MLB's All-Breakout Team for the 2023 Season
It's time to announce Bleacher Report's 2023 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 is to focus on players who have achieved a level of success they hadn't previously approached.
Since that means focusing on guys who have MLB experience prior to this year, no rookies were eligible to be included in this article. Otherwise, this quickly turns into an article about the top rookie at each position, and the idea here was to shine some light on guys who have taken their game up a notch.
Along with our picks at each position are a handful of honorable mentions who are also deserving of recognition.
Off we go.
Catcher: Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks
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WAR: 3.4
In his first season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Gabriel Moreno has established himself as the catcher of the present and future.
The 23-year-old was acquired during the offseason along with All-Star outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the blockbuster deal that sent Daulton Varsho to the Toronto Blue Jays, and he has turned his top prospect pedigree into production in his first full season in the big leagues.
Moreno is hitting .279/.328/.412 for a 101 OPS+ with 24 extra-base hits in 323 plate appearances, but he has, arguably, provided even more value on the defensive side.
With an NL-leading 41 percent caught stealing rate and 16 Defensive Runs Saved to lead all catchers, he is a legitimate Gold Glove candidate.
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Jeffers (MIN), Connor Wong (BOS)
First Base: Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles
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WAR: 1.1
Ryan O'Hearn slugged 120 home runs during his time in the Kansas City Royals minor league system, but he never found consistent success at the MLB level.
In parts of five seasons with the Royals, he hit .219/.293/.390 for an 83 OPS+ over 1,071 plate appearances, and he was designated for assignment in December and traded to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for cash considerations. They then passed him through waivers and removed him from the 40-man roster.
The 30-year-old started the year at Triple-A, but earned a quick promotion after he hit .354/.404/.729 with four home runs and 13 RBI in 11 games.
Facing almost exclusively right-handed pitching and seeing time at first base, right field and designated hitter, he is hitting .301/.332/.500 with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 53 RBI in 304 plate appearances as a middle-of-the-order bat for a contending O's team.
Honorable Mentions: Spencer Torkelson (DET)
Second Base: Bryson Stott, Philadelphia Phillies
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WAR: 4.3
Bryson Stott spent the 2022 season as the primary shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies after he wrested the job away from veteran Didi Gregorius early in the year, hitting .234/.295/.358 with 10 home runs, 49 RBI and 12 steals in a 1.2-WAR rookie campaign.
The No. 14 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Stott shifted over to second base after shortstop Trea Turner was signed during the offseason, and he has put together a terrific season both offensively and defensively.
The 25-year-old is hitting .288/.335/.436 for a 109 OPS+ with 30 doubles, 15 home runs, 58 RBI, 74 runs scored and 28 steals in 30 attempts. In the field, he ranks fifth in overall defensive value at his position, and has tallied 6 DRS and a 3.4 UZR/150.
His 4.3 WAR is tied for fifth among all second basemen.
Honorable Mentions: Mauricio Dubón (HOU), Nolan Gorman (STL)
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Third Base: Jake Burger, Chicago White Sox/Miami Marlins
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WAR: 1.9
Jake Burger hit .328/.443/.648 with 22 home runs and 65 RBI in 63 games during his junior year at Missouri State before going No. 11 overall in the 2017 draft, and he was expected to move quickly through the minor leagues.
Instead, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during spring training in 2018, and his development was stalled by injuries and the COVID season before he finally made his MLB debut with a 15-game cup of coffee in 2021.
The 27-year-old saw limited big league action again last year, but an injury to Eloy Jiménez opened the door for him to have a regular role this season, and he's slugged 31 home runs in 476 plate appearances.
The Chicago White Sox flipped him and his five remaining years of club control to the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline for pitching prospect Jake Eder, and he is hitting .288/.340/.482 with six home runs and 17 RBI in 37 games since the trade.
Shortstop: Geraldo Perdomo, Arizona Diamondbacks
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WAR: 2.3
Geraldo Perdomo was a staple on the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list for three years running before he hit .195/.285/.262 in 500 plate appearances as a rookie last season, and that lackluster production has made this year's performance even more surprising.
