MLB's All-Breakout Team for the 2024 Season
It's time to announce Bleacher Report's 2024 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.
Catcher: Joey Bart, Pittsburgh Pirates
1 of 14
Stats: 73 G, 125 OPS+, .262/.340/.476, 22 XBH (13 HR), 43 RBI, 2.1 WAR
Joey Bart was viewed as a future star and the heir to Buster Posey when the San Francisco Giants selected him No. 2 overall in the 2018 draft following a junior season at Georgia Tech where he hit .359/.471/.632 with 16 home runs in 57 games.
He peaked at No. 29 on the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list during his time in the minors, but never found MLB success with the Giants, hitting .219/.288/.335 in 162 games over four seasons before he was traded to Pittsburgh on April 2.
The change of scenery has jump-started his career, and now at 27 years old and with club control through 2027, he can be a long-term piece of the puzzle for a Pirates team on the rise.
Honorable Mentions: Shea Langeliers (OAK), Logan O'Hoppe (LAA)
First Baseman: Michael Toglia, Colorado Rockies
2 of 14
Stats: 106 G, 107 OPS+, .218/.309/.467, 39 XBH (24 HR), 51 RBI, 2.1 WAR
With an imposing 6'5", 226-pound frame and huge raw power, Michael Toglia was the No. 23 overall pick in the 2019 draft following a terrific collegiate career at UCLA.
He slugged 86 home runs in 378 games in the minors, including a 30-homer season in 114 games between Double-A and Triple-A in 2022 that earned him his first MLB promotion.
After hitting .187/.246/.325 with a 34.6 percent strikeout rate over 272 plate appearances in the big leagues the past two years, he has taken a significant step forward this year, and his elite batted-ball numbers should help him sustain his newfound level of production.
Honorable Mentions: Jon Singleton (HOU)
Second Baseman: Luis García Jr., Washington Nationals
3 of 14
Stats: 132 G, 115 OPS+, .280/.319/.440, 42 XBH (16 HR), 65 RBI, 21 SB, 2.1 WAR
Luis García Jr. was just a few months removed from his 20th birthday when he made his MLB debut for the Washington Nationals during the abbreviated 2020 season, and he went on to hit .276 in 139 plate appearances as a rookie.
In the three years that followed, he never quite did enough to clearly establish himself as the everyday second baseman, hitting a middling .264/.294/.399 for a 93 OPS+ with 1.0 WAR in 285 games.
Still only 24 years old, he is enjoying a career year, and alongside shortstop CJ Abrams, the Nationals have quietly had one of the more productive double-play tandems in baseball.
Honorable Mentions: Michael Massey (KC), Brice Turang (MIL)
Third Baseman: Mark Vientos, New York Mets
4 of 14
Stats: 101 G, 136 OPS+, .267/.324/.516, 45 XBH (24 HR), 63 RBI, 2.6 WAR
Mark Vientos started the 2024 season in the minors, with Brett Baty and Joey Wendle expected to serve as the primary options at third base for the New York Mets.
He hit just .211 with a 31.8 percent strikeout rate in 233 plate appearances as a rookie in 2023, but he did show some flashes of the breakout to come, posting a 51.0 percent hard-hit rate among other intriguing batted-ball numbers.
The 24-year-old was recalled for a few games at the end of April, then promoted for good on May 15. Since that point, he has been one of baseball's most productive power hitters while providing a much-needed boost to the middle of the Mets lineup.
Honorable Mentions: Ernie Clement (TOR), Josh Smith (TEX)
Shortstop: Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds
5 of 14
Stats: 150 G, 120 OPS+, .257/.342/.470, 66 XBH (24 HR), 69 RBI, 64 SB, 4.6 WAR
Elly De La Cruz debuted with a tremendous amount of hype in 2023, and gave a glimpse of his immense talent with 13 home runs and 35 steals in 98 games.
However, he also hit just .235/.300/.410 for an 87 OPS+ while striking out 144 times at a 33.7 percent clip, leaving him as a 0.8-WAR player who clearly still had work to do developing his offensive game.
Modest improvements to his walk rate (8.2 to 10.4 percent) and strikeout rate (33.7 to 31.0 percent) have helped him raise his OPS by 101 points this year, and while he is still striking out a ton, his elite combination of power and speed have made him one of the most exciting players in the sport.
