Eight MLB players off to surprisingly good starts

We’re now over half a month into the MLB regular season, and with that comes at least a few surprises. Granted, in a 162-game regular season, most early season surprises, be it individual or teams, regress back to what baseball fans expect they would be coming into the season.

However, every year there are a few early season surprises that stay consistent throughout the entire season. So with that said, here are eight MLB players off to surprisingly good starts that just might hold up for the season.

1) Trevor Story

With a last name that has every sportswriter dying to use a crummy pun to describe him, Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story finds himself as the MLB leader in home runs. Sorry, make that tied for the MLB lead (Bryce Harper just dinged another one while this was being written). With eight home runs in 63 at-bats, the power Story has displayed so far this season is legit. Forget for a moment that he plays in a home run-friendly park in Coors Field — all of Story’s home runs have been absolute bombs.

All this has come from a player who wasn’t even supposed to be the Rockies' everyday shortstop coming into the season with Jose Reyes on the roster. But Reyes' legal troubles have him limbo, and the 23-year-old Story has made the most of his opportunity thus far. While 40 home runs might be little too much to expect from the rookie, based on what we’ve seen from him so far this year, it wouldn’t be shocking to see 30 round-trippers and close to 100 RBI from the biggest early season surprise player in the majors.

2) Mat Latos

The Los Angeles Dodgers' front office has to be wondering what the Chicago White Sox have done to the real Mat Latos and who this impostor is pretending to be him on mound. Granted, a three-start sample size is extremely small, but any one of the three starts Latos has given the White Sox this season has been better than any start he had last season with the boys in blue.

In his three starts, Latos has allowed just one earned run in 18 and a third innings of work, has a WHIP of 0.60 and has three wins. Those are tremendous numbers from a pitcher who has shuffled around the majors the past few years. Latos only has 11 strikeouts on the year, suggesting that luck has had some part to play in his early season success, but for whatever reason, the 28-year-old appears to be far more comfortable pitching in the AL.

Will Latos continue to be nearly unhittable? Of course not, but that doesn’t mean manager Robin Ventura and the White Sox haven’t found a pitcher who can help them become surprise contenders in the AL Central.

3) John Jaso

A career .266 hitter, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/catcher John Jaso is off to a scorching start at the plate this campaign. He is hitting .358 for the Bucs in 14 games played, and although Jaso’s slugging percentage would suggest he’ll never scare opposing pitchers, his low strikeout rate sets him up well for a career year at the plate.

The 32-year-old Jaso batted .286 last season for the Tampa Bay Rays, so given his hot start, don’t expect his average to dip below that for the remainder of the year.

4) Tyler White

Physically built like a classic corner infielder, Houston Astros first baseman Tyler White has also looked the part so far this year. On a roster that features that talents of Carlos Correa, Carlos Gomez, Jose Altuve and George Springer, it is White who leads the Astros in batting average, RBI, OPS and is tied for the team lead in home runs with five.

Like most power-hitting first basemen, White is going to record his fair share of strikeouts at the plate, but a slugging percentage of .720 is just a little too good to happen by accident. Naturally, White’s early season average of .340 will decrease as the season goes along, but the 25-year-old looks like he’s here to stay in the majors.

5) Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Say Jarrod Saltalamacchia five times in a row as fast as you can. Not easy, is it? Well, it hasn’t been easy for opposing pitchers to get the veteran catcher out at the plate so far either. Saltalamacchia has been tearing the cover off the ball for the Tigers thus far this season, with five home runs and 14 RBI.

The journeyman catcher has never been much more than a replacement-level player, but Saltalamacchia has proved he can hit for power when given the chance; he hit 25 home runs for the Red Sox in 2012. Also, hitting in a lineup that features Miguel Cabrera, Ian Kinsler, Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez serves to ripen up a pitcher for Saltalamacchia’s at-bats.

Will the 30-year-old continue to hit like this all season? It’s doubtful, but you can expect Saltalamacchia to continue to be a solid contributor in Detroit’s lineup this year.

6) Vincent Velasquez

While the 2016 campaign isn’t likely to be one Phillies fans will want to remember, at the very least they’ll get to see Vincent Velasquez pitch every five days. Philadelphia appears to have found a true front-of-the-rotation starter in the 23-year-old Velasquez.

Velasquez has two outstanding pitches in his fastball and changeup to go along with a curveball that is above-average. So far this season, opposing hitters have struggled to figure out how to approach him, and it shows in his numbers. Velasquez is tied for the NL lead in strikeouts with 29, and his ERA and WHIP are both under one. With the way the Phillies' lineup is currently constructed, Velasquez won’t be racking up wins in the majors just yet, but he will be one day.

7) Joey Rickard

With All-Star center fielder Adam Jones slowed down early this season with a stomach illness, Baltimore Orioles rookie Joey Rickard has filled in admirably. Along with playing quality defense in the outfield, Rickard has 18 hits in 55 at-bats this season, giving him an average of .327.

The 24-year-old from Las Vegas isn’t expected to stay in the lineup with the return of Jones, but it does appear the O’s have found a fourth outfielder in Rickard.

8) Yasiel Puig

Given the disastrous season Yasiel Puig had last year both on the field and in the clubhouse, the Cuban-born talent looks like a brand-new player this season for the Dodgers. A lighting rod for controversy his first few years in the majors, Puig has appeared both level-headed and mature in his approach this season. Who could have ever predicted that?

The 25-year-old Puig is not only back to hitting over .300, but also is drawing more walks, a sign he is becoming increasingly wise about his swing selection. Given the offseason departure of Zack Greinke, the Dodgers must score more runs this season if they hope to repeat as NL West champions. If Puig can continue his surprisingly good start to the 2016 season, another division title could be in the line for Los Angeles.