SN50 - Ranking Baseball's Top Young Players

Russell's offensive numbers have taken a dip this year, but he’s still a brilliant defensive shortstop who doesn’t turn 24 until January.

The Arkansas product reached the majors barely a year after being drafted. Given how he has hit and fielded with the Sawx, he's staying forever.

Devenski is looking to become the second pitcher in history with at least 100 strikeouts, a sub-3.00 ERA and sub-1.00 WHIP in each of his first two seasons. The first? Ed Morris, in 1884 and 1885.

After five MLB seasons and a postseason MVP, it feels like Wacha is a seasoned vet. He boasts a strong mix of pitches — including mid-90s heat and a strong changeup — that should keep hitters uneasy for a long time.

Gallo’s value comes from his immense and frequent power, as his penchant for home runs has helped accumulate historically high WAR totals for a player whose batting average hovers around .200.

The durable Teheran was the Braves' future atop their rotation before his poor 2017. Age and an inexpensive contract are his best attributes now.  

Santana is having a quiet, productive year with the Brewers: He's displayed power and discipline at the plate along with a solid defensive effort in right.

The Orioles’ rookie has been one of baseball’s most pleasant surprises in 2017. With a mix of pop and on-base ability, Mancini has brought renewed excitement to the Baltimore lineup.

Over the past two years, this Arizona lefty has the highest K/9 ratio of any lefthanded starter in baseball, ahead of even Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw.

Like infield mate Kris Bryant, Baez has been around the horn and back. His future is as a power-hitting, Gold Glove-caliber star at second or short.  

The Phillies are banking on Herrera as a franchise player and with reason: He's a talented, young outfielder with pop and excellent defensive numbers.

Toronto’s flame-throwing righty can close out games with the best of them. He has an upper-90s fastball and a slider/changeup mix that makes it hard for batters to make solid contact — if they make contact at all.

Odor's power has been such a big part of Texas’ lineup the past two seasons (60+ homers) that it’s easy to forget he’s still only 23 years old with plenty of upside to capture. 

Offensively, Puig has been a far cry from what we had seen in his first two big league seasons, but is probably having the best defensive season of his career—stellar defense and a 110 wRC+ in 2017 makes Puig Your Friend.

Wood was good before he started piling up wins with a juggernaut. The Dodgers are limiting the southpaw's workload after he suffered injuries in 2016 and 2017.  

Garcia garnered comparisons to a young Miguel Cabrera and this year is his first display of true success: He matched his entire career WAR total (2.9) in just five months of 2017.

When he’s on, the Padres’ outfielder brings a game-changing bat, whether with 400-foot home runs or doubles in the gap to clean the bases. He can also swipe a bag or two when needed.

The fleet-footed center fielder wasn’t the prize in the trade that sent him to Atlanta — hi Shelby Miller and Dansby Swanson! — but he’s been the best player by a long shot thanks to a potent bat and elite defense. 

Knebel is putting on a show for the ages. He’s on his way to becoming the fifth pitcher in history with at least 100 strikeouts and a 15.0 K/9 in a season—joining Dellin Betances, Aroldis Chapman (4x), Craig Kimbrel and Carlos Marmol.

Realmuto is emerging as one of the better all-around catchers in MLB. He's on pace for career highs in hits, HRs, OPS, walks and total bases in 2017.

The righty has been one of the few bright spots for the Blue Jays in 2017 as the runaway standout of the starting rotation. Whether measuring him with traditional stats or advanced stats, Stroman gets it done.

Lamb made his first All-Star appearance in 2017 — the second year in a row he’s topped 25 homers and 90 RBIs — and it won’t be his last.

Fulmer, the prize piece of the trade that sent Yoenis Cespedes to the Mets, had followed up his AL Rookie of the Year award with a strong 2017 until experiencing elbow problems.

Opponents dislike Contreras' outbursts, but they'd take his power and athleticism. He's challenging Gary Sanchez for best young catcher in the bigs.   