Honorable Mentions: CJ Abrams (WAS), Zach Neto (LAA), Ezequiel Tovar (COL)
Outfielder: Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox
6 of 14
Stats: 149 G, 130 OPS+, .285/.342/.499, 79 XBH (21 HR), 72 RBI, 32 SB, 8.4 WAR
Outfielder Jarren Duran is a prime example of how not all former top prospects find immediate success when they first arrive in the big leagues, but they are still capable of a major step forward once they settle in.
The 28-year-old hit a combined .219/.269/.354 over 335 plate appearances during his first two seasons in the majors in 2021 and 2022, but he took a major step forward last year when he posted a 121 OPS+ with 44 extra-base hits and 24 steals in a 2.1-WAR campaign.
He has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate this year, filling up the stat sheet with 45 doubles, 13 triples, 21 home runs and 32 steals while also posting elite defensive metrics (24 DRS, 3.8 UZR/150) in the outfield.
Outfielder: Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers
7 of 14
Stats: 127 G, 136 OPS+, .263/.353/.487, 54 XBH (23 HR), 70 RBI, 5.2 WAR
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 draft and the No. 4 prospect in baseball prior to the 2022 season, Riley Greene has steadily improved over his three years in the majors.
- 2022: 93 G, 97 OPS+, 27 XBH, 5 HR, 1.3 WAR
- 2023: 99 G, 119 OPS+, 34 XBH, 11 HR, 1.9 WAR
- 2024: 127 G, 136 OPS+, 54 XBH, 23 HR, 5.3 WAR
The 23-year-old was an All-Star for the first time this year, and his 5.2 WAR trails only Aaron Judge (9.8), Jarren Duran (8.4) and Juan Soto (7.6) among all outfielders, as he has developed into the face of the franchise for a Detroit Tigers team on the rise.
Outfielder: Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres
8 of 14
Stats: 149 G, 138 OPS+, .284/.387/.465, 50 XBH (23 HR), 83 RBI, 3.5 WAR
Jurickson Profar was the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball heading into the 2013 season while rising the ranks in the Texas Rangers farm system, but it has taken him more than a decade to realize his full potential.
He entered the 2024 season with a .239 average and 92 OPS+ in 3,623 career plate appearances, posting a modest 4.8 WAR in 961 games with the Rangers, Athletics, Padres and Rockies.
The 31-year-old re-signed with the Padres on a one-year, $1 million deal during the offseason after a disappointing 2023 campaign, and his value this year has been driven by an NL-leading .387 on-base percentage to go along with career-high marks in hits (151), home runs (23), RBI (83) and runs scored (87).
Honorable Mentions: JJ Bleday (OAK), Alec Burleson (STL), Lawrence Butler (OAK), Brenton Doyle (COL), Trevor Larnach (MIN), Heliot Ramos (SF), Matt Vierling (DET)
Starting Pitcher: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
9 of 14
Stats: 29 G, 16-4, 2.50 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 33 BB, 214 K, 180.0 IP, 5.8 WAR
Left-hander Tarik Skubal hinted at the breakout performance to come in his return from flexor tendon surgery last summer, going 7-3 with a 2.80 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 80.1 innings over 15 starts.
The 27-year-old picked up right where he left off this season, earning his first career All-Star selection while ranking among the best pitchers in baseball. He leads the AL in wins (16) and ERA (2.50), and he has already become Detroit's first 200-strikeout pitcher since Matthew Boyd in 2019.
His 21 quality starts trail only Zack Wheeler (24) and Logan Gilbert (22) among all pitchers, and despite a summer filled with trade rumblings, he stuck around in Detroit and has helped lead the club's charge into the wild-card picture.
Starting Pitcher: Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds
10 of 14
Stats: 24 GS, 9-4, 2.83 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 53 BB, 162 K, 143.1 IP, 5.7 WAR
Hunter Greene was viewed as a potential generational talent on the mound when he was taken No. 2 overall in the 2017 draft, and while he dealt with some injury issues in the minors, he still made his MLB debut at the age of 22.
