Everyone knows great players like Freddie Freeman and Bryce Harper are going to make headlines every season. But what about the younger rising stars who are on their way in the league? Let’s look at the ten most exciting young players in the MLB.
Nico Hoerner
The Cubs’ Nico Hoerner has a bit of an uphill battle to become recognized in the NL in no small part due to the deluge of excellent second basemen already playing in the league. Ozzie Albies and Luis Arraez come to mind as All-Star second basemen, and even Hoerner’s Gold Glove defense and great hitting haven’t yet set him apart. He’s just itching to break loose, though, so keep an eye on him.
Ha-Seong Kim
Ha-Seong Kim is one of the most exciting young shortstops in the MLB, offering echoes of other greats in the role like Dansby Swanson. Kim is so accomplished on defense that he almost doesn’t need to be that strong offensively, but he offers up great home run potential and a newly-improved base path approach that has made him a force to be reckoned with for the Padres.
Royce Lewis
The Twins’ third baseman is hardly unknown, as he was the first pick of the 2017 draft. However, he’s struggled to stay health since then, playing in far fewer games than his contemporaries due to repeated injuries. If he can stay uninjured, though, Lewis has genuine superstar potential and could become a legendary player.
Triston Casas
The Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas has a lot to offer his club. In the second half of 2023, he brought an impressive .317 batting average and 1.034 OPS. That means he was behind only some of the greatest players in the sport, like Shohei Ohtani, Matt Olson, and Ronald Acuña Jr.
Tyler Glasnow
Glasnow, as a starting pitcher for the Dodgers, has some killer stuff in his arsenal. He’s just got to get better at staying on the mound long enough to make it all work for him. If anyone can get the most out of him, it’s the Dodgers, a team with a habit for bringing the potential out of starting pitchers.
Tanner Bibee
The Guardians’ Tanner Bibee is only 25 and has gotten better with each of his starts. He’s a phenomenal pitcher in the AL, with an exciting 2.50 ERA in 93.2 innings across his final 16 starts in 2023. He stands to only get better with time, too.
Brandon Nimmo
Nimmo’s biggest drawback right now is that he plays for the Mets. Notably, he’s a consistently excellent player on a team that has struggled to make the best use of him. He’s got a great swing, solid batting average, and great defensive stats in the outfield, which makes his failure to appear in any All-Star games yet troubling at best.
Michael Harris II
Money Mike has been a pivotal asset for Atlanta since Acuña went down with injury early in the 2024 season. Ironically, Harris has struggled to become more of a household name due in part to just how good the Braves starting lineup usually is. But, given time, he’ll likely morph into one of the strongest hitters in the sport.
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Eury Pérez
Starting pitcher Eury Pérez should be a household name by now but has been pretty unlucky. The Marlins were been very careful about limiting his time on the field in 2023, and he had to undergo Tommy John surgery in April of 2024, ending his season nearly before it started. Still, he’s got stellar stuff and should become a force to be reckoned with in the majors once he gets healthy.
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Ronald Acuña Jr.
Ronnie has had a somewhat frustrating career in the MLB. He was injured in 2021 before the Braves took the World Series, and he was injured again early in the 2024 season, hurting the Braves badly on their campaign to try to win the NL East for the seventh consecutive season. But, if Acuña can get healthy, he’s got everything he needs to become the biggest force in the sport. Just look at his 2023 MVP accolade to see how good he is.
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