MLB: 5 breakout stars who deserve more recognition

Baseball isn’t all about immediate stardom. The game clicks at different times for different players. The following MLB breakout stars have finally hit a groove in their respective careers.

Amidst the excitement of the MLB season, it is always fun to keep a lookout for the players who go from commonplace to can’t-miss. Each year there are breakout stars, but we never know where they’ll come from. Take Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge as an example. Sure he spent his minor league career as a top prospect, yet who would have thought he’d go from hitting .179 with a .345 slugging percentage in his debut season to leading the major leagues in both home runs and MVP hype? Professional baseball is all about taking baby steps, but we rarely see a leap such as the one displayed by Judge.

Aaron Judge has been an absolute phenomenon this season, but his play has been chronicled enough elsewhere. This article is about the players who haven’t received their deserved attention. It’s about the players who can’t hit a ball 119 MPH, or didn’t go from prospect to star in the blink of an eye.

Four of the following players are at least 27 years of age. The odd man out is 25 years old. The unpredictable or sudden success stories are just as fascinating as the red carpet, prospect-to-star stories. Delayed success stories can actually be the most intriguing.