MLB's 25 Under 25- The Finale!

Down to the final eight best young players in the big leagues. So far there have been plenty of shortstops and strong pitching. Will it be more of the same? Lets find out.

#8 Manny Machado 3B Baltimore Orioles
Last year the fighting Buck Showalters took the MLB by surprise last year and are contending in the AL East again, a major part of this is Machado. He was always projected to be a plus hitter, but in his first full season he is exceeding expectations. Currently, he leads the majors in doubles and is hitting .318. At only 20 years old, he has a WAR of 2.6 and has earned his way in the top of the Baltimore order quickly.

#7 Stephen Strasburg RHP Washington Nationals

Strasburg has stuggled
since being shelved
last season.

One of the most highly touted prospects in recent memory, Strausburg has all the tools to become an ace. A fastball that can touch triple digits, a two-seamer with late bite, and a 12-6 curve that falls in the low 80's. He gets tons of strikeouts and ground ball outs. Theres just one problem this year. He's only 2-5 this year. The Nationals wer criticized for sitting him at the end of last season for health reasons, and he has not been the same since sitting out. While still having loads of potential, it seems he still hasn't reached his ceiling.

#6 Clayton Kershaw LHP Los Angeles Dodgers
As long as Kershaw has been around, it seems like a surprise that he is still just 25. He has already racked up a record of 66-39 and its only gotten better as he progresses. Since 2011, he has been one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball, but hasn't gotten the attention he deserves. Kershaw has excellent stuff, a dominant fastball and a nasty curve that just falls off the table. Those tools are why he's been a 200+ strikeout pitcher since 2010.

#5 Paul Goldschmidt 1B Arizona Diamondbacks

Goldy has powered Arizona
to the top of the NL West

If you don't know about Paul Goldschmidt yet, do yourself a favor and look at some highlights. He's putting up numbers like nobody's business right now. In the NL he ranks 3rd in RBI's, 2nd in HR's, and 1st in OPS. Hes a throwback to the old school power hitting first baseman, but what sets him apart is that he also hits for a high average. Currently he has a a .323 average and an on base percentage of .408, which is rare for a power hitter.

#4 Matt Moore LHP Tampa Bay Rays
Many think that Kershaw or Strasburg are the top young pitchers, but they are both being outperformed by Matt Moore down in Tampa. Moore tore through the minors with his fastball in the upper 90's, tight spinning curve and changeup, as well as excellent control. After an average rookie campaign, he's now tearing through major league hitters. He's currently 8-0, best in the majors, with an ERA that slowly moved up to 2.29. Every game Moore has started this year, hes gone over 100 pitches, and the Rays have gotten the win.

#3 Justin Upton OF Atlanta Braves

2/3 of the outstanding Atlanta Outfield

Probably the biggest acquisition this off season, a move away from Arizona was in the cards for Upton, and reuniting with his brother in Atlanta made for a perfect situation. Now part of the best outfield in the Majors, Upton is hitting .273, which is the mark for most of his career. The big difference this season however is the power. He currently leads the NL with 14 homeruns, and is halfway to his career high of 31 in less than 1/3 of the games.

#2 Bryce Harper OF Washington Nationals

Somedays you just hit a wall

Harper has all the physical tools, he was by far the most talented prospect when he was drafted. The thing keeping Harper from the top spot is questions about his mental abilities and maturity. At just 20, it should be expected that it should improve. Combine that with his
power and speed and you could have a franchise player on your hands. Until then, you get moments of greatness, and moments where he runs into a wall. Literally.

#1 Mike Trout OF Los Angeles Angels

Trout has all the tools to be a star

If it wasn't for Miguel Cabrera winning the triple crown, Trout would have won both the rookie of the year and the MVP. The 21 year old has played less than 200 big league games and is already the complete package in centerfield. He has excellent defensive ability, plenty of power and stole 49 bases last season. He's only hitting .293 as it seems all of the Angels are struggling this season, but that hasn't stopped him from racking up 34 RBI's and 9 stolen bases.

Some thoughts on the list.

-I was surprised by the amount of shortstops that were deserving of being on this list. 6 of the 15 position players were shortstops, and 5 of those were in the NL.

-Speaking of the NL, they had 18 of the 25. The NL East led the way with seven players. Equalling the entire AL.

