Meeting or exceeding expectations
Chicago White Sox outfielder Yermin Mercedes merited only a casual mention when the Sox were assessed in March. There were a lot more interesting things to talk about on the South Side: Tony LaRussa, Lucas Giolito, the prospect of a Sox World Series win, and the likelihood that the acquisition of veteran Lance Lynn would solidify the rotation.
At this stage, though, Mercedes is the big story. He leads MLB in batting at .374, has a .993 OPS, and has driven in 22 runs. It’s quite a haul for a 28-year-old rookie with exactly one major league plate appearance entering 2021.
Ian Anderson began 2021 as a plausible challenger to Hayes for NL honors, and now probably holds the early front position. The Braves pitcher has a 3.46 ERA in seven starts and has run up 43 strikeouts in just 39 innings of work.
Dylan Carlson is another serious NL contender. The Cardinals outfielder has stood out in an otherwise lethargic St. Louis offense. Usually hitting in front of Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, he’s batting .278 with a .794 OPS. He’s also been reliable, starting in all of the Cardinals’ first 39 games this season.
Jazz Chisholm went largely overlooked outside Miami when 2021 began. But he has become a force at middle infield, batting .290 with a league-leading seven steals and a .375 on base average.
By season’s end, Mercedes’ White Sox teammate, Andrew Vaughn, might be his biggest challenger. A left field fill-in for the injured Eloy Jimenez, Vaughn is off to a .259 start with a competent .787 OPS.