The 25 best MLB players under 25

Left-handed swinging Juan Soto was first on this list last year and the worst statistical season of his career did not deter me in the least from putting him here again. Soto is a generational offensive talent who just endured one of the strangest years anyone has ever witnessed. Teams just don't trade away superstars in their early 20s with years of contractual control remaining, yet that's exactly what the Nationals did with Soto last July. San Diego was more than willing to meet the enormous asking price. They're counting on him reestablishing himself as the best pure hitter in baseball now that he's settled into life in southern California. His .400/.500/1.000 slash line with two homers, two doubles, and three RBI in the recently completed World Baseball Classic certainly has the Padres optimistic. 

Atlanta has more players on this list than any other team, a true testament to their scouting, drafting, and player development. But the most productive member of their formidable young core is far and above their 25-year-old third baseman Austin Riley, whom the team was thrilled to lock up last summer with a ten-year extension. In 2022 Riley slashed .273/.349/.528 while setting new career highs in home runs (38) and doubles (39). He drove in 90+ runs for the second straight year, was a first-time all-star, and was named the National League player of the month in July. The Braves should again be very good in 2023, and Riley's right-handed power bat will take on even more importance in the middle of their line-up after Dansby Swanson joined the Cubs in free agency.

Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette has seemingly been a star since the moment he debuted in July of 2019. After an injury-riddled COVID campaign in 2020, in the two full seasons he's played in since then he's emphatically established himself as one of the most complete players in the game. Since 2021 Bichette has collected 380 hits (he's led the American League two years in a row), crushed 53 homers, driven in 195 runs, doubled 73 times, and stolen 38 bases. His '22 slash line of .290/.333/.469 was actually a tick lower across the board than the previous season, which speaks volumes about how productive he was the year prior. The Orlando, FL native also plays consistently excellent defense at a premium position, and along with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. he's going to be one of the faces of the Toronto franchise for a long time. 

Were it not for the unfathomable exploits of the Angels' Shohei Ohtani, Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would have been the MVP of the American League in 2021. That season Guerrero slashed .311/.401/.601 with 48 homers and 111 RBI, firmly establishing himself as one of the premier right-handed power hitters in baseball. He wasn't quite as good a season ago, but a 32 homer 97 RBI campaign is certainly nothing to sneeze at, especially when it came with a career-high 35 doubles. Guerrero also improved in other aspects of his game and even won a Gold Glove award. The second-generation big leaguer has been an all-star for two years running, put on a clinic in the 2019 home-run derby that won't soon be forgotten, and is going to be one of the leaders of a good Toronto team for years to come. 

What Guerrero is from the right side of the plate, Houston's Yordan Alvarez is, in many ways, a mirror image. The Cuban-born slugger has developed into one of the most dangerous power hitters in the game and was a critical part of the Astros' run to a World Series championship a season ago. In 135 games, the hulking designated hitter slashed .306/.406/.613 with 37 homers, 97 RBI, and 29 doubles. He contributed six extra-base hits and drove in 14 more runs in the postseason, and while the Astros line-up is loaded with stars, in many ways, their offense runs through Alvarez. 

In 2022 center fielder Julio Rodriguez benefited more than anyone from the changes to the CBA that dissuaded teams from manipulating their top prospects service time. With no discernible reason for the Mariners to leave him in Triple-A for the first few weeks of the season, Rodriguez headed north with the big club out of spring training and wasted little time introducing himself to the national audience. In 132 games the 22-year-old slashed .284/.345/.509 with 28 homers, 75 RBI, 25 doubles, and 25 steals. He was an all-star, won a Silver Slugger, participated in the home run derby, and was the unanimous winner of the American League Rookie of the Year award. Fresh off an excellent showing in the World Baseball Classic the sky appears to truly be the limit for J-Rod, and a 30/30 season in '23 feels like an inevitable outcome. 

Switch-hitter Adley Rutschman was the first overall pick in the 2019 draft, and after being promoted to the big leagues in late May, he certainly showed why. Playing in 113 of the Orioles games, Rutschman slashed .254/.362/.445 with 49 extra-base hits and 42 RBI. The Oregon State product was named to Baseball America's All-Rookie Team and won the Orioles Most Valuable Award. Heading into 2023 Rutschman appears well on his way towards becoming the best catcher in baseball, something that could potentially come to fruition as early as this summer. 

Alek Manoah was Toronto's first-round pick in the 2019 draft as well, selected 11 slots after Baltimore took the aforementioned Rutschman number one. The big right-hander made his debut for the 'Jays midway through the 2021 campaign and impressed and built on that in his first full season last year. In 31 starts the 25-year-old went 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP, while holding opposing hitters to a .202 batting average and punching out 180 men in 196.1 innings. Manoah made the all-star team and was named AL Pitcher of the month in September, and heading into 2023 he's slotted in atop Toronto's starting rotation. 

