MLB 2014 Review: Breaking Down the Breakout Stars of 2014

When it comes to talent, Major League Baseball has its share of known commodities. You pretty much know what you're going to get from the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout.

But every year, there are players who seemingly come out of nowhere to put up stellar numbers, opening eyes all across the sport.

These breakout players don't necessarily have to be rookies—in fact, they rarely are.

In 2013, Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles was crowned the season's Breakout Hitter in MLB.com's Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards (GIBBYs). Davis was not a rookie, but after several years of pedestrian-like campaigns, he blew up in 2013, smacking an MLB-best 53 home runs while maintaining a respectable .286 batting average. Josh Donaldson of the A's and Jason Castro of the Astros also busted out with impressive 2013 campaigns.

On the pitching side, hurlers such as Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks, Hisashi Iwakuma of the Mariners and Andrew Cashner of the Padres pitched their ways into the breakout category in 2013. 

Now, in 2014, we once again have no shortage of breakout stars. These players have put their names on the proverbial map and will look to use 2014 as a stepping stone toward continued greatness in their respective careers. Here's a look at who I consider to be the top breakout players of 2014 (in no particular order).

J.D. Martinez

Think the Houston Astros are having some regrets?

J.D. Martinez was the Astros' 20th-round selection in the 2009 draft, and he enjoyed some decent success in three seasons in Houston, including what was a career-high 11 home runs in 2012. 

But in March of this year, the Astros released the 27-year-old outfielder. Two days later, he latched on with the Detroit Tigers with a minors deal in what has become one of the best signings of the preseason. 

Martinez, who didn't even make his Tigers debut until three weeks into the season, reached new career highs in just about every offensive category. We're talking 23 home runs, 76 RBI and an outstanding .315/.358/.553 slash line. 

He has become a spark plug for the Tigers ever since his call-up on April 21. By mid-June, he was a regular part of manager Brad Ausmus' lineup, and Martinez made the best of the situation, playing hard and playing well no matter where he was penciled in. 

And to put the icing on the cake, the Miami native stung his former club, hitting .333 in five games against the Astros. 

Garrett Richards

Where would the Los Angeles Angels be without the breakout campaign of right-hander Garrett Richards? The 26-year-old is in the midst of his fourth big league season, but never before has he seen the level of success that he has put up in 2014. Prior to this season, Richards hadn't made more than 17 starts in the MLB

This season, Richards has posted a 13-4 record with a nifty 2.61 ERA and 164 punchouts. Unfortunately for the Halos, Richards' season came to an abrupt and untimely end when he suffered a knee injury during his August 20 start against the Red Sox. He will be nearly impossible to replace in what has been an inconsistent (at best) rotation for the Angels. 

Nevertheless, Richards' 26 starts in 2014 can't go unnoticed. This should be just the beginning of a nice career for the Angels' 2009 first-round draft pick.

Jake Arrieta

What a find Jake Arrieta has been for the Chicago Cubs. After being drafted in the fifth round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2007, Arrieta never really found any kind of success. His finest season in Baltimore was his first, in 2010, when he went 6-6 with a 4.66 ERA over 18 appearances (all starts). 

So, prior to the trade deadline in 2013, the O's dealt the right-hander to Chicago (along with Pedro Strop) for Scott Feldman and Steve Clevenger. The deal wasn't all bad for the Orioles, who were looking for a veteran starter to aid in their playoff push. But Feldman has since departed for Houston, and Clevenger has been nothing more than a part-time fill-in for the O's.

Meanwhile, Arrieta has turned into a staple in the Cubs' rotation and flourished in 2014. He finished with 10 wins on the season, but probably should have had a few more—Arrieta had eight quality starts that ended in either a loss or a no-decision. But he shone with a 2.53 ERA and 167 strikeouts. 

He put an exclamation point on his campaign, as he twirled a one-hit, one-walk shutout of the Reds in his second-to-last start of the season, striking out a season (and career)-high 13 batters.

If this is just the glimmer of what Arrieta has in store for his career, the Cubs may have themselves a sure-fire ace going into 2015 and beyond. Keep in mind, 2015 will be Arrieta's age-29 season, so he still has plenty of years left to prove that 2014 was more than just an outlier.

Lucas Duda

If it seems like Lucas Duda has been in the big leagues for a while, it's because he has. The big guy made his debut in 2010 for the New York Mets, and up until this season, he had been in a platoon/part-time role for the Mets, bouncing between first base and the corner outfield positions. Prior to 2014, Duda's career-high in at-bats was 401 in 2012.

