25 MLB players who should make their first All-Star Game in 2023

Headlining the list of guys that should be playing in their first Midsummer Classic next month is Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo, who in the last couple of seasons has transformed from solid role player to legitimate star. Heading into last weekend the 30-year-old was slashing .295/.381/.433, was tied for the league lead in triples, and led the Mets in hits, walks, and OBP, while playing in every one of the team's games. Nimmo has become one of the sport's elite leadoff hitters, and his propensity for getting on-base is a big part of why Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor have both consistently been among the National League leaders in RBI for two years running. When you throw in the fact that Nimmo has also blossomed into one of the premier defensive players at his position, he really jumps off the page as someone that deserves to be representing the National League in the all-star game.

Right-handed slugger Jorge Soler enjoyed a phenomenal stretch late in 2021 and into the postseason, playing a key role in Atlanta's World Series victory and earning himself a nice free-agent payday in Miami. His first season with the Marlins did not go nearly the way he or the team planned, however. Injuries limited the veteran to only 72 games, in which he hit a disappointing .207. The 2023 campaign has been a different story altogether. Entering play last weekend Soler was tied for the 3rd in the Majors in home runs, and in late May enjoyed a stretch of five straight games with a long ball. During the first 2+ months of the season there have been very few hitters more dangerous than Soler, and he stands out as someone who should not only be participating in the all-star game, but deserves a home run derby invitation as well. 

Not long ago young Nolan Gorman was one of the best prospects in all of baseball, and while he had an up and down showing as a rookie in 2022, this season he's begun to really show what he's capable of. Gorman is a natural second baseman, but with defensive positioning seemingly in a constant state of flux in St. Louis this season, he's bounced between 2nd, 3rd, and DH. Regardless of where he's lined up, a strong case can be made that on a team with superstars like Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, the 23-year-old Gorman has been the Cardinals best and most consistent offensive player. He currently leads the team in homers, RBI, and SLG%, and while St. Louis has largely been a disappointment thus far, it's scary to thing about where they'd be without his breakout performance. 

White Sox outfielder Luis Robert has always been considered someone who would eventually become one of the very best players in the sport. The Cuban native can do absolutely everything on a baseball field, and dominated the minor leagues in an almost comical fashion. Things have gone less smoothly for him in the bigs, but that is mostly due to a rash of injuries that have prevented him from playing more than 98 games in a single season. The tide is beginning to turn for him in 2023, however. The White Sox have underperformed again thus far, but that's not the fault of Robert who has been easily their best player. He currently leads the team in homers, extra-base hits, SLG%, and OPS, and has already surpassed his previous career high in home runs. 

Third baseman Josh Jung was the Rangers first round pick in 2019 coming out of nearby Texas Tech, and while a torn labrum last year delayed his progress, in 2023 he's emerged as one of the most productive young hitters in the game. Heading into play last weekend the 25-year-old was slashing .295/.341/.531 with 12 homers, 37 RBI, and 11 doubles, and he's been a driving force behind the Rangers best start in years. The American League has several household names and perennial all-stars at his position like Rafael Devers, Jose Ramirez, and Alex Bregman, but Jung has outperformed all of them other than Devers in 2023, and I'm hopeful he'll get the recognition he deserves next month. 

The Rays have been baseball's best team all season long and an underrated reason why is the performance of their right-handed swinging first baseman, Yandy Diaz. The 31-year-old has been a productive offensive piece for Tampa Bay for several seasons already, but in 2023 he's been hitting for significantly more power which has made him infinitely more dangerous. In fact, through his first 47 games Diaz blasted 12 home runs--his previous career high is just 14. The Rays remain baseball's small market poster boys and employ more well known named like Wander Franco, Shane McClanahan, and Randy Arozarena, but here's hoping Diaz is able to get some well earned recognition later this summer. 

Waukesha, WI native Jarred Kelenic was considered one of the premier prospects in baseball from the day the Mets drafted him 6th overall in 2018, until a handful of subpar seasons left him on the brink of bust status. To his credit, however, he's dramatically rewriting that narrative here in 2023. Through his first 53 games Kelenic has slashed .277/.333/.513 with 10 homers, 14 doubles, a triple, and seven stolen bases, and is finally rewarding the Mariners for the high profile trade they made to acquire him four years ago. The American League is crowded with all-star outfield candidates so it might be tough for Kelenic to squeeze in, but if he's able to stay hot for another month or so it could be difficult to leave him off the team. 

