ to a 117 OPS+. And he has nice underlying numbers, rating within the high quarter of MLB in primarily all of Statcast’s quality-of-contact metrics in 2023 (anticipated batting common and slugging share, exit velocity, hard-hit fee, barrel fee and launch angle sweet-spot fee). Greene — who’s recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure on his non-throwing elbow and ought to be prepared for Opening Day — simply must put collectively a full, wholesome season, and he ought to be a star for Detroit.
Different candidates: Royce Lewis (Twins), Cole Ragans (Royals), Tarik Skubal (Tigers), Eloy Jiménez (White Sox)
AL West: Evan Carter, LF, RangersTop participant in 2023: Shohei Ohtani (9.0 WAR)
In the event you watched Carter on the Rangers’ World Collection run final October, you noticed a star within the making. The 21-year-old was one of many reigning champs’ greatest gamers on the sport’s largest stage regardless of coming into the postseason with simply 23 large league video games beneath his belt. Carter can do all of it — hit for common, slug dwelling runs, draw walks, steal bases and make highlight-reel catches within the outfield. In 40 video games throughout the common season and postseason, Carter posted a .303/.415/.574 slash line and .989 OPS with six dwelling runs and 6 stolen bases. That places a 20-20 season … possibly even a 30-30 season … in attain in 2024. Throw in Carter’s .300 bat, elite plate self-discipline and Gold Glove potential in left subject (+3 Outs Above Common in 2023), and he may definitely be a part of the likes of J-Rod, Mike Trout and his teammate Corey Seager as among the finest gamers within the AL West.
Different candidates: Jeremy Peña (Astros), George Kirby (Mariners), Josh Jung (Rangers), Shea Langeliers (A’s)
NL East: Michael Harris II, CF, BravesTop participant in 2023: Ronald Acuña Jr. (8.3 WAR)
If the very best participant within the NL East is not going to be Ronald Acuña Jr. once more, how about Acuña’s teammate? The 2022 NL Rookie of the Yr was a little bit overshadowed final season resulting from a sluggish begin, coupled with Acuña’s historic season and the sheer quantity of star energy on the Braves. However Harris actually turned it on after that, batting .335 with a .912 OPS, 16 homers and 15 steals over his closing 100 video games to complete with almost equivalent numbers to his Rookie of the Yr season. And his bat is not even his No. 1 ability — that will be his glove. Harris makes game-changing performs in heart subject, like his catch that began the Braves’ game-ending double play within the NLDS in opposition to the Phillies, one of many high performs of all the postseason. The 22-year-old is already a star, and he may very well be an excellent larger famous person in 2024.
Different candidates: Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Marlins), Kodai Senga (Mets), CJ Abrams (Nationals), Bryson Stott (Phillies)
NL Central: Elly De La Cruz, SS/3B, Reds Prime participant in 2023: William Contreras (5.4 WAR)
De La Cruz’s expertise is electrical in each means. He was immediately one of the crucial enjoyable gamers to observe in all of baseball when he debuted in 2023, from the rocket dwelling runs to the blazing quick triples to the throws as an infielder that touched 100 mph. However when it got here to precise manufacturing, De La Cruz’s numbers did not fairly maintain as much as his spectacle. Although he completed with 13 homers, seven triples and 35 stolen bases, De La Cruz additionally struck out 144 instances in 98 video games and posted a .710 OPS and 89 OPS+. Nonetheless, he was only a 21-year-old rookie, and the issues he can do on a baseball subject are dazzling. With a step ahead, essentially the most thrilling younger participant within the division may quickly be the very best.
Different candidates: Nolan Gorman (Cardinals), Jordan Walker (Cardinals), Oneil Cruz (Pirates), Jack Suwinski (Pirates), Hunter Greene (Reds)
NL West: Nolan Jones, OF, Rockies Prime participant in 2023: Mookie Betts (8.3 WAR)
With Shohei Ohtani becoming a member of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers have three of MLB’s 5 most dear gamers of 2023 (and that is not even together with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was the very best participant in Japan). Add Corbin Carroll to that group, and the NL West had 4 of the highest 10 gamers within the Majors. However possibly the following large star out west will come from some place else. And Jones is a surprisingly good candidate.
You won’t have observed it, however the 25-year-old sort of had a monster rookie season. In 106 video games, Jones posted a .297/.389/.542 slash line, .931 OPS and 138 OPS+, with 20 homers and 20 steals. The lefty is an all-fields hitter with no platoon weak point — Jones hit .314 with a .902 OPS in 130 plate appearances vs. left-handed pitchers final season — and he will get to slug at Coors Area. These are the makings of a harmful hitter coming into 2024. And so far as instruments, Jones has a trio to be an all-around star: distinctive energy, distinctive pace and one of many strongest outfield arms within the Majors.
Different candidates: Jung Hoo Lee (Giants), Patrick Bailey (Giants), James Outman (Dodgers), Gabriel Moreno (D-backs), Ketel Marte (D-backs)
