Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Rookies ready for close-ups
Handful of young players look capable of making big impact
A couple of postseason stars. The son of a former big leaguer. A versatile infielder from South Korea.
Here’s a closer look at a handful of rookies who could play a starring role this year:
OF Randy Arozarena, SS Wander
Franco, Rays: Arozarena helped power the Rays to the World Series last year, batting .377 with 10 HRS, 14 RBIs and a 1.273 OPS in 20 postseason games. The switch-hitting Franco, who just turned 20 on March 1, is widely regarded as baseball’s top prospect.
RHP Ian Anderson, Braves: The 22-yearold Anderson was called up in August and went 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA in six starts, helping the Braves win the NL East. He also shined in the postseason, allowing just two earned runs in 18 ⅔ innings.
INF Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pirates: Hayes, 24, provided some hope for lowly Pirates in September, batting .376 with five HRs in 24 games. The slick-fielding son of former big league infielder Charlie Hayes was selected by the Pirates in the first round of the 2015 amateur draft.
OF Dylan Carlson, Cardinals: The athletic Carlson was promoted in August and helped the Cardinals reach the playoffs for the second straight year. He batted .200 with 35 strikeouts in 35 games, but the switch-hitter just turned 22 in October, and the Cardinals think he could be a big part of their lineup for years to come.
RHP Nate Pearson, Blue Jays: Armed with a fastball that gets into the upper 90s and a nasty slider, Pearson worked five scoreless innings in his first big league start against the Nationals on July 29. He went through some growing pains down the stretch last year, but that learning experience could pay off for the Blue Jays in 2021.
OF Jarred Kelenic, Mariners: Kelenic’s future was in focus this spring after former team president Kevin Mather said the outfielder likely would begin the year in the minors in order to preserve another year of club control. The No. 6 pick in the 2018 amateur draft batted .291 with 23 HRs over three minor league stops in 2019.
LHP Garrett Crochet, White Sox: Crochet became the first player from the 2020 amateur draft to make it to the majors when he tossed a perfect inning on against the Reds on Sept. 18. He reached 100 mph on 45 of his 85 pitches while working six scoreless innings over his first five appearances with the White Sox.
C Tyler Stephenson, Reds: The 24-yearold Stephenson broke into the majors in July, homering in his first plate appearance. The 2015 first-round pick is expected to take on a more prominent role this year after the Reds let Curt Casali go.
RHP Sixto Sanchez, Marlins: Sanchez is a key part of one of baseball’s most promising rotations, going 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA in seven starts in his first stint in the big leagues. The right-hander was acquired in the February 2019 trade that moved catcher J.T. Realmuto to the Phillies.
OF Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles: Mountcastle made his major league debut on Aug. 21 and batted .333 with five HRs and 23 RBIs in 35 games. Selected by the Orioles with the No. 36 pick in the 2015 amateur draft, Mountcastle hit 25 HRs for Triple-A Norfolk in 2019.
OF Alex Kirilloff, Twins: The sweet-swinging Kirilloff gets his first chance at a regular job with the Twins after Eddie Rosario was non-tendered in December. The 23-year-old Kirilloff went 1-for-4 in Game 2 of the AL wild-card series against the Astros in his first game.
INF Kim Ha-seong, Padres: The 25-yearold Kim signed a four-year, $28 million deal in December, adding even more versatility to the Padres’ deep roster. Kim batted .306 with 30 HRs, 109 RBIs and 23 steals for the KBO League’s Kiwoom Heroes last season.