-While most of the players were pushing 25 years old. The top of the list was much younger, the three players under 21 were all in the top 7.

-Just missing the list were players like Will Middlebrooks from Boston, Mat Latos in Cincinnati, Dustin Ackley in Seattle and Eric Hosmer in Kansas City

-Some of the best players that missed the list due to age were 26 year olds Andrew McCutchen and Yu Darvish, those two would've certainly taken the top two spots had they qualified.

MLB's 25 Under 25- Part 2

Time for Part 2! Lets get started.

#16 Patrick Corbin LHP Arizona Diamondbacks

Corbin is one of the bigger
surprises in the MLB.

So far this season, Arizona has won all eight of Corbin's starts. Only in one of those eight did the opponent get more than two runs. The 23 year old is currently 6-0 with a 1.52 ERA, among the league leaders in both categories. He has a deceptive fastball that can touch 94 MPH, and excellent control of his slider and changeup. Part of the trade for Dan Haren, he was overshadowed by big name prospects like Tyler Skaggs and Trevor Bauer but he has been the first to earn a spot in a major league lineup.

#15 Starlin Castro SS Chicago Cubs
The lovable losers are always looking for reasons for optimism, and Castro shows all the tools to be a star. Excellent range at the shortstop position, speed on the base paths, and potential for days. Castro is batting .295 for a career and has stolen over 20 bases the last two seasons. The more time he will get in the big leagues, the better he will get, its only a matter of polishing the physical tools that are already there.

#14 Starling Marte LF Pittsburgh Pirates
Marte was a pretty quiet signing in the 2007 season for the Pirates, now he is seen as the future of their outfield along with superstar Andrew McCutchen. His tools are constantly improving and its showing with a .312 batting average this season and 10 stolen bases already. He is an excellent baserunner, capable of getting 30+ stolen bases in a season. Plate discipline is the major issue he needs to work out, but if he gets on base, he's always a threat.

#13 Aroldis Chapman LHP Cincinnati Reds
The secret has long been out on Chapman. He throws gas. He's got power, a fastball in the high 90's and a hard slider makes him an excellent power pitcher. The question was whether to put him in the rotation or the bullpen. So far he has been put in the closers role and Cincinnati cannot complain about the results. So far he has a 3-1 record, 8 saves in nine opportunities and a 2.41 ERA.

#12 Matt Harvey RHP New York Mets

The best the Mets have

Harvey has had the fastest rise to stardom as well as the most recent. Harvey did well in 10 starts last season, but only got a 3-5 record. This season he's single handedly carrying the Mets, which makes it difficult for the Mets since he only plays once every five games. The Mets are 7-2 with him starting, and they are 10-22 without him. He has earned a 5-0 record with an outstanding 1.55 ERA, not giving up more than 3 runs in a game.

#11 Elvis Andrus SS Texas Rangers

Andrus' speed is his biggest
weapon

Capable of making the spectacular play, but sometimes missing the routine, Andrus is another on this list with exceptional physical tools. His speed is shown in his range in the field and his baserunning, already 135 stolen bases in his career. He is a solid contact hitter and has an average of .275 for his career. He's not a home run hitter, he has yet to hit one this season, but his speed should more than make up for it, he already has three triples this season.

#10 Shelby Miller RHP St. Louis Cardinals
Miller was the Cardinal's first pick in the 2009 draft, so expectations for him have been high. His fastball in the high 90's and excellent control of his change up made him nearly ready for the big leagues right away. When he rose up to the majors, he delivered. He's allowed just eight earned runs in eight starts and has struck out 57 batters with just 51 innings pitch. His tools are certainly there, and it looks that he will be a mainstay in the Cardinals rotation for the long haul.

#9 Jean Segera SS Milwaukee Brewers

This guy is second in the majors
in batting average.

Coming up from the minors, Segera looked to be a jack of all trades, master of none type of player. That he would be a low risk player that could be part of a steady lineup. Instead, Segera is currently hitting .364, seven home runs and stolen 14 bases. After just 41 games, all three are definitely not just average. Segera has speed, a little bit of power and can field his position, and with a current WAR of 2.6, which is one of the highest in the league, he is now a major key in the Brewers success.


The finale is coming soon! Stay Tuned.

