The story below is the result of a collaboration between writers from MLB.com and Yahoo Sports, who are joining forces this season to cover baseball topics.
Phase 2 of voting for the 2024 All-Star Game began Sunday, with fans able to vote for finalists for each position until the closing date on Wednesday.
But even once the starters are determined, there will still be plenty of work to be done to fill out the rosters — pitchers and reserve position players — for the Midsummer Classic on July 16 at the Rangers’ Globe Life Field. Some of those choices are obvious, but look beyond the biggest names and gaudy stats and there are a number of prime All-Star candidates who may not be as familiar to many baseball fans.
Below, we asked six writers to pick one candidate each, a total of three from the American League and three from the National League. None will start the All-Star Game, but they both have a stronger claim than you might think to be a part of the event. (The statistics below are based on Sunday’s games.)
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Sarah Langs (MLB): Heliot RamosCF, Giants
Ramos was an MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospect during the preseason four years in a row: No. 81 in 2021, No. 65 in ’20, No. 92 in ’19 and No. 63 in ’18.
Now, in 2024, he’s playing like an All-Star. Since his first game of the season on May 8, no NL outfielder has more WAR, according to FanGraphs, than Ramos’ 2.0. The only qualified NL outfielder with a higher wRC+ over that span than his 149 is starter-eligible Fernando Tatis Jr. (150), who is currently on the injured list.
Development isn’t always linear. Baseball is so hard. But stories like this are why it’s the best.
There was a time not so long ago when the Red Sox offense began and ended with Rafael Devers. But with the emergence of leadoff hitter and catalyst Duran, those days are over. Duran is having a breakout year for Boston, posting career highs in every offensive category and leading the majors in triples. He’s one of the most electric players in baseball and has the Red Sox in the thick of the AL wild-card race.
Manny Randhawa (MLB): Ryan McMahon3B, Rocks
Playing for a team that’s nearly 30 games under .500, he’s not exactly on most baseball fans’ radars. But McMahon ranks second among NL third basemen in hits (83), home runs (14, tied with Jeimer Candelario), runs scored (44), batting average (.270), on-base percentage (.349), OPS (.812), OPS+ (124) and fWAR (2.1), and he’s third in RBI (42) and slugging percentage (.463). (In case you’re tempted to object to Coors, McMahon has more extra-base hits and a nearly identical OPS away from home.)
According to Statcast, McMahon is tied with Oneil Cruz for 10th in the majors in hard-hit rate at 53.3%. Defensively, he ranks in the top five among third basemen with 3 Outs Above Average.
Jake Mintz (Yahoo): Jon GrayRHP, Rangers
Every team needs at least one All-Star, but it’s undeniably bizarre that the defending champion Rangers, who will host the whole thing, are the team with the haziest Summer Classic situation. Postseason ace Corey Seager would be the obvious choice, but he’s been injured and underwhelming so far in 2024. So have Adolis GarcÃa, Nathaniel Lowe and Marcus Semien. Fill-in third baseman Josh Smith has been a revelation — he’s the only Ranger with an OPS above .800 — but it’s plenty crowded for AL third basemen.
That leaves Gray and a couple of veteran relievers enjoying huge first halves in David Robertson and Kirby Yates. Gray is my pick. In 76 1/3 innings, he’s posted a solid 3.77 ERA (3.32 FIP). The rim and strikeout numbers aren’t exactly encouraging, but he’s kept runs off the board (not counting two of his last three outings). Gray looks good for an under-the-radar, sleeper selection.
Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru (MLB): Brice Turang2B, Brewers
Voters are choosing between Luis Arraez and Ketel Marte, but in the realm of NL second basemen, second to Marte’s league-leading 3.5 fWAR is actually Turang’s 2.5. The 24-year-old is quietly showing potential as a true contact hitter, offsetting a generally light-hitting profile with the fifth-lowest qualifying whiff rate in baseball. For a guy without much power to speak of, his .292/.354/.417 line is nothing to sneeze at, and he’s stolen 28 bases, second only to Elly De La Cruz in baseball.
Since the Brewers can probably best be described as “greater than the sum of their parts,” if they can just get one All-Star, Turang has as strong an argument to be Milwaukee’s guy as any of his teammates.
Jordan Shusterman (Yahoo): JJ BledayCF, A’s
If Mason Miller hadn’t emerged as one of the most dominant closers in baseball, I’d have a strong argument that Bleday would be Oakland’s lone All-Star representative next month. The fourth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft by Miami, Bleday has shown little sign of developing into the star-caliber prospect many predicted he would be in his first few seasons in the big leagues.
But since arriving in Oakland via trade last winter, he’s looked like the cornerstone outfield bat he’s supposed to be. He ranks in the top 10 among qualified AL hitters in both wRC+ and fWAR, and while his offensive metrics aren’t as gaudy as teammate Brent Rooker’s, I’d consider Bleday an A’s All-Star candidate given his added defensive value.
It’s one thing that Bleday hits like an All-Star, but that he’s also improved his outfield skills enough to be Oakland’s everyday center fielder is no small feat. With Bleday still just 26 years old, it appears that Oakland has found a reliable offensive piece to build around for the long term.