In what continues to look more and more like one of the biggest fleece jobs in recent memory, let's talk about San Francisco third baseman, J.D. Davis. The Giants acquired Davis from the Mets midway through the 2022 season, and since he was installed as his new team's starter at the hot corner all he's done is hit. Heading into last weekend Davis was slashing .282/.366/.483 with nine homers and a team high 30 RBI. He's blossomed into the Giants most important right-handed hitter, and while they're are a lot of good third basemen in the NL, he deserves much more national attention than he's getting. 

Versatile Christopher Morel had a nice rookie season with the Cubs last season, compiling 39 extra-base hits and driving in 47 runs in 113 games, and it was quite stunning when Chicago optioned him to the minor leagues to begin 2023. It didn't take long for them to realize that was a mistake. Morel blasted 11 homers and collected 31 RBI in only 29 Triple-A games before joining the Cubs, and he's carried that production to the Majors. During one stretch the electric fan favorite launched home runs in five straight games, and he's become Wrigley Field's must-see attraction. 

Venezuelan born Elias Diaz has long been considered one of the best defensive catchers in the sport, but in 2023 he's taken his offensive game to an entirely new level. Through his first 52 games Diaz slashed .309/.362/.475 --a dramatic uptick from his .250/.305/.392 career mark. He's homered six times, driven in 29 runs, and been easily Colorado's most consistent player. The National League has some big-name catchers who are no strangers to Midsummer Classics, but Diaz has been as good as any backstop on the senior circuit and excluding him would almost be criminal. 

Masataka Yoshida is not your typical rookie, as the outfielder had long been one of the most complete hitters in Japan before pursuing a career in the Major Leagues this past winter. With Boston Yoshida has been everything the Red Sox hoped he'd be, contributing 22 extra-base hits in his first 194 at-bats and boasting an impressive .314/.394/.505 slash line. The 'Sox have struggled to compete in the gauntlet that is the American League East, but in a lot of ways Yoshida has been their best player, and it would be nice to see him get the recognition he's earned. 

Young Rays shortstop Wander Franco had long been considered among the very best prospects in the game, and while it's taken more time than expected, his breakout is finally happening. Entering the 2023 season the 23-year-old switch-hitter had consistently been slowed by injuries, but in his first healthy season--to date--Franco's talent is really starting to shine. Through 56 games he's slashing .305/.367/.493 with seven homers, 29 RBI, 17 doubles, a pair of triples, and 21 stolen bases. Franco has been one of the driving forces behind baseball's best team, and he should be no secret to all-star games before his career is done.  

Arizona outfielder Corbin Carroll is the current favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year, but the 22-year-old certainly has loftier expectations than that. In his first 195 at-bats in 2023 Carroll slashed .282/.368/.503 with 24 extra-base hits, 24 RBI, and 16 steals, while also playing excellent defense at a premium position. His breakout has been a huge reason for the Diamondbacks' surprise start, and he's certainly deserving of an all-star nod that could serve as his introduction to the national audience. 

More likely than not Baltimore's Adley Rutschman will be the AL's starting catcher in most all-star games moving forward, and that trend should begin here in 2023. In his first chance to be a Major League regular from day one, the switch-hitting Rutschman has thrived, slashing .284/.402/.431 with eight home runs and 28 RBI. Through play over the weekend the Orioles owned the third-best record in baseball and Rutschman is a big reason why, though he's not alone, as Baltimore has really put together a nice young core. 

Right-handed swinging Sean Murphy had been a good player with the Athletics, but a winter trade to Atlanta has led to the biggest season of the veteran backstop's career. Through the weekend Murphy is slashing .294/.400/.553--dramatically better than his .243/.337/.445 career mark. He's also on pace to shatter his previous career highs in power numbers, and hitting in the middle of a much better line-up on a contending team has obviously made a world of difference. With Yadier Molina now retired, Willson Contreras dealing with all kinds of drama in St. Louis, and J.T. Realmuto not having his typical type of season, the catching position on the National League all-star team is primed for an influx of new blood. And Murphy should be front and center. 

Speaking of National League catchers, how about the impact Mets' rookie Francisco Alvarez has made? New York delayed handing him the reigns behind the plate for good far longer than they should have, but once he got the starting job, he's made it clear he won't be giving it back. In his first 118 at-bats, Alvarez has launched eight home runs--many of them in huge spots like the three-run game-tying blast he hit against Tampa Bay with two outs in the 9th inning. The 21-year-old has tape-measure power and has quickly become a must-see attraction in Queens, while also impressing the Mets pitching staff with his defensive prowess and awareness. The sky is truly the limit for Alvarez, who spent the better part of the last calendar year listed as baseball's top overall prospect, and if he continues hitting over the next month he just may notch an all-star appearance in his rookie year. 

