With Major League Baseball’s season entering its final 72 hours, this is about the time of year where our coverage shifts toward previewing the postseason to come. In turn, this is when we break out some of our favorite October traditions.
Part of the beauty of baseball’s postseason is that you never know for sure who will play the hero on any given night: the stars everyone expects or the role players who rise to the occasion. Four years ago, it was then-Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena who made a name for himself by authoring one of the best individual postseasons anyone has or will ever see. Each playoffs since, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to try to figure out who the “next” Arozarena will be — if such a thing exists. (It hasn’t yet.)
This year, we’ve changed up the format a bit so that we’re not just swinging blindly from the heels. Below, we’ve highlighted 10 young players who could hang their stars this October. We’ve broken those 10 players down into two five-player groups: the “radio singles,” rookies whose names you should be familiar with; and the “deep cuts,” players who might be flying under the radar.
Are any of these players likely to match Arozarena’s brilliance? Heck no, probabilistically speaking. But that doesn’t mean they can’t raise their stocks in a meaningful way by playing well under the game’s brightest lights.
With that fine print out of the way, let’s get to the reason you clicked.
The radio singles
1. Jackson Merrill, CF, Padres
Merrill may win the National League Rookie of the Year Award, depending on how voters weigh his season against Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes’. Even if he doesn’t, he deserves his flowers. Merrill not only took to a new position (he’s traditionally played shortstop) and leveraged his great speed to become an asset in center, he offered more slugging than would have been reasonable to expect back in the spring. If there’s a knock on him it’s that he’s too eager to expand his zone. Otherwise? Merrill might end up being the most productive and most exciting outfielder in a San Diego lineup that also features Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jurickson Profar.
2. Jasson Domínguez, OF, Yankees
Domínguez is, without question, the most famous individual included in this article. He’s been on the national radar since signing with New York as a 16-year-old nicknamed “The Martian.” The Yankees have seemed reluctant to give Domínguez the nod over Alex Verdugo this season, but if ever there was a time to make the change, it would be now — with the stakes getting higher and the scores getting tighter. Domínguez missed a fair amount of time this season because of injury: in 58 minor-league games, he batted .314/.376/.504 with 11 home runs and 16 steals.
3. Jordan Westburg, 3B, Orioles
It’s easy to overlook Westburg given that he’s part of an Orioles lineup featuring one phenom and former top prospect after another. If this month does serve as a launching pad, it’ll be well-earned after an All-Star season that saw him rack up a 133 OPS+. Westburg has a great feel for the barrel and for making hard, line-drive contact. He’s a fast runner, too, albeit one who grades as a below-average defender at the hot corner.
4. Jackson Jobe, RHP, Tigers
Jobe, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 amateur draft, only got the call to the majors earlier this week as the Tigers field their best possible squad to sneak into the postseason. He’ll be pitching out of the bullpen the rest of the way this year, but rest assured that his future is in the rotation. In two games at the Triple-A level, he showcased an arsenal that included, among other offerings, a 96.5 mph fastball that featured more than 17 inches of induced vertical break. Jobe tallied a 2.36 ERA and notched more than a strikeout per inning pitched across his 21 minor-league appearances this season.
5. Mark Vientos, 3B, Mets
It’s fair to write Vientos wasn’t supposed to be the Mets’ third baseman of the future — or, even, the present. That designation belonged to Brett Baty. Alas, Baty didn’t exactly run with his opportunity, leaving the door open for Vientos to take over as the Mets’ Plan A at the hot corner since late May. Vientos has delivered, launching 26 home runs and compiling a 139 OPS+ despite a swing- and whiff-happy approach. The keys to his success? Hitting the ball hard and at a good angle: both his percentage of batted balls over 95 mph (46.5%) and within the 10-to-30-degree window (35.7%) are at least a couple points above the league-average mark. That tends to be a recipe for success.
The deep cuts
1. Spencer Arrighetti, RHP, Astros
Don’t let Arrighetti’s mediocre full-season ERA fool you: he deserves a spot on Houston’s playoff staff. He’s been on a tear as of late, amassing a 2.84 ERA and 48 more strikeouts than walks in his last 50 innings pitched. Arrighetti has had a few clunkers throughout the year, no doubt, but he’s been pounding the zone with an arsenal that includes a mid-90s fastball and two swing-and-miss breaking balls. However the Astros choose to deploy him, he could end up recording some key outs.
2. Jhonkensy Noel, OF, Guardians
Noel has a few factors working in his favor. First and foremost, his nickname is “Big Christmas.” More importantly (we suppose): he can hit the season’s greetings out of a baseball. While you wouldn’t know it if you only looked at his average exit velocity (around 89 mph), he boasts as much muscle as anyone in the sport.
Noel has showcased his impressive bat speed by recording two batted balls that exceeded 115 mph in the major leagues, with a peak of 118.4 mph in Triple-A. This puts him in elite company alongside hitters like Shohei Ohtani, Giancarlo Stanton, and Oneil Cruz. While Noel has some weaknesses, such as a high strikeout rate and low walk rate, a strong performance this October could solidify his status as a top player.
Tobias Myers has navigated a challenging path to become a successful starting pitcher in the big leagues, earning a 137 ERA+ in his first 25 appearances with the Brewers. He utilizes a diverse pitch arsenal, including a changeup that has proven to be a reliable weapon with a 44.8% whiff rate. Despite his unconventional journey, Myers has proven himself as a valuable asset to the team.
Justin Martínez has emerged as a standout rookie for the Diamondbacks, boasting a 172 ERA+ and an impressive strikeout rate of over 11 per nine innings. His exceptional velocity, with a sinker reaching up to 103 mph, positions him as a player to watch for future success. Martínez’s ability to deliver results while throwing at such high speeds makes him a promising prospect in the league.
Edgardo Henriquez, a hard-throwing reliever for the Dodgers, has earned his spot in the majors after showcasing his talent across multiple minor league levels. With a 2.72 ERA and a striking 38.9% strikeout rate, Henriquez brings an element of dynamism to the bullpen. Despite facing challenges with durability and command, his impressive fastball velocity and effective secondary pitches make him a valuable asset for the Dodgers moving forward. paragraph:
The black cat ran quickly through the dark alley, its fur blending in with the shadows as it darted between garbage cans and old cardboard boxes. Its bright green eyes glowed in the night as it searched for its next meal, the sound of its paws hitting the pavement echoing off the walls. The cat moved with a sense of purpose, knowing exactly where it needed to go to survive in this unforgiving urban landscape.