Like Aaron Judge, Sano is a huge-power, huge-strikeout behemoth. Unlike Judge, he's not suited to play the outfield. He'll hold his own at third for now. 

As the youngest member of the Astros’ starting rotation, McCullers has averaged better than a strikeout per inning and has done his part through a solid FIP to keep the team rolling toward an AL West division title.

Remember when the Mets weren’t sure Conforto should start in the majors this spring? That seemed like a silly thought by August, as he was nearing 30 homers with an OBP above .380 before suffering a freak shoulder injury.

Bogaerts broke through with Silver Slugger seasons in 2015 and 2016, totaling a WAR of 8.3. He's had his struggles in 2017, but the future is still bright for a man with an all-around great bat and a sprinkle of speed.

The man with the golden hair — and thunderbolt arm — is known simply as Thor. Sure, he’s missed almost all of 2017, but he has a career 2.92 ERA and 10.5 K/9.

Just how quick is Turner? Well, he has 77 stolen bases through his first 188 games. Rickey Henderson had 84 swipes through 188 career games.

Yelich became one of the game's top outfielders when he added power. He'd fetch a lot if Miami's new owners decide to trade him to spark a rebuild.  

Schoop has already cemented his place as the greatest second basemen ever to come out of Curacao, and with 30-100 production in 2017, he's well on his way to becoming one of the best in the game.

Severino had a rough 2016 in which he posted a 5.86 ERA, but the flame-throwing righty has been dominant in '17, quickly emerging as the ace of the Bombers.

Ozuna is quietly having a breakout year in 2017. His stellar work with a powerful bat, coupled with much improved defense, means the 26-year-old looks to be an All-Star contender for years to come.

Bellinger's sustained success after an April call-up helped spark LA's dominant run through August. Already tied for the most home runs ever by an NL rookie, he's a lock for ROY. 

The hard-throwing Martinez made his first All-Star appearance in 2017 and has showed the rest of the league why he belongs, leading the Cardinals in total strikeouts and strikeouts per nine innings.

The Yankees’ catcher boasts a ton of raw power, evidenced by his 53-game homer binge in 2016. He’s continued the tear in his All-Star 2017 campaign and should be among the game’s premier sluggers for the foreseeable future.

Ramirez is having a career year for the streaking Tribe, even drawing legitmate MVP consideration. He leads the American League in extra-base hits while on pace for career highs in WAR, slugging and RBIs.

The 2016 NL Rookie of the Year is already one of baseball’s finest sluggers — bringing a potent mix of power and on-base ability — and also handles his duties at shortstop well.

The Yankees will overlook his strikeouts so long as he keeps sending mistakes into orbit with his easy power. The all-time rookie home run leader is the Bombers' new outfield anchor. 

Once heralded for his glove over his bat in the minors, Lindor has joined the discussion as the best shortstop in baseball, posting the second-best oWAR among shortstops in 2017.

Correa in 2017 is having a better campaign than either of his first two stellar seasons. He’s a devastating combo of power and on-base prowess, and a big reason why Houston is playoff bound.

Betts does everything for the Red Sox, and he does everything well. Last year’s AL MVP runner-up made his second All-Star team this summer at 24.

It's rare for an MVP to start at five different positions, but Bryant is athletic enough to do it. In that regard he's the ideal Joe Maddon player. 

One of the best all-around players in MLB, Arenado led the NL in total bases both in 2015 and 2016 and has earned a Gold Glove in each of his first four seasons.

Whether hitting cannon-like shots into the upper deck or throwing out runners with a rocket-like arm, Harper has returned to MVP form as an exciting, multi-faceted threat on the field.  He was putting up gaudy numbers across the board in 2017 before suffering a scary leg injury. 

Trout is a once-in-a-generation talent. Every day we get to watch him play baseball is a blessing. Despite missing a quarter of the season and his team falling short of the playoffs, he'll still garner legit MVP consideration for 2017.