The Mets were challenged to get Duda at-bats when they had top prospect Ike Davis entrenched at first base. Duda was always known to carry a heavy bat. The Mets even had him out in the corner outfield positions in order to keep his bat in the lineup. But his defensive prowess was questionable, especially in the outfield. 

Finally, about three weeks into the regular season in 2014, the Mets traded Davis to the Pirates, clearing an everyday spot for the 6'4" Duda. And the Mets' seventh-round pick in 2007 certainly rose to the occasion, making GM Sandy Alderson look like a genius.

Duda doubled his career-high in home runs of 15, reaching the 30-home run plateau for the first time. He also enjoyed a respectable .253/.349/.481 slash line, and drove in 92 runs, good for fifth in the National League (his 30 home runs ranked him third in the league). .   

He even displayed some defensive upgrades at first base, sporting a .994 fielding percentage, committing just seven errors in nearly 1,200 chances. 

With Davis out of the picture, Duda should only gain more and more confidence as the Mets' everyday first baseman and cleanup hitter. He'll only be 29 years old when the 2015 season starts, so this could just be the start of some very productive seasons for the slugger from Los Angeles.

Josh Harrison

What's left to say about Josh Harrison, and what meant to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014? The 27-year-old  played all over the diamond, while being a near-impossible out at the plate.

Harrison was originally a sixth-round draft choice by the Chicago Cubs in 2008. Shortly thereafter, he was dealt to the Pirates and made his MLB debut in 2011. The Cincinnati-native has always shown a knack for being versatile in the field, making appearances at every position on the diamond except catcher between 2012-2013 (yes, he even pitched a third of an inning in 2013). 

But Harrison broke out offensively in 2014. He lead the National League in batting for a good portion of the season, though he finished a close second to Justin Morneau, sporting a .315 batting average. He also chipped in 13 long balls and 18 stolen bases. He was selected to his first All-Star Game in 2014. 

Harrison had his cold spells this season, but just when the world was ready to write him off, he would always find a way to bounce right back and become the superhero the Pirates have needed to stay afloat in the postseason picture. 

After bouncing around in manager Clint Hurdle's lineup, he became a fixture at third base and at the leadoff position towards the end of August, thanks in-part to the large struggles of Pedro Alvarez. Nevertheless, no matter where Hurdle inserted Harrison, he was sure to be a part of just about every play. 

Anthony Rendon

In just his second season in the big leagues, Anthony Rendon arguably was the Washington Nationals' most consistent hitter. In a season where injuries made their presence in the Nationals' lineup (particularly to superstars Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper) Rendon stepped up big time for the Nats.

For the season, Rendon hit .287 with 21 home runs and 83 RBI. He even stolen 17 bases. 

While being asked to bounce between second and third base, Rendon showed some less-than-stellar defense. But his presence in the explosive Nationals lineup was been a key component to the team's division win and overall success.

The 24-year-old has put himself on the map, and the Nationals will likely have to make some creative moves this offseason to ensure Rendon's bat is a permanent part of the 2015 lineup.

Yan Gomes

Yan Gomes has been an absolute revelation for the Cleveland Indians in 2014. Gomes, originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2009, came to the Tribe along with Mike Aviles in a deal shortly after the 2012 season.

The 2014 campaign was a true career-year for the 27-year-old backstop. In 485 at-bats, he slashed a very healthy .278/.313/.472 with 21 home runs and 25 doubles. His strikeouts were high (120, compared to just 24 walks), but his presence in the lineup allowed slugger Carlos Santana to get out of the crouch behind the plate and focus on his offensive game.

Gomes should be the catcher for the Indians for at least the next couple of seasons. Their highest-ranked catching prospect isn't expected to reach the majors until 2018 (according to MLB.com). Gomes, meanwhile, signed a six-year contract extension with the Indians at the beginning of Spring Training this season.

Brian Dozier

If you can look past his unsightly .242 batting average, Brian Dozier had a very solid 2014 campaign as the Minnesota Twins' second baseman. He slugged 23 home runs, surpassing his previous career-high of 18 (set last season).

His plus-power from the second base position is what got him selected to participate in this year's Home Run Derby (the fact that the event took place at Dozier's home park of Target Field probably helped somewhat as well). And it's also what gets him on this list. The 23 long balls were tied with Pittsburgh's Neil Walker for most among MLB second basemen in 2014, topping Detroit's Ian Kinsler by six. 

His defense isn't great—evidenced by a mediocre .980 fielding percentage—but he made some highlight plays at the keystone position, and if he can improve his slash line, the 27-year-old Mississippi native will become a legitimate All Star for years to come.

