The 25 best MLB players age 25 or under

It's simply hard to believe that outfielder Juan Soto is still only 25 years old. The Dominican Republic-born slugger debuted with the Nationals back in 2018 as a 19-year-old rookie, and he's been a star seemingly since the moment he put on a big league uniform. In 779 career games, Soto has slashed .284/.421/.524 with 160 home runs, 483 RBI, and 148 doubles. He's been a World Series champion, a Home Run Derby Champion, has made three all-star teams, earned four Silver Sluggers, and won the batting title in 2020. The sky is the limit in terms of where his career could ultimately end up. 

Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has struggled to duplicate his insane 2021 campaign, but that's not to say he hasn't remained one of the most dangerous sluggers in baseball. At the age of 24, Guerrero already has three seasons of 94 or more RBI under his belt, and while his home run total has steadily decreased from 48 to 32 to 26 over the last three years, he unquestionably has as much raw power as any hitter in the sport. Guerrero has been selected to the American League all-star team in three consecutive campaigns, has won a Home Run Derby, earned a Silver Slugger, and taken home a Gold Glove award. 

Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette still makes this list, for now, though he will turn 26 during spring training. Like his teammate, the aforementioned Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bichette is a second-generation big leaguer who is doing an admirable job writing his own legacy. Through his first five seasons he's slashed .299/.340/.487 with 225 extra-base hits, 312 RBI, and 51 stolen bases. He's been an all-star twice and will head into 2024 with three consecutive 20+ home run seasons under his belt. 

San Diego's Fernando Tatis Jr. has had a whirlwind of a last two calendar years, but it's hard to question how naturally gifted he really is. After leading the league in home runs and emerging as one of the premier stars in the sport in 2021, Tatis had a forgetful '22, missing the entire season due to injury and suspension. He returned a year ago and slashed .257/.322/.449 with 59 extra-base hits, 78 RBI, and 29 stolen bases. He'll turn 25 in January, and while his reputation took an enormous hit due to his PED suspension, it's not too late for him to reestablish himself as one of the elite talents in our sport. 

Baltimore backstop Adley Rutschman qualifies for this list, but just barely, as he'll turn 26 during spring training. The O's made the Oregon State product the first overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he wasted no time rewarding them for their decision. In his first 267 major league games, Rutschman has slashed .268/.369/.439 with 33 bombs, 122 RBI, and 66 doubles. Last season he made his first American League all-star team and earned his first Silver Slugger, and it's safe to assume he's only just getting started. 

One of the most valuable assets a baseball team can have is a dominant lockdown closer, and the Guardians are extremely fortunate to have just that in right-hander Emmanuel Clase. In a relatively short amount of time, the Dominican Republic native has blossomed into one of the most lethal relievers in baseball, posting a 2.00 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP in his first four seasons. He's led the American League in saves and games finished in each of the last two seasons, has made two all-star teams, and is the proud owner of a Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year award. 

Two picks after the Orioles selected Adley Rutschman in the 2019 draft, the White Sox took University of California slugger Andrew Vaughn with an eye towards him anchoring their offensive attack for years to come. Vaughn's first three seasons at the sport's highest level have been a little up and down, but he's certainly shown plenty of the promise that made him such a sought-after offensive player. Last season he slashed .258/.314/.429 with 21 homers, 80 RBI, and 30 doubles, and Chicago hopes he can build on those numbers in 2024. 

Third baseman Josh Jung was yet another blue-chip offensive prospect taken towards the top of the 2019 draft, and an argument could be made that he's been the most impactful to date. After an injury-riddled '21 campaign, Jung came back last season and was a dynamic force for Texas, slashing .266/.315/.467 with 23 homers and 70 RBI in 122 games. He made the all-star team, accumulated 223 total bases, and was a driving force behind the Rangers' first World Series championship. 

Last spring training you would've been hard pressed to find anyone predicting the Arizona Diamondbacks would represent the National League in the Fall Classic, and one of the primary reasons they did was the rapid ascension of Corbin Carroll. The Arizona State product reached the big leagues late in 2022 but maintained his rookie status last season, and he wasted little time blossoming into a legitimate star. In 155 games in '23, Carroll slashed .285/.362/.506 with 25 homers, 76 RBI, 30 doubles, 54 stolen bases, and an NL-high 10 triples. He made the all-star team, easily won the NL Rookie of the Year award, and even finished fifth in MVP voting. What can he do for an encore?

