Meet the Future MLB Superstars You've Probably Never Heard of

It takes a lot to go from a minor league standout to a MLB superstar. Simply put, that's a leap that very few prospects ever make. 

What follows is a look around the minors at five future MLB superstars you've probably never heard of. The key word here is "probably." You won't find super prospects such as Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa or Addison Russell. Instead, the idea is to comb through all 30 farm systems to find players who either have lower profiles or who still have plenty of climbing to do before landing on a major league diamond. 

In compiling this list, there were two characteristics that all five players share: impressive track records and tremendous upside.

Josh Bell, 1B/RF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age: 22

Highest Minor League Level: Double-A

2014 Stats: .325 AVG, .375 OBP, .459 SLG, .834 OPS, 22 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 60 RBI, 9 SB

First Predicted All-Star Appearance: 2017

The Future Superstar

Josh Bell's ultimate defensive home is yet-to-be-determined. 

The 2011 second-round pick has spent his minor league career playing right field, but the Pittsburgh Pirates have a loaded group of outfielders in Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco at PNC Park. That crowd led the Pirates to give Bell some playing time at first base during the Arizona Fall League this offseason, per Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

What's not in question in Bell's bat.

The 22-year-old can flat-out rake. Last season, the switch-hitter torched the Florida State League, posting a .335 average in 84 games for the Pirates' High-A affiliate. Bell then ended the summer by hitting .287 in a 24 game run in Double-A where he was 3.7 years younger than the average player, per Baseball-Reference.com. 

Bell offers the kind of offensive potential that guarantees that the Pirates will find a spot for him in the lineup—whether it's in the outfield or the infield—as soon as he's ready.

J.P. Crawford, SS, Philadelphia Phillies

Age: 20

Highest Minor League Level: High-A

2014 Stats: .285 AVG, .375 OBP. .406 SLG, .781 OPS, 23 2B, 11 HR, 48 RBI, 24 SB

First Predicted All-Star Appearance: 2018

The Future Superstar

The future is extremely bright for J.P. Crawford. The Philadelphia Phillies' shortstop prospect can do it all. 

“He makes the game look easy both ways,” explained a scout, via Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. “He has a great contact approach at the plate with power to come down the line. He’s very relaxed and poised on defense. All the tools are there.”

During the 2014 season, his first full year in the minor leagues, Crawford put those tools to use. The left-handed-hitter split the season between the Phillies' Low-A and High-A clubs, swinging at a clip of .285 with 23 doubles and 24 stolen bases. That showing helped earn the 2013 first-round pick a trip to the All-Star Futures Game where he was the youngest position player at the exhibition.

Julio Urias, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age: 18

Highest Minor League Level: High-A

2014 Stats: 2-2, 2.36 ERA, 25 G, 20 GS, 87.2 IP, 60 H, 37 BB, 109 K

First Predicted All-Star Appearance: 2017

The Future Superstar

It's only a matter of time before Julio Urias is dealing at Dodger Stadium. 

The 18-year-old left-hander can hit 97 mph on the radar gun, per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. According to Tyler Ogle, his catcher from a season ago, Urias' changeup is just as impressive.

“His changeup is disgusting, but nobody really talks about it," said Ogle, via Cary Osborne of Dodger Insider. "I’ve seen guys who could have swung twice at it; that’s how nasty it is."

Urias' stats from 2014 back up that assessment. Last year, the lefty went 2-2 with a 2.36 ERA in 25 outings in the Cal League where he was 6.2 years younger that the average player, per Baseball-Reference.com. The starter also piled up 109 punchouts in 87.2 innings of work. 

Even though he has just one full season on his resume, it's difficult to find a more promising pitcher in all the minors leagues than Urias.

Nick Gordon, SS, Minnesota Twins

Age: 19

Highest Minor League Level: Rookie League

2014 Stats: .294 AVG, .333 OBP, .366 SLG, .699 OPS, 6 2B, 4 3B, HR, 28 RBI, 11 SB

First Predicted All-Star Appearance: 2019

The Future Superstar

Nick Gordon's road to the big leagues has only just begun. 

The left-handed hitter, who is the son of former major league reliever Tom Gordon and the brother of Miami Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon, was drafted by the Minnesota Twins with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 MLB draft. 

Thanks to his impressive athleticism and cannon of an arm, there are no questions about Gordon's chances of remaining at shortstop. In high school, Gordon was also a pitcher and threw in the low 90s, per MLB.com.

After posting a .294 average and stealing 11 bases in a 57-game stint in Rookie League last summer, Gordon is already demonstrating that he can hit for average and cause problems on basepaths. Now, the 19-year-old just needs to continue to add power as he climbs the ranks in the Twins' minor league system.

Luis Severino, SP, New York Yankees

Age: 20

Highest Minor League Level: Double-A

2014 Stats: 6-5, 2.46 ERA, 24 GS, 113.1 IP, 93 H, 27 BB, 127 K

First Predicted All-Star Appearance: 2017

The Future Superstar

Luis Severino flew through the New York Yankees' farm system in 2014. 

The right-handed starter began the year in Low-A and ended it in Double-A. In the process, Severino was selected to the All-Star Futures Game, as he posted a 2.46 ERA and a 10.1 K/9 ratio in 24 starts. Severino has excelled ever since he signed with the Yankees, as he is the owner of a 2.23 ERA in parts of three seasons in the minors. 

His rise has already drawn the attention of principal owner Hal Steinbrenner. According to David Lennon of Newsday, Steinbrenner labeled Severino the "best prospect" in the organization and predicted that the pitcher could "probably" make an impact in the Bronx this summer.

Note: All stats courtesy of MiLB.com and Baseball-Reference.com. All videos courtesy of YouTube.

If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.