10 Underrated MLB Players Ready to Explode in 2024
In parts of three seasons with the Atlanta Braves, catcher William Contreras flashed star potential at the plate, even making an All-Star appearance in 2022. Contreras wasn't so established as an elite player for the Braves to pass on trading him for a perceived upgrade, though. They sent him to the Milwaukee Brewers in a December 2022 three-team trade that brought Sean Murphy to Atlanta from the Oakland Athletics.
Contreras looked like a budding star with the Braves, and then he exploded in his first season with the Brewers in 2023. He homered 17 times, drove in 78 runs and posted an .825 OPS en route to a Silver Slugger Award. His 5.4 WAR was the top mark among all players at his position, and he received down-ballot NL MVP support, finishing 11th.
Who will be this year's version of Contreras—an underappreciated player who steps out of the shadows and cements his place as an MLB star? Here are 10 possible candidates for breakout stars in 2024, including a mix of players who have another step to take in their development or were limited by injuries last year but have a prior track record of success.
LHP Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
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Age in 2024: 27
2023 Stats: 7-3, 80.1 IP, 2.80 ERA, 2.00 FIP, 102 K, 3.3 WAR
Tarik Skubal has a 3.23 ERA, 2.57 FIP and 6.2 WAR over his last 36 starts, which is Cy Young-caliber production. The problem is that was spread across two seasons, with Skubal making 21 starts in 2022 and 15 in 2023.
Will 2024 be the season that the lefty puts his elite production together for a full season?
There are some early encouraging signs that Skubal has a chance to be one of the best pitchers in the junior circuit this season. He averaged 95.8 mph on his four-seam fastball in 2023, but reportedly hit 100 mph on the final pitch of an early spring training live batting practice session.
It's fair to worry about Skubal being too amped early in spring training given that he's had both Tommy John and flexor tendon surgeries. The only people more nervous than opposing batters to see Skubal throwing in the high 90s in spring training might be the Detroit Tigers' medical staff. Getting him to Opening Day healthy and in position to make 27-32 starts should be the organization's top priority during Grapefruit League play.
But if Skubal does add a few ticks to his fastball in 2024, he'll be that much harder to hit. Considering he led all pitchers in WAR (3.3) after the Fourth of July last season, him getting even better is hard to fathom.
OF Evan Carter, Texas Rangers
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Age in 2024: 21
2023 Stats: .306/.413/.645, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 12 BB, 1.058 OPS, 1.3 WAR
Evan Carter looked the part of MLB's next superstar en route to helping the Texas Rangers win their first World Series title last fall.
Some may wonder whether expectations are too high for a player who's still eligible for the AL Rookie of the Year in 2024. Then you remember just how well Carter played in his first MLB stint and get giddy about what's to come.
All Carter did in his first 23 MLB regular-season games was post a 1.058 OPS and 1.3 WAR. The bright lights of October didn't faze Carter, who hit .300 with six RBI and 10 walks in 17 postseason games.
Carter also posted six defensive runs saved over only 174.2 regular-season innings in the field. He projects to play left field primarily, but Rangers manager Bruce Bochy will likely utilize Carter a bit at all three outfield spots in 2024.
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday is the odds-on favorite for AL Rookie of the Year, but Carter will have something to say about that. It may not be the last time Holliday and Carter compete for a major award, either.
RHP Eury Pérez, Miami Marlins
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Age in 2024: 21
2023 Stats: 5-6, 91.1 IP, 3.15 ERA, 4.11 FIP, 108 K's, 1.4 WAR
Eury Pérez was tremendous during his rookie campaign, helping the Miami Marlins to grab the second wild-card spot in the NL. The biggest question surrounding his first full MLB season will be just how much the Marlins are willing to take the training wheels off of the 6'8", 220-pound righty.
To get an idea of just how high Pérez's celing is, B/R's Joel Reuter recently ranked him as the No. 6 player in MLB who's under 25 years old. Pérez figures to only rise up that list in the coming years. With a four-pitch mix that includes a 97 mph fastball, Pérez "has the potential to be a perennial Cy Young candidate," according to Reuter.
Pérez might not be a real Cy Young threat in 2024, but with the loss of Jorge Soler's power bat in Miami's lineup, manager Skip Schumaker will need his rotation to be among MLB's best to get the Marlins back to the playoffs. Pérez will be a key part of that, along with Jesús Luzardo, Braxton Garrett and Edward Cabrera.
The Fish will be without former NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcántara in 2024, as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. But if the Marlins are frustratingly conservative with Pérez's workload this year, keep the bigger picture in mind. Having him and Alcántara atop the rotation one day in the not-so-distant future could make the Marlins legitimate World Series contenders.
