Each season, there are always some MLB players that surprise people. Some are in a good way and some are in a bad way.
Today, we will look at the former as we are going to look at each MLB team and look at the player that has surprised us the most in a good way.
To be surprises, they have to have stepped up their game from what we saw last year or in seasons before that or be a rookie who has been great to start out. So, for example, Shohei Ohtani is not on our list. It’s amazing that he is pitching to an ERA of around 3.00 and has been hitting well too but he won the AL MVP award last year.
His teammate, Mike Trout, is also not on the list despite missing most of the 2021 season due to injury. He has been the Angels’ best hitter on the season so far so it is an improvement on his 2021 season … but he was the best player in the world prior to 2021 so his resurgence (while it’s been great) is not all that surprising.
So here is our list starting out in the NL West.
Here is 1 player from each MLB team that has been a pleasant surprise in 2022
Los Angeles Dodgers: Tyler Anderson
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Tyler Anderson to a one-year, $8 million deal this offseason after he went 7-11 with a 4.53 ERA (93 ERA+) in 31 starts for the Pirates and Mariners.
For the depth-laden Dodgers, he started the season as a long reliever but due to injuries to their starters, Anderson has moved into the rotation and been great.
He is 3-0 with a 2.78 ERA in five games (three starts). He has a 0.971 WHIP, a 141 ERA+, and walked just two batters per nine innings (a career-low).
San Diego Padres: Eric Hosmer
For the San Diego Padres, Eric Hosmer has, largely, been a bust with his eight-year, $144 million deal. In the first four years of the deal, he has had a 2.7 rWAR and a 102 OPS+.
However, in the fifth year of the deal (2022), he already had 1.4 rWAR entering play on Tuesday. He was hitting .350/.425/.520 with an OPS+ of 184.
San Francisco Giants: Austin Slater
You may be surprised to not see Carlos Rodón here since he has dominated to start the season for the San Francisco Giants … but he came in 5th in AL Cy Young Award voting for the White Sox last year so it’s not as shocking as you might think.
After Steven Dugger hit the 60-day IL for the Giants, Austin Slater has been one of the players that has taken over in center field for him and he has been great.
Entering Tuesday, he only had 61 plate appearances (about 40 fewer than the everyday players) but he has hit .275/.393/.451 with an rWAR of 1.0, which is the most of any of their offensive players.
Colorado Rockies: Chad Kuhl
For the Colorado Rockies, they have been one of the more surprising teams for most people in baseball and Chad Kuhl has been their most surprising player.
Kuhl was signed by the Rockies on a one-year deal after spending all of his career with Pittsburgh and he has been their best starter.
He is 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in five starts with a 246 ERA+, a 3.39 FIP, a WHIP of 0.843, and an NL leading 4.9 hits allowed per nine innings.
He was signed to be their fifth starter to start the season and, likely, move into a long relief role to end the season as their two top young pitchers (Peter Lambert and Ryan Rolison) have been on the IL to start the year (Lambert on the MLB IL and Rolison on the IL in Triple-A).. However, with Kuhl pitching like that, Lambert and Rolison may have to wait.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Merrill Kelly
The Arizona Diamondbacks are another team that has surprised in a good way to start the season and Merrill Kelly has been great for them on the mound.
He is 3-1 with a 1.22 ERA in six starts. In 37 innings, he has a 326 ERA+, a 2.05 FIP, a 1.027 WHIP, and he has yet to allow a homer.