MLB: 3 players in the midst of breakout campaigns
Almost two months into the season and some players are performing above expectations. Here are three players in the midst of breakout campaigns in 2017.
When examining players in baseball, one looks at the players that help elevate their teams to wins and the playoffs. Most of the credit goes to the veteran players. The young catalysts barely receive credit during successful seasons.
Why is that? Well, young MLB players need to earn the respect of the casual MLB fan, in order to gain popularity and notoriety in today’s game.
Thanks to the abundance of media attention and the Internet, many young players gain recognition in the minor leagues. But just because a player succeeds in the minors, that doesn’t mean they’ll succeed in the big leagues.
A breakout campaign usually gets a player plenty of coverage and respect throughout the league. What gets recognized as a breakout campaign? When a player performs beyond expectations and achieves statistics that no one expected that season or ever.
Breakout campaigns don’t always last. Some players look ready to hit the next level of play, but instead, fail to achieve that success again. While others grasp the opportunity of success and run with it. The three young players mentioned look like key pieces for their respected clubs heading forward.
The three players listed below are off to the best start of their early careers. Here are three players that are performing above and beyond expectations and are in the midst of a breakout campaign this season.
Michael Conforto
Not much has gone right for the New York Mets in 2017. Injuries and controversy continue to plague the Mets and have them sitting six games below .500, at the moment. One bright spot for the club this season is the play from Michael Conforto.
The Mets drafted Conforto 10th overall in 2014. High expectations followed Conforto into his debut in New York. Before this season, Conforto struggled mightily in a Mets’ uniform.
In 165 games played during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Conforto hit .238/.319/.448 with 21 home runs, 61 RBI and 68 runs. His numbers weren’t terrible, but not what Mets’ fans expected from the young slugger.
After a good Spring Training for Conforto, the Mets started the 2017 season with the 24-year-old in the big leagues. Conforto has yet to disappoint. His 2017 slash line sits at .336/.429/.693 with 13 home runs, 32 RBI and 25 runs.
Conforto currently leads the Mets in bWAR at 2.1. His 2.2 oWAR ranks sixth best in baseball. He leads the Mets in the following offensive categories: home runs, RBI, runs, batting average, on-base percentage, OPS and walks.
Not only has Conforto’s bat stuck out among the Mets, but also all of MLB. Conforto’s batting average is ninth best in baseball. His OBP ranks seventh, his OPS and slugging percentage rank fourth best.
Conforto’s breakout 2017 season continues to keep the Mets from a complete tailspin in the NL East.
Lance McCullers
With the Houston Astros owning the best record in baseball, their young stars are finally getting some league-wide recognition. Lance McCullers Jr. is one of those players.
McCullers Jr. is the son of former big league pitcher Lance McCullers. The Astros drafted Mccullers in the first round of the 2012 draft. He pitched for them in both 2015 and 2016. His combined stats from those two seasons include a 12-12 record, a 3.22 ERA and 235 strikeouts.
Throughout his young career, McCullers has pitched well. With Dallas Keuchel pitching for the Astros, McCullers goes unnoticed occasionally in Houston. Nonetheless, McCullers standout 2017 season has him on the baseball map.
His 2017 stats include a 5-1 record, a 2.43 ERA, a 1.045 WHIP, a 3.05 FIP and 65 strikeouts. McCullers hasn’t allowed a run in his last 27 innings pitched.
McCullers continues to pitch extremely well in Houston. Ryan Spaeder tweeted about McCullers success throughout his career at home.
Lance McCullers Jr. has allowed three runs or less in all 25 of his career home starts. Tying Jose Fernandez's MLB record to begin a career.
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) May 24, 2017
Both McCullers and Keuchel have played a huge role in the great start for Houston in 2017. With the way those two have pitched, they might rank as the best 1-2 pitcher combo in baseball.
The future looks bright for the Astros and if McCullers can continue to pitch like he has so far in his career, their starting pitching seems lethal.
Miguel Sano
One of the most surprising division leaders so far in 2017 is the Minnesota Twins. Miguel Sano‘s hot bat at the plate has contributed to the Twins’ success.
Sano entered the big leagues in 2015. Despite his power displayed in his first two seasons, Sano didn’t supply much else for his team. He hit .249/.348/.489 with 43 home runs, 118 RBI and 103 runs.
The 6’4″, 260-pound hitter out of the Dominican Republic possesses a ton of potential. In 2017, Sano finally combined his power while hitting for average too.
Despite a recent slump, Sano’s offensive numbers are amongst the best in the league. He’s currently hitting .292/.408/.584 with 11 home runs, 37 RBI, and 32 runs.
His 2.3 oWAR is tied for third best in baseball. His OPS ranks ninth in baseball and his RBI total is tied for eighth most. Although he hits well, he also strikes out a lot. He ranks third in strikeouts this season.
Next: An updated prediction of the 2017 playoff picture
Sano’s strong season stands out amongst other Twins’ hitters. He leads the Twins in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, hits, RBI, home runs, runs and walks.
If Sano can keep up his breakout season at the plate, the Twins might battle all season long for the AL Central lead.