All-MLB Social Media Team

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

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

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

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. 

Shortstop

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

USA TODAY Sports

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

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

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

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

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

Uncredited/Associated Press

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

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. 

Alternate

Uncredited/Associated Press

Player: David Price

Position, Team: P, Tampa Bay Rays 

Twitter: @DAVIDprice14

Alternate

Player: Robinson Cano

Position, Team: 2B, Seattle Mariners

Twitter: @RobinsonCano

Instagram: @robinsoncano

Alternate

Player: Felix Hernandez

Position, Team: P, Mariners

Twitter: @RealKingFelix

Instagram: @miajeremy

Alternate

Player: Justin Verlander 

Position, Team: P, Detroit Tigers

Twitter: @JustinVerlander

Instagram: @justinverlander

Alternate

Player: Jose Bautista 

Position, Team: OF, Toronto Blue Jays 

Twitter: @JoeyBats19

Instagram: @joeybats19

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Player: Alex Newman 

Position, Team: OF, Kansas City Royals/Rookie Appalachian League 

Twitter: @_AlexNewman24

Instagram: @_alexnewman24

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Player: George Kontos

Position, Team: RP, San Francisco Giants 

Twitter: @G_Kontos

Instagram: @g_kontos

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Player: Tom Koehler

Position, Team: P, Miami Marlins

Twitter: @TKREFRESH22

Instagram: @tkrefresh22

Alternate

Player: Giancarlo Stanton

Position, Team: OF, Miami Marlins 

Twitter: @Giancarlo818

Instagram: @giancarlo818

Alternate

Player: Matt Kemp

Position, Team: OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Twitter: @TheRealMattKemp

Instagram: @bmdc27

Alternate

Player: Jason Kipnis

Position, Team: 2B, Cleveland Indians

Twitter: @TheJK_Kid

Instagram: @jasonkipnis22

Alternate

Player: Andrew McCutchen 

Position, Team: OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Twitter: @TheCUTCH22

Instagram: @thecutch22

Alternate

Player: DJ Kitty

Position, Team: Mascot, Tampa Bay Rays 

Twitter: @RaysDJKitty

Alternate

Player: Hanley Ramirez 

Position, Team: SS, Los Angeles Dodgers

Twitter: @HanleyRamirez

Instagram: @hanleyramirez13

Alternate

Player: Carlos Gomez

Position, Team: OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Twitter: @C_Gomez27

Instagram: @c_gomez27

Alternate

Player: Wally

Position, Team: Mascot, Boston Red Sox

Twitter: @Wally97

Instagram: @wallyredsox