NL East breakout stars of 2018 shine brightly in the MLB

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As 2017 comes to a close, teams should begin looking towards the offseason. Nevertheless, teams can find some of the stars of 2018 on their own roster.

The past two weeks have been hectic in the world of baseball. NL East champion Washington Nationals flamed out in their opening playoff series. The Houston Astros won their first World Series after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to three. Future Hall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay tragically passed away in a plane crash.

Carlos Beltran announced his retirement after 20 long seasons in the majors. However, it’s critical for teams to start looking towards next season to meet their goals.

Now that the hot stove has begun, teams start the offseason scramble to better their team. The hot names on the market include Giancarlo Stanton and Shohei Otani.

But teams also have players currently on their roster that can benefit them in 2018. This slideshow will examine how teams in the NL East can find a hidden gem on their own 40-man roster.

Atlanta Braves: Dansby Swanson

Any Braves fan can tell you just how excited they were to have Swanson break out. Columnists predicted that Swanson would be the uncontested Rookie of the Year. He was demoted in August if that gives non-Braves fans a sense of Swanson’s 2017 season.

Although the former #1 overall pick had a sub-par rookie season, he is set up for a breakout campaign in 2018. Swanson lacks the pressure from the media to have an All-Star season. Braves fans will all have their eyes on the shortstop, but the rest of baseball will be fixated on other players and their trails throughout the season. Being out of the limelight might be just what Swanson needs to break out. Regardless of his media coverage, Swanson has room to improve. He hit just .232 last season, with six home runs and 52 RBIs. With those numbers, Braves loyalists struggled to see the upside in their routed prospect. Unfortunately for them, his offense was his best skill in 2017.

It’s one thing to be below expectations on offense. Every player has down seasons. Sadly for Braves fans, Swanson’s defense was atrocious. He committed 20 errors in 142 games last season. That statistic was the highest among NL shortstops. If Swanson is to break out in 2018, his defense needs to drastically improve as well.

Miami Marlins: Jose Ureña

The Miami Marlins are currently a mess. The future of most players on their team is extremely uncertain going into 2018. Their four best players could feasibly be shipped to various teams for prospects. The departure of Miami’s stars leaves the door open for someone to step up in their absence. Enter Jose Ureña.

The Marlins have not had a truly dependable pitcher since Jose Fernandez’s death a little over a year ago. As Miami begins to rebuild into a new era, it becomes critical for the current players to establish themselves as core pieces for the future. Ureña has done that in 2017 and has a chance to garner national attention this upcoming season.

With the cluster of players that currently reside in the Marlins rotation options for 2018, Ureña is one of two that have secured spots for Opening Day, the other being Dan Straily. Wei-Yin Chen, who was expected to bring a solid left-handed arm for the rotation, was demoted to the bullpen last season after returning from injury. Edison Volquez had Tommy-John surgery in early August. Each player is scheduled to make $18 million and $13 million respectively next season, which provides a challenge for the Miami franchise looking to immensely cut their payroll for 2018.

After recording a 14-7 record with a 3.82 ERA in 2017, Ureña has shown that he has the potential to be a breakout candidate for 2018.

New York Mets: Brandon Nimmo

Many New York Mets fans might be surprised that star prospect Amed Rosario is not slotted in this spot. And rightfully so. However, this slideshow is based on my predictions on the player for each team will have the biggest breakout season, not the best career or highest potential to be successful.

Nimmo, similarly to Rosario, has his starting position locked up, barring a free agent acquisition or trade later this offseason. Nori Aoki, who was Nimmo’s main competition going into 2018, was released earlier this month. With other starting outfielder Michael Conforto questionable for Opening Day, Nimmo has an opportunity to shine in Conforto’s absence and established a more defined role in the Mets lineup.

His 2017 season was not atrocious by any means. He hit .246 with 6 home runs and 27 RBIs in 50 games. The former first-round pick has a good chance to outshine his stats from last year and establish himself as a perennial All-Star caliber player if he is able to break out in 2018.

Philadelphia Phillies: Mark Appel

This choice might be a bit of a stretch, as Apple is still off the Phillies 40-man roster. Nevertheless, the former two-time first-round pick has to surface sometime, as he has spent all of the 2017 season in AAA. Although the Stanford product has not reached the majors yet, his potential is apparent, being drafted first overall by the Astros in 2013.

Appel has had solid numbers throughout his career in the minor leagues, holding a 25-18 record over five minor league seasons. Although he does not have the highest strikeout rate (7.5 K/9), he has been solid across all stages of the farm system. With an exciting Spring training, Appel can easily create a spot for him on the opening day roster.

The state of the Phillies’ rotation aides Appel in his effort to reach the majors. Aaron Nola is the surefire #1 man in the rotation, but spots two through five can be shuffled and rotated around to find the ideal combination. With an impressive performance, Appel can work his way into the back end of the rotation and provide solid depth for the Phillies in 2018.

NL East: Washington Nationals: Victor Robles

The youngest player in the National League might end up being its best rookie in 2018. Robles, who isn’t old enough to drink, has already shown the tools needed to be successful. he has done this by winning the MVP Award for the Arizona Fall League’s All-Star Game. MLB Pipeline rates him as the second-best prospect in the minor leagues as well.

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With grade 70 speed, Robles can quickly establish himself as a top of the lineup table-setter for the Nationals in 2018. Unfortunately for Robles, one obstacle still blocks his path: Michael Taylor.

After coming off a career year, Taylor has certainly earned his spot in the lineup. With Adam Eaton and Bryce Harper manning the corners, Taylor’s spot in the order is the only one that can be contested. It is up to Robles to take the spot from Taylor in 2018.

If Robles does take over center field in 2018, the Nationals will have one of the league’s best lineups. The top six will be characterized by players with the last name Eaton, Robles, Harper, Zimmerman, Murphy, and Turner. With Max Scherzer or Steven Strausberg on the mound, the Nationals can be one of the best teams in 2018.

Next: MLB Free Agents Tracker: Top 25 Pitcher free agents for 2017-18

Even if Robles bats near the bottom of the lineup, being set up by a plethora of power names bodes well for the rookie. He could easily bolster his stat line and earn the Rookie of the Year in 2018.

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