MLB: Top Position Players Under Age 25

MLB is flush with young talent. Who are the 10 best players under the age of 25?

Major League Baseball has seen a young wave of talent over the past few seasons to rival any class of young players in the past.  These players are not only the best in their age group but some of the best in the league. Before we begin looking at the top ten MLB position players under the age of 25, here are two players worth mentioning that didn’t quite make the cut.

Odubel Herrera, 24:

Odubel Herrera is a bright spot on a rebuilding Phillies team this season. He has hit .285 this year, getting on base at a solid rate while playing great defense. Herrera is one of those surprise players that teams hope to find in their system or through trades. Herrera may not be putting up groundbreaking numbers but he is quietly becoming a very good player.

Carlos Correa, 21:

Sophomore slump? Whether it is a sophomore slump or just a very young player making adjustments, Correa’s best seasons are ahead of him.  As soon as he becomes a bit more consistent with his hitting he will easily be considered one of the best shortstops in the league.

Next: Number 10

10. Christian Yelich, 24

Christian Yelich has seen some tough seasons in a Marlins uniform.  He had not delivered on expectations and was part of a struggling Marlins team the last few seasons that has been through a lot of ups and downs.

Yelich is putting all of that behind him and is a big part of bringing the Marlins back into contention again. He has hit .319, scored 56 runs and leads the Marlins in doubles, OBP and walks. Yelich also has above average defensive ability despite being put in left field frequently.

He should become a stalwart in the in Marlins outfield if he can continue to produce at the level he has been. The one downside to Yelich’s game is the ability to stay healthy. He has struggled to stay on the field in seasons past which may hurt his chances of signing a long-term deal.

One number that best captures what Yelich brings to a team is his career OBP. It currently sits at .372 through 434 games as a Marlin. The Marlins have one of the best outfields in the league this season and Yelich should continue to help them bring his team back into postseason discussions.

Next: Number 9

9. Rougned Odor, 22

Rougned Odor’s season hasn’t been noticed all that much. Primarily due the fact that the fight he got into with Jose Bautista has distracted from it. Odor showed his age a bit in that scenario, punching Bautista for taking a slide he didn’t care for. Aside from that distraction Odor is becoming one of the best young second basemen in the game.

The Rangers have moved on from the days of Ian Kinsler and now are expecting to enjoy years of Odor handling second base duties. Odor is a fiery player (if you hadn’t guessed that already) who is putting together a nice season with great power numbers for a second baseman.

He is hitting .279 with 21 bombs and 45 total extra base hits. He provides solid defense and has been an integral part of the newly rebuilt Rangers offense. Yelich’s strong point is Odor’s main weakness, however: he is getting on base at a .299 rate. For Odor to take the next step he needs to find ways to get on base without always having to get a base knock.

Regardless, Odor is a good player who could develop into one of the best at his position.

Next: Number 8

7. Trevor Story, 23

It is not often such an unheralded prospect bursts onto the scene the way that Story did this season. The following are his rookie season stats through 97 games: 101 hits, 21 doubles, 27 home runs, .272 average, .341 OBP while slugging .567.

His season has been cut short by injury as he is not expected to play another inning in the 2016 regular season. Regardless of that, his numbers have been impressive and made him one of the top offensive shortstops in the game.

The one worrisome trend to Story’s game (that Coors Field pundits will point out) is the fact that his home and away splits are like night and day. While that is not unheard of for players whose home ballpark is Coors Field, it is still a little concerning. Regardless he has proven that he can hit especially for a non-heralded prospect who was not expected to play much of a role for the Rockies this season.

Trevor Story has done something very difficult and made Rockies fans forget about both Jose Reyes and former Rockies star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.  He is the shortstop of the future for the Rockies and a player that everyone hopes to see return to the field healthy very soon.

Next: Number 6

6. Francisco Lindor, 22

The amount of shortstops on this list is amazing. A position that was once so thin for offensive talent may soon be one of the deepest in the league. Francisco Lindor is a fun player to watch. If you’re an Indians fan you know that he does all of the little things to help put his team in a position to win.

The largest factors that separate Lindor from Trevor Story or Corey Seager are his defensive ability and his ability to consistently put the ball in play. Lindor has struck out 62 times in 104 games. While it is very hard to capture how valuable a player is by their stats alone, Lindor’s K rate is one that helps him stand out.

While he may not put up elite numbers, he is a spark plug in the Indians offense and a big reason that they have been a surprise team this season. He has hit .305 so far this season with 123 hits and scored 70 runs. Lindor is still only 22 years old and is already one of if not the best hitter on the Indians team. Considering his age, he is one of the most complete shortstops in the league and is only going to get better.

