MLB's All-Breakout Team for the 2022 Season
It's time to announce Bleacher Report's 2022 MLB All-Breakout Team.
There are still a few weeks remaining in the regular season, but the year's biggest breakouts are already well-established at this point. The All-Breakout Team consists of one player at each position, five starting pitchers and one relief pitcher.
The idea was to focus on players who have achieved a level of success they hadn't previously approached.
With that in mind, here are a few examples of guys who don't fit that description:
- Young starters Dylan Cease (CWS), Nestor Cortes (NYY), Alek Manoah (TOR), Shane McClanahan (TB) and Framber Valdez (HOU) all had breakout seasons in 2021. Their success this year has simply been a continuation of that, and as such, they were not included.
- Rookies Julio Rodriguez (SEA) and Adley Rutschman (BAL) have quickly settled in as standouts at the MLB level in their rookie seasons. Based on their track records and long-term outlooks, they are doing exactly what most expected them to do, so it's not so much a breakout as it is the culmination of their development.
Along with our picks at each position are a handful of honorable mentions who have also taken their game to another level in 2022.
Catcher: Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays
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Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk hit .315/.395/.487 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI in 83 games during the first half of the season to earn the starting nod behind the plate in the 2022 All-Star Game.
The 23-year-old has seen his production fall off a bit since the break, but he still has a 132 OPS+ with 19 doubles, 13 home runs and more walks (56) than strikeouts (52) in a 3.8-WAR season.
That represents a massive improvement over the .242/.328/.436 line and 0.9 WAR he logged in 60 games last season in his first extended MLB action, and with top prospect Gabriel Moreno and defensive standout Danny Jansen also in the mix, the Blue Jays now have enviable depth behind the plate.
Honorable Mentions: William Contreras (ATL), Jonah Heim (TEX), Cal Raleigh (SEA)
First Base: Nathaniel Lowe, Texas Rangers
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After posting a 112 OPS+ with 18 home runs and 72 RBI in his first season as an everyday player last year, Nathaniel Lowe has cemented his place as a long-term piece alongside Corey Seager and Marcus Semien in the Texas Rangers lineup this year.
The 27-year-old is hitting .309/.363/.503 for a 146 OPS+ with 24 doubles, 24 home runs and 69 RBI in 138 games, and his 3.2 WAR ranks eighth among all first basemen, ahead of the likes of Matt Olson, Anthony Rizzo, Rhys Hoskins, Ty France and several others.
Much of that production has come during the second half, as he's hitting .369/.425/.617 with 12 home runs and 31 RBI in 53 games since the All-Star break. Could that mean even bigger things to come in 2023?
Honorable Mentions: Jose Miranda (MIN), Josh Naylor (CLE), Christian Walker (ARI)
Second Base: Andrés Giménez, Cleveland Guardians
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After hitting .218 with a .282 on-base percentage and a 74 OPS+ in 210 plate appearances last season, Andrés Giménez began the year with a tenuous grasp on the starting second base job in Cleveland.
Now, he's likely to receive some down-ballot AL MVP votes.
The 24-year-old is hitting .300/.370/.475 for a 142 OPS+ while flashing more power than he's ever shown in the past with 23 doubles, 16 home runs, 62 RBI and 18 steals in 21 attempts for good measure. He has also been fantastic defensively at second base with 11 DRS and a 6.8 UZR/150.
His 6.2 WAR ranks seventh among all players, trailing only Aaron Judge (9.1), Shohei Ohtani (8.1), Paul Goldschmidt (7.5), Nolan Arenado (7.3), Sandy Alcantara (7.0) and Tommy Edman (6.3).
Honorable Mentions: Thairo Estrada (SF), Vaughn Grissom (ATL), Gavin Lux (LAD), Luis Rengifo (CLE)
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Third Base: Brandon Drury, Cincinnati Reds/San Diego Padres
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There might not have been a better bargain deal handed out last offseason than the minor league contract the Cincinnati Reds gave to Brandon Drury, which paid him just $900,000 after he won a spot on the MLB roster.
