IN MY OPINION: Best in the AL West
Note: This is 100% opinion based on who I see as the best players in the AL West and who I can see having a legit shot at the HOF.
The explain how I get these categories for Honorable Mentions I feel like they aren't the most exciting player, but one who should be paid attention to at this point in their career where they are now and where I think they are going
Most Exciting players are the guys you have to watch that are just electric and going to be around for a while and making noise.
HOF candidates are guys who I can see when their careers are over are likely to be considered for the HOF.
Honorable Mentions Hitters
Anthony Rendon- 3B Angels-He is another guy who has just been a substantial contributor to the Nationals since 2013 and doesn't pop in a lot of categories but has a solid BA of 290 for his career and a 369 OBP as well. A guy who can hit for power, get on base and be a reliable player.
Ramon Laureano- OF Athletics- at 25 and with his glove, he drops jaws. Last season we got a full season of Laureano, and he didn't disappoint. He hit 24HR, a 288BA. Look for Laureano to continue to make highlight plays with the glove and be an outstanding offensive player.
Kyle Lewis/Daniel Vogelback- Mariners- I put these two on here because they are both the two guys in my mind with the highest upside for the Mariners right now and going forward. Both have excellent power. Lewis is a solid defender. Seattle should be leaning on these two for a significant impact in the middle of the lineup for the foreseeable future.
Marcus Semien SS- Athletics- One guy that has flourished in his time with the A's and become one of the better SS in the AL West. He doesn't have many awards to his name or very many eye-popping stats, which put him on this list because of those reasons. But his late bloom will earn him a good payday going into his prime years.
Most Exciting Hitters
Shohei Ohtani- DH/P Angels- at 25YO and showing he can handle MLB pitching last season with a 286BA. He has also shown he can handle hitters from the mound as well. Pitching to a 3.31ERA over 51.2 IP and with 63SO. Ohtani is right no matter what he is doing and looks to be the real deal.
Alex Bregman- 3B Astros- At 26yo and already at 99HR, 320RBI, and a career 286BA, debuting one year after being drafted. Bregman has shown that he can handle the hot corner, be an outstanding power bat. He was a WS champ, a 2x all-star, a Silver Slugger winner. Bregman is on his way going into these prime years to become a big deal! Oh, and he can play SS as well.
Matt Chapman- 3B Athletics- In my eyes, Chapman is the best player on the A's. He is only 26years old. He is showing a reliable MLB player who is playing every day for the A's who is hitting for power and not AVG. Look for him to continue power and reliability for the A's While also having a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove.
Joey Gallo- OF Rangers- The only thing Gallo needs to do to be even better than he is now is stopping with the strikeouts. Dude can hit 40HR and then strike out 207 times and only have a 206BA. Please, Gallo, you have the talent to be great. Just get a little more disciplined and stop with the strikeouts.
HOF Hitters
Mike Trout- OF Angels- DUH, of course. Trout could go down as one of the GOAT. AT 28, he has 285HR, 752RBI, 200SB, 305BA. He is already a 3x MVP, ROY, 8x All-Star, 7x Silver Slugger, Wilson Defensive Player of the Year, 2x Hank Aaron Award winner, and a ton of MLB.com awards. He isn't even close to done as he signed a 12year deal which will have him under contract until he is 39 and I expect him to be towards the top of many categories and see a lot more awards by the time he hangs up the spikes.
Albert Pujols-DH/1B Angels- 3x MVP, ROY, 10x All-Star, 2x WS Champ, 2x Gold Glove, 6x Silver Slugger, 1 Batting Title, 656HR, 100.8WAR 300BA. And Pujols stole three bases in 2019 what? 661 career BB as well. Pujols is one of the best hitters to have ever played baseball. He has done it in the AL and NL and just been a force for 19 years.
Jose Altuve- 2B Astros at 29 Altuve has shown out already in the MLB carrying a career 315BA and a guy who is a career 364OBP guy. He hasn't ever really been a big power threat except for in 2019, but he has been super consistent. He has 1MVP, 1 WS Championship, 6x All-Star, 5x Silver Slugger, 1 Gold Glove, 1 Hank Aaron Award, 1 Babe Ruth Award, 1 Lou Gehrig Award, a ton of rewards within the franchise and MLB.com Just overall before 30 Altuve has done it. With at least I would say 3-5 more years of peak performance. Altuve can be among the best 2B ever to have played.