MLB's 25 Under 25- Part 1

Time for my first MLB post, and it still seems a little to soon to look at the season being only about 40 games in. I like predictions and those are sure to come, but now we will take a look at the future of the MLB by ranking the top players 25 years or younger, pretty simple. Some of these players are already stars in the league, some are relatively unknown but are quickly making their way up in popularity quickly. All of these players, 10 pitchers and 15 position players, are definitely ahead of the curve when it comes to talent.

#25 Brandon Belt 1B San Francisco Giants

This picture was just too great to not show

The lefty was a star for the University of Texas in their 2009 College World Series run. Less then two years later, he was already making his major league debut for the Giants. At 6-5, 220 pounds, he is an imposing figure in the box and an excels in hitting the fastball. Despite his stuggles with off-speed pitches, in his first full season he hit for .275 while belting out 56 RBI's. (Pun very much intended)

#24 Drew Smyly LHP Detroit Tigers
While just 23, he oozes confidence on the mound like a seasoned veteran. I was one who thought he should have gotten a spot in the Tigers rotation, but the lefty has done just fine coming from the bullpen. His strength is his control, striking out 26 and walking just six batters. Not the most overpowering pitcher, but his four-seam can hit the low 90's and his cutter has some movement.

#23 Didi Gregorius SS Arizona Diamondbacks

Gregorius quickly earned his way in Arizona 

Gregorius has played the least amount of time of the players on this list, but in only 18 games for Arizona, he has locked up the shortstop spot with his excellent defense and aggressive hitting and base running. Hes currently batting .348, the highest on this list, and shown some power with almost half of his hits going for extra bases. Didi has been a consistent threat in the lineup, he has gotten a base hit in all but 3 games he has played for the Diamondbacks.


#22 Freddie Freeman 1B Atlanta Braves
A solid all-around player is the first listed of many NL East players. Freeman is regarded by scouts as an excellent defensive first baseman, he's also solidified himself as part of one of the top line-ups in baseball. Last season he ended with 94 RBI and has picked up 22 so far this season. Defensively, he has some gold glove caliber skills, one of the best at turning a 3-6-1 double play and excellent range for a corner infielder.

#21 Pete Kozma SS St. Louis Cardinals
Kozma is a interesting case that was a tough decision whether to add him or not. He struggled in the minor leagues and looked like a sub-par player. However, when Rafael Furcal went down with an injury, Kozma unbelievably made the most of his situation under the brightest of lights. With the pressure of the postseason on, he started hitting. He hit for a .236 average in six years in the minors, and amazingly tore through major league pitching. This combined with his strong defensive play earned him a spot on the list.

#20 Craig Kimbrel RHP Atlanta Braves
Already with 100 career saves, Kimbrel has taken the Braves closer spot and not let up. His two-seam fastball can hit 94 MPH, it goes along with a nasty breaking slider as a stikeout pitch. His four-seam fastball can reach the mid-nineties that can overpower lefties. His control has been improving, only walking three batters so far this season. He has always been consistent with a career 1.60 ERA.

#19 Salvador Perez C Kansas City Royals

Always a fan of the two piece masks.

He is yet to play an entire season with the Royals, but the backstop from Venezuela has put in solid time in Kansas City. During his time in the minors, he improved immensely. He does an excellent job defensively, and has a quick throw to second. Offensively, he has done well in the majors with a career average of .309. Not the biggest homerun threat, but he doesn't lack power, hits very well to the gaps.

#18 Madison Bumgarner LHP San Francisco Giants
Only 23 and already made 92 starts, Madison Bumgarner has a loaded arsenal. A solid low 90's fastball, a slider with a lot of motion, a curveball with a lot of movement and an always improving changeup. His record is not the best, only 40-31, but this year he is off to a 4-1 start with just a 2.18 ERA. Coming out of the minors Bumgarner was the youngest starting pitcher in the majors and continues to develop.

# 17 Andrelton Simmons SS Atlanta Braves

Simmons was key to Dutch
success in the WBC

The third shortstop and and Brave on this list, is having an excellent start to the 2013 season. He impressed in the World Baseball Classic playing for the Netherlands and has all the tools to be a star shortstop. He has done well batting for the Braves, but he really shines in the field. Simmons has the potential to be one of the top shortstops in a very long time. Last season, he was second in the majors in runs saved, in only 49 games. His glove will give Simmons a very long career in the majors.

Part 2 will have #16-9. Part 3 will have #8-1, so stay tuned for the rest of this series.