20 MLB players who could be first-time All-Stars in 2024

I feel like Mets' center fielder Brandon Nimmo is a frequent entry on potential first time All-Star lists, and it's honestly pretty surprising he hasn't yet gotten selected to participate in a Midsummer Classic. Nimmo has just delivered the two best seasons of his career back to back, and in 2023 he even added significantly more power to his arsenal. In 152 games last season he slashed .274/.363/.466 while setting new career highs with 24 home runs and 68 RBI. He contributed exactly 30 doubles for the second consecutive season and even tripled six times, while consistently providing the Mets with an elite leadoff hitter. 

Similar to Nimmo's situation, how is it even possible that Giants' right-hander Logan Webb has not been chosen to represent the National League in a single All-Star Game? In his three full big-league seasons, the Rocklin, CA native has never finished with an ERA higher than 3.25, his career WHIP is 1.17, and in '23 he just led the majors with 216 innings. The only potential knock on Webb — though I certainly don't view it as one — is that he's never really been a strikeout pitcher. In an era with more punchouts than ever, Webb's career K/9 ratio is just 8.27, and he's only once struck out more than a batter/inning. That shouldn't hurt him, as all he does is get hitters out consistently, but perhaps that's an unfortunate sticking point for voters?

Josh Naylor has one of the most likable personalities in baseball, but don't be fooled by his fun-loving nature. Because in the batter's box, he's a cold blooded assassin. In 2023, Naylor enjoyed the best season of his career, slashing .308/.354/.489 with 17 homers, 97 RBI, 31 doubles, and even 10 stolen bases. Cleveland obviously has one of the best players in the game in third baseman Jose Ramirez, but Naylor stepped up big time and provided them with a legitimate run producer to protect Ramirez in the middle of the lineup. If he can build on his big year in 2024, he will likely garner serious all-star consideration. 

Left-hander Jordan Montgomery is currently one of the most desirable starting pitchers available on the free-agent market, and for good reason. The veteran has pitched for three different teams over the past two seasons, but he's quietly been excellent for all three, and in '23 he put together probably the most complete campaign of his career. In 32 starts split between St. Louis and Texas, Montgomery delivered a 3.20 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP across 188.2 innings. He made five starts for the Rangers in the postseason and was a big reason the club was able to win its first-ever World Series championship. Montgomery is not really viewed as an ace, but his stock has been rising for a while now, and a big first half in '24 should have him squarely in the middle of All-Star consideration. 

Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz's debut last summer generated more national publicity than any rookie in recent memory, and his early returns were simply unreal. In his first month in the big leagues, De La Cruz slashed .307/.358/.523 with 11 extra-base hits and nine stolen bases. He eventually slumped as the league started to figure him out, but he still finished with 13 homers, 44 RBI, 15 doubles, seven triples, and 35 stolen bases in only 98 games as a 21-year-old. De La Cruz' talent is through the roof, and as he continues to gain experience at the sport's highest level, the sky is truly the limit. 

Speaking of players that made quite a splash as 21-year-old rookies in 2023, let's talk about young Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez. The Venezuela native was called up early in the season but didn't really get a chance to be New York's full-time starter for several weeks. Eventually, though, his production simply forced the team's hand. In just over 400 at-bats in '23, Alvarez blasted 25 home runs — many of which came in absurdly clutch situations — while accumulating 63 RBI and contributing a dozen doubles. He also earned unwavering praise from the team's veteran pitching staff for his work behind the plate. Heading into 2024 the Mets could not be more excited about their young backstop's future, and he'll surely become a mainstay on NL All-Star teams before long. 

Similarly to the earlier mentioned Josh Naylor, the Cubs' Christopher Morel is an energetic and fun player who is easy to root for. The 24-year-old can play nearly every position on the diamond, but he's proven to be most valuable in the batter's box. In 107 games with the Cubs in '23, Morel slashed .247/.313/.508 with 26 home runs, 70 RBI, and 17 doubles. He could stand to be a little more selective at the plate and cut down on his strikeouts, but the power numbers he delivers are eye-opening. With continued development in '24 it's not difficult to envision Morel blossoming into an all-star caliber player. 

The fact that Rays infielder Isaac Paredes was excluded from the American League All-Star team in 2023 was simply inexcusable and negligent, and he really should not be eligible to be on this list. In 143 games last year, the right-handed slugger slashed .250/.352/.488 with 31 home runs, 98 RBI, and 24 doubles. He was one of the primary reasons the Rays owned baseball's best record for the majority of the season's first half, and even garnered more than a few AL MVP votes. A similar season in 2024 has to earn him a spot on the all-star squad. 

The Tigers took right-handed swinging first baseman Spencer Torkelson first overall in the 2020 MLB Draft, and while his rookie season in '22 was a little bit of a disaster, 2023 was anything but. Playing in all but three of Detroit's games, Torkelson slashed .233/.313/.446 with 31 homers, 94 RBI, and 31 doubles. He still has work to do to get more consistent, raise his average, and cut down on his strikeouts, but this is a kid with light tower power who could eventually blossom into the American League's version of the Mets' Pete Alonso. 

Reigning American League Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson emerged as a legitimate superstar in 2023, and the idea of him qualifying for his first All-Star team in 2024 seems pretty inevitable. In 150 games last year, the young switch-hitter slashed .255/.325/.489 with 28 home runs, 82 RBI, 29 doubles, nine triples, and 10 stolen bases. He split his defensive time almost evenly between third base and shortstop, and handled both positions with ease — though the impending arrival of mega-prospect Jackson Holliday will surely transition Henderson to the hot corner full-time. 

