MLB Players in Danger of Having Their Superstar Statuses Revoked

Nobody likes getting taken down a peg. But from Prince Fielder to Joey Votto, there are an array of big league headliners who are on the doorstep of having their superstar statuses revoked.

As is the case with both of those first basemen, injuries are the prime culprit behind the potential demotion from the superstar stratosphere. As the 2015 MLB season ramps up, the following players will not only have to prove that they can stay healthy, but also that they can return to their pre-injury level of greatness.

Five of the six fading superstars on this list are position players, but there is room for one former American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner too.

Prince Fielder, 1B, Texas Rangers

The Candidate

Prince Fielder used to be the player who never missed time.

That all changed last season when neck surgery ruined his 2014 campaign at the end of May. As Fielder explained, via Peter Gammons on MLB Network (as you can watch above), the first baseman was afraid his entire career might be over before he underwent the procedure.

With his neck issue now in the rearview mirror, Fielder will be looking to reassert himself as one of the premier power hitters in the game. So far, the 30-year-old is swinging at a clip of .379 (11-for-29), but the pop has been lacking, as he is yet to connect on a home run.

David Wright, 3B, New York Mets

Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Candidate

There's no other way to put it: David Wright was awful in 2014.

The seven-time All-Star checked in with a .698 OPS for the New York Mets a season ago. As Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog points out, the drop-off could have been related to a June shoulder injury that the third baseman sustained. For his part, Wright refused to use his bum shoulder as an excuse for his struggles.

The injury certainly didn't help. In the second half of the season, Wright hit just .238 with a .282 slugging percentage and a .565 OPS. The right-handed hitter didn't go yard a single time after July 11.

This Mets team is pitching-rich but offensively light. It sure would be a shame if Wright, who has been a force at the plate since arriving in Queens in 2004, fails to bounce back in 2015.

Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

The Candidate

Joey Votto was a non-factor for the Cincinnati Reds in 2014.

Thanks to quad and knee injuries, the first baseman appeared in just 62 games and posted career lows in every significant offensive category dating back to his rookie season.

The results have been promising for Votto and the Reds in the opening week of the season. On April 8, the left-handed hitter chipped in a walk-off hit in Cincinnati's 5-4 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Votto has already collected three home runs early in the season.

If the Reds are going to make any noise in the crazy-competitive National League Central, Votto will have to revert to his 2009-2013 form, when he never posted an OPS south of .926.

Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

The Candidate

There was nothing remotely ace-like about Justin Verlander's 2014 season. The right-hander clocked in with a 4.54 ERA, which was the eighth-worst mark among all starters in the AL.

Already, the 32-year-old has hit an injury speed bump on the road back to superstardom. Verlander is currently on the disabled list as he rehabs from a right triceps strain, and he has yet to take the mound for the Detroit Tigers.

According to Matt Shepard of WDFN, Verlander threw a 45-pitch bullpen session on April 12 as the starter works his way back to the big league rotation. After his subpar 2014, he needs to rebound in a major way if he's going to hold onto his superstar status. Plus, the Tigers can't afford another dud of a season from the 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner now that Max Scherzer has taken off for the nation's capital.

Carlos Gonzalez, RF, Colorado Rockies

The Candidate

Carlos Gonzalez can downright mash.

On April 9, the Colorado Rockies right fielder crushed a 461-foot homer off the center field scoreboard at Miller Park. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the blast was the longest of Gonzalez's big league tenure. As the left-handed hitter demonstrated against the Milwaukee Brewers, he's an absolute menace at the plate when he's physically right.

The difficulty is that he's rarely physically right.

Over the past two campaigns, injuries have kept Gonzalez out of the lineup for 144 games. Just staying on the diamond has always been a problem for the 29-year-old. Now entering his eighth major league season, Gonzalez has racked up at least 500 at-bats on just two occasions.

Ryan Zimmerman, 1B, Washington Nationals

Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Candidate

Ryan Zimmerman is the type of player who commands the respect of all his teammates. Just ask All-Star shortstop Ian Desmond.

"When you think of the Washington Nationals, you think of Ryan Zimmerman," explained Desmond, per Bill Ladson of MLB.com. "Professional. The guy that goes about his business—not only on the field, but off the field. He is a tremendous player. He is a young player. He still has a lot left in the tank. He could be Hall of Fame-type guy."

The question for Zimmerman as he recovers from an injury-riddled campaign is whether the first baseman can still command the respect of opposing pitchers. It's far too early in the season to draw any sweeping conclusions, but the early results have been underwhelming. Through the first six games of the season, Zimmerman owns a .130 average (3-for-23).

Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and MLB.com. Videos courtesy of MLB.com.

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