The 23-year-old hit .383/.456/.617 during the first month of the season and steadily played his way into a larger role, and he earned a spot on the NL All-Star team as an injury replacement.
His production has dipped a bit as the season has progressed, but he still has a 104 OPS+ with 28 extra-base hits, 16 steals and solid defensive metrics at shortstop to go along with some sporadic action at second base and shortstop.
With Jordan Lawlar arriving on the scene, Perdomo could shift over to third base in 2024.
Honorable Mentions: CJ Abrams (WAS)
Outfielder: Chas McCormick, Houston Astros
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WAR: 3.5
A 21st-round pick in the 2017 draft and a .250/.326/.426 hitter with a 109 OPS+ in 727 plate appearances over his first two seasons in the majors, Chas McCormick has been an unlikely standout for the Houston Astros.
His 137 OPS+ ranks 16th among all players who have tallied at least 300 plate appearances this year, and behind only Yordan Alvarez, José Altuve and Kyle Tucker on the Houston roster.
The 28-year-old has seen regular action at all three outfield spots and logged 3 DRS and a 14.1 UZR/150 along the way, providing additional value with his glove beyond his strong work in the batter's box.
McCormick is controllable through 2026 and will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason.
Outfielder: Lane Thomas, Washington Nationals
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WAR: 3.4
The Washington Nationals acquired outfielder Lane Thomas from the St. Louis Cardinals at the 2021 trade deadline in exchange for veteran Jon Lester, and it is shaping up to be one of the best deals in recent franchise history.
After showing a nice mix of power and speed during his first two seasons with the Nationals, he has taken his game to another level this year, hitting .278/.327/.477 for a 119 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 24 home runs, 77 RBI, 92 runs scored and 18 steals.
The 28-year-old is controllable through the 2025 season, so it's worth wondering if he will be part of the next contending Nationals team.
As a result, he was a popular name leading up to this year's trade deadline, and it's not out of the question that he could be on the move this winter if someone makes a strong enough offer.
Outfielder: Josh Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
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WAR: 2.9
Josh Lowe was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2016 draft, and while it took him some time to develop in the lower levels of the minors, he turned a corner in 2021 when he hit .291/.381/.535 with 28 doubles, 22 home runs, 78 RBI and 26 steals in 111 games at Triple-A.
He began the 2022 season as the No. 44 prospect in baseball, but he fell flat in his first MLB action, hitting .221/.284/.343 with a 33.3 percent strikeout rate in 52 games.
The 25-year-old was something of an afterthought in Tampa Bay's roster construction heading into this year, but he hit .342/.398/.632 with five home runs and 18 RBI in April and quickly emerged as the team's primary right fielder.
He is hitting .287/.327/.492 with 27 doubles, 18 home runs, 75 RBI, 60 runs scored and 29 steals in 32 attempts over 121 games.
Honorable Mentions: Kerry Carpenter (DET), Jarren Duran (BOS), Jake Fraley (CIN), TJ Friedl (CIN), Brandon Marsh (PHI), Christopher Morel (CHC), Luke Raley (TB), José Siri (TB), DJ Stewart (NYM), Jack Suwinski (PIT), Leody Taveras (TEX)
Starting Pitcher: Justin Steele, Chicago Cubs
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WAR: 4.3
Justin Steele never ranked higher than the No. 9 prospect in the Chicago Cubs farm system, so to call his rise to NL Cy Young contention surprising would be an understatement, especially considering the lackluster job the Cubs have done developing pitching talent in recent years.
The left-hander made his debut in a swingman role in 2021 before becoming a regular in the rotation last season when he posted a 3.18 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 126 strikeouts in 119 innings over 24 starts.
While those numbers were good enough to think he could be a fixture in the rotation for the next several years, they did little to foreshadow his breakout 2023 campaign.
Through 27 starts, he has gone 16-3 with a 2.49 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 159 strikeouts in 159 innings, and if anyone is going to chase down San Diego Padres left-hander Blake Snell in the NL Cy Young race, it looks like Steele will be the guy.