Cuban-born center fielder Luis Robert's talent has tantalized scouts for years, and the only reason he's not yet considered one of baseball's premier players is because he's struggled to stay healthy. In 222 career games to date Robert's numbers speak for themselves. He's slashed .289/.334/.474 with 36 homers, 130 RBI, 48 doubles, and 26 steals, while also playing eye-opening defense at one of the most important positions on the field. Robert has not yet been an all-star but has already won a Gold Glove, and the White Sox are crossing their fingers that 2023 will be the first time they have him available for a full season. 

Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr. looked to be on a fast track towards becoming the best player in baseball when he slashed .280/.365/.518 with 41 homers, 107 RBI, and 37 steals in 2019, but unfortunately, things haven't quite unfolded that way since. Acuna was good in the pandemic-truncated '20 campaign, and midway through 2021 was right on track to essentially match his '19 production. But then when he attempted to make a leaping catch in the right field corner in Miami Acuna tore his ACL, an injury that has quite obviously hampered him ever since. He returned last season to slash .266/.351/.413 in 119 games, but his power was down, and he was noticeably not moving as well as before in the outfield. Sometimes serious knee injuries cant take a while to heal fully, and the Braves are hoping to get vintage Acuna in '23 and beyond. 

The 2019 MLB draft was absolutely stacked, and right after Baltimore drafted Adley Rutschman, the Royals happily selected shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. 2nd overall. As was the case with Julio Rodriguez, thanks to service time manipulation being a thing of the past, Kansas City allowed Witt to break camp with the Major League team, and he rewarded them with an excellent rookie campaign. In 150 games the second-generation big leaguer slashed .254/.294/.428 with 20 homers, 80 RBI, 31 doubles, six triples, and 30 stolen bases. Witt is for sure a candidate to for a 30/30 season in 2023 and were it not for the earlier mentioned Rodriguez, he would be the reigning AL Rookie of the Year. 

The Braves brought center fielder Michael Harris to the big leagues last May because of need more than anything else, as the team's outfield had been hit with injuries to both Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario. But it became clear almost immediately that Harris was not going back to the minor leagues anytime soon. The 22-year-old hit the ground running in the Major Leagues, and by the time the season was over he'd slashed .297/.339/.514 with 19 home runs, 64 RBI, 27 doubles, and 20 steals. Harris easily won the National League's Rookie of the Year award, and in 2023, he's firmly entrenched as an everyday player for the defending NL East champs. 

Second baseman Andres Gimenez was one of the players the Guardians brought back from the Mets in the blockbuster Francisco Lindor trade, and his development is the primary reason Cleveland fan's bitterness over dealing the face of their franchise has begun to fade. Last season the 24-year-old slashed .297/.371/.466 with 17 homers, 69 RBI, 26 doubles, and 20 stolen bases, while serving as a driving force behind the Guardians surprise run to the AL Central crown. A gifted defender who makes highlight-reel-type plays nearly every night, Gimenez has easily crowned the American League's Gold Glove winner at his position in addition to being selected to his first all-star game. 

There aren't many Major League players more fun to watch than Miami's Jazz Chisholm Jr., who truly beats to his own drum and adds an element of flare that is refreshing to see. Last season the 25-year-old was enjoying a terrific campaign before a back injury in June, unfortunately, ended his year early. In the 60 Marlins games he did participate in, Chisholm slashed .254/.325/.535 with 14 home runs, 45 RBI, 10 doubles, four triples, and 12 steals while playing excellent defense at second base. In 2023 Miami is interestingly moving him to center field, which will be an interesting storyline to follow, but regardless of where Chisholm takes the field, it's hard to take your eyes off of him. 

Righty Emmanuel Clase became Cleveland's closer in 2021, and over the past two seasons you'd be hard-pressed to find a better stopper in the American League. In 77 outings last year the 25-year-old was simply dominating, posting a 1.36 ERA with a 0.73 WHIP in 72.2 innings. He converted 42 of his 46 save chances, held opponents to a minuscule .167 batting average, and sent 77 hitters away by way of the K. Clase was selected to his first all-star team, was named the AL Reliever of the Month in June, August, and September, and Cleveland understandably feels good about their chances whenever they take a lead into the 9th inning.  

Cleveland selected Triston McKenzie #42 overall out of high school in the 2015 draft, and while the Guardians had to be patient with his development, they began to reap serious rewards for their faith in him a year ago. In 31 outings the right-hander delivered a 2.96 ERA with a 0.95 WHIP, while holding opponents to a .202 batting average and striking out 190 hitters in 191.1 innings. McKenzie's emergence gave Cleveland one of the better 1-2 rotation duos in the American League along with Shane Bieber, and he's one of the biggest reasons the Guardians feel they can successfully defend their 2022 AL Central crown. 