Honorable Mentions Pitchers
Marco Gonzales- SP Mariners- Marco is the Ace of the Mariners. He isn't flashy or dominates. He has shown that he is a competent pitcher that can eat innings. Stay on the field and stabilize the rotation.
Most Exciting Pitchers
Jesus Luzardo/AJ Puk-SP Athletics- These guys don't have much MLB experience, but both the combo is 22/24 super young, with A+ potential in the two of them that will carry this rotation as a very very good 1/2 punch for many years to come.
Roberto Osuna- CP Astros- At only 25yo, Osuna already has 154 saves over 310IP with a 2.75ERA and 345SO. He has 1 All-Star appearance and many more to come. Keep an eye on this guy for the next 5-7 years as he noticed at least 35SV 3x already in his young career. and only had an ERA above 2.68 one.
HOF Pitchers
Justin Verlander- SP Astros- What can I say about Verlander that hasn't already been said. 2982IP, 3006SO, 3.33 Career numbers. Add 1 MVP, 2CY Young, 1 ROY, 1 WS Championship, 8x All-Star, a ton of MLB.com awards, and yeah. That about does it. I forgot his career record 225-129. Do I need to say more? And he is still doing it at 37.
Zack Greinke- SP Astros- 2872IP, 2622SO, 3.35ERA, 205-123 Career Record. 1 Cy Young, 6x All-Star, 2 NL Silver Sluggers, 6x Gold Glove, 3x Wilson Defensive Player of the Year, Yeah Grienke is 36 now and still doing his thing. The best 1/2 punch in baseball with these two and two no doubt HOF
Corey Kluber- SP Rangers- Now Kluber is hard to group in with these other two. 1341.2IP, 1461SO, 98-58 record with a 3.16ERA. Impressive and he is 33YO, so he should have a few more good years left. 2x Cy Young winner, 3x All-Star, 1 Lou Gehrig Award. So his credentials aren't there in terms of his record in terms of wins. But the rest is there for him to be added to this list.
The explain how I get these categories for Honorable Mentions I feel like they aren't the most exciting player, but one who should be paid attention to at this point in their career where they are now and where I think they are going
Most Exciting players are the guys you have to watch that are just electric and going to be around for a while and making noise.
HOF candidates are guys who I can see when their careers are over are likely to be considered for the HOF.
Honorable Mentions Hitters
Anthony Rendon- 3B Angels-He is another guy who has just been a substantial contributor to the Nationals since 2013 and doesn't pop in a lot of categories but has a solid BA of 290 for his career and a 369 OBP as well. A guy who can hit for power, get on base and be a reliable player.
Ramon Laureano- OF Athletics- at 25 and with his glove, he drops jaws. Last season we got a full season of Laureano, and he didn't disappoint. He hit 24HR, a 288BA. Look for Laureano to continue to make highlight plays with the glove and be an outstanding offensive player.
Kyle Lewis/Daniel Vogelback- Mariners- I put these two on here because they are both the two guys in my mind with the highest upside for the Mariners right now and going forward. Both have excellent power. Lewis is a solid defender. Seattle should be leaning on these two for a significant impact in the middle of the lineup for the foreseeable future.
Marcus Semien SS- Athletics- One guy that has flourished in his time with the A's and become one of the better SS in the AL West. He doesn't have many awards to his name or very many eye-popping stats, which put him on this list because of those reasons. But his late bloom will earn him a good payday going into his prime years.
Most Exciting Hitters
Shohei Ohtani- DH/P Angels- at 25YO and showing he can handle MLB pitching last season with a 286BA. He has also shown he can handle hitters from the mound as well. Pitching to a 3.31ERA over 51.2 IP and with 63SO. Ohtani is right no matter what he is doing and looks to be the real deal.
Alex Bregman- 3B Astros- At 26yo and already at 99HR, 320RBI, and a career 286BA, debuting one year after being drafted. Bregman has shown that he can handle the hot corner, be an outstanding power bat. He was a WS champ, a 2x all-star, a Silver Slugger winner. Bregman is on his way going into these prime years to become a big deal! Oh, and he can play SS as well.
