The story below is a collaboration between writers from MLB.com and Yahoo Sports, who are joining forces this season to cover baseball-related topics.
Phase 2 of voting for the 2024 All-Star Game began on Sunday and fans were able to vote among the finalists in each position until voting closed on Wednesday.
But even once the starters are ready, there will be plenty of work to do to fill out rosters (pitchers and backup position players) for the July 16th Summer Classic at the Rangers’ Globe Life Field. Some of those choices are obvious.But if you look beyond the biggest names and flashiest stats, there are some excellent All-Star candidates who may not be as well-known to many baseball fans.
Below, we asked six writers to pick one of those candidates, three from the American League and three from the National League. None of them will start in the All-Star Game, but each has a better chance of playing in the event than you might think. (The statistics below correspond to Sunday’s games.)
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Sarah Langs (MLB): heliot ramosCF, Giants
Ramos was an MLB Pipeline preseason Top 100 prospect for four consecutive years: No. 81 in 2021, No. 65 in ’20, No. 92 in ’19 and No. 63 in ’18.
Now, in 2024, he’s playing like an All-Star. Since his first game of the season on May 8, no National League outfielder has played more. WARAccording to FanGraphs, Ramos’ 2.0. The only qualified National League outfielder with a higher average wRC+ In that span, in addition to his 149, there is Fernando Tatis Jr. (150), who aspires to a starting position, but is currently on the injured list.
Development isn’t always linear. Baseball is very difficult, but stories like this are why it’s the best.
There was a time, not long ago, when the Red Sox offense began and ended with Rafael DeversBut with the emergence of leadoff hitter and catalyst Duran, those days are no more. Duran is having a breakout year for Bostonon pace to set career highs in every offensive category and leading the majors in triples. He’s been one of baseball’s most electrifying players and has the Red Sox in the thick of the American League wild-card race.
Manny Randhawa (MLB): Ryan McMahon3B, Rocky Mountains
He plays for a team that is nearly 30 games under .500, so he’s not exactly on most baseball fans’ radar. But McMahon ranks second among NL third basemen in hits (83), home runs (14, tied with Jeimer Candelario), runs scored (44), batting average (.270), on-base percentage (.349), OPS (.812), Operations+ (124) and fWAR (2.1), and is third in RBIs (42) and slugging percentage (.463). (Lest you be tempted to raise Coors’ objection, McMahon has more extra-base hits and a nearly identical OPS on the road as he does at home.)
According to Statcast, McMahon is tied with Oneil Cruz for tenth place in the majors in hard hit ratewith 53.3%. Defensively, he ranks in the top five among third basemen with 3 outs above average.
Jake Mintz (Yahoo): Jon GrayRight-handed pitcher, Rangers
Every team needs at least one All-Star, but it’s undeniably odd that the defending champion Rangers, who will host the event, are the team with the most confusing situation in the Midsummer Classic. Postseason Hero Corey Seager He would be the obvious choice, but he is injured and has not been up to par so far in 2024. So Adolis Garcia, Nathaniel Lowe and Marco SemienSubstitute third baseman Josh Smith He’s been a revelation — he’s the only Ranger with an OPS above .800 — but things are pretty tough for American League third basemen.
That leaves Gray and a pair of veteran relievers enjoying stellar first halves in David Robertson and Kirby YatesMy pick is Gray. In 76 1/3 innings, he has posted a solid 3.77 ERA (3.32 PIF). The peripheral and strikeout numbers aren’t particularly encouraging, but he’s kept runs off the board (despite two of his last three outings). Gray looks good for a little-known, surprise pick.
Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru (MLB): Brice Turang2B, Brewers
Voters are choosing between Luis Arraez and Mars TeapotBut in the realm of NL second basemen, after Marte’s league-leading 3.5 fWAR, there’s actually Turang’s 2.5. The 24-year-old is quietly flashing his potential as a true contact hitter, making up for a generally light hitting profile with the fifth-lowest strikeout rate in baseball. For a guy without much power to speak of, his .292/.354/.417 slash line is nothing to sneeze at, and he’s stolen 28 bases, second-most in baseball behind Elly De La Cruz.
Since the Brewers are probably best described as “greater than the sum of their parts,” if they can be allowed just one All-Star, Turang has just as strong an argument to be one. MilwaukeeHe’s a guy like any of his teammates.
Jordan Shusterman (Yahoo): JJ BledayCF, A
If it was not for Mason Miller As one of the most dominant closers in baseball, I would make a strong case for Bleday being… OaklandThe Yankees’ only All-Star Game representative next month. The fourth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft by MiamiBleday showed few signs of developing into the star-level talent many projected him to be during his first few seasons in the majors.
But since coming to Oakland via trade last winter, he has looked like the star outfield hitter he was supposed to be. He ranks among the top 10 qualified hitters in the American League in both wRC+ and fWAR, and while his offensive stats aren’t as flashy as his teammate’s, Brent RookerI’d tip Bleday into the A’s All-Star lineup considering his added defensive value.
It’s one thing for Bleday to be hitting like an All-Star, but for him to have also improved his outfield skills enough to be Oakland’s center fielder is no small feat. With Bleday still just 26 years old, it appears Oakland has found a reliable offensive piece to build around for the long haul.