The 30-year-old had a 16-homer, 53-RBI rookie season in 2016 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he was never able to build off that solid debut and has spent the past several seasons bouncing around as a utility bat off the bench.
He quickly played his way into a regular role on a struggling Reds team this year and posted a 127 OPS+ with 22 doubles, 20 home runs and 59 RBI in 92 games before he was traded to the San Diego Padres at the deadline in exchange for prospect Victor Acosta.
His solid bat and defensive versatility should make him a hot commodity in free agency this winter.
Honorable Mentions: Jace Peterson (MIL)
Shortstop: Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
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Since going in the first round of the 2018 draft and making his MLB debut the following season, Nico Hoerner has teased his upside but has struggled to stay healthy long enough to put together a true breakout season.
That has finally changed this year.
The 25-year-old is hitting .291/.338/.421 for a 111 OPS+ with 35 extra-base hits and 18 steals in 125 games, and that offensive production coupled with his elite defense (11 DRS) has made him a 4.5-WAR player.
That total trails only Xander Bogaerts (5.6), Dansby Swanson (5.1), Francisco Lindor (5.0) and Trea Turner (4.8) among all shortstops, putting Hoerner's overall productivity ahead of some of the biggest names in baseball.
Honorable Mentions: Ha-Seong Kim (SD), Jorge Mateo (BAL), Jeremy Peña (HOU)
Outfielder: Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves
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Rookie Michael Harris II had not yet played above the High-A level when the 2022 season began, so proximity to the majors is what separates him from other top prospects like Adley Rutschman and Julio Rodriguez, who were excluded from consideration.
It would not have been surprising to see Harris spend the entire 2022 season in the upper levels of the minors, but instead, he is making a major impact for a contending Atlanta squad.
The 21-year-old is hitting .310/.350/.551 for a 145 OPS+ with 25 doubles, 18 home runs, 57 RBI, 66 runs scored and 16 steals since making his MLB debut on May 28, and he has racked up 4.4 WAR in 96 games.
The biggest question now is whether he can edge out teammate Spencer Strider for NL Rookie of the Year honors.
Outfielder: Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
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Steven Kwan was the talk of baseball in April, hitting .354/.459/.500 over his first 15 games in the big leagues, including a five-hit performance in his third MLB game.
The league seemingly adjusted in May, and his production dipped, but he has rebounded to hit .305/.377/.409 with 13 extra-base hits and 10 steals in 50 games since the All-Star break while ranking as one of the best contact hitters in baseball.
The 25-year-old is hitting .290 with a 117 OPS+ and more walks (56) than strikeouts (52) on the year, and coupled with his Gold Glove-caliber defense (16 DRS, 7.2 UZR/150), he has been a 3.9-WAR player.
Not bad for a guy who was only the No. 27 prospect in the Cleveland system when the season began.
Outfielder: Taylor Ward, Los Angeles Angels
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Outfielder Taylor Ward entered the 2022 season as a career .230/.305/.388 hitter in 534 plate appearances over the past four years while bouncing back and forth between Triple-A and the majors.
He hit .347/.459/.686 with 10 home runs and 26 RBI in 35 games over the first two months of the season, and he was one of the biggest All-Star Game snubs with an .872 OPS and 25 extra-base hits.
His production has tailed off since the break, but he's still hitting .265/.353/.437 for a 123 OPS+ with 15 doubles, 18 home runs and 51 RBI in a 2.5-WAR season.
Honorable Mentions: Brendan Donovan (STL), Óscar González (CLE), Jake McCarthy (ARI), Joey Meneses (WAS), Lars Nootbaar (STL), Jurickson Profar (SD)
Starting Pitcher: Tony Gonsolin, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Right-hander Tony Gonsolin was productive when healthy over the first three seasons of his MLB career, posting a 2.85 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 142.1 innings, but he had never thrown more than 55.2 innings in a season.
This season, he has been a bona fide frontline starter, going 16-1 with a 2.10 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 116 strikeouts in 128.1 innings over 23 starts, and he has allowed more than three earned runs just twice.