Sonny Gray

This may be a little unfair, since Sonny Gray's "coming out" party really happened in last year's postseason. As a rookie, Gray made two starts for the Oakland A's during the Division Series against Detroit. In his first start (Game 2), he twirled eight shutout innings, striking out nine Tigers, taking a no-decision in the eventual A's victory.

Gray was the losing pitcher in the decisive Game 5, but at little fault of his own. His team was shutout by Justin Verlander, and the young right-hander gave up just three earned runs in the defeat. 

Of course, Gray was pretty successful in his 10 regular-season starts in 2013, finishing with a 2.67 ERA over 64 innings pitched. 

But fast-forward to the 2014 season, and Gray has turned into sure-fire future ace for the A's. The young right-hander struck out 183 batters, ranking him 9th in the American League for 2014, and also had the 8th-lowest ERA at 3.08. He was named the AL's pitcher of the month twice (April and July). 

And remember, this kid will turn just 25 years of age in November. The former first-round draft pick is sure making a name for himself atop the A's rotation, where he should be a fixture for many more years to come. 

Henderson Alvarez

In November 2012, the Miami Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays conducted a blockbuster deal in which Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, John Buck Emilio Bonifacio and Josh Johnson all headed north of the border. In exchange, the Fish received a bunch of youngsters including Adeiny Hechavarria, Jake Marisnick and Anthony DeSclafani (Jeff Mathis and Yunel Escobar also came to Miami in the deal).

Perhaps hidden amongst the rest of the package, the Marlins also received right-hander Henderson Alvarez, a Venezuela-native who was signed by the Blue Jays in 2006. Alvarez pitched in parts of two seasons with the Jays, but was fairly unsuccessful to the tune of a 4.52 ERA and a 10-17 record.

In his first season in Miami, Alvarez started to turn the table a bit in 2013 (remember, he tossed a memorable no-hitter against the Tigers on the season's final day). But 2014 was for sure his breakout campaign. He made 30 starts for the Marlins, going 12-7 with a 2.65 ERA in 187 innings. He only struck out a little over five batters-per-nine innings, but was selected to his first All-Star Game. 

And, of course, he was on the short-end of the Nationals' Jordan Zimmermann's no-hitter on the final day of the 2014 regular season (both no-nos ended with a 1-0 score). 

Charlie Blackmon

In limited playing time, Charlie Blackmon had a decent 2013 campaign with the Colorado Rockies. In 246 at-bats, he hit at a .309 clip and recorded 17 doubles. But that's nothing compared to what he did in 2014.

Blackmon, a second-round draft pick by the Rockies in 2008, was given a full-season's worth of playing time, mostly thanks to the myriad of injuries to Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer. And Blackmon made the most of his opportunity, slashing a very impressive .288/.335/.440 with 19 home runs and 28 stolen bases. He was named to his first All-Star Game and earned Player of the Week honors in early April—a week that included a game in which he went 6-6 with five RBI. 

After a scorching first few months of the season, Blackmon struggled a bit in August and September, perhaps showing some tire during his first full campaign. But at just 28 years of age, if Blackmon can prove this season was more than an anomaly , the Rockies should be feel comfortable plugging him into the outfield mix in 2015 and beyond.

Dallas Keuchel

Left-hander Dallas Keuchel was a seventh-round selection by the Houston Astros in the 2009 draft. Somewhat of an afterthought, the 26-year-old made his debut in 2012, starting 16 games for Houston, and posting an unsightly 5.27 ERA. His 2013 season was not much of an improvement, ending with a 5.15 ERA over 31 appearances (22 starts). 

But 2014 was a completely different story for the Tulsa native. Keuchel provided a steady presence in the Astros' rotation, compiling an 12-9 record and a very impressive 2.93 ERA. His walks have gone down too, issuing just 2.2 walks-per-nine. 

When the calendar flips to 2015, Keuchel will turn 27 years old. He is somewhat of a late bloomer, but if he can continue to put up numbers like this, the Astros could be looking at a sure-fire ace in their rotation for the next few seasons at least.

Juan Lagares

It's a shame that the New York Mets have been rather irrelevant in the National League over the past two seasons. They have a budding young center fielder by the name of Juan Lagares who has pretty much gone unnoticed around baseball, due to the Mets' underwhelming results of late. But Lagares himself has been quite a find for the Mets.

