There are some young MLBbros who are hoping for a breakout season.
The top five players on this list are specifically projected to have a break campaign, while establishing themselves as household names.
Age, draft position, and situation were considered when evaluating these athletes. Some have already played in the majors and proved themselves on huge stages, including postseason, but have only provided us with a small sample size. Others are ready to be consistent faces in the MLB dugout once called upon.
5. Taj Bradley P (Tampa Bay Rays)
Taj Bradley, a melanated mound marauder for the Tampa Bay Rays, is 22 years old and hoping to have a big season.
Bradley showed glimpses of brilliance as a rookie, jumping out to some early wins, before eventually finishing with a 5.59 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 23 home runs allowed in 104 2/3 innings. Bradley seemed to hit a rookie wall last year and with those trials and tribulations under his belt, he should be a force for the Rays.
Despite his final stats, Bradley had several strong outings, recording a 28% strikeout rate. He will be expected to hold down the fort as a consistent arm int he starting rotation.
The Diamondbacks 23-year-old outfielder Alek Thomas comes in at number four on the list. With his power, Thomas was taken in the second round and was able to intimidate opposing pitchers by driving in runs. He had a clutch home run and some key moments in the 2023 postseason.
Thomas hit four Bro bombs which helped charge Arizona’s unlikely trip to the World Series.
He has excellent outfield defensive skills, with an average career fielding percentage of .992.
During a “Take That” segment on MLBbro.com, Charles Nyonga discussed Thomas as a key member of the
Diamondbacks team. Thomas has all the qualities to be face of the franchise for years to come.
Lawrence Butler, an outfielder, is only 23 years old. The Oakland Athletics selected him in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. Following a season in which he hit four home runs with a batting average of 211.
Butler put in work over the off-season, and his current batting average of .421 this spring training is proof of that. When the season starts, keep an eye out for Butler.
2. Termarr Johnson INF (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Termarr Johnson, a 19-year-old who was the fourth pick in the 2022 draft, is No. 2 on the list. Johnson’s bat-to-ball skills and smooth lefty stroke make him a legitimate All-Star in the future.
On February 26, 2024, Johnson showed off his power by hitting two home runs for the Pirates against the Blue Jays. The sky is the limit for Johnson.
1. Jordan ‘Sky’ Walker OF/INF (St. Louis Cardinals)
The young, talented St. Louis Cardinals star Jordan Walker, who weighs 250 pounds and is 6 feet 5 inches tall, tops the list. He came out of the gate in his rookie season, breaking hitting records.
With his rare combination of athleticism and baseball IQ, the 21-year-old infielder turned outfielder has
been gaining notice.
He’s also well-known for his powerful bat and excellent fielding skills. The Cardinals’ lineup is more versatile because of his defense skills, particularly at third base.
Walker, who hit .276 with 16 homers and 51 RBI in 117 games as a rookie, has a smooth swing with power, but hits to contact.
He also has deceptive speed. With a package that reminds guys of MLBbro legend Dave Winfield, Walker has everything needed to establish himself as an All-Star.
Aaron Judge brought back his record-breaking Mojo from 2022 this week and put on a power display for the ages. He became the first Yankee ever with multiple three home runs games in the same season after hitting three in last Friday’s contest against Arizona to earn himself the top spot on our final #HighFive list of 2023.
1. Aaron Judge
This season left us thinking what could have been if Aaron Judge did not injure his toe by running into the outfield wall one Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.
Judge had his Yankees in prime position to make the playoffs and was on track to outdo his 2022 MVP campaign before going down.
Over his last seven games he slashed .478/.600/1.261 with 12 RBI, seven walks and five homers including the three versus Arizona with the other two coming in the same game Wednesday night against the Blue Jays.
Judge has 37 home runs which right now would be the second most ever for someone who played in 110 fewer games. Mark McGuire hit 39 in 104 games in the 1995 season.
He will look to make history during their final series against the Kansas City Royals over the weekend.
2. Jordan “Sky” Walker
The fourth youngest current player in the Majors put a nice bow on his rookie campaign with strong showing over his last seven games. We have to give a shoutout to Walker for raising his level of play on the defensive side of the ball.
He was a career third baseman in the Minors, but as the season has progressed, he’s gotten better and better at roaming the outfield. At the plate, Walker has a 13-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 22 of 24 games in September.
3. Marcus Semien
Marcus Semien refuses to fade away during the most important time of the year with his Rangers just days away from clinching their first American League West title since 2016.
Both of Semien’s hits in the team’s most recent series came this past Sunday when he launched two home runs in the same game, including his franchise-record 10th leadoff bomb of the year.
In the following series, they would take two of three over the Angels. Semien went a combined 4-for-12 with four runs scored, two RBI, a double and two home runs.
That now puts him at 29 home runs and 99 RBI on the year. If he is able to get to 100, Semien will join Mookie Betts, Ronald Acuna Jr, Charlie Blackmon and Darin Erstad as the only leadoff hitters in MLB history with 100 RBI in a season.
4. Josiah “Sway” Gray
All-Star Josiah Gray set the tone for what looks to be a promising 2024 season with a great ending to 2023. Gray shut down the American League East champions and playoff bound Baltimore Orioles in his final start of the year Tuesday night.
He took home the loss in what ended up being a 1-0 contest after giving up one earned run in six innings while striking out seven and allowing five hits and walking two. After a tough month of August Gray finished off the year strong posting a 2.95 ERA in September with a .241 BA against and 23 strikeouts in 21.1 innings pitched.
Gray ends his first ever All-Star season with a 3.91 ERA and 22 homers allowed. Last season he had a 5.02 ERA and gave up a league-high 38 homers.
