Ronald Acuna Jr. –
21-year-old headed for a 30-30 campaign. Photo by IDSportsPhoto 
Readers of Baseball Roundtable know I can be a bit old school – not a fan of the DH, waving a runner to first on an intentional walk, the “challenge” system, launch angle, exit velocity or spin rate.
You may also be aware of the fact that my youth saw the debuts and witnessed the development of such players as all-time stars as Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Sandy Koufax, Robert0 Clemente, Mickey Mantle, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, Al Kaline, Frank Robinson, Don Drysdale and more. Still, I have maintained in this blog that we are currently seeing the emergence of young talent that can compare with the 1950’s. With that in mind, I would like to present BBRT’s 2019 Mid-season, under-age-25 All Star squad. All positions, of course, are open to debate. (All 2019 stats through August 17.)
C – Will Smith, Dodgers … Age 24
Okay, he’s only got 25 MLB games under his belt (or his chest protector), but Smith is hitting .329 with 10 home runs and 28 RBI in just 76 at bats.
1B Pete Alonso, Mets … Age 24
Photo by slgckgc
Alonso will age off this list in December, but the rookie is on his way to a new NL rookie home run record. He earns this spot by virtue of a .263-39-91 stat line with plenty of season left. The question is, after he passes Cody Bellinger’s NL rookie dinger record, can he catch Aaron Judge’s overall mark?
Pete Alonso (age 24) won the 2019 All Star Game Home Run Derby, with 20-year-old Vlad Guerrero, Jr. finishing second.
2B – Gleyber Torres, Yankees … Age 22
Torres played 123 games for the Bronx Bombers last season, hitting .271-22-77 – earning an All Star nod in the process. He repeated as an All Star this season and is hitting .282-27-71. I have to include an honorable mention here. The Twins’ 22-year-old Luis Arreaz (a totally different type of hitter then Torres) has put up a .353-3-19 stat in his first 56 MLB games (all this season).
3B – Rafael Devers, Red Sox … Age 22
Devers joined the Red Sox as a 20-year-old in 2017 and hit .284, with 10 home runs and 30 RBI in just 58 games. He slipped to .240 in 2018, but hit 21 homers and drove in 66 runs in 121 games. This season (as of August 17), he stands at .328, with 25 home runs and an AL-topping 95 RBI. Notably, the Astros’ Alex Bregman – a two-time All Star who hit .286-31-103 as a 24-year-old last season – aged off this list (turning 25 on March 30).
SS – Fernando Tatis, Jr. Padres … Age 20
Tatis brought his baseball genes to the Padres this season. Currently shelved due to back issues, over his first 84 MLB games, Tatis went .317-22-53, with 16 stolen bases.
Astros’ SS Carlos Correa, this season, became just the third MLB shortstop ever to reach 100 home runs before turning 25. (The others are Cal Ripken, Jr. and Alex Rodriguez – pretty good company.)
OF – Cody Bellinger, Dodgers … Age 24
Photo by IDSportsPhoto
Bellinger came up at 21 (2017), went .267-39-97 in 132 games (stole 10 bags). Bellinger was an All Star, NL Rookie of the Year and set a new NL rookie home run record. (Peter Alonso will top that record this season.) Bellinger went .260-25-76 (14 steals ) in 2018 – and, this year, stands at .319-41-94 (10 steals).
OF – Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves … Age 21
Acuna joined the Braves (last season) as a 20-year-old and went .293-26-64, with 11 stolen bases (in 111 games) – winning NL Rookie of the Year honors. He’s looking even better this year. The 2019 All Star is standing at .297-35-85 with 29 steals (headed for a 30-30 campaign).
In his first MLB season, Ronald Acuna, Jr. became the youngest major leaguer to homer in five straight games, as well as the youngest major leaguer to it a post-season Grand Slam. (October 7, NLDS versus the Dodgers).
OF – Juan Soto, Nationals … Age 20
Soto joined that Nationals as a 19-year-old on May 20, 2018 – and promptly went .292-22-70 (five steals) in 116 games. He’s even better this season – .288-25-79, with 11 steals.
DH – Ozzie Albies, Braves … Age 22
The Braves’ second baseman came very close to the starting spot at second base. Fortunately, I needed a DH. Already a one-time All Star, Albies is hitting .297-18-66, with 11 steals this season.
FIRST OFF THE BENCH
The Pirates’ switch-hitting, 24-year-old outfielder Bryan Reynolds is off to such a good start to his MLB career (this is his first major-league season), I had to create a spot for him in this post (and on this team). As of August 17, Reynolds was hitting a robust .329, with 13 home runs and 49 RBI in 99 games. Yes, he is a factor in the NL batting race.
SP – Mike Soroka, Braves … Age 22
Soroka has put up a 10-2 record, with a stingy 2.41 earned run average for the Braves. An All Star at 21-years-old, he’s earned this spot.
RP Robert Osuna, Astros … Age 24
What can you say, at just 24, Osuna is in his fifth MLB season and already has 142 saves. He’s 3-3, 2.98 with 26 saves this campaign, has two 35+ save campaigns on his resume and will age off this list next year.
Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference.com
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