He showed an electric arsenal while racking up 316 strikeouts in 237.2 innings in 2022 and 2023, but was often more hittable than his pure stuff suggested, posting a 4.62 ERA and 1.31 WHIP while allowing 8.1 hits per nine innings.
The 25-year-old has done a much better job missing bats this season, limiting opposing hitters to a .185 batting average while adding a splitter to his repertoire, and the six-year, $53 million extension he signed last season now looks like an absolute steal.
Starting Pitcher: Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals
11 of 14
Stats: 31 GS, 16-8, 3.05 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 47 BB, 173 K, 197.2 IP, 4.7 WAR
After pitching primarily as a reliever during his seven seasons with the New York Mets, right-hander Seth Lugo made a successful transition to the starting rotation as a member of the San Diego Padres last season.
The 34-year-old posted a 3.57 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 140 strikeouts in a career-high 146.1 innings while making 26 starts, and he parlayed that performance into a two-year, $30 million deal from the Kansas City Royals.
He has emerged as a Cy Young candidate and workhorse for an upstart Royals team, tossing a MLB-leading 197.2 innings while joining young ace Cole Ragans to form one of the best one-two punches in baseball.
Starting Pitcher: Michael King, San Diego Padres
12 of 14
Stats: 29 GS, 12-9, 3.04 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 61 BB, 198 K, 168.2 IP, 3.9 WAR
The San Diego Padres acquired Michael King as part of the five-player return package in the deal that sent Juan Soto to the New York Yankees during the offseason, and he has been a breakout star in his first full season as a starter.
The 29-year-old pitched well in a swingman role for the Yankees last season, posting a 2.75 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 127 strikeouts in 104.2 innings while recording four wins, six saves and eight holds in nine starts and 40 relief appearances.
With Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove both missing time this year, King has helped anchor the San Diego rotation alongside Dylan Cease.
Starting Pitcher: Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox
13 of 14
Stats: 28 GS, 8-10, 3.24 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 47 BB, 150 K, 169.2 IP, 3.4 WAR
With a strong 6'5", 226-pound frame, terrific stuff and a delivery that has long drawn comparisons to Max Scherzer, right-hander Tanner Houck had varying levels of success in a variety of roles for the Boston Red Sox early in his career.
The 28-year-old had a 3.86 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 263 strikeouts in 252 innings over his first four seasons in the majors, but after scuffling to a 5.01 ERA in 21 starts last year, his outlook heading into the 2024 season was cloudy.
He was one of the AL Cy Young front-runners during the first half of the season with a 2.54 ERA in 19 starts, and while his performance has leveled off since the break with a 4.78 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 52.2 innings, his 2024 has still been a major breakout performance.
Honorable Mentions: Ronel Blanco (HOU), Hunter Brown (HOU), Kutter Crawford (BOS), Garrett Crochet (CWS), Erick Fedde (CWS/STL), Bowden Francis (TOR), Jake Irvin (WAS), Ben Lively (CLE), Reynaldo López (ATL), Bryce Miller (SEA), Ryan Pepiot (TB), David Peterson (NYM), Cristopher Sánchez (PHI), Albert Suárez (BAL), Bryan Woo (SEA)
Relief Pitcher: Robert Suarez, San Diego Padres
14 of 14
Stats: 61 G, 33/38 SV, 2.51 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 8.1 K/9, 61.0 IP, 2.3 WAR
With Josh Hader departing in free agency, the closer's role for the San Diego Padres was turned over to Robert Suarez following two solid seasons serving in a setup role.
The 33-year-old leans heavily on his electric fastball, throwing the pitch 74.0 percent of the time and averaging 99.0 mph while limiting opposing hitters to a .216 average and allowing just four home runs.
After recording just one save during his first two seasons in the majors, he ranks fourth in the majors with 33 saves this season, behind only Emmanuel Clase (46), Ryan Helsley (45) and Kyle Finnegan (38).
Honorable Mentions: Lucas Erceg (OAK/KC), Jeremiah Estrada (SD), Tim Herrin (CLE), Bryan Hoeing (MIA/SD), Griffin Jax (MIN), Michael Kopech (CWS/LAD), Adrian Morejón (SD), JoJo Romero (STL), Cole Sands (MIN), Tayler Scott (HOU), Alex Vesia (LAD), Ryan Walker (SF), Luke Weaver (NYY)
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