Starting Pitcher: Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles
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WAR: 3.8
The most glaring hole on the Baltimore Orioles roster when the season began was the front end of the starting rotation, and while workhorse Kyle Gibson has been a nice addition as the team's de facto ace to open the year, the emergence of Kyle Bradish has been a huge boon to the staff.
Acquired along with three other prospects in the deal that sent Dylan Bundy to the Los Angeles Angels prior to the 2020 season, Bradish made his MLB debut last season and logged a 4.90 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 117.2 innings over 23 starts.
The 27-year-old broke camp as the team's No. 4 starter this spring, and has steadily emerged as the ace of the staff as the season has progressed.
In 10 starts since the All-Star break, he has a 2.63 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 61.2 innings while limiting opposing hitters to a .197 average.
Starting Pitcher: Bryce Elder, Atlanta Braves
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WAR: 3.6
Bryce Elder is far from overpowering with a fastball that grazes 90 mph, but he has put together a successful season thanks to his ability to keep the ball on the ground with his heavy sinker and high-spin slider.
The 24-year-old has generated a 50.5 percent groundball rate, good for fifth-highest among all qualified starters, behind only Logan Webb (61.1%), Alex Cobb (57.3%), Framber Valdez (54.3%) and Sandy Alcantara (52.0%).
Meanwhile, his 6.7 strikeouts per nine innings check in 44th on that same list, making him the rare pitcher who has found success without missing a ton of bats.
The 2023 NL All-Star is 12-4 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 162.1 innings.
Starting Pitcher: Jesús Luzardo, Miami Marlins
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WAR: 2.8
It has taken some time for Jesús Luzardo to live up to the hype, but he is finally looking like the pitcher he was expected to be when he was one of baseball's top pitching prospects in the Oakland Athletics system.
After struggling to a 6.87 ERA over 38 innings in 2021, the Athletics traded him to the Miami Marlins in exchange for a two-month rental of outfielder Starling Marte, and that has quickly turned into a regrettable decision.
The left-hander worked 95.1 and 100.1 innings the last two seasons, and this year he has finally taken that next step forward as a durable staple in Miami's starting rotation.
Still only 25 years old, he has a 3.82 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 186 strikeouts in 160.1 innings, and those numbers looked even better before he allowed 10 hits and six earned runs against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.
Starting Pitcher: Brayan Bello, Boston Red Sox
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WAR: 3.9
It's been almost a decade since the last time a homegrown Boston Red Sox starting pitcher was named to the AL All-Star team, with Jon Lester the last to accomplish that during the 2014 season.
It might be just a matter of time before Brayan Bello bucks that trend.
Signed for just $28,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2016, he emerged as the top pitching prospect in the Boston system in 2022 when he went 10-4 with a 2.34 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 129 strikeouts in 96 innings in the upper levels of the minors. He made his MLB debut in July and logged a 4.71 ERA in 57.1 innings after he was promoted.
The 24-year-old has used that debut as the springboard for a breakout 2023 campaign, posting a 3.68 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 117 strikeouts in 142 innings as the most consistent starter on the Red Sox staff.
Honorable Mentions: Aaron Civale (CLE/TB), MacKenzie Gore (WAS), Josiah Gray (WAS), Bailey Ober (MIN), Johan Oviedo (PIT), Cole Ragans (KC), Clarke Schmidt (NYY), JP Sears (OAK)
Relief Pitcher: Adbert Alzolay, Chicago Cubs
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WAR: 1.7
The Chicago Cubs bullpen immediately became a huge question mark when Michael Fulmer struggled into the closer's role, and several different pitchers took their turn in trying to save games before Adbert Alzolay finally brought stability to the ninth inning.
Originally developed as a starting pitcher, Alzolay was sidelined for most of the 2022 season with a shoulder strain, and he returned to post a 3.38 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 12.8 K/9 in 13.1 innings as a reliever in September.
That led to his first season as a full-time reliever in 2023, and the results have been excellent.
The 28-year-old has converted 22 of 25 save opportunities with a 2.71 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 9.4 K/9 in 57 appearances, and with a mid-90s fastball and wipeout slider, he fits the mold of a prototypical closer.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Brash (SEA), Danny Coulombe (BAL), Tim Mayza (TOR), Tanner Scott (MIA)
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