Top 25-and-Under Player for Each MLB Franchise

Veteran superstars win games, earn the big bucks and put the fans in the seats as they are the face of their franchises and of the sport as a whole.

However, having a constant influx of young talent is what keeps the game going and what allows teams to sustain success once their stars age and begin to decline.

So here is a look at the best player on each MLB team under the age of 25, whether it is a budding MLB star, a minor-league player on the cusp or a recent draft pick with tremendous upside.

Essentially, think of these selections as the one player under 25 who I would build that team around if I had to choose just one player.

*Note: Players' ages refer to age they will be during 2012 season.

Arizona Diamondbacks: RF Justin Upton, 24 Years Old

Despite the fact that he will be just 24 this coming season, Upton already has four, full, big-league seasons under his belt.

He has already made a pair of All-Star appearances, and last season he won his first Silver Slugger as he posted a line of .289 BA, 31 HR, 88 RBI, 21 SB.

It is a scary thought, but Upton has not yet reached his peak, and as the Diamondbacks continue to get better around him, his run production numbers should only get better. He'll be a perennial .300 BA, 30 HR, 100 RBI guy within the next couple years, with potential for even more.

Atlanta Braves: SP Julio Teheran, 21 Years Old

The Braves have plenty of choices for this list, as Jason Heyward has as much upside as any young hitter in the league, and Craig Kimbrel may already be the best closer in the National League.

However, my choice here is Teheran, as he has the stuff to be one of the best starters in the game and he should get a crack at the Braves rotation at some point this coming season.

Last season, he posted a 15-3, 2.55 ERA, 122 Ks line in 24 starts at Triple-A, and while he struggled in five big-league appearances with a 5.03 ERA in 19.2 innings, there is still no reason to think he won't be the future staff ace.

Baltimore Orioles: SS Manny Machado, 19 Years Old

The third overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft, and the first high school position player taken, Machado has drawn comparisons to his mentor Alex Rodriguez thanks to a big 6'3" frame and fantastic overall skill set.

After playing just nine pro games in 2010 following his signing, Machado was rushed a bit last season and his average suffered as a result. However, he has already shown good plate discipline (.335 OBP, 45 BB), and is certainly more advanced than most 19-year-olds.

The Orioles won't be contenders in 2012, and after signing J.J. Hardy to a three-year extension through 2014, the shortstop position looks to be occupied in Baltimore for the near future—but Machado will continue to make noise as he continues his rise towards the big leagues.

Boston Red Sox: C/DH Ryan Lavarnway, 24 Years Old

With 75 home runs and 282 RBI over the past three seasons in the minor leagues, Lavarnway has done nothing but hit since being taken in the sixth round of the 2008 MLB draft.

While his defense behind the plate is poor at best, and at the moment he looks to be the heir to David Ortiz at DH, the Red Sox will find a way to get his bat into the lineup this coming season. Once he does get regular at-bats, there is no reason to think 30 HR and 100 RBI is out of the question.

He is not all power either, with a career .284 average in the minors and a solid .376 on-base percentage. The Red Sox have a solid group of young hitters, but for now Lavarnway is at the front of the pack.

Chicago Cubs: SS Starlin Castro, 22 Years Old

Not many 22-year-old shortstops play 158 games, let alone lead the league in hits, but that is exactly what Castro did for the Cubs last season as he was one of the few bright spots on what was a terrible team.

He already has 1,137 big league at-bats under his belt, and a .304 average to go along with it, as he can flat out hit. He showed some pop last season with 10 home runs, as well as displaying good wheels going 22-of-31 on stolen-base attempts.

His defense is still shaky (29 errors), but that should get better with time. As he continues to fill out and adjust to big-league pitching, he could turn into a .300 BA, 200 H, 20 HR, 20 SB player for many years to come.

Chicago White Sox: SP Chris Sale, 23 Years Old

The 13th-overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft, Sale signed quickly and spent just 11 games in the minors before being rushed to the big leagues to help out in the bullpen.

Not only did he help, but he dominated with a 1.93 ERA and 12.3 K/9 over 23.1 innings of work, saving four games and allowing just five earned runs.

