2024 AL Central Breakout Stars
This series is something I try to do every single year. Over the next six days, we will go division by division to find the breakout stars across MLB. To me, there is just nothing more exciting than properly tracking the next young group of players to make an impact at the MLB level. Our track record of identifying the next up-and-comers has been pretty strong over the years. To start things off, let’s go over your 2024 AL Central Breakout Stars (one per team)!
Chicago White Sox (Prelander Berroa)
This is a bit of an off-the-radar pick but there aren’t exactly a ton of candidates on this roster to be excited about. Berroa has a chance to be a reliever with promise. He didn’t make it as a starter based on having a lack of control. As a reliever, Berroa, 23, throws heat and should be a weapon out of that pen. His stuff is filthy. Now it’s about getting everything to click.
Cleveland Guardians (Gavin Williams)
The pride of East Carolina is damn good! After showing serious promise as a rookie, Williams should be a factor in that Guardians rotation for a long time. After posting a 3.29 ERA in 16 starts as a rookie, imagine what he can become this season? The former first round pick in 2021 stands 6-foot-6 and features a nice four pitch mix. The changeup needs some work but the rest of his arsenal is pretty nasty. Definitely a name to watch out for.
Detroit Tigers (Spencer Torkelson)
I used Torkelson last year and I think I’m justified to use him again. Hey, we got Bobby Witt Jr. right last year so leave me alone. Look, I’m not overly surprised Torkelson has struggled. He just has too much swing and miss to his game and it’s not like he’s going to be a DRS monster.
With that said, the signs are finally pointing in the right direction. The former Arizona State product mashed 31 dingers but still was only a 0.8 WAR player. This year, the bat becomes a real weapon and hopefully, becomes the anchor of that Tigers lineup for years to come.
Kansas City Royals (Cole Ragans)
Acquired in the Aroldis Chapman trade with Texas, Ragans has quickly rose to the ranks in the Kansas City organization. He’s already locked in as a starter and posted a 2.64 ERA during his time with the Royals. The former Rangers first round pick looks like a damn steal. I think the Royals are pretty happy with the return they got for a half year of Chapman.
Minnesota Twins (Royce Lewis)
The former number one overall pick finally is shaking those bust labels. Lewis played out of his mind in the postseason and is coming off a pretty nice regular season too. The Twins infielder hit .309 in 217 at-bats last year. What’s he going to look like now that the job is finally his? Can he stay healthy? If so, the Twins have a nice infield to build around with a hopeful bump coming from Carlos Correa.
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