Major League Baseball has been seen as America’s ancient pastime, but to some people this has bored them and has lost their interest over the past few years. Baseball had become “boring” and “unwatchable” to some people that used to love the MLB. Luckily, baseball has survived thanks to young veterans such as Freddie Freeman, Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, and Nolan Arenado to name a few. The youth rejuvenation in this league is currently unrivaled compared to other professional leagues. The future stars of the MLB have lit the ignition for baseball and has impacted kids of all ages thanks to these young stars. The best young players have separated themselves from other future stars, and this is what the article will explore.
This article will provide a table from fangraphs.com showing the top 7 young stars of the MLB that are under the age of 25 from the 2018 season to the 2019 season. Below, I will discuss each of the seven stars and talk about how they have been able to impact their teams respectively in such little time.
1. Miguel Andujar (24) -- New York Yankees
Andujar, turned 24 in March, is from the Dominican Republic and made his MLB Debut in 2017. Andujar has only played 149 games but has a .297 batting average over these games. Andujar was huge for the Yankees (before his injury) this year as they are currently a front runner to win the American League and possibly the World Series.
2. Ronald Acuna Jr. (21) -- Atlanta Braves
Acuna Jr., age 21, is from Venezuela, and he made his MLB Debut for Atlanta in 2018. Acuna, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, took the league by storm last year and has not cooled off since. Acuna Jr. has been huge for the Braves and their success in the past year which most people are saying are “ahead of schedule”
3. Andrew Benintendi (25) -- Boston Red Sox
Benintendi, turned 25 this July, has played in 148 games for the Red Sox and is hitting a .290 batting average over these games. Benintendi has been a huge playmaker for Boston along with their trio of outfielders that includes Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr.. Benintendi was massive last season as the Red Sox won the World Series.
4. Juan Soto (20) -- Washington Nationals
Soto, only 20 years young, has come onto the MLB scene incredibly fast. Soto has impressed in so many different aspects due to his speed and power. Soto has maintained a .289 batting average over 211 games and has taken over the star power that Bryce Harper left behind.
5. Cody Bellinger (24) -- Los Angeles Dodgers
Bellinger, age 24, won the National League Rookie of the Year in 2017 and has without a doubt been one of the best players in this year’s season in the MLB. Bellinger has already hit 34 HR’s this year and is hitting .287 over the past one and a half seasons. With the help of Bellinger, the Dodgers could very well be headed to their third straight World Series appearance.
6. Rafael Devers (22) -- Boston Red Sox
Devers, age 22, was a vital part of the Boston Red Sox World Series run last year and has been very effective in his MLB career. Devers has the best Batting Average of the Top 7 batting .283 in 225 games. Rafael also has hit 42 HR and 246 hits in the past one and a half seasons.
7. Gleyber Torres (22) -- New York Yankees
Torres, age 22, is another Bronx Baby Bomber that has a very bright future in the MLB. Torres made his MLB Debut in April 2018 and has hit 44 Homers in his young professional baseball career. With the help from Torres at the plate and in the middle infield, the Yankees will be a powerhouse for a long time in the future.
Conclusion: The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves are just three teams that come to mind that are loaded with young talent and could be very good for a very long time due to their young talent that keeps regenerating. As a whole, these 7 stars and many others that were not listed have helped to revive baseball. Baseball is back and better than ever thanks to young star power all over the league.
Sources
www.fangraphs.com
About the Author
Andrew Johnson is a rising senior at Samford University, where he is majoring in Finance with a concentration in Sports Marketing. Andrew is from Nashville, TN and has held a passion for all types of sports since a young age. Here is a link to his LinkedIn profile.
