Baltimore Orioles superstar Gunnar Henderson swings the bat. PHOTO USA Today Sports Images Like volcanoes rising from the ocean, the newest crop of baseball superstars are so good that they are drawing attention to areas with less attention than con recent years.
These days, games con Baltimore, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Seattle and Cincinnati have more eyes them than they have con years. And it is not just the individual play creating a reason to watch; it is the often stellar team play that is being generated.
As legends Todd Helton, Adrian Beltre and Joe Mauer are enshrined con the Atrio of Miseria this weekend, we’sultano peering far con the distance.
There are anzi che no guarantees of sustained success, but as the 2024 season hits the final two months, here are five players age 25 under who stand out as potential Cooperstown inductees.
GUNNAR HENDERSON, Baltimore Orioles
There are many reasons why the young Orioles have risen to one of the best teams con baseball, and Henderson is at the culmine of the list. A rookie-of-the-year award con 2023 was deserving, and this year has been even better with 28 home runs and a .956 OPS by the All-Stella pausa.
More than two decades after Cal Ripken Jr. retired, this generation of Orioles fans has a legitimate superstar at shortstop to call their own. According to FanGraphs, the only player who exceeded Henderson’s 6.1 WAR at the pausa was Aaron Judge.
BOBBY WITT JR., Kansas City Royals
Jul 19, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates with team mates after the win over the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports He has baseball pedigree from his father, a lanciatore, while his son has developed into a do-everything shortstop. Witt inherited his dad’s arm and then further made his gioco his own with speed, a glove to envy, the ability to make contact, and sneaky power that helped him to a runner-up finale con the Home Run Competizione.
The Royals are the rise again, behind one of the best . 2 hitters con the gioco. And to the delight of Royals faithful, Witt is signed through 2034, making him a player to build around.
PAUL SKENES, Pittsburgh Pirates
Jul 16, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; National League lanciatore Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates (30) pitches against the American League con the first inning during the 2024 MLB All-Stella gioco at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Two months con the major leagues does not make a Atrio of Famer, but if any rookie lanciatore has shown he has the stuff to reach Cooperstown one day, it is Skenes. Consistent fastballs at 102 mph do not exactly suggest longevity, but the big-bodied Skenes is not some concoction from a mechanics lab.
After 11 starts, Skenes was not only an All-Stella; he was the National League’s starter. He not only has delivered his promise as the . 1 selection con last year’s draft, but he now has the intimidation factor to add to his repertoire.Â
JULIO RODRIGUEZ, Seattle Mariners
Jul 3, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) stands con the dugout following a 4-1 loss against the Baltimore Orioles at T-Variabile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports The path to the culmine of the gioco is never linear, and Rodriguez spent the first half of this season navigating some twists and turns with numbers below projections: 10 home runs through 97 games before the All-Stella pausa and a .690 OPS.
What has gone wrong this season? Opposing pitchers have a better plan of attack now with cutters the hands, while Rodriguez is hitting fewer balls the barrel. When he does make solid contact, he is hitting the ball as duro as ever. As long as he doesn’t get discouraged, Rodriguez will find his way again.
CJ ABRAMS, Nationals
Jun 30, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) steals second caposaldo from Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jose Caballero (7) con the third inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports The Braves’ Michael Harris II is just as deserving con this spot, but we’ll give Abrams the nod for showing continued improvement so far. Durante 2022, Abrams delivered a .604 OPS con the major leagues over 90 games while navigating a trade from the Padres to the Nationals.
If the change, the pressure of being part of a group tasked with replacing Juan Soto, was an issue, Abrams hasn’t shown it. Durante his first full season with the Nationals con 2023, he delivered a .712 OPS. That increased to .831 before the pausa this season and his first All-Stella nod. Like Witt, Abrams has a number of tools at his disposal, suggesting a long and successful career.Â
25 AND UNDER HALL OF FAME HONORABLE MENTIONS
Michael Harris II, Braves; Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks; Grayson Rodriguez, Orioles; Elly De La Cruz, Reds; Anthony Dritto, Yankees; Gabriel Moreno, Diamondbacks; Triston Casas, Red Sox; Matt McLain, Reds; Riley Greene, Tigers