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2B Bryson Stott, Philadelphia Phillies
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Age in 2024: 26
2023 Stats: .280/.329/.419, 15 HR, 62 RBI, 39 BB, .747 OPS, 3.9 WAR
The Philadelphia Phillies reached the World Series in Bryson Stott's rookie season, but he was largely an afterthought in their lineup. They fell just short of going back to the Fall Classic in 2023, but Stott took a major step forward in his second MLB season.
After slashing .234/.295/.358 with a .658 OPS as a rookie, Stott broke out last season by slashing .280/.329/.419 with a .747 OPS. The 2019 first-round pick has also developed a knack for fouling off pitches until the opposing pitcher makes a mistake, as evidenced by his 4.17 pitches per plate appearance in 2023. That was the same amount that former NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt saw, for reference.
As impressive as Stott's offensive strides were in 2023, his defensive work stood out the most. Stott was a serviceable shortstop who shifted to second base on a full-time basis after the Phillies signed Trea Turner to an 11-year deal. Stott was a Gold Glove finalist at second base in 2023, posting six defensive runs saved and 16 outs above average in his first full season at the position.
Stott figures to be one of the better defenders at second base for years to come. He has All-Star potential if he can hit close to .300 and post 20 home runs per season.
RHP Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers
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Age in 2024: 28
2023 Stats: 12-10, 165.2 IP, 3.86 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 210 K, 3.0 WAR
Among the players featured here, Freddy Peralta is probably the most accomplished at the MLB level. But he'll step into the top spot in the Milwaukee Brewers' rotation in 2024, and his success—or lack thereof—could decide whether the Brew Crew are playoff contenders in 2024 or wind up shopping some of their remaining stars ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.
Gone is former NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, whom the Brewers traded to the Baltimore Orioles in February. Brandon Woodruff re-signed with the team on a two-year deal that includes a mutual option for 2026, but if he pitches at all this season, it won't be until late as he recovers from the right shoulder surgery he had last October.
So Peralta will go from perhaps the best No. 3 starter in the sport to the ace of the Brewers, likely to take the ball on Opening Day. The Brewers don't have much in their starting rotation after Peralta, so he may need to have a Cy Young-caliber season for Milwaukee to make the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years.
If Peralta does take another step forward in 2024, it will be time for the Brewers to think about his long-term future. The Brewers have extremely team-friendly $8 million club options on Peralta for 2025 and 2026, which they're a near-lock exercise. But if they can't get Peralta to agree to another hometown-discount extension, will they eventually trade him like they did with Burnes?
C Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros
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Age in 2024: 25
2023 Stats: .282/.308/.538, 23 HR, 60 RBI, 11 BB, .846 OPS, 2.0 WAR
Ex-Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker had an affinity for veteran catcher Martín Maldonado, but the former retired after the 2023 season and the latter is now employed by the Chicago White Sox. That should open the door for Diaz to be the everyday catcher in Houston this season.
Diaz put up relatively staggering offensive production last year for the Astros, clubbing 23 home runs and driving in 60 runs in only 104 games. That type of output would be elite at any position, but that's especially the case at catcher, where there are so few difference-makers at the plate.
Diaz also posted four defensive runs saved in 399 innings behind the plate last season. He's far from a finished product as a catcher, though, as evidenced by the six errors and minus-3.0 framing grade he had as a catcher in 2023.
Diaz could stand to walk more, and if his power output comes back down to earth over a larger sample size, he wouldn't be nearly as valuable as a DH and/or first baseman. But his offensive profile will make him a perennial All-Star candidate if he can consistently catch.
With Alex Bregman set to become a free agent after the 2024 season and Kyle Tucker set to join him after the 2025 season, the Astros could stand to find another blue-chip player in case they lose one or both of them in the coming years.
LHP Nick Lodolo, Cincinnati Reds
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Age in 2024: 26
2023 Stats: 2-1, 34.1 IP, 6.29 ERA, 5.79 FIP, 47 K, 0.0 WAR
The 2023 season didn't go how Nick Lodolo or the Cincinnati Reds hoped. He struggled mightily when on the mound, and a stress reaction in his left tibia limited him to seven starts.
But it's hard to shake the success that the 2019 No. 7 overall pick had in his rookie season, and what it would mean for the Reds if Lodolo rebounds in 2024.
Two years ago, Lodolo posted a 3.66 ERA and 3.90 FIP across 103.1 innings, which helped him earn some down-ballot support in the NL Rookie of the Year race. He did lead the NL in batters hit in 2022, so it wasn't a perfect start to his career. But there was reason to believe that the lefty had a chance to become a mainstay in Cincinnati's rotation.