This list is littered with second generation major league talent, and Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is the latest example. The 23-year-old was a rookie in 2022 and showcased all of the natural ability that made him the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, but he took his game to entirely new heights as a sophomore. In 158 games a season ago, Witt Jr. slashed .276/.319/.495 with 30 home runs, 96 RBI, 28 doubles, 49 stolen bases, and an MLB-high 11 triples. He was inexplicably left off the American League all-star team despite finishing seventh in the league's MVP voting, but the accolades will undoubtedly come. And for a Royals team searching for its identity as a whole, it's safe to say they've identified the face of their franchise moving forward. 

Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2022, and while his '23 campaign got off to a slow start, he turned it on big time in the second half. In total, Rodriguez participated in all but seven of the Mariners' contests a year ago and slashed .275/.333/.485. He crushed 32 homers, drove in 103 runs, added 37 doubles and 37 steals, and was an all-star for the second straight year. Still just 22 years old, J-Rod is easily one of the most exciting young stars in baseball, and Seattle is ecstatic to have him in the Pacific Northwest. 

First baseman Triston Casas had been one of the Red Sox's top prospects since the moment the club drafted him with their first-round pick in 2018, and while it took a while for him to make an impact at the major league level, he arrived emphatically a year ago. In his first full big league season, Casas slashed .263/.367/.490 with 24 home runs, 65 RBI, and 21 doubles. Boston has quite a few holes to plug this winter, but they feel good about the 23-year-old Casas anchoring position number three for years to come. 

Not all that long ago, young catcher Francisco Alvarez was considered the best prospect in all of baseball. He reached the big leagues for the first time during the final week of the 2022 season, but his first real opportunity came last year — and he took full advantage. In 123 games, the 22-year-old slugger crushed 25 homers and drove in 63 runs as a rookie. And he perhaps was even more impressive behind the plate, where he displayed defensive athleticism and baseball IQ far beyond his years. After a disappointing 2023 season, the Mets have work to do this winter, but they quite clearly already have their long-term backstop. 

The Orioles might have the most exciting young core in all of baseball, and the reigning American League Rookie of the Year winner, infielder Gunnar Henderson, is certainly a big part of that. Henderson was the O's second-round pick in 2019, and it appears the team hit big with that draft class, as both he and Adley Rutschman should be mainstays in Baltimore for a long time. Last year, Henderson slashed .255/.325/.489 with 28 home runs, 82 RBI, 29 doubles, nine triples, and 10 stolen bases. In addition to earning ROY honors, he also won a Silver Slugger award and finished eighth in the AL MVP voting. 

When you trade a one-of-one superstar like Juan Soto, it's pretty difficult to get equal value back in return, but to the Nationals' credit they did fetch a handful of high-upside players in the Soto deal, beginning with lefty Mackenzie Gore. Pitching out of Washington's rotation for all of the 2023 campaign, the young southpaw went 7-10 with a 4.42 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in 136.1 innings. While those numbers obviously don't jump off the page, Gore did consistently display guile and grit, and proved he doesn't shy away from high-leverage situations. He should continue to improve with more experience, and give the Nationals a rotation stalwart for years to come. 

Venezuelan-born Keibert Ruiz was behind the plate for most of Gore's starts in 2023, and he may even be further along in his development than his battery mate. The Nationals acquired Ruiz a few years ago in the blockbuster trade that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers, and at the time he was L.A.'s top prospect. His acclimation to the major leagues has come with some growing pains, but he seemed to figure things out quite a bit a year ago. In 562 at-bats, the switch-hitter slashed .260/.308/.409 with 18 home runs, 67 RBI, and 24 doubles, and the Nationals believe he can build and improve upon those numbers in 2024. 

Versatile Rays infielder Isaac Paredes is somebody the national audience doesn't know nearly enough about, and somebody who absolutely should get more attention. The right-handed slugger is coming off a tremendous season for Tampa Bay, and was one of the primary reasons the Rays were baseball's best team for much of 2023. In 143 games, he slashed .250/.352/.488 with 31 home runs, 98 RBI, and 24 doubles. His positional versatility gives the Rays a lot of defensive flexibility, and he's a player Tampa Bay is ecstatic to have on its side. 