The 28-year-old has come up big with Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw both missing significant time, though he is currently on the injured list himself with a forearm strain.
Starting Pitcher: Kyle Wright, Atlanta Braves
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The No. 5 overall pick in the 2017 draft and a top prospect throughout his time in the Atlanta Braves farm system, Kyle Wright was still trying to break through when the 2022 season began.
He struggled to a 9.95 ERA in two starts in the majors last year, and he had a 6.56 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and an ugly 59-to-48 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 70 innings over parts of four seasons in the big leagues.
The 26-year-old won a spot in the Atlanta rotation this spring and hasn't looked back, going 18-5 with a 3.18 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a 158-to-49 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 164 innings over 27 starts.
Starting Pitcher: Martín Pérez, Texas Rangers
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Left-hander Martín Pérez began his career as a top prospect in the Texas Rangers farm system, but he never quite lived up to expectations during his initial run with the team and spent the last three seasons in Minnesota and Boston.
After posting a 4.74 ERA in 114 innings with the Red Sox in 2021, his career came full circle when he signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Rangers during the offseason.
The 31-year-old earned his first All-Star selection this year, and he has gone 11-6 with a 2.77 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 156 strikeouts in 172 innings, twirling his first complete-game shutout since 2014 on May 20 against the Houston Astros.
He is one of seven pitchers with at least 20 quality starts this year.
Starting Pitcher: Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves
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Hard-throwing Spencer Strider pitched just 94 innings in the minors before making his MLB debut last October, and he won a spot on the Opening Day roster with a strong showing during spring training.
He struck out five batters over two perfect innings of relief on Opening Day and logged a 2.22 ERA and 13.7 K/9 in 11 appearances out of the bullpen before moving into the starting rotation at the end of May.
In 19 starts, he has gone 9-4 with a 2.84 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 155 strikeouts in 101.1 innings, and he set a franchise record with 16 strikeouts over eight scoreless innings against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 1.
All told, he has 192 strikeouts in 125.2 innings on the year to go along with a 2.72 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and a terrific .186 opponents' batting average.
Starting Pitcher: Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks
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A prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays system once upon a time, Merrill Kelly made the jump to the KBO before reaching the majors, and after four solid seasons with the SK Wyverns, he returned stateside on a two-year, $5.5 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks that included a pair of club options.
After posting a 4.44 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 158 innings in 2021, he inked a two-year, $18 million extension in April that bought out his final option year, and he has been a breakout star alongside Zac Gallen in an underrated Arizona rotation.
The 33-year-old is 12-6 with a 3.01 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 155 strikeouts in 176.2 innings, and he has a 2.58 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 10 starts since the All-Star break.
Honorable Mentions: Reid Detmers (LAA), Logan Gilbert (SEA), Cole Irvin (OAK), George Kirby (SEA), Triston McKenzie (CLE), Drew Rasmussen (TB), Jeffrey Springs (TB), Justin Steele (CHC)
Relief Pitcher: Félix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles
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With a high-octane fastball that averages 99.1 mph and a lethal splitter that has generated a 55.8 percent whiff rate, Félix Bautista has been nothing short of dominant for an upstart Baltimore Orioles team.
The 27-year-old rookie has a 1.60 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 11.9 K/9 with 13 saves and 12 holds in 61 appearances, and his 3.1 WAR leads all relievers.
His emergence allowed the Orioles to trade All-Star closer Jorge López at the deadline without the bullpen missing a beat.
Honorable Mentions: Jason Adam (TB), Brock Burke (TEX), Alexis Díaz (CIN), Jhoan Duran (MIN), Ryan Helsley (STL), Michael King (NYY), Jorge López (BAL/MIN), Joe Mantiply (ARI), Rafael Montero (HOU), Andrés Muñoz (SEA), Cionel Pérez (BAL), Evan Phillips (LAD), A.J. Puk (OAK), John Schreiber (BOS), Trevor Stephan (CLE), Erik Swanson (SEA)
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Wednesday's games.
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