There are a lot of ifs in Cincinnati's rotation this upcoming season, and how they play out may ultimately decide whether the Reds are a playoff team in 2024. But between Lodolo, Frankie Montas, Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft and Andrew Abbott, the ceiling for the Reds rotation is extremely high.
If Lodolo is part of a rotation that turns into a strength for manager David Bell, the Reds could return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, perhaps even as NL Central champions.
RHP Bobby Miller, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Age in 2024: 25
2023 Stats: 11-4, 124.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 3.51 FIP, 119 K, 2.8 WAR
With a lineup that includes Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Teoscar Hernández, the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers could be one of the most potent offenses in MLB history. But there are legitimate questions about how manager Dave Roberts is going to get through 162 games from a pitching perspective.
Ohtani and Tony Gonsolin won't pitch at all in 2024 as they recover from Tommy John surgery. Walker Buehler, who missed all of 2023 recovering from his second Tommy John procedure, likely won't be in the rotation to start the year. Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw is back for his 17th season with the Dodgers, but the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner had shoulder surgery in November, which will likely sideline him at least until the summer. And after a second elbow surgery, Dustin May probably won't be in play until August, if at all in 2024.
As part of an offseason spending spree, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman inked Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million deal, with the hope that he'll be an anchor in their rotation for years to come. The Dodgers also acquired the supremely talented but oft-injured Tyler Glasnow in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Still, there isn't much certainty in the starting rotation with the Dodgers, which makes Miller that much more important. The 2020 first-round pick posted a 3.51 FIP in 124.1 innings last season. Similar production over 150 or so innings would make Miller a hero for the Dodgers, particularly if he helps bridge the gap until reinforcements arrive in the summer.
Miller is a key figure as the Dodgers try to compete with the Atlanta Braves for the NL's best record and No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
DH Christopher Morel, Chicago Cubs
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Age in 2024: 25
2023 Stats: .247/.313/.508, 26 HR, 70 RBI, 36 BB, .821 OPS, 1.4 WAR
The Chicago Cubs have struggled to find a consistent defensive home for Christopher Morel, who's seen time at second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield positions over his first two seasons. In total, he has -14 defensive runs saved and -16 outs above average, which hardly suggests he's ever going to be a particularly strong fielder.
However, it would behoove the Cubs to find a way to get Morel's bat into the lineup every day. Across 107 games in 2023, Morel homered 26 times, drove in 70 runs and posted an .821 OPS.
Roster Resource currently lists Morel as the starting DH for the Cubs. While he could also get looks at either corner infield position, just being able to focus on hitting might be best for the 24-year-old.
If the Cubs can find a defensive position for Morel to play adequately on a full-time basis, that's great. If not, the power production he delivered last season in just 388 at-bats suggests he has 35-home run, 100-RBI potential. That's worth dedicating the DH spot to if need be.
Cody Bellinger is back with the Cubs, and they could still be a landing spot for free-agent third baseman Matt Chapman. Regardless of how the rest of the lineup shakes out, Morel needs to get 500 at-bats in 2024. It's in the Cubs' best short- and long-term interests to figure out just how good the slugger can be.
RHP Robert Suarez, San Diego Padres
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Age in 2024: 33
2023 Stats: 4-3, 27.2 IP, 4.23 ERA, 4.48 FIP, 24 K, 0.0 WAR
One of the reasons why Bryce Harper's "Bedlam at the Bank" home run in Game 5 of the 2022 NLCS was so impressive—aside from it essentially sending the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series—was that it came during an at-bat in which he laid off some nasty pitches against San Diego Padres breakout reliever Robert Suarez.
As a 31-year-old rookie, Suarez was a revelation for the Padres in 2022, posting a 2.27 ERA and 11.52 K/9 over 45 appearances. Boiling that season down to just one moment when a Hall of Fame-caliber player delivered the defining at-bat of his career to this point isn't fair.
However, Suarez wasn't able to replicate that success in 2023. Right elbow inflammation and a foreign-substance suspension limited Suarez to 26 appearances last season, and he struggled in that relatively small sample size, posting a 4.48 FIP. It was one of many things that went wrong for the 2023 Padres, who won just 82 games in the most disappointing season in franchise history.
The Padres had a long list departures this offseason, most notably Juan Soto and Josh Hader. Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell also might not be back, although he remains a free agent.
Losing Hader—a Hall of Fame-caliber closer, even if he was unwilling to pitch multiple innings in a contract year—puts more of a spotlight on Suarez. Whether Suarez is the closer or a primary setup man for rookie Yuki Matsui, the Padres need him to rebound.
Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha already departed in free agency, with Snell likely to follow. For the Padres to have a chance to grab one of the NL's three wild-card spots in 2024, their bullpen will need to be a strength, with Suarez at the forefront of it.
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