Top 5 MLB Players Under 25 Right Now – The MLB has been flooded with amazing talent these last few years. Many of these players have had major impacts on their franchises or have become the face of their franchise. For example, Juan Soto helped deliver a World Series for the Washington Nationals and Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves almost had a 40-40 season in 2019.
Some young future stars have made organizations regret trading them for the long-term. For example, the White Sox traded prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. for James Shields. This was proven to be a bad trade as Shields did have much of a positive influence on the team and hasn’t pitched since 2018. Meanwhile, Tatis has been on a tear; thus making the San Diego Padres a serious threat to win a World Series championship for the next few seasons.
Here is my list of the best players in baseball who are under the age of 25.
5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR)
The Toronto Blue Jays have assembled a great young core of players moving forward. One of these players is the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. Generally, those are some big shoes to fill as the scouts, fans, and critics will always compare to the great. Before he hit the age of 22, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had to go through some of the psychological effects as he was not living up to the hype and many were disappointed, to say the least.
Earlier in his young career, Guerrero Jr. struck out 91 times and walked 20 times. This year things have changed as he has nearly as many walks as strikeouts. He has a 201 OPS+ which is pretty insane.
Guerrero Jr. has a 333/.436/.662 slash line with 18 home runs this season. He is currently proving his critics and setting himself to join elite company. After all, MLB.com gave him the first-ever 80 hit grade.
4. Eloy Jiménez (CHW)
Eloy Jiménez was dealt to the White Sox which notably sent starter Jose Quintana to the Chicago Cubs so don’t feel too bad that the organization parted ways with Fernando Tatis Jr. Jiménez has a solid slash line of 276/.321/.527.
He is unfortunately sidelined due to a torn pectoral. He has insane power and will most likely be in the home run chase for many years to come when he fully recovers. The White Sox will need him as they make a World Series push.
3. Ronald Acuna Jr. (ATL)
The Atlanta Braves may be dealing with a slump, but it’s simply disrespectful to undermine the contributions of one of the most electrifying talents in the league. This is where the list gets hard because you can make a case as the positions are interchangeable.
Acuna has flirted with a 40-40 season and has improved his walk rate over the years. His numbers are slightly down this year, but he is a threat in the batters’ box as he could change the momentum of the game with one swing of the bat. He can also steal bases and throw out runners when needed.
2. Fernando Tatis Jr. (SDP)
Some of the readers will not like the fact that Fernando Tatis Jr. is second on the list, but here are the reasons why. During his short amazing run in the MLB, Tatis Jr. has inked a 14-year contract worth 340 million, and without a doubt deserves it. Tatis Jr. has not missed a beat after coming back from the MLB COVID Health and Safety Protocol.
Tatis is an offensive monster, but his defense is where he needs to improve on. Tatis is the worst defensive shortstop in the National League as he makes the most errors on defense. Most of his errors are on routine throws which can easily be fixed. The Padres shouldn’t worry as Xander Bogaerts has two rings and Corey Seager won a ring last year and both players are in the bottom half of the league in terms of fielding.
1. Juan Soto (WSH)
Juan Soto was an important player for the Washington Nationals during their World Series run as he bat cleanup. Soto may be one of the best hitters in the history of the sport. He already has a Batting Title, Silver Slugger, and a World Series ring on his resume.
There are only a few hitters with a better OPS+ than Soto. Those names include Mike Trout (166 OPS+), Ted Williams (161 OPS+), Jimmie Foxx (156 OPS+), Rogers Hornsby (155 OPS+), and Ty Cobb (153 OPS+). Soto currently has a 152 OPS+.
Notable Mentions: Ozzie Albies (ATL), Rafael Devers (BOS), Luis Robert (CHW), Bo Bichette (TOR), Gleyber Torres (NYY)
