Opening Day is only weeks away as baseball season is right around the corner. Spring training games are in full swing, and the young stars of MLB get ready for the 2014 season. The last couple seasons, there have been a few young phenoms making a name for themselves. Here’s a look at ten of baseball’s young studs set to impress this season.
10. Patrick Corbin, Arizona Diamondbacks
The Dbacks starting pitcher is only 24-years-old and is off to a good career. Last year Corbin had a fantastic first half of the season, but faltered after the All Star Break. Corbin posted a 2.35 ERA to accompany his 11-1 record at the All Star Break, however his numbers declined to a 5.19 ERA and 3-7 record following the Mid-Summer Classic. Overall, he finished 2013 with a record of 14-8 with a 3.41 ERA and 178 strikeouts.
Corbin has two seasons under his belt and showed improvement last year lowering his season ERA from 4.54 in 2012 to 3.41 in 2013.
The young Dback star is set to continue the trend in 2014 and post solid numbers throughout the duration of the season.
9. Shelby Miller, St. Louis Cardinals
Last season Miller finished third in Rookie of the Year voting after finishing the season with a 15-9 record with a 3.06 ERA and 169 strikeouts.
The talented up and coming pitcher is only 23-years-old and surrounded by talent on that Cardinals roster. Some players suffer from a sophomore slump after a breakout season, but Miller should be able to avoid that and continue his dominant pitching in 2014.
8. Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are a team that are easily looked over, but have the potential to possibly surprise some people this season. Jose Abreau is 27-years old and signed a big money $62 million, six year deal in October.
The Cuban star is said to be the next Yasiel Puig or Yoenis Cespedes and has the talent to have the success they have had in the majors.
One of his most impressive seasons in Cuba came on 2011/2012 as he hit .453 with 33 homeruns and 93 RBI in 66 games. The long 162 game season has been a concern in the past with players from different countries, but with numbers like that, Abreau should do just fine with the White Sox.
7. Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
Harper is well-known for “that’s a clown question, bro” and his unique hair style, but he’s not too bad at the whole baseball thing. Harper had a breakout 2012 season as he burst on the scene posting a .270 average with 22 homeruns and 59 RBI.
Last season, Harper missed some time due to a knee injury, but still managed to hit .274 with 20 homers and 58 RBI in 118 games.
Harper is already a two-time All Star at the young age of 21, and is well known around the league.
If Harper is 100 percent healthy this season, he can put up some crazy good numbers and take his career stats to a whole new level.
6. Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals have a lot of young pitching talent, and Wacha was a huge contributor to the club last season. The 22-year-old starting pitcher posted a 4-1 record with a 2.78 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 15 games including nine starts last year.
Wacha was more than impressive during the postseason last year as he created quite the buzz going 4-1 with a 2.61 ERA and 33 strikeouts in five starts.
With numbers like these, Wacha is on pace to have a remarkable 2014 campaign for the Cards. He is a player to keep an eye on and someone who MLB fans will be hearing about for some time.
5. Masahiro Tanaka, New York Yankees
Tanaka is one of the most anticipated players of 2014, as everyone is beyond excited to see him pitch this year. The 25-year-old pitcher had a historic season for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League as he went 24-0 with a 1.24 ERA.
Tanaka was signed by the Yankees in January and he will be making big bucks in the pinstripes. His contract is for seven years and $155 million.
The young pitcher had a great spring debut and is expected to do just fine playing American ball, despite some of the differences. With a contract that big, there are high hopes and expectations for Tanaka, but he has the stuff to succeed in this league and have a breakout season for the Yanks in 2014.
5. Sonny Gray, Oakland Athletics
Gray made his major league debut midseason for the A’s last year, and was rather impressive. The 24-year-old went 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 10 starts in 2013.
The young up and comer also pitched in the ALDS for Oakland last year, going 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts against the Detroit Tigers. Gray was able to tame the Tigers dangerous lineup in game 2 as he allowed zero runs through eight innings.
In 64 innings pitched, Gray produced 67 strikeouts last year. Gray is going to be a big part of the A’s pitching staff for years to come, and has the material to have a stellar 2014 season for the green and gold in his first full year in the bigs.
4. Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles
It’s hard to believe that Machado is only 21-years-old, but he is. He enters his third season with the Baltimore Orioles and has been a big part of their recent success.
Last year Machado batted .283 with 14 homeruns and 71 RBI in 156 games. The All Star third baseman isn’t only great at the plate, but handles the hot corner very well.
Machado is one of the best talents in baseball today, and will continue to improve as his career progresses. He will continue to impress and put up some great numbers for the O’s in 2014.
3. Wil Myers, Tampa Bay Rays
The young right fielder didn’t make his debut until mid June last year, but his amazing play earned him the Rookie of the Year Award last season. In only 88 games, Myers batted .293 with 13 homeruns and 53 RBI for the Rays. Myers also hit 23 doubles last year.
Myers has been considered one of the top power hitting prospects in the game, and now he has the opportunity to live up to the hype.
He had a great season last year, and at the young age of 23 has the potential to improve his numbers and further impress fans in 2014.
2. Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers
Puig was possibly the biggest name in baseball last year. The Cuban phenom was called up by the Dodgers and never looked back as his impact was significant the moment he put on that uniform.
In 104 games, he hit .319 with 19 homeruns and 21 doubles with 42 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
Puig was a big factor in getting the Dodgers on track and eventually winning the NLWest title. Puig was voted second in Rookie of the Year voting, and 15th in league MVP voting.
2013 was a monstrous year for Puig, and 2014 looks to be even better. Puig will continue to impress and has the opportunity to post numbers even greater than those of last year.
1. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Trout is one of the best players in all of baseball right now, and definitely the best of the younger players around the league.
Trout’s first game with the Angels came when he was only 19-years-old and he’s continued to improve and grow in this league. He won the Rookie of the Year honors in 2012 when he was 20-years-old, and has just come up short in MVP voting, finishing in second place for two consecutive years.
Last season Trout hit .323 with 27 homeruns and 97 RBI.
Regardless of what the Angels do this year, 2014 will be another amazing season for Trout. The kid just keeps getting better and it’s become something we just expect from him.
At only 22-years-old, Trout is one of the best in all of baseball and one of the most entertaining players to watch. Whether it’s robbing a homerun or hitting the longball, Trout has become a human highlight reel and a regular on ESPN.