MLB 2012: 5 American League Players to Watch Next Season

There can be no ying without the yang, no Cheech without the Chong, no... alright, you get the picture.

I have already profiled five NL players to keep your eye on in 2012.

As I stated in my NL counterpart, every few years, a new class of player comes in and takes the reins from those that came before them. Oftentimes, we ignore their talent while still basking in the excellence of the previous class.

Baseball is starting to catch up to the idea of drafting the young talent rather than paying for it at the end of its prime.

Having said that, here is my list of five American League players to keep your eyes on in 2012.

Austin Jackson (CF), Detroit Tigers

When the Detroit Tigers decided to let Curtis Granderson go after the 2009 season, many people wondered if perhaps they should have considered picking up another center fielder "just in case" the young Jackson would not be able to handle the pressure of the big leagues.

Handle the pressure he did indeed. He came in second in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2010, posting a .293 batting average with a .345 OBP and an even .400 SLG to give him an OPS of .745... pretty impressive for a rookie. He played in 154 games and offered the Tigers a player who could get on base and provide some speed on the base paths (stealing 27 bags in 2010 and 22 in 2011).

What I like the most about Jackson is the fact that he seems to have filled in for Granderson without missing a beat. This says a lot considering they are two different styles of baseball player.

The best part for Detroit? Jackson is under team control until 2016 and is not arbitration eligible until 2013.

Matt Weiters (C), Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles have themselves a blessing behind the plate. While most teams fight for quality catchers, the O's have developed their own in Matt Weiters. Only 25 years old, Weiters has played in three seasons and made his first All-Star team in 2011, with a shiny Gold Glove to match.

Weiters has been on the radar of many baseball insiders since his minor-league days. While many teams have tried to lure the O's into trading him away, ownership has seen the value that the young catcher offers their team.

In his short career, Weiters has shown glimpses of brilliance. The numbers he has put up in his first three seasons remind me incredibly of Pudge Rodriguez—a little bit of power, dependability at the plate and a decent batting average. Sure, Pudge would go on to be a career .296 hitter, but in his first three seasons he posted a .265 average. Weiters is on the same path, with an identical .265 career average.

Now, I'm not saying that Weiters is going to be the next Pudge, but he sure could be. Like Pudge's breakout 1994 season, Weiters could share the same success in 2012.

Michael Pineda (SP), Seattle Mariners

If you've been reading me for a while, you know that Michael Pineda was my mid-season selection to be the AL Most Valuable Player. I think the man is a beast. Pitching behind King Felix is no easy task, especially in a success-deprived Seattle Mariners organization.

Sorry, Seattle, I know you're a baseball town. It's just been awhile.

However, Pineda is a bona fide Major League pitcher, and all I needed for proof was how well he handled his game in 2011. He posted a 3.74 ERA and a WHIP of only 1.099, which to me negates his 9-10 record.

It is worth mentioning that his WHIP was good enough for 14th overall in 2011, behind a laundry list of 13 All-Stars and some future Hall of Fame players. No other rookie ranked higher. That says a lot to me.

The man is only 22 years old and proved in his first year he could pound the cheese. Next season will allow him to prove his dominance in a weak AL West.

Mike Moustakas (3B), Kansas City Royals

Mike Moustakas was widely considered to be the best third base prospect in Major League Baseball going into the 2011 season. While many (myself included) thought perhaps the Kansas City Royals would use him as trade bait, they wisely decided to hold on to this young stud and ended up utilizing him in 2011 for 89 games.

While his numbers were less than impressive in 2011, all scouting reports indicate that this kid has the stuff to be a solid Major League third baseman. By many accounts, this may be my longest of shots as far as young talent goes.

While in the minors, Moustakas was dominant. He showed excellent defensive flashes with an ability to get on base with a little bit of power.

Sure, playing in Kansas City might make it a little difficult to tangibly see the numbers to back up the development of this particular player. However, he is one to use your eyeball test on. From what I have seen on him play, the kid has a bright future. He is only 23 and still very wet behind the ears.

It looks (doesn't it always) as though the Royals are trying to be competitive again in 2012, making a couple of minor moves that included trading away Melky Cabrera for pitching. Perhaps they think players like Moustakas will provide the offense their lineup would otherwise be missing with Cabrera's departure. Time will tell.

Ivan Nova (SP), New York Yankees

Look, I really didn't want to talk about any major-market teams for this particular article, but looking at what Ivan Nova did for the New York Yankees in 2011, it is hard NOT to take a look at him.

As a Boston Red Sox fan, I sat back at the start of the 2011 season and scoffed at the Yanks, rolling out "this Nova kid" in their rotation against the formidable offenses in the AL East. Yet "this Nova kid" managed to put up a 16-4 record with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.331 WHIP.

Last I checked, that worked out to be better than the Red Sox starting five. While sure, Lester may have had a lower ERA and Beckett might have had a lower WHIP, that stat line would have been GLADLY accepted from any of the Boston starting five in 2011.

Nova has me very curious as to what he can do moving forward. Realistically, the man only has 38 games of service in the Majors, but his numbers have been out of this world. By all indications, he will continue on the same path in 2012, making the Yankee search for a solid No. 2 starter behind CC Sabathia null and void.

Realistically, they should be seeking a No. 3, as Nova, in my mind, has the stuff to be called an ace on most staffs and definitely No. 2 on the Yankees.