Next: Number 5

5. Manny Machado, 24

There should be no question after this season that Manny Machado is elite. While that word is often used too freely, it applies here. Machado is excellent both offensively and defensively.  He has continued what he started last season when he hit .286 while driving in 86 with 35 bombs. While again stats are not always indicators of exactly how good a player is, in this case they give you an idea of just how great Manny Machado is.

Machado has been around for what seems like a long time but he is still only 24 years old and is just now delivering on his potential.  While some may have given up on Machado after his first few less than impressive years, the Orioles knew what they had and stuck with him. That confidence is now paying off for the first-place Orioles in a big way.

Manny Machado has not only become one of the best young players in the game but the face of the Orioles franchise. While opposing fans may not be so fond of him, there is little wondering what the Orioles faithful think of him. He has become the unquestioned fan favorite and a great player.

Next: Number 4

4. Mookie Betts, 23, and Xander Bogaerts, 23

It seems only fair to rank the young Boston Red Sox stars together. With David Ortiz finalizing his retirement this season, the Red Sox needed a new face and together Betts and Bogaerts have provided that in two very unique ways.

Mookie Betts can do a lot of things well. He can steal bases when he needs to just as easily as he can hit the ball out of the park. All while playing very good outfield defense. He is a great player that very soon could have his named discussed with Harper and Trout.

Xander Bogaerts has driven in 10 game-winning RBI and leads all shortstops with 79 runs scored. He is hitting .320 with a ridiculous .377 on-base percentage. He is also much underrated as a defensive player at shortstop. Despite being only 23 years old, he is in his third season as Boston’s starting shortstop and is having the best season of his young career.

The Red Sox have two stars on their hands with Betts and Bogaerts, and the trick will be keeping both in a Red Sox uniform for many years to come. Red Sox fans are spoiled with the chance to watch two such talented players.

Next: Number 3

3. Kris Bryant, 24

The Cubs’ bottom-of-the-league finishes and subsequent high draft picks are finally starting to pay off.  The Cubs guessed correctly that Kris Bryant was a future star player when they drafted him with the second pick of the 2013 MLB draft.

Kris Bryant burst onto the scene last season, winning NL Rookie of the Year honors while putting together a season a lot of MLB players could only wish for. He is already a two-time All-Star and has been ranked as one of the most powerful hitters in all of baseball. Since his debut last season he has collected 113 extra base hits and driven in 167 while getting on base at a .377 clip.

The sole negative fact about Kris Bryant is that he strikes out at a very high rate. While this isn’t anything new for a power hitter, Bryant is going to need to cut down on his strikeouts just a bit to take the next step as a hitter.

Regardless of whether he is able to do that or not, he is one of the top young hitters in the game and already a leader on a young Chicago Cubs team.

Next: Number 2

2. Bryce Harper, 23

Harper is having a very bad follow-up to his MVP winning season, hitting only .234 right now. The explanation? He leads the league with 82 walks and owns a .378 on base percentage. Teams have learned not to pitch to Bryce Harper.

Harper in turn is going to have to learn to make the needed adjustments and not chase balls out of the zone simply because he is not being pitched to. Once he learns that he will have more MVP seasons ahead of him.

Last season he showed everyone the player he is capable of being. Whatever you may think of his “make baseball fun again” rants or his at times expressive behavior, he is one of the most talented players in the league.

He is 23 years old and has already spent five seasons with the Washington Nationals. Few players have enough talent to make it into the majors in their prime much less in their teenage years. Harper was thrust into a star role with high expectations at a very young age. He is still a young kid that will have his ups and downs but once he figures it all out he will show that he is one of the best players in the league much like he did for all of last season.

Next: Number 1

1. Mike Trout, 24

Mike Trout is a different kind of player. He doesn’t seem to have an off-season or slow down. He is 24 years old and has already won an MVP award and is a five-time All-Star.

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He already owns a lifetime .401 on-base percentage and has hit 158 home runs. He is not only the best all-around player under 25 but the best in all of baseball.  What separates him from Bryce Harper or the other players on this list is that he does not show his age.

He goes out every day regardless of the amount of protection around him or the amount of times he is walked (73 so far) and still manages to put together MVP worthy seasons every year he has been in the major leagues.

He is also a great center fielder making circus catches look routine. Some of his best defensive moments have been his home run robbing catches going up and over the wall taking homers away and making it look easy.

Next: Rich Hill worthy of a big contract?

Over the last four seasons there is no question that Mike Trout has been the best player in the league 25 years old or younger. The Harper/Trout debate has yet again been put to sleep this year by Mike Trout as he put together another impressive season.