10 rising MLB stars for 2017

This is a very exciting time for Major League Baseball. Not only has the league become more competitive and more unpredictable, but there are also plenty of talented players who have made their mark in a big way.

One of the most exciting things about the current state of the MLB is the arrival of quite a few young players on to the scene. A lot of young talent is making its mark on Major League Baseball and that is not only good news for the teams they are representing but the league in general.

2016 was a season that saw plenty of young players break out. Players like Gregory Polanco, Francisco Lindor, Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Kris Bryant among others really stepped up and made their presence felt.

The 2017 MLB regular season is now underway and quite a few young talented players will be hoping to make their mark this season. Here we pick 10 of the brightest MLB prospects for the 2017 campaign. The list is in no particular order mind you:

Byron Buxton-Minnesota Twins

A lot was expected of Byron Buxton in 2016 but he did not live up to the hype for the big part of the last campaign. He did show flashes of brilliance and what he is capable of and we are hoping 2017 is when he will really step up to the plate and be counted. The last month of last season was when he really hit his stride. Byron scored on twenty four occasions and his OPS was 1.011 for those twenty nine encounters. He enters the 2017 season with one hundred and thirty eight games worth of experience and that will also come in handy when he plays this year.

David Dahl-Colorado Rockies

At age 23, David Dahl, the Colorado Rockies’ player is an exciting prospect. He was quite impressive in 2016 and is expected by many to make the next step this season. Dahl went .315 and hit seven home runs last year. Not only that but he also managed to steal five bases in his debut season. He managed to end up playing an impressive sixty three games last year. He is a very powerful hitter and is one to watch out for this season.

Jose Berrios-Minnesota Twins

Jose Berrios is the second Minnesota Twins player on our list and just like Byron Buxton, he flattered to deceive as well last season. He recorded 8.02 ERA in 2016 which was just not good enough but the talent he possesses simply cannot be ignored. Berrios is a special player with special skills and now that he has had the time to go through what went wrong in 2016, we are hoping he really will up his game in 2017. Any side that underestimates and takes Jose Berrios lightly will most likely end up paying a very heavy price this year.

Julio Urias-Los Angeles Dodgers

Julio Urias is without a doubt one of the most exciting young players in the MLB right now and the youngest of the 10 players on our list. He was just nineteen when he made the professional leagues last term and that makes what he delivered even more impressive. Urias started fifteen games for the Dodgers and recorded 3.39 ERA. He pitched in seventy seven innings and managed to record eighty four strikeouts. Urias had a lot of people sit up and take notice in 2016 and 2017 might be the year when he takes a few more steps forward.

Alex Bregman-Houston Astros

Alex Bregman was picked in the year 2015 as a first round pick right out of LSU. He went to play and hone his skills in the Houston Astros farm system for a year before making the step up to the MLB. He was two for thirty eight in his first ten outings but like all good players he turned it around. In his final thirty nine games for the Houston Astros, Bregman went .313 and recorded an OPS of .931 to go with eight home runs. He has got to make sure that he works harder than ever to make it to the very top.

Dansby Swanson-Atlanta Braves

A lot of people were excited to see what Dansby Swanson would do heading into the 2016 season. There was a lot of hype surrounding the then 22 yr old Atlanta Braves player. The pressure was on but Swanson did not disappoint. He played in thirty eight games and recorded an average of .302, On-Base Percentage of .361 and his slugging stood at .442. It is safe to say that Swanson showed the world his immense potential and now bigger and better things are expected of him this season.

Kyle Schwarber-Chicago Cubs

Now we come to Kyle Schwarber of the current World Series champions, the Chicago Cubs. The 23 yr old made the step up to the big leagues in the 2015. Schwarber had hit 5 homeruns during the postseason but unfortunately he got injured which resulted in him missing almost the entire 2016 season. He made a return to the plate in the World Series and went .412. While those numbers will be very tough to replicate over the entirety of the season, hopes are high that he will hit close to 30 home runs this year if he stays clear of any injuries. This is how highly this young player is rated.

Andrew Benintendi-Boston Red Sox

David Ortiz has retired and those are big boots to fill. The young 22 year old Andrew Benintendi however gives hope that the future is bright for the Boston Red Sox as far as hitters are concerned. Benintendi had one hundred and eighteen opportunities at the plate and this is his record: Avg=.295, OBP=.359 and SG=.476. If these are not stats of a special player then we don’t know what are.

Yoan Moncada-Chicago White Sox

Yoan Moncada does not have the numbers to justify the hype but his talent is there to make up for it. He is just 21 yrs old right now so he has plenty of time to develop his skills. He got his first taste of big league action with the Boston Red Sox which brought him on board in the year 2015. He had eight chances to show what he could do with the Red Sox but he was stuck out on a dozen occasions and went .211. But now that he has swapped Boston for Chicago, everyone will be waiting to see how he develops because the potential is there for everyone to see.

Alex Reyes-St. Louis Cardinals

Last but definitely not the least, it is time to discuss the 22 yrs old Alex Reyes. The Cardinals are known to produce exceptional young talent so the arrival of Alex Reyes does not come as a surprise. He made his debut in 2016 and recorded fifty two strikeouts and an ERA of 1.57. These are numbers of a guy who has the talent to reach the top. All he has to do now is listen to his coaches, keep his head down and keep working hard.

These are the 10 rising stars we think will step up to the plate and be counted in 2017. These are exceptionally gifted young players and if they justify the potential they have, then it will be very exciting to see them play and develop over the next few seasons.