Lagares, 25, was signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent in 2006 as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican Republic. He debuted in 2013, and performed adequately, hitting at a .242 clip in just under 400 at-bats. But it's his defense that has gotten much of the attention. He plays a shallow center field, a la Andruw Jones, but hardly misses a ball. 

Lagares' 2013 debut, along with his strong spring, earned him the starting center field job in 2014, and he did not disappoint. He hit .281 and more than doubled his stolen base total from last year to 13—seven of which came in September. His strong defensive play this year could very well earn him a Gold Glove in center field as well. 

His season ended early due to a sprained right elbow. The early prognosis is he will not need surgery and should be considered fine heading into 2015. 

Brock Holt

Possibly no one defines the term "utility player" better than Boston's Brock Holt. Holt was a spark-plug for the Red Sox, playing at least one game at every position (with the exception of pitcher and catcher). And he did so with flair and style, making a number of highlight-reel defensive plays at several of these positions, while also maintaining an impressive offensive line.

Holt, who came over from the Pirates in the pre-2013 deal that also sent Joel Hanrahan to the Sox, finished 2014 with a slash line of .281/.331/.381 in about 450 at-bats, chipping in a dozen stolen bases, five triples and four home runs. He missed the final three weeks of the season with a concussion, but that didn't stop him from having a truly breakout rookie season in 2014, which could even get him some Rookie of the Year votes in the American League. 

Jose Abreu

What can be said about the year Jose Abreu put together in 2014? The lead candidate for American League Rookie of the Year had a historic season, slugging 36 home runs for the Chicago White Sox, breaking the franchise rookie record. He also finished with a slash line of .317/.383/.581, leading the AL in slugging percentage. His 107 RBI and 35 doubles are also very impressive for the Cuban import. 

Keep in mind that, prior to 2014, Abreu had never played in American professional baseball, signing a six-year, $68 million contract last winter. At 27 years of age, the 2014 All-Star has a chance to put up jaw-dropping numbers for a number of years to come. 

Marcus Stroman

Drafted as a first-rounder (22nd overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012, Marcus Stroman blasted through the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in May this season. There has been no looking back for the 23-year-old righty, as he's put together a very impressive rookie campaign.

In his debut season, Stroman pitched 130 innings for the Jays spanning 26 appearances (20 starts). He finished the 2014 campaign with a nice 3.65 ERA and 111 strikeouts (versus just 28 free passes). While the rest of Toronto's rotation showed much inconsistency, Stroman provided some stability and help keep the Jays in the playoff picture for much of the season. 

He had a couple of highlight starts, including a complete-game, three-hit shutout of the Chicago Cubs on September 8. And, he held the Boston Red Sox hitless for six innings in late August, as he pitched seven one-hit innings in the victory. 

You can certainly expect to see Stroman's name in the Jays' 2015 rotation, and for many years to come. 

Jacob DeGrom

When mention is made of the New York Mets' arsenal of young pitching, names like Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey and Rafael Montero are usually the first to come to mind. But this year, another name was added to that impressive list...Jacob deGrom.

deGrom was drafted by the Mets in the ninth round of the 2010 draft. And while he put up decent minor league numbers, he was never ranked as a top prospect in the Mets' system. But, in May 2014, with the Mets' rotation depleted with injuries, both Montero and deGrom got the call. But it was deGrom that stood out most.

His big league debut came at home against the crosstown rival Yankees, and deGrom was brilliant. He twirled seven one-run innings, striking out six and walking two. He was saddled with the tough-luck loss, but this was only the beginning for the tall 26-year-old. 

And, aside from a brief disabled list stint in mid-August, deGrom was a mainstay in the Mets' rotation in 2014. He finished with a dazzling 2.63 ERA and 144 strikeouts over 140 innings pitched (to go along with just 43 walks issued). 

deGrom was even competent with the bat. In fact, deGrom singled in his very first plate appearance in the major leagues. That hit was the first 2014 base knock for a Mets pitcher, starting the season in a collective 0-64 funk.

The right-hander has a great chance of being the National League's Rookie of the Year for 2014. In 22 starts, he failed to pitch at least five innings just once. And, in his second-to-last start of the season, he tied a Major League record by striking out the first eight batters he faced against the Miami Marlins.

He, along with the other young arms the Mets have in stock, should provide Mets fans with a good amount of hope for the future.

Collin McHugh

Collin McHugh was left undrafted all the way until the 18th round of the 2008 draft, when the New York Mets decided to take a chance on him. In 2012, he saw his very first MLB action, appearing in just eight games for the Mets (four starts). Needless to say, his 0-4 record and 7.59 ERA did not instill much confidence among the Mets' universe.