He returned to a bullpen role last season, appearing in 58 games and posting a 2.79 ERA and 10.0 K/9 while going 8-of-10 on save chances.

After two years as a reliever, he will move to the rotation in 2012. The 6'6" left-hander has the stuff to be the ace of the White Sox staff within the next couple years.

Cincinnati Reds: RF Jay Bruce, 25 Years Old

The top prospect in baseball entering the 2008 season according to Baseball America, Bruce made his big-league debut that season and hit .254 BA, 21 HR, 52 RBI to finish fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

He has gotten steadily better since then, and last season he set career-highs with 32 HR and 97 RBI as he made the All-Star team for the first time in his young career.

The Reds rewarded him with a six-year, $51 million extension and he is now locked up through 2016 with an option for 2017, as he and Joey Votto will be at the heart of the Reds lineup for the next several seasons.

Cleveland Indians: SS Francisco Lindor, 18 Years Old

The eighth-overall pick in last year's draft, Lindor should progress through the Indians system quickly despite being taken out of high school.

His defense is his best tool—his Gold Glove-caliber defense will be his ticket to the majors, and he has the bat to hit towards the top of the order once he establishes himself.

He has solid speed and should develop decent power, and a .280 BA, 15 HR, 15 SB season seems like the baseline as of now as far as what to expect, but there is certainly room for more.

Colorado Rockies: SP Drew Pomeranz, 23 Years Old

The key return of the trade that shipped Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians, Pomeranz made four starts with the Rockies after joining the team, and went 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA.

That may not sound great, but for a player to reach the big leagues in his first pro season is no small feat, and is a sign of just how far along in his development Pomeranz already is at 23 years old.

He will open the season in the Rockies rotation, and the former fifth-overall pick will be given as much slack as any rookie starting pitcher in the league, as the Rockies will likely leave him in the majors all season barring a horrible showing.

Detroit Tigers: C Alex Avila, 25 Years Old

An absolute horse, Avila caught 133 games for the Tigers last season, including 45 of the final 51 and all 11 in the postseason.

As a result, he went just 3-for-41 in the playoffs, but that did little to diminish what was a breakout season for the 24-year-old backstop as he hit .295 BA, 19 HR, 82 RBI in his first season as the everyday catcher.

That earned him an All-Star start, a Silver Slugger and a 12th-place finish in MVP voting. He should be able to build off of that season in 2012, as he is another year older and having now experienced the grind of an entire season.

Houston Astros: 1B/OF Jonathan Singleton, 20 Years Old

For a team in the middle of a full-on rebuild, the Astros don't have much in the way of top-tier prospects, although they do have at least one player who looks to be a future star in Singleton.

Acquired from the Phillies last season for Hunter Pence, Singleton was among the Phillies' top prospects but was blocked by Ryan Howard at first base for the long-term, so moving him made sense.

He strikes out a ton, and has not yet developed the power of someone like Howard, but at just 19 years old last season, he was a man among boys in Single-A, hitting .290 BA, 14 HR, 77 RBI in just 376 at-bats. It could take him a few years to develop, but once he does he should be a premier power hitter.

Kansas City Royals: 1B Eric Hosmer, 22 Years Old

Tempting as it was to make high school hero Bubba Starling the selection here, it is impossible to ignore just how good Hosmer was in his rookie season last year.

The third overall pick in the 2008 draft, Hosmer had a disappointing 2009 season, but exploded in 2010 with a .338 BA, 20 HR, 86 RBI, 14 SB line between Single-A and Double-A.

After a hot start last season saw him hitting .439 though 26 games at Triple-A, he got an early-season call-up and didn't miss a beat with a .293 BA, 19 HR, 78 RBI, 11 SB line as he finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

The Royals have as much young talent as any team in baseball, but it is Hosmer who looks to have the brightest future and be the surest bet at this point.

Los Angeles Angels: CF Mike Trout, 20 Years Old

Ranked by some as the top prospect in baseball over Bryce Harper entering 2011, Trout had an amazing 2010 season in which he hit .341 BA, 10 HR, 58 RBI, 56 SB as an 18-year-old in Single-A.

He was equally impressive last season, earning a 40-game audition with the big-league club. While he looked over-matched, there is little doubt that he will be in the big leagues to stay, sooner rather than later.