Jeremy Pena took over the shortstop position in Houston last season as a true rookie and had some big shoes to fill replacing all-star Carlos Correa who had just left the team as a free agent. What a difference a year makes. Last season the 25-year-old Pena slashed .253/.289/.426 with 22 home runs, 63 RBI, 20 doubles, and 11 steals, while consistently proving no stage was too big for him. He thrived on the October stage and was quite honestly one of the biggest reasons the Astros won the World Series last year, as he took home MVP honors in both the ALCS and the Fall Classic. Pena was not an all-star last season, though that could've had as much to do with him being a relatively unknown product early in 2022 as anything, and he was awarded a Gold Glove award at a premium position at year's end. Heading into 2023, the University of Maine product is now a household name, and Houston envisions him being a valuable member of their core for years to come. 

Affable Alejandro Kirk is an easy guy to root for, and after getting Toronto's starting catching gig last season, he promptly morphed into one of the most productive catchers in the American League. In 139 games, the Mexican-born backstop slashed .285/.372/.415 with 14 homers, 63 RBI, and 19 doubles, while admirably handling the Blue Jays pitching staff. Kirk made the AL all-star team and won his first Silver Slugger award in 2022, and will now try to build on that moving forward. 

Pittsburgh shortstop Oneil Cruz is one of the more physically gifted players you'll see on a baseball field, and after a tantalizing half-season as a rookie in '22, the 2023 campaign could serve as his coming-out party. In 87 games for the Pirates a year ago Cruz blasted 17 home runs to go along with 13 doubles and four triples, while also reaching double digits in stolen bases. His batting average (.233) and OBP (.294) should both improve with experience and if they do, he'll quickly become one of the most dangerous hitters in the sport. The 24-year-olds' power is undeniable, and defensively he wowed fans with his unbelievable arm strength from the shortstop position. Cruz has the potential to be a true five-tool superstar, and the Pirates are excited to see what he can do moving forward. 

Continuing with the trend of high 2019 draft picks on this list, right-handed slugger Andrew Vaughn was selected #3 overall that year by the White Sox, and after a so-so rookie season in '21 he really began to flash some of his potential a year ago. In 134 games the University of California product slashed .271/.321/.429 with 17 long balls and 76 RBI, while also contributing 28 doubles. Vaughn has as much raw power as anyone in baseball, and the White Sox believe he'll eventually develop into one of the better all-around hitters on the junior circuit. 

Coincidentally, had the award not gone to his teammate Michael Harris, the National League Rookie of the Year would in all probability, have been right-hander Spencer Strider. The Braves brought the flame-thrower to the big leagues to pitch out of their bullpen early in 2022, before quickly realizing he'd be far more valuable in their rotation. In total Strider took the mound 31 times for Atlanta (20 of which were starts) and delivered a dazzling 2.67 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP. Opponents managed just a measly .180 batting average against him, and his 202 punchouts in 131.2 innings really jump off the page. This season Atlanta has Strider penciled in right behind ace Max Fried in their rotation, and he'll end up playing a huge role in the team's defense of their NL East crown. 

Switch-hitting shortstop Wander Franco was the wonder child of MLB prospect projections for years, and in parts of two big league seasons he'd begun to show us all why. In 153 career games at the Major League level, Franco has slashed .282/.337/.439 with 13 homers, 72 RBI, 38 doubles, eight triples, and 10 stolen bases. Despite being just 22 years old, the Dominican Republic native is already the owner of a lucrative long term contract extension, which is all the proof you need of the regard the Rays hold him in. The 2023 campaign will hopefully be Franco's first full season at the game's highest level, and it will be fun to watch what kind of numbers he's able to put up. 

Thanks in no small part to the emergence of their young superstar center fielder, Julio Rodriguez, the Mariners have swiftly become one of the more exciting teams in baseball. But Rodriguez is far from alone when it comes to young stars in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle selected Logan Gilbert 14th overall in 2018 coming out of Stetson University, and the big right-hander has developed into one of the better starters in the American League. Last season he pitched to a 3.20 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP in 32 starts, while winning 13 games and striking out 174 hitters in 185.2 innings. At 25 years old Gilbert is just coming into the prime of his career, and the Mariners are hopeful he'll be leading their rotation for years to come. 

William Contreras is the younger brother of the Cardinals' Willson Contreras, and after landing in Milwaukee in a three-way trade this winter the two will entertainingly be competing in the same division. In Atlanta last season Contreras enjoyed the best year of his young career, slashing .278/.354/.506 with 20 home runs and 14 doubles while splitting time between catcher and designated hitter. Milwaukee plans to deploy the 25-year-old behind the plate full-time, and after making his first all-star team a year ago Contreras will look to further establish himself as one of the top young players in our sport in 2023. 

Reds' lefty Nick Lodolo is yet another high 2019 draft pick on this list, as Cincinnati took the TCU product 7th overall four years ago. After dominating at every level of the Reds minor league system, Lodolo finally earned his first big league call-up last season, and he really opened some eyes at the sport's highest level. In 19 starts he pitched to a 3.66 ERA across 103.1 innings, while striking out 131 hitters and turning in a .235 batting average against. Lodolo was named to Baseball America's All-Rookie Team, and heading into his first full Major League season Cincinnati believes big things are in store.