5. Devin “The Airbender” Williams
Devin Willams has been the most unhittable pitchers in the Majors this season and anchors the best pitching staff in the Majors. In his first year as the Brewers full-time closer Willams set the bar high for himself with 36 saves, five coming in his last seven appearances.
Over that span, Williams has given up only one run on two hits while striking out 10 in seven innings. He has not given up a run since September 2nd and has a 1.56 ERA this season. The Brewers have a legitimate chance to make some noise in the playoffs with solid pitching and a loaded bullpen.
If they can get the ball in “The Airbenders” hands, especially with a lead late, Milwaukee has a fighter’s chance to capture the National League pennant.
Jordan Walker, the rookie sensation of the St. Louis Cardinals is living a storybook first season, and he’s looking to use this late-season surge to set him up for an All-star season next year.
September has arrived, and the rise of the young slugger continues. Batting a scorching .316, with three homers, seven RBI, and three multi-hit games already in the books this month, Walker has been a force to be reckoned with on the diamond.
But the remarkable narrative that has unfolded around this 21-year-old phenom has been the cherry on top of a memorable season. As if plucked from the pages of a Hollywood script, Walker’s journey in September reads like a tale of destiny fulfilled.
Georgia Product Living His Dream
Just last week, Walker made his way to Atlanta. The city where he grew up in (Decatur, Ga.) is just down the road from Truist Park. The very same stadium where, as a child, he sat in the stands and dreamed of one day stepping onto the field as a Major League player. And step onto the field, he did, spectacularly.
“I wanted to play in the big leagues. I wanted to play [at Truist Park] and against the Braves,” Walker said, echoing the dreams that had fueled his passion since childhood.
In his first series in Atlanta, the young slugger left an indelible mark. In a poetic twist of fate, Walker not only played in the ballpark where his dreams were born but also smashed a 413-foot home run, notching three hits and just a triple shy of the cycle. The crowd erupted, and Walker’s family, including his father Derek Walker.
“If we wrote a novel about this, nobody would believe it and call it a fantasy. But this was our fantasy, and it was fantastic,” Derek said, his words encapsulating the incredible journey that his son, Jordan, had embarked upon.
“You dream about this, but you figure it’s just a dream and that’s about it. He didn’t need to do anything tonight. [Jordan] just walking on the field was 100 percent a victory for us. Everything else is just gravy.”
While Corbin Carroll may have the National League Rookie of the Year all but shipped in the mail, Walker has proven himself to be an indispensable asset to the Cardinals. Walker’s power at the plate, combined with his unwavering determination, suggests that he will be a pivotal player in the growth and success of the Cardinals for many years to come.
One thing is abundantly clear: Jordan Walker is a rising star, and his story is a testament to the power of dreams, hard work, and the belief that sometimes, even the most incredible fantasies can become a reality.
Jordan “Sky” Walker continued his high level of hitting this week, boosting his career-high hitting streak to 17 games with a single up the middle against the Astros on Thursday night.
The Cardinals top prospect has been a force since being recalled to the Majors in early June and caps off the month by earning the top spot in Week 13 of our #HighFive List.
1. Jordan “Sky” Walker
Walker’s 17-game hitting streak is the longest going in the Major Leagues and bests his previous career-high of 12 he set at the beginning of the season.
Jordan “Sky” Walker extends his rookie hitting streak to 17 games passing Erik Pappas and tying Albert Pujols for the third-longest in team history. pic.twitter.com/aw9lGa2yxr
After falling into a slight cold spell once the streak ended, Walker spent a little over a month with the Cardinals Triple-A affiliate in Memphis before rejoining the club on June 2nd.
“I had some of the toughest times of my life down there,” Walker told MLBbro.com. “Most of what I learned was mental. I felt the worst I ever have at the plate. But I realized no matter what you are going through at some point you will get out of it.”
Walker will end this month hitting over .330 while adding four home runs, nine RBI and a .418 on base percentage.
He looks to extend the streak to 20 after a three-game series against the Yankees this weekend.
2. “Money” Michael Harris II
Michael Harris recovered from a Rookie of the Year hangover and became the best nine-hole hitter in baseball in a month’s time.
This is the third consecutive week Harris earned his way into the #HighFive after posting a .385 average over his last seven games, but that does not do him full justice.
Through the last 15 games Harris is hitting an unprecedented .456 with four home runs, 11 RBI, a .458 on base percentage, .772 slugging and 13 runs scored.
3. Devin “The Airbender” Williams
Devin Williams is in a different mode on the mound.
Line his resume this season up with anyone and you will find Williams is one of if not the best closer in the Majors.
On June 13th Williams blew his first save of the season, but aside from that outlier performance where he gave up four earned, he has not given up a run since May 7th!
Over that span he has 22 strikeouts in 17.1 innings and has a batting average of .118 in June.
Williams is fourth among closers in the National League in saves and his 12 hits allowed are the lease for any qualifying closer.
4. Josh Naylor
Josh Naylor has been mashing baseballs this season and he got an emotional boost this week after his brother Bo was called to the Majors.
Tuesday night the Naylor brothers became the third pair of brothers to record two hits each in the same game and the first since 1955.
Josh, who is hitting .300 in his last seven games has collected hits in 22 of his last 26 games and ranks 8th in the American League in average and is 5th in the Majors in RBI.
The competition at first base for All-Star berths is steep, but taking names away from statistics Naylor is hands down a cut above the rest.
5. George Springer
George Springer’s leadoff home run last Sunday gives him 55 for his career and moves him to second All-Time trailing only the legendary Rickey Henderson who had 81 in his career.
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