2023 NL West Breakout Stars
One more to go! The final breakout stars series post for the 2023 MLB Season will conclude with the NL West. As Julian put in his season predictions, this division is really a two horse race between the Dodgers and Padres at this point.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Gabriel Moreno
Acquired via Toronto this offseason, Moreno has a chance to really lock down that catcher job in the desert. It’s hard to blame Arizona for making this deal. Moreno has a chance to be a bonafide catcher while Daulton Varsho was a fake catcher that could just hit. This is a young player that could really turn the tides on a franchise down bad.
Colorado Rockies: Nolan Jones
I gotta be honest; this was hard. This Rockies team stinks and after hearing recent comments from their owner, it’s pretty easy to see why. Nolan Jones is probably the pick here because he’s not an original Rocky. Jones, 24, was brought in from Cleveland this offseason. Bad K rates are what made Cleveland gave up on Jones prematurely.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Miguel Vargas
This dude can hit. That’s all I know. After losing Gavin Lux for the season, Vargas is going to need to step up. There should be plenty of opportunities for Vargas to get at-bats now.
San Diego Padres: Luis Campusano
The pathway is there. It’s up to him now. Austin Nola is fine, I guess. There isn’t many holes on this San Diego roster anymore. If Campusano can finally figure it out, the Padres become that much more dangerous. Has always hit in the minors but it hasn’t translated to the MLB level yet. It’s a big big year for Campusano.
San Francisco Giants: Heliot Ramos
The Giants filled a lot of holes in their outfield but they’re still missing a true centerfielder. Ramos has the best chance of locking that spot down for the long haul. The bat just needs to start developing and quickly. After the additions of Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger, the window of opportunity in San Francisco is starting to close.