Atlanta center fielder Michael Harris II was the 2022 National League Rookie of the Year, and the 22-year-old was just as good as a sophomore. In 138 games, Harris slashed .293/.331/.477 with 18 home runs, 57 RBI, 33 doubles, three triples, and 20 stolen bases. Most of his statistics were almost carbon copies from his rookie campaign, and that level of consistency is impressive in such a young player. Harris' defense is also nothing short of elite, and personally I would find it stunning if he doesn't both make the NL All-Star team and win a Gold Glove award in 2024. 

Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz is an eerily similar player to the earlier-mentioned Elly De La Cruz in Cincinnati, and it will be fun to watch the two young shortstops compete in the same division for years to come. Sadly, an injury essentially robbed Cruz of his entire 2023 season, but in '22 he was one of the most exciting young players in the game. That year, the left-handed swinging slugger crushed 17 homers and drove in 54 runs in only 87 games, while adding 13 doubles, four triples, and 10 steals. Like De La Cruz, he also possesses a cannon of an arm at a premium position and isn't afraid to show it off. Provided he can stay healthy, look for Cruz to reestablish himself as a rising star in 2024, and potentially even represent Pittsburgh at the All-Star Game in July. 

Not all that long ago, southpaw Jesus Luzardo was considered one of the very best prospects in all of baseball, and while things didn't really work out for him in Oakland, a 2021 trade to the Marlins was just what the doctor ordered. Over the last two years, Luzardo has blossomed into a valuable member of a very good, young Miami pitching staff. In 32 starts a season ago, he went 10-10 with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, while striking out 208 hitters in 178.2 innings. Still just 26 years old, it's not a stretch to think Luzardo's best days are still in front of him, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he developed into an all-star caliber starter in 2024. 

Cleveland right-hander Tanner Bibee finished second to the earlier-mentioned Gunnar Henderson in the AL Rookie of the Year voting last season, and in 2024 I'm expecting the pair to be teammates on the American League All-Star team. The Guardians gave Bibee the ball 25 times in '23, and he pitched to a 2.98 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP, while punching out 141 hitters in 142 innings. He earned 10 wins and served up only 13 long balls all season. The Guardians rotation is currently in a little bit of flux with Shane Bieber a potential trade candidate and Triston McKenzie coming off an injury, so there will be some pressure on Bibee to not experience regression as a sophomore. 

Righty Kyle Bradish was part of the return the Orioles got from the Angels in a 2019 Winter Meetings trade that sent Dylan Bundy to the West Coast. That transaction is looking more and more one-sided as time goes on. Bradish first reached the big leagues in 2022 and was up and down in a relatively small sample size, but '23 was an entirely different story. In 30 starts, he delivered a strong 2.83 ERA with an excellent 1.04 WHIP, while earning 12 victories and striking out 168 hitters in 168.2 innings. Bradish was a huge part of Baltimore's dominant 2023 regular season, and if he can duplicate that success in '24 he'll be squarely in the middle of all-star team discussions next summer. 

Philadelphia's Bryson Stott was a solid role player as a rookie in 2022, but last season proved his ceiling is significantly higher than that. After shifting to second base to make room for star free-agent shortstop Trea Turner, Stott's defense didn't suffer at all while his offensive production soared. In 151 games, he slashed an excellent .280/.329/.419 with 15 home runs, 62 RBI, 32 doubles, and 31 stolen bases. He's become an integral piece of a fun and exciting Phillies core, and if he can continue to improve in '24 he could find himself representing his team in the Midsummer Classic. 

After a mediocre beginning to his career in Queens with the Mets, right-hander Paul Sewald went to Seattle and quickly turned his fortunes around. With the Mariners, he emerged as one of the game's better set-up men and later took the club's closer job. In need of relief help at the trade deadline last summer, the Diamondbacks swung a deal with Seattle to bring him to Phoenix. Sewald ended up playing a big part in Arizona's run to the National League pennant, and heading into 2024 he jumps off the page as a potential first time all-star next summer. 

Wichita State product Alec Bohm's Phillies' tenure got off to a challenging start, but four years into his career he's now entrenched as part of the team's fabric and core. Once a liability at third base, Bohm has improved his hot corner defense immensely, while steadily blossoming into one of the team's most dangerous offensive players. In 145 games in 2023, the right-handed hitter slashed .274/.327/.437 while setting new career highs in home runs (20), RBI (97), and doubles (31). If he can build on that success in 2024 the idea of him qualifying for the all-star team is not farfetched. 

Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker is no stranger to potential first-time All-Star lists, and more than anything, his yearly absence from the Midsummer Classic is a product of just how many good first basemen play in the National League. It's no secret that the big right-handed slugger has been one of the better power hitters in baseball over the last two seasons, crushing more than 33 homers and driving in more than 94 runs in back-to-back years. His issue is the fact that Pete Alonso, Freddie Freeman, Matt Olson, and Paul Goldschmidt all play in the NL, and that quartet is tough to overtake. 

Righty Logan Gilbert was the Mariners' first-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, and he's wasted little time developing into an upper-echelon starter in Seattle. In 88 career starts to date, Gilbert has pitched to a 3.76 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP, while earning 32 victories and striking out 491 hitters in 495.2 innings. He's now firmly established as a strong and productive member of Seattle's pitching staff, but at 26 years old I feel it's safe to assume his ceiling could be even higher. If Gilbert can take the next step in 2024, he could find himself on the American League All-Star team.