The Angels outfield is crowded, but after signing Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, the team is clearly looking to win now. If Trout tears through minor-league pitching again, don't be surprised if the Angels give him a full-time shot in 2012.

He projects more as a high-average, high-stolen base guy right now, but he could develop some solid power over time as well. It is hard to believe he is only 20 years old, and scary to think what he could become in five years.

Los Angeles Dodgers: SP Clayton Kershaw, 24 Years Old

As bright a future as speedy 24-year-old shortstop Dee Gordon looks to have, this is a big a no-brainer as any pick on this list, as Kershaw is coming off a spectacular season.

A member of the Dodgers rotation since the age of 20, Kershaw has gotten gradually better each season, with it all culminating in a Cy Young Award last season.

With a line of 21-5, 2.28 ERA, 248 Ks, he won the pitching Triple Crown, as he also led the league in WHIP (0.977) and H/9 (6.7) in what was a simply dominant year.

The future is bright for Kershaw, who has been durable to this point in his career, making 30-plus starts each of the past three seasons. As long as he stays healthy, he'll be in the upper-echelon of MLB starters.

Miami Marlins: RF Mike Stanton, 22 Years Old

A second-round pick out of high school in 2007, Stanton tore through the minor leagues to make his big-league debut midway though the 2010 season.

In total, he hit a combined .278 BA, 43 HR, 111 RBI between Triple-A and Florida at the age of 20, and that was only the tip of the iceberg as far as his potential is concerned.

Few players in baseball hit the ball as far as Stanton does already at such a young age, and there is likely at least a few 40 HR seasons in his bat, as he hit .262 BA, 34 HR, 87 RBI last season in his first, full big-league season.

Of all the potential stars on this list, Stanton may be the most fun to watch progress into the player he will become in his prime, as his power is absolutely ridiculous.

Milwaukee Brewers: SP Taylor Jungmann, 22 Years Old

The 12th-overall pick in the 2011 MLB draft, Jungmann enjoyed a fantastic career at the University of Texas, with a particularly dominant final season.

With a line of 13-3, 1.60 ERA, 126 Ks, 141 IP, he was without question a first-round pick. Along with fellow first-round selection Jed Bradley, he should be in the Brewers rotation in the not-too-distant future.

Bradley has a bit more upside than Jungmann, but is also more of a project at this point, so Jungmann gets the nod here.

Beyond those two recently-drafted starters though, the Brewers' farm system is incredibly thin after the team dealt a number of young players to acquire Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum last offseason.

Minnesota Twins: CF Ben Revere, 23 Years Old

Revere has moved slowly through the Twins' minor-league system since being taken out of high school in the first round of the 2007 draft.

He advanced one level at a time, never receiving a midseason promotion at any point, but it seems to have worked, as he hit over .300 at each stop and posted a .326 average in the minors before being called up early last season.

Getting fairly regular at-bats, Revere hit .267 BA, 0 HR, 30 RBI while going 34-of-43 on stolen-base attempts.

He should emerge as a .300-hitter and prototypical table-setting leadoff hitter, as he displayed terrific contact skills in the minors with just 137 strikeouts in 1,490 at-bats.

New York Mets: SP Matt Harvey, 23 Years Old

The Mets have a pair of fantastic pitching prospects in Harvey and Zack Wheeler, who they acquired from the Giants for Carlos Beltran at the deadline last season, but for now I'll take Harvey.

The seventh-overall pick in 2010 out of North Carolina, Harvey had a great first full season as a pro last year, going 13-5, 3.32 ERA, 156 Ks, 135.2 IP as he advanced to Double-A at midseason and held his own.

Harvey will likely reach the majors before Wheeler, but as a duo they are the future of the Mets' starting rotation and should anchor their staff for years to come, so consider them No. 1 and No. 1a in this situation.

New York Yankees: DH/C Jesus Montero, 22 Years Old

For all of the rumors surrounding Jesus Montero over the past year or so, he is still around—with Jorge Posada out of the picture, he will likely step into the everyday DH role with the Yankees.

While there have always been questions as to whether he would remain a catcher or be moved to first base or DH, his offense has never been a question.

