2024 NL West 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 NL West Breakout Stars (one per team)!
Arizona Diamondbacks (Gabriel Moreno)
I would argue Moreno already popped but I think it’s worth mentioning again. Mostly because of how stupid the Blue Jays were to trade this guy for Daulton Varsho (who sucks). He’s a career .290 hitter through 136 games. Catchers like that just don’t grow on trees. He’s going to be a good one for a long time.
Colorado Rockies (Elehuris Montero)
This team just has no hope. It’s the same story over and over again. Maybe a guy that turns into a nice utility guy in time? I don’t know, man. It’s the Rockies. They have never won the NL West. That’s not even a joke. Let’s keep it moving.
Los Angeles Dodgers (Bobby Miller)
Using Yoshinobu Yamamoto for this feels like it’s cheating. Instead, we’ll go with a more unheralded starter who feels like he has a chance to truly pop this year. 6-foot-5 lefty. Former first round pick out of Louisville. Not going to lie, I used him a bunch as a daily streamer in fantasy last year and he played well. Considering that he pitched to a 3.76 ERA as a rookie, what can he do now that he’s locked into the rotation for a full season?
San Diego Padres (Jackson Merrill)
Merrill, 20, already won the starting centerfield job. Former first round pick from the Baltimore area. He’s been listed as one of the best prospects in baseball for a while. Athletic and can play multiple positions. Not positive the power numbers will be there right away but if San Diego is going to be a playoff team this year, they’re going to need a spark right away from Merrill.
San Francisco Giants (Marco Luciano)
Got promoted to the big league club last year. For an infielder, he has some crazy power potential once he hits his prime. Needs better plate recognition and I’m not sure he’s ever going to be a good get-on-base guy. Just don’t be shocked if this dude puts up a bunch of homers out of nowhere. He’s got that in him.
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