So, midway through the 2013 season, the Mets dealt the righty to Colorado for Eric Young Jr. (who has provided decent dividends for New York). But McHugh's time in Denver was no better than it was in Queens, and he was selected off waivers by the Astros in December of 2013.

Turn the calendar to 2014, and we have ourselves a new McHugh. Despite not making his season debut until the end of April, and spending time on the disabled list in July, McHugh pitched well this season, posting an 11-9 record with an impressive 2.73 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 154 innings pitched. 

The 2015 season will be McHugh's age-28 campaign, and the Astros are certainly hoping that this is just the tip of the iceberg for the right-hander.

Dee Gordon

In the offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Cuban import Alexander Guerrero to a long-term deal. A shortstop by trade, Guerrero was taking reps at second base all season. But with the way incumbent second baseman Dee Gordon performed in 2014, the Dodgers may want to rethink their plans (they partially have already, as Guerrero made three September appearances in left field for the Dodgers).

Meanwhile, all Gordon did in 2014 was lead Major League Baseball in stolen bases (64) and triples (13). The first-time All-Star also slashed .289/.326/.378. He even stole four bases in a single game this season against the Diamondbacks.

Gordon, the Dodgers' fourth-round draft pick in 2008, is the son of former big leaguer Tom Gordon, who had a solid 21-year career in his own right. Further, Dee's younger brother Nick was selected fifth overall by the Twins in this year's draft. Needless to say, baseball proficiency is in the Gordon genes. 

Matt Shoemaker

If it weren't for that Abreu guy, you could be looking at the American League's Rookie of the Year. Shoemaker has burst on to the scene with the Anaheim Angels as a 27-year-old rookie.

After a brief one-game cup of coffee in 2013, the right-hander from Michigan made 27 appearances (20 starts) for the Halos, posting a highly impressive 16-4 record and an ERA a hair over 3.00.

He saw some swing-and-misses too, collecting 124 strikeouts over his 136 innings pitched. While the loss of Garrett Richards was a big blow to the Angels' rotation, Shoemaker's presence allowed the Halos to press on with their postseason aspirations, without having to make any major adjustments. 

Shoemaker himself made an early exit from the 2014 regular season, dealing with an oblique strain. But with the Angels firmly entrenched in the postseason, there was no reason for the team to risk further injury to their young righty.

Tyson Ross

After spending the first four seasons of his big league career, Tyson Ross has been a mainstay in the rotation for the San Diego Padres in 2014, and it has paid off for him and the team. The tall right-hander was second-round draft pick by the Oakland A's in 2008, and made his debut just two years later. He never really got going in Oakland, however, finishing with an ERA north of 5.00 twice in three seasons by the Bay. 

But an under-the-radar offseason deal sent Ross to the Padres, where he has truly flourished, especially this season. Being named to his first All-Star Game, Ross was stellar for San Diego in 2014, ending with a nifty 2.81 ERA and 195 punchouts over 195 innings. His record was 13-14, but the 14 losses are certainly more to do with the team behind him than the way he pitched. 

In fact, Ross failed to pitch at least five innings in just one of his 31 starts, and that was his final start of the season when he gave up six runs (four earned) against the Giants on September 13. Ross' season ended after that outing, however, after it was determined he had been suffering from a forearm strain. 

The Padres have some work to do to be able to contend with the likes of the Giants and Dodgers in the NL West. But with Ross and Andrew Cashner at the head of their rotation, they are certainly heading in the right direction.

Steve Pearce

It was always thought that Steve Pearce would be a legitimate MLB slugger. After all, he was chosen in the eighth round of the 2005 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and was ranked the 43rd prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus prior to the '08 campaign after amassing 31 home runs across three minor league levels in 2007. 

But Pearce's minor league success never translated into big league success for the Bucks, and after the 2011 season, Pittsburgh sent him packing. He spent 2012-2013 bouncing around between the Twins, Orioles, Yankees and Astros' organizations before re-signing with the O's on a minor league deal at the end of April 2014. Baltimore's patience with the now-31-year-old paid off, as Pearce became a vital part of their AL-East Championship run.

In 383 at-bats this year, Pearce swatted 21 home runs and slashed .293/.373/.556 while spending time at first base and the corner outfield positions (and designated hitter) for the Orioles. In a year where Chris Davis mostly struggled, Pearce was able to pick up the slack and become a boon for manager Buck Showalter.

It remains to be seen if the journeyman can use his 2014 campaign as a stepping stone to his original promise, but regardless, he certainly gave the Orioles huge value in 2014.