Matt Chapman- 3B Athletics- In my eyes, Chapman is the best player on the A's. He is only 26years old. He is showing a reliable MLB player who is playing every day for the A's who is hitting for power and not AVG. Look for him to continue power and reliability for the A's While also having a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove.
Joey Gallo- OF Rangers- The only thing Gallo needs to do to be even better than he is now is stopping with the strikeouts. Dude can hit 40HR and then strike out 207 times and only have a 206BA. Please, Gallo, you have the talent to be great. Just get a little more disciplined and stop with the strikeouts.
HOF Hitters
Mike Trout- OF Angels- DUH, of course. Trout could go down as one of the GOAT. AT 28, he has 285HR, 752RBI, 200SB, 305BA. He is already a 3x MVP, ROY, 8x All-Star, 7x Silver Slugger, Wilson Defensive Player of the Year, 2x Hank Aaron Award winner, and a ton of MLB.com awards. He isn't even close to done as he signed a 12year deal which will have him under contract until he is 39 and I expect him to be towards the top of many categories and see a lot more awards by the time he hangs up the spikes.
Albert Pujols-DH/1B Angels- 3x MVP, ROY, 10x All-Star, 2x WS Champ, 2x Gold Glove, 6x Silver Slugger, 1 Batting Title, 656HR, 100.8WAR 300BA. And Pujols stole three bases in 2019 what? 661 career BB as well. Pujols is one of the best hitters to have ever played baseball. He has done it in the AL and NL and just been a force for 19 years.
Jose Altuve- 2B Astros at 29 Altuve has shown out already in the MLB carrying a career 315BA and a guy who is a career 364OBP guy. He hasn't ever really been a big power threat except for in 2019, but he has been super consistent. He has 1MVP, 1 WS Championship, 6x All-Star, 5x Silver Slugger, 1 Gold Glove, 1 Hank Aaron Award, 1 Babe Ruth Award, 1 Lou Gehrig Award, a ton of rewards within the franchise and MLB.com Just overall before 30 Altuve has done it. With at least I would say 3-5 more years of peak performance. Altuve can be among the best 2B ever to have played.
Honorable Mentions Pitchers
Marco Gonzales- SP Mariners- Marco is the Ace of the Mariners. He isn't flashy or dominates. He has shown that he is a competent pitcher that can eat innings. Stay on the field and stabilize the rotation.
Most Exciting Pitchers
Jesus Luzardo/AJ Puk-SP Athletics- These guys don't have much MLB experience, but both the combo is 22/24 super young, with A+ potential in the two of them that will carry this rotation as a very very good 1/2 punch for many years to come.
Roberto Osuna- CP Astros- At only 25yo, Osuna already has 154 saves over 310IP with a 2.75ERA and 345SO. He has 1 All-Star appearance and many more to come. Keep an eye on this guy for the next 5-7 years as he noticed at least 35SV 3x already in his young career. and only had an ERA above 2.68 one.
HOF Pitchers
Justin Verlander- SP Astros- What can I say about Verlander that hasn't already been said. 2982IP, 3006SO, 3.33 Career numbers. Add 1 MVP, 2CY Young, 1 ROY, 1 WS Championship, 8x All-Star, a ton of MLB.com awards, and yeah. That about does it. I forgot his career record 225-129. Do I need to say more? And he is still doing it at 37.
Zack Greinke- SP Astros- 2872IP, 2622SO, 3.35ERA, 205-123 Career Record. 1 Cy Young, 6x All-Star, 2 NL Silver Sluggers, 6x Gold Glove, 3x Wilson Defensive Player of the Year, Yeah Grienke is 36 now and still doing his thing. The best 1/2 punch in baseball with these two and two no doubt HOF
Corey Kluber- SP Rangers- Now Kluber is hard to group in with these other two. 1341.2IP, 1461SO, 98-58 record with a 3.16ERA. Impressive and he is 33YO, so he should have a few more good years left. 2x Cy Young winner, 3x All-Star, 1 Lou Gehrig Award. So his credentials aren't there in terms of his record in terms of wins. But the rest is there for him to be added to this list.
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