The Braves have put together arguably the most talented core in baseball, and center fielder Michael Harris is unquestionably part of that group. The 22-year-old was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2022, and while he got off to a dreadful start in '23, he was able to change that narrative in a hurry. By the time the 2023 campaign ended, Harris had slashed .293/.331/.477 with 18 home runs, 57 RBI, 33 doubles, and 20 stolen bases. He's also hands down one of the most electrifying defensive players in our sport, and some Gold Glove awards are definitely in his future. 

Left-handed swinging Jack Suwinski didn't necessarily get a lot of press a year ago, but that can be explained in large part due to playing for a Pittsburgh team that was out of the race early. What fans in western Pennsylvania will tell you, though, is that their young outfielder showed enormous promise in 2023 and has blossomed into a fan favorite. Suwinski participated in 144 of the Pirates contests, and slashed 224/.339/.454 in 534 at-bats. Most importantly, he continuously flashed tape-measure power, blasting 26 home runs and adding 21 doubles. He finished the year with 74 RBI and even stole 13 bases, and the Pirates believe he can part of their next contending core. 

There might not be a better strikeout starting pitcher in the game today than Atlanta's Spencer Strider, who continuously hits triple digits on the radar gun, and when he's on can simply dominate opposing lineups. In 186.2 innings in 2023, Strider blew away an MLB-high 281 hitters, while also leading the majors with 20 victories. The rest of his peripheral numbers actually took a step back from where they were the year prior, and his 3.86 ERA was quite a bit higher than you'd expect from a pitcher with his arsenal. Home runs were a big issue for the righty as he served up 22 of them after surrendering only seven in 2022. If that number can regress towards the mean moving forward, Strider should continue to develop into an ace-like starter for Atlanta. 

For the first several months after he was promoted last June, there simply was not a more exciting player in baseball than 21-year-old Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz. The switch-hitter wowed fans from coast to coast with his power, speed, and incredible defensive arm strength, and became must-see TV almost overnight. As is the case with most rookies, once the league got an extended look at him, teams uncovered some weaknesses they were able to exploit and his production slowed. But that shouldn't turn anyone off of De La Cruz's long-term outlook. This is a kid that even with some struggles accumulated 35 extra-base hits and 35 steals in a little more than half a season. With continued experience he should ultimately develop into a superstar and perennial all-star. 

Fellow Braves righty Bryce Elder doesn't get nearly the amount of attention his teammate Spencer Strider does, but the Decatur, TX native was quietly one of the more consistent starters in the National League in 2023. In 31 starts, he worked to a 3.81 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP, while earning 12 victories and striking out 128 hitters in 174.2 innings. Elder was selected to the NL all-star team, and while he doesn't necessarily have the same ceiling as someone like Strider, he can certainly be a valuable piece of a good big league rotation. 

Were it not for the offensive excellence of Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson, Guardians' right-hander Tanner Bibee would have run away with the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2023. Following his debut in late April, the Cal State Fullerton product made 25 starts for Cleveland and pitched to an excellent 2.98 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP. He won 10 games, struck out almost exactly a batter/inning, and consistently showed poise on the mound well beyond his age. Cleveland has some uncertainty in its rotation moving forward, but the organization surely feels like it can count on Bibee to be one of the arms leading the club's staff for years to come. 

The rule changes Major League Baseball instituted last season encouraged players to attempt more stolen bases than ever, and nobody in the game took better advantage of that than Oakland's Esteury Ruiz. The young center fielder had gotten brief big league cups of coffee before, but the A's provided him with his first legitimate opportunity at the sport's highest level, and he took full advantage. In 132 games, Ruiz slashed .254/.309/.345 with 30 extra-base hits, 45 RBI, and an MLB-high 67 stolen bases. He quite clearly possesses game-breaking speed, and if he can improve even a little bit offensively, he could blossom into an all-star caliber player. 

The Reds have assembled a pretty enviable young core, and while Elly De La Cruz got a lot of national attention last summer, people should have had that same energy when discussing his fellow infielder, Matt McLain. The Orange, CA native reached the big leagues last May, and in 89 games was perhaps even more impressive than his eccentric teammate. McLain slashed .290/.357/.507 with 16 homers, 50 RBI, 23 doubles, and four triples in 365 at-bats for the Reds while playing excellent defense at multiple positions. He's yet another reason the future appears to be very bright in Cincinnati.