Now, he is set to begin his first full season in the big leagues, coming off an impressive cup-of-coffee last September when he hit .328 BA, 4 HR, 12 RBI in 61 at-bats after a .288 BA, 18 HR, 67 RBI line in his second season at Triple-A.

He is the frontrunner for AL Rookie of the Year if he can lock down the starting DH spot in 2012, and he should be a perennial .300 BA, 20 HR, 80 RBI guy right off the bat with plenty of upside to become an even more dangerous offensive weapon.

Oakland Athletics: CF Michael Choice, 22 Years Old

Drafted 10th-overall out of Texas Arlington, Choice signed in time to appear in 30 games in 2010 and hit an impressive 7 HR and 26 RBI, but that was just a taste of what was to come in 2011.

In a full season a high Single-A, Choice hit .285 BA, 30 HR, 82 RBI as he established himself as the top position prospect in the Athletics system and one of the best overall power prospects in baseball.

He still has some developing to do before he reaches the big leagues, evidenced by his 134 strikeouts last season, but he certainly looks the part of a future star.

Philadelphia Phillies: SP Trevor May, 22 Years Old

While it was Vance Worley who broke out last season with the big-league club, the nod goes to May as the Phillies' top young arm in what is a very deep stable of minor-league pitching talent.

A fourth-round pick out of high school in 2008, May has moved slowly through the minor leagues, and has still yet to pitch above high Single-A.

However, he has posted big time strikeout totals every step of the way, with 496 Ks in 375.2 minor-league innings, and he was very good last year with a 10-8, 3.63 ERA, 208 Ks, 151.1 IP line.

At 6'5" and 215 pounds, he profiles as a workhorse-type pitcher, and could be the future ace of what should be a very good Phillies rotation even after the likes of Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are gone.

Pittsburgh Pirates: CF Andrew McCutchen, 25 Years Old

A big-league regular for three seasons already now, McCutchen is among the most exciting young players in the game with a legitimate five-tool skill set.

Despite the fact that his batting average dipped to .259 last season, he set career-highs with 23 HR and 89 RBI, while remaining a threat on the bases with 23 steals.

In fact, his 5.5 WAR last season was the highest of his young career, and if he can bring his average back up to the .280 range where it was the first two years of his career, he would rank among the best outfielders in the game.

As the group of young players around him gets better, McCutchen's numbers should only improve as well, and expect the Pirates to lock him up sooner rather than later.

San Diego Padres: CF Cameron Maybin, 25 Years Old

While the acquisitions of catcher Yasmani Grandal and first baseman Yonder Alonso from the Reds in the Mat Latos deal give the Reds some solid young talent, both of those players project more as solid everyday players than they do franchise cornerstones.

However, following a breakout season in 2011, Maybin could be on his way to stardom and the Padres seem to have recognized that as talks of an extension have surfaced.

Acquired by the Marlins from the Tigers in the trade that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis out of Florida, Maybin struggled in limited action over three seasons with the Marlins and was traded last offseason for a pair of relievers.

Finally in a starting role with no pressure of losing it, Maybin hit .264 BA, 9 HR, 40 RBI, 40 SB last season. While there is no doubt still room for improvement, his career is heading in the right direction as he is finally starting to tap into his huge potential.

San Francisco Giants: SP Madison Bumgarner, 22 Years Old

Taken 10th-overall in the 2007 draft out of high school, Bumgarner pitched the entire 2008 season at the age of 18 and went 15-3, 1.46 ERA, 164 Ks, 141.2 IP at Single-A.

After posting similar numbers of 12-2, 1.85 ERA, 92 Ks, 131.1 IP the following season, he earned a late-season call-up, and by the middle of 2010 he was a member of the Giants rotation at 20 years old.

In his first full season last year, he went 13-13, 3.21 ERA, 191 Ks, 204.2 IP to finish 11th in NL Cy Young voting. In a rotation that already features two of the best in the game in Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, it seems almost unfair to have a 22-year-old as good as Bumgarner.

Seattle Mariners: SP Michael Pineda, 23 Years Old

A solid prospect entering the 2010 season, Pineda emerged as one of the top young starting pitchers in all of baseball with a 11-4, 3.36 ERA, 154 Ks, 139.1 IP line over 25 starts between Double-A and Triple-A.

