My Favorite Players From Each MLB Team

I haven't been posting as much as I'd like to, but given all the uncertainty going on in sports (I suppose it's now certain in regards to the Pac-12 and Big Ten), give a guy a break! Nonetheless, I thought I'd write up a fun little article on my favorite current players from each MLB team.

AL East

New York Yankees- RF Aaron Judge

To kick us off, give me the behemoth beast that is Aaron Judge. When he's on the field, he's one of the best in the sport and is so fun to watch. Everyone knows about his power, but I love the way he can play the outfield. He moves so well for a big guy and has one of the best arms in baseball.

Tampa Bay Rays- 1B Ji-Man Choi

The Ji-Man! Choi is beloved throughout the baseball community for his awesome name, funny antics, and contagious smile. At the start of this season, Ji-Man (known as a lefty hitter) stepped to the opposite side of the plate and belted a 430 foot missile off of Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Kay. He apparently had dabbled with switch-hitting, but that game was his first time showing his righty skills in an MLB game.

Toronto Blue Jays- SS Bo Bichette

I really like young RHP Nate Pearson and the infamous Reese McGuire, but the son of Dante takes the cake. Bichette encapsulates what makes baseball such a great sport, from the slick glove at shortstop, to the jaw-dropping offensive performances, to his famous flow. A true must watch player, I am a big fan of Bo Bichette, Flow Bichette, Bro Bichette, Grow Bichette, Slow Bichette, whichever version of Bichette those on twitter care to call him!

Boston Red Sox- SS Tzu-Wei Lin

I really don't like the Red Sox and their players at all, so here I'll go with backup SS Tzu-Wei Lin. There really isn't much I know about the guy, I mean I see him sometimes in my MLB The Show games and he'll give Xander Bogaerts the day off occasionally. This pick is really just process of elimination, but congrats Tzu-Wei!

Baltimore Orioles- 1B/OF Trey Mancini

Trey isn't currently playing due to a battle with Colon Cancer, but he's undoubtably my favorite Oriole. He's been one of the lone bright spots for Baltimore through these awful seasons and could be an impact hitter on a contender. He hits for power, but gets on base at a great rate and has defensive versatility. I hope Mancini can get past Cancer and continue on his upward trajectory in Major League Baseball.

AL Central

Minnesota Twins- DH Nelson Cruz

This was one of the hardest choices to make for me. I really like Mitch Garver, Josh Donaldson, Miguel Sanó, and Max Kepler a lot, but how can I say no to the guy they call Boomstick? Nelson Cruz has been one of the best hitters, not just power hitters, over the last decade in baseball. All the guy does is absolutely rake! Say what you want about his brief run-in with PEDs, Cruz is a monster at the plate.

Cleveland Indians- OF/DH Franmil Reyes

VIVA LA MOLE! Former Padre Franmil Reyes easily takes the cake over the likes of Shane Bieber, Francisco Lindor, and Ben Krauth (who isn't in the MLB, but is on The Redshirt Podcast Episode 13). The Franimal is a true character, almost always wearing a smile on his face, as well as singing and dancing to Whitney Houston's hit song "I Will Always Love You." Not to mention, the dude absolutely launches baseballs. I like having Taylor Trammell, but I will always love you Franmil!

Chicago White Sox- LHP Dallas Keuchel

No one really stood out for me with the White Sox, so I'll go with former AL Cy Young Dallas Keuchel. Amidst his holdout last season, my friends and our families ran into Keuchel at the Pelican Hill resort in Newport Beach. It was the night of the UVA-TTU March Madness National Championship Game, but Dallas took time out of his dinner and viewing experience to talk baseball with us. He showed us some of his pitching grips, his mentality on the mound, and spoke candidly on his contract situation. In the end, the bearded left-hander (happy National Lefty Day!) received a rather nice check from the Sox.

Kansas City Royals- OF/DH Jorge Soler

There is a clear theme of power hitters on the list, but can you blame me? Soler always had the makings of being a premier slugger in the MLB, but struggled in Chicago and during the first few seasons in Kansas City. Fast forward to 2019, Jorge is doing what everyone expected him to do... absolutely murder baseballs. He strikes out at an abysmal rate and is an atrocious defender, but he's so fun to watch!