Washington's Lane Thomas' numbers don't exactly jump off the page instantly, but the Knoxville, TN native has somewhat quietly been one of the more productive offensive outfielders in the National League early in 2023. In his first 58 contests, he's slashed .278/.335/.441 with 20 extra-base hits and 27 RBI, and on a bad Nationals team with very little star power, he's got as good a chance as anyone to represent them in the Midsummer Classic. 

Flamboyant left-handed slugger Josh Naylor has been Cleveland's most productive offensive player, leading the team in both homers and RBI and slashing .254/.311/.441. The 25-year-old first baseman/designated hitter has become an irreplaceable anchor in the middle of the Guardians' line-up, and with the club off to a slow start, he'll have to continue mashing if they're going to turn it around. There are much bigger names on the Cleveland roster--starting with third baseman Jose Ramirez--, but offensively they have no-hitter more deserving of an all-star nod than Naylor. 

Braves' righty Spencer Strider would've easily won the National League Rookie of the Year award last season were it not for the standout play of his teammate, Michael Harris II, and in 2023 the Clemson product has picked up right where he left off. In his first 12 starts Strider has pitched to a stellar 2.97 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP, while holding opponents to a .177 batting average and punching out an eye-opening 113 hitters in 67.2 innings. With Max Fried spending most of the early part of the season on the injured list Strider has become Atlanta's clear-cut number one, and he's been a huge part of their fast start. 

The Pirates have waited a long time for righty Mitch Keller to break through at the sport's highest level, and in 2023 they're finally being rewarded for their continued patience. In his first dozen starts the 27-year-old has gone 7-1 with a 3.25 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 74.2 innings, while punching out 93 men and holding hitters to a .226 batting average. Pittsburgh is arguably the best story in Major League Baseball right now, and Keller is a huge reason they've been able to stay right with Milwaukee for the NL Central lead. 

With Max Fried and Kyle Wright making only five starts each thus far, there have been opportunities for other pitchers to step up in Atlanta's rotation, and no hurler has taken advantage of the situation more than right-hander Bryce Elder. The former Texas Longhorn has pitched to a dominant 1.92 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP in his first 11 outings, while perhaps most importantly averaging six innings per start. The 24-year-olds' emergence has played a huge role in the Braves' first-place start, and he's made it real tough for the team to remove him from the rotation when everyone is healthy. 

Astros' righty Cristian Javier became a national sensation in the postseason last October and he's had no issue rolling that success right into 2023. In 12 starts thus far the Dominican Republic native has pitched to a 2.84 ERA with a 0.99 ERA, while holding the opposition to a .209 batting average and striking out 72 hitters in 62.9 innings. The pitcher win has been devalued substantially in recent years, but a 7-1 record still catches your attention, and Javier has certainly put together an all-star-worthy resume as a whole. 

Baltimore righty Tyler Wells has quite possibly been the most successful starting pitcher you haven't really heard of early in 2023. After a so-so first season in the Orioles' rotation last year, the 28-year-old has taken his game to new heights, working to a 3.29 ERA with a phenomenal 0.85 ERA in 68.1 frames, while notching 70 strikeouts and holding opposing hitters to a .175 batting average. Baltimore has been one of the most exciting teams in the game these first few months, and while everyone talks about their position player core, Wells emergence on the mound is one of the primary reasons for their hot start. 

Sticking in Charm City, Felix Bautista has been absolutely electric since taking over as Baltimore's closer last summer, and if the big right-hander is not included on the American League all-star roster next month, it will be nothing short of criminal. Through this past weekend Bautista has registered 15 saves and pitched to a minuscule 1.29 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP and a .152 batting average against. Most notably, he's carrying an absurd 18.32 K/9 ratio, showing just how challenging it can be to even put the ball in play with him on the mound. The Orioles have been one of baseball's best teams in 2023, and one reason why is that they're essentially playing eight-inning games. If they take a lead to the 9th, the game is over. 

The Oakland Athletics have had just an unfathomably difficult start to 2023 and are on a pace to surpass the 1962 New York Mets infamous record of 120 losses in a season. But hey, every team needs to be represented in the all-star game, right? And for the record, right-handed swinging Brent Rooker is certainly not responsible for the team's futility. The Mississippi State alum has slashed .256/.357/.494 thus far, and leads the team in home runs and RBI.