10 MLB players who should be first-time All-Stars in 2024

The first round of fan voting for the 2024 MLB All-Star game closes on Thursday, June 27.

With less than two weeks to go before the finalists for the AL and NL starters are set, here's a look at 10 players — five in each league — who deserve to be first-time All-Stars this season.

Note: Player stats are through Thursday, June 13. Key stats listed in bold signify the player leads the league in that category.

American League

Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson

.273 batting average/.372 on-base percentage/.592 slugging percentage • 21 home runs • 4.3 wins above replacement (WAR)

The 2023 AL Rookie of the Year has better batting splits across the board than in his award-winning year and ranks second in the AL in home runs (21). Despite the great options at shortstop, including Bobby Witt Jr. and Corey Seager, Henderson should be on the team.

Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck

7-5 win-loss record • 2.08 earned run average (ERA) • 0.95 walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP)

Houck, a primary slider and sinkerball pitcher, has one of the league's highest groundball-to-flyball ratios (1.16). Hitters only have a four percent barrel rate, which MLB defines as batted balls "whose comparable hit types (in terms of exit velocity and launch angle) have ... a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage since ... 2015" against Houck despite him conceding the league's fifth-most hard-hits (107).

Royals pitcher Seth Lugo

9-2 | 2.36 ERA | 1.04 WHIP

Lugo proves it's never too late for a major leaguer to break through. The 34-year-old right-hander has the best season in his nine-year career, leading the AL wins and posting a career-low in ERA.

Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal

8-1 • 1.92 ERA • 0.89 WHIP

Skubal has arguably been the AL's best pitcher since 2023. Per data from Baseball Reference, he ranks second in the majors this season in strikes thrown percentage (69.7). He averages 7.4 strikeouts per start and has the league's sixth-best strikeout rate (31.1). 

Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

.330/.379/.564 • 11 home runs • 3.8 WAR

A leading contender for AL MVP, Witt does everything for the  Royals. He leads the team in hits (93), home runs (11) and stolen bases (19). Before the season started, Baseball Reference gave the Royals a 3.8 percent chance of reaching the playoffs. Entering Thursday, their odds were at 81.5 percent.

National League

Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga

6-1 • 1.96 ERA • 1.03 WHIP

The former Japanese League star has quickly found his footing stateside. He didn't allow an earned run in his first three starts and ranks in the 95th percentile among MLB pitchers in chase rate (35.1 percent).

Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar

.324/.424/.500 • 10 home runs • 2.7 WAR

The 11-year veteran had an arduous journey to his best major league season, missing two full seasons (2014-15) with a shoulder injury. A career .244 hitter, Profas has been one of the most disciplined batters at the plate this season. He ranks in the 96th percentile in walk rate, helping propel him to his NL-leading on-base percentage.

Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez

10-1 • 1.81 ERA • 0.85 WHIP

In his seventh MLB season, Suarez became the first pitcher to 10 wins on June 8 and is near the top of the league in several key categories. He compensates for his below-average velocity on his fastball with his excellent sinker and curve, which make up 52.7 percent of his pitches, per Baseball Savant.

Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar

.293/.322/.493 • 11 home runs • 2.0 WAR

Tovar is arguably the most deserving Rockies player for an All-Star roster spot. On top of his solid batting splits, Tovar is an excellent fielder. Per Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 96th percentile in outs above average. The 22-year-old has turned 45 double plays, the sixth-most in the NL.

Brewers second baseman Brice Turang

.294/.358/.403 • 24 stolen bases • 2.1 WAR

Turang is one of the most improved players in the league and has made his biggest gains at the plate when attacking fastballs, going from a .233 average in 2023 to a .338 average this season. He's also an excellent base runner with 24 stolen bases while only being caught once.