He entered last season as the 16th-overall prospect, according to Baseball America, and won a rotation spot out of spring training, immediately dominating the American League and posting an 8-6 record and 3.03 ERA in the first half to make the All-Star team.

He fell off a bit in the second half to finish 9-10, 3.74 ERA, 173 Ks, 171 IP, but he has a bright future and should provide a dominant 1-2 punch with Felix Hernandez in a rotation that should get even better with 2011 first-round pick Danny Hultzen on the fast track.

St. Louis Cardinals: SP Shelby Miller, 21 Years Old

While Jaime Garcia is still only 25 years old and has been stellar though his first two big-league seasons, I have to go with the upside here and take Miller, who has the stuff of a future staff ace.

Miller has been the pride of the Cardinals' farm system since the team drafted him 19th overall in the 2009 MLB draft, and he posted the numbers to back that distinction up last season.

With a blazing fastball and plus curveball and changeup, Miller has the stuff to not only be a big-league starter, but to anchor the Cardinals staff once he reaches the big leagues.

He is still just 21, and will spend at least one more season in the minors. With Chris Carpenter signed through 2013, Cardinals fans can expect Miller to be ready to step into the rotation just as Carpenter is likely retiring at 38 years old.

Tampa Bay Rays: SP Matt Moore, 23 Years Old

Now that Evan Longoria and David Price will both be 26 in 2012, the choice in Tampa becomes a much tougher one, although there are plenty of players to choose from.

In the end, it came down to last year's AL Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson and this year's AL Rookie of the Year favorite in Moore, and I'll take Moore.

The 2011 Minor League Baseball strikeout champion, Moore earned a cup-of-coffee at the end of last season and wound up not only finding his way onto the Rays' postseason roster, but was the team's Game 1 starter in the ALDS against a potent Rangers lineup.

He responded to the challenge by throwing seven innings of shutout ball, allowing just two hits while walking two and striking out six. That is likely only a small sampling of what is to come, as Moore has electric stuff and should be a frontline starter right out of the gates.

Texas Rangers: SS Jurickson Profar, 19 Years Old

While established shortstop Elvis Andrus is still only 23 years old, my choice here is the man who could be pushing him for his position in the not too distant future.

A former Little League World Series hero out of Curacao, Profar took a huge step forward last season as he went from a fantastic defensive prospect with a questionable bat, to a legitimate five-tool prospect.

With a line of .286 BA, 12 HR, 65 RBI, 23 SB as an 18-year-old in Single-A, Profar established himself as an elite prospect and one who could be in the majors very soon.

While he will likely never be a 30-home run threat, he should hit well enough to hit towards the top of the lineup once he reaches the big leagues, as he demonstrated fantastic plate discipline last season with a 65:63 K:BB ratio.

Toronto Blue Jays: 3B Brett Lawrie, 22 Years Old

Acquired from the Brewers in the deal that sent Shaun Marcum out of Toronto last offseason, Lawrie reached the majors last season at the age of 21 and will open 2012 as the Blue Jays' starting third baseman.

Ahead of the curve every step of the way in his three-year minor-league career, Lawrie hit .347 BA, 18 HR, 62 RBI, 13 SB in 300 minor-league at-bats last season before finally receiving the call-up.

He didn't miss a beat in Toronto either, as he hit .293 BA, 9 HR, 25 RBI in just 43 games. While he lost his rookie eligibility, he is still among the young players to watch in 2012 as he could be in line for a big season.

Washington Nationals: SP Stephen Strasburg, 23 Years Old

Sorry Bryce Harper, but I'll take the incredibly hyped-up, once-in-a-generation staff ace over the incredibly hyped-up, once-in-a-generation right fielder.

Strasburg did not disappoint in his much-anticipated big-league debut, with a 14-K performance over seven innings of four-hit, two-run ball.

He continued to dominate to the tune of a 5-3, 2.91 ERA, 92 Ks, 68 IP line over 12 starts before he landed on the DL and went under the knife with Tommy John surgery.

However, he made a ridiculously fast comeback and managed to make five late-season starts last year, going 1-1, 1.50 ERA, 24 Ks in 24 innings of work.