Detroit Tigers- 1B/DH Miguel Cabrera

Soon enough it'll be former Arizona State Sun Devil Spencer Torkelson here, but for now it remains Miguel Cabrera. Miggy is well past his prime, but at his peak (2009-20015ish), he was the best hitter in baseball. A shell of what he once was, Cabrera will forever hold a special place in my heart from his past performances at the plate.

AL West

Houston Astros- C Garrett Stubbs

Like most, I'm not a fan of the Houston Astros. I am a fan, however, of Del Mar native Garrett Stubbs. Although he went to a rival high school, I must support a local. A former USC catcher, Stubbs only has about 40 plate appearances in the MLB, but has shown upside in the minors. He's already 27, but with catcher being such a revolving door nowadays, I think Garrett could get himself some decent playing time.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim- INF David Fletcher

No need for explanation. David Fletcher is the GOAT and is the obvious pick for my favorite Angel. Shoutout to Tommy La Stella and some dude named Mike T. as well!

Oakland Athletics- LHP Jesús Luzardo

A young lefty, Luzardo's stuff should play beautifully in the majors. He really caught my eye in the 2019 AL Wild Card game, in which he threw three shutout innings from the bullpen. He's only 22 and has yet to get a full opportunity in the rotation, so it'll be very fun to see what Jesús can do in year's to come.

Texas Rangers- OF Joey Gallo

The light tower power of Joey Gallo gets me every time. Gallo began his career as a guy who either hit a homer, walked, or struck out. While his play in 2019 showed he is more than just that, he is nonetheless an odd player. He absolutely tears the cover off the ball seemingly with ease, but is also an above average defender that can play five spots on the field. If you think baseball is super boring, pay Joey Gallo a visit and he might change your mind.

Seattle Mariners- 1B/DH Dan Vogelbach

Big Man Dan! Vogelbach's hitting numbers leave a lot to be desired overall, but he was letting dingers loose with ease to startle 2019 season. He quickly became a fan favorite and was even selected to the All-Star Game before he sank back down to mediocrity. Regardless, there is nothing like a good Daddy Dan Dinger!

NL East

New York Mets- RHP Jacob deGrom

As someone who doesn't root for an NL East team, I love to watch deGrom fan hitters. There is no flaw in deGrom as a pitcher, which makes it near impossible for hitters to do well against him. He's the best pitcher in baseball, that's all there is to it.

Atlanta Braves- 1B Freddie Freeman

I've previously written about how I think Freddie Freeman is criminally underrated, so I'll keep my thoughts short here. Since his first season, Freddie has been one of the best 1Bs in all of baseball and hasn't slowed down. Elbow and shoulder injury concerns have caused some to question if Freeman is still all that, but I absolutely love Freddie Freeman and believe he's one of the best left-handed hitters in the sport.

Washington Nationals- RHP Stephen Strasburg

Former San Diego State Aztec Stephen Strasburg lands as my favorite National. From Southern California, Stephen always had high expectations set for him. He has made good on that potential as he's one of the best pitchers in baseball when he's healthy. He has dealt with health concerns, but Strasburg mows down batters when he he's good and pitching.

Philadelphia Phillies- SS Didi Gregorius

I don't hate Bryce Harper by any means, but he's not my favorite. Perhaps solely because of his Twitter runs after his team wins a game, my favorite Phil is Didi Gregorius. I don't know if he's actually as good as he played in 2016 and 2017, but Didi always gives off good vibes to me.

Miami Marlins- SHP Pat Venditte

This may be a bit of a cheat given the Marlins COVID-19 outbreak, but love me some switch pitching Pat Venditte, Venditte has hopped around MLB teams, failing to find much success. What sparks my (and many baseball fans) love for Pat is the fact that he is a switch pitcher! Not every day do you see a guy that toes slab and switches his glove from hand to hand on a regular basis. Sure he hasn't been effective at the big league level from both sides, but most can't do well throwing from one side at a professional level.

