All-MLB Social Media Team

Amber LeeMay 16, 2014

As with their abilities on the field, not all athletes on social media are created equal. Some are absolute DOA busts, some are streaky and occasionally great and others always seem to rise to the occasion and never let us down.

NBA players are the most predictably entertaining group, which puts them on the exact opposite side of the spectrum as NHL players, who, with the exception of Paul Bissonnette, are universally dull. MLB players on social media are, by and large, a very unpredictable bunch.

Overall, there are more duds than studs, but there’s at least one baseball team’s worth of social media all-stars in Major League Baseball. And here they are.

Right Fielder

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Player: Yasiel Puig

Position, Team: OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Twitter: @YasielPuig

Instagram: @puigyasiel

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig tweets part time in Spanish, which isn’t ideal, but it doesn’t matter that much because he’s much more of a superstar on Instagram. Puig posts several times each day, and while they’re not all winners (like the cake), overall his photos are pretty entertaining.

Center Fielder

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Player: Torii Hunter

Position, Team: OF, Detroit Tigers

Twitter: @toriihunter48

Instagram: @tnutts48

The Detroit Tigers' Torii Hunter is certainly not immune to the irritating social media habits that seem to plague athletes. Let’s just say he posts his share of motivational posters. In fact, he posts a lot of people’s shares of motivational posters. That being said, he mixes it up enough to forgive that kind of nonsense. This #TBT photo is epic.

Left Fielder

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Player: Domonic Brown

Position, Team: OF, Philadelphia Phillies

Twitter: @dom9brown

Instagram: @domonicbrown

The Philadelphia Phillies' Domonic Brown is never on Twitter, so don’t even bother with that. His Instagram, on the other hand, is regularly updated and with almost always great stuff. Then again, this photo of Brown and the Phillie Phanatic could be the only thing he ever posted to social media and he’d still be a superstar.

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Shortstop

4 of 27

Player: Jose Reyes

Position, Team: SS, Toronto Blue Jays

Twitter: @lamelaza_7

Instagram: @lamelaza_7

The Toronto Blue Jays' Jose Reyes has, essentially, everything I look for on social media. He updates regularly. He makes very good use of the Emoji keyboard. He posts interesting photos of actual things rather than stupid motivational sayings and spirit animals. Reyes is definitely a standout social media superstar.

Third Base

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Player: K.J. Franklin

Position, Team: 3B, Cincinnati Reds/Rookie Arizona League

Twitter: @RealKJ44

The only minor leaguer to make the list of starters, Cincinnati Reds rookie prospect K.J. Franklin is hilarious and one of my favorite people on Twitter. Unfortunately, he is not on Instagram, but he really needs to be. I’m actually thinking about starting a petition. I’ll keep you posted.

Second Base

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Player: Brandon Phillips

Position, Team: 2B, Cincinnati Reds

Twitter: @DatDudeBP

Instagram: @datdudebp

If you’re not already following Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips on Twitter and Instagram...stop...I can’t even. Phillips interacts with fans regularly and last month retweeted this photo, which is obviously one of the greatest things in the history of sports, if not the world.

First Base

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Player: Mike Napoli

Position, Team: 1B, Boston Red Sox

Twitter: @MikeNapoli25

Instagram: @mikenapoli25

Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli may not be as amazingly and/or patriotically dressed as teammate Jonny Gomes—then again, who is?—but he and his beard are both social media juggernauts. In fact, I recently noticed that you can trace the entire evolution of his beard on Instagram.

Catcher

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Player: Russell Martin

Position, Team: C, Pittsburgh Pirates

Twitter: @russellmartin55

Instagram: @russellmartin55

Facebook: Facebook.com/RussellMartin55

Truth be told, MLB catchers worth following on social media are few and far between. Having spent far too much time researching the subject, the only one worth following is the Pittsburgh Pirates' Russell Martin. That being said, Martin has yet to truly reach all-star status. He’s got potential, though.

Starting Pitcher

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Player: C.J. Wilson

Position, Team: P, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Twitter: @str8edgeracer

Instagram: @cjwilsonphoto

Los Angeles Angels pitcher C.J. Wilson is one of the most active and entertaining athletes on social media. He’s not quite NBA-level entertaining, because those guys are just fantastic, but he’s got bits and pieces working for him. Bits and pieces, in Wilson’s case, are his stunning wife and beyond adorable dog. He’s not too bad, either.

Manager

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What's he doing with Pat Sajack?

Name: Joe Maddon

Position, Team: Manager, Tampa Bay Rays

Twitter: @RaysJoeMaddon

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon is a rarity: a man in his 60s who has embraced social media. Not only does he have his own regularly updated Twitter account, he’s also got one for his bulldog, Winston C. Maddon.

Mascot

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Player: D. Baxter The Bobcat

Position, Team: Mascot, Arizona Diamondbacks

Twitter: @DbacksBaxter

Instagram: @dbacksbaxter

Who knows what a bobcat has to do with Diamondbacks, but apparently they’re pretty common in Arizona. Of all MLB mascots on social media, and there’s a lot, D. Baxter The Bobcat is definitely the most entertaining and adventurous. He’s well traveled and has many sports interests outside of baseball.