NL Central

Cincinnati Reds- OF Travis Jankowski

Not a household name by any means, Travis Jankowski is one of my favorite players in baseball. He isn't very good at all, but he brought great energy to the dugout as a Padre. He's an underwhelming hitter, but his defensive prowess and knack for stealing bases make him a solid bench bat. I don't lose sleep thinking about how the Padres let Jankowski loose, but I miss his personality in San Diego.

St. Louis Cardinals- RHP Jack Flaherty

A Southern California native, Flaherty owned every single offense he faced in the second half of the 2019 season. He's only twenty-four with essentially two seasons under his belt, it's hard to imagine the former Harvard-Westlake Wolverine is close to hitting his ceiling. Along with the likes of Mike Soroka, Walker Buehler, and Chris Paddack, I expect Jack Flaherty to be a top pitcher in the MLB for a long time.

Chicago Cubs- RHP Kyle Hendricks

Kris Bryant went to college in San Diego, but Kyle Hendricks is the clear pick. Hendricks proves that you don't need to throw near 100 MPH to be successful. He dices hitters with his pin-point control and filthy breaking pitches. As someone who doesn't pump gas either, I also try to focus on throwing strikes and rely on my off speed to get outs. Kudos to Kyle for getting it done at the highest level.

Milwaukee Brewers- RHP Brandon Woodruff

Woodruff, who I believe hit the last pitcher HR in the postseason, is a pure baller. He's not complicated, he's a power pitcher that'll shove the fastball down your throat. You're on the fastball? Woody can flip the switch and have hitters on their knees with his curveball. He's not quite an elite pitcher, but I urge you all to keep up and watch Brandon Woodruff pitch as much as possible. I promise he won't disappoint.

Pittsburgh Pirates- 1B Josh Bell

Bryan Reynolds is fun to watch, but because he is an absolute Padre killer, big Josh Bell is my Pirates player of choice. Bell is a stud, albeit quite inconsistent, that is stuck with a miserable organization. JB was a highly-regarded prospect that struggled early, but it's clear that when he is on, he is in the upper echelon of big league hitters.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers- SS Corey Seager

I absolutely despise the Dodgers. If this was picking my least favorite player on each team, I don't think I could narrow my list down to only one for LA. Corey Seager is my selection here because he's so underrated. Ever since he was called up, all the kid has done is hit. Because of injuries, people have forgotten that he's one of the best shortstops in baseball. Opposing pitchers cannot forget about Seager in the Dodgers star-studded lineup, because if they do, Corey will feast.

San Diego Padres- RHP Chris Paddack

Here lies my favorite player in baseball, Christopher "The Sheriff" Paddack. After watching him pitch in Spring Training 2019, I knew this guy was on his way to stardom. With an inning restriction last season, Paddack put the league on watch with the ferocious shows he would put on the mound. He is one of the best strike throwers in baseball with his fastball-changeup combo, plus his curveball has shown to have improved drastically in his second season. Saddle up ladies and gentlemen, the sheriff is in town and here to stay.

Arizona Diamondbacks- OF Jon Jay

You can see I don't really like any players from this division (obviously besides the Padres), so I'll go with the former Padre, Jon Jay. People forget that Jay exists, but he was a solid contact hitter for a good portion of his career. While in San Diego during the 2016 season, Jon hit super well, bur couldn't stay healthy and only played 90 games.

Colorado Rockies- C Tony Wolters

Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, and Charlie Blackmon are all great, but they wreak havoc on the Padres. Tony Wolters isn't anything special behind the plate, but beyond his mask he has a pretty dope mustache. Not too much to say, I really don't like any of the Rockies.

San Francisco Giants- RHP Tyler Rogers

There isn't a clear pick for me with the Giants, so I'll end the column off with submariner Tyler Rogers. Brother of Taylor (LHP for the Twins), Tyler had success in 17 2/3 innings of work in 2019, only allowing 2 earned runs and surrendering 3 walks. Thus far in 2020, Rogers has been pretty awful, giving up 11 earned runs through 9 1/3 innings. I doubt he'll ever be a great pitcher, but I respect the submarine.

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading! Who are your favorite players in baseball? Do you have any similar to mine? Do you also despise the Dodgers? Let me know down in the comments below!

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