MLB Hall of Fame nominees under 25: Baseball’s youngest stars with a shot at Cooperstown

Like a volcano erupting from the sea, the new generation of baseball superstars is so talented, they’re drawing attention to areas that have received little attention in recent years.

Recently, Baltimore, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Seattle and Cincinnati have all been some of the most highly-anticipated games in years, and it’s not just the individual plays that make these games so enticing – it’s often the great team play that makes them so appealing.

As legends Todd Helton, Adrian Beltre and Joe Mauer are inducted into the Hall of Fame this weekend, we’re looking far into the distance.

While there’s no guarantee of continued success, here are five players under the age of 25 who stand out as potential Cooperstown Hall of Fame candidates as the 2024 season approaches its final two months.

Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles

There are many reasons why the young Orioles have developed into one of the best teams in baseball, but Henderson is at the top of the list: He was a natural candidate to win the Rookie of the Year award in 2023, but he’s been even better this year, hitting 28 home runs and recording a .956 OPS by the All-Star break.

More than two decades after Cal Ripken Jr. retired, this generation of Orioles fans has a bona fide shortstop superstar to call their own. The only player to surpass Henderson’s 6.1 WAR at the time of the break was Aaron Judge, according to FanGraphs.

Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals

He inherited the baseball bloodline of his pitcher father, son turned do-it-all shortstop, and Witt has taken his father’s arm and built his own game around it, with speed, an enviable glove, contact ability and sneaky power. He helped the team finish second in the Home Run Derby.

The Royals are riding high again thanks to one of the best second basemen in baseball, and the good news for Royals fans is that Witt is under contract through 2034 and will be a key player for the team.

Paul Skeens, Pittsburgh Pirates

Two months in the major leagues doesn’t get you in the Hall of Fame, but if any rookie pitcher has proven he has what it takes to make it to Cooperstown one day, it’s Skenes. Throwing a consistent 102 mph fastball isn’t guaranteed to last, but the hulking Skenes wasn’t built in a mechanical engineering lab.

After 11 starts, Skenes has not only been named an All-Star but has also become a starter in the National League, living up to the expectations that came with being the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft and now adding some menace to his repertoire.

Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners

The path to the top of baseball is never a straight one, and Rodriguez took a winding road in the first half of this season with below-expected performances, hitting 10 home runs with a .690 OPS in 97 games before the All-Star break.

what This season hasn’t gone wellOpposing pitchers have improved their offensive strategies by hitting the cutter, while Rodriguez has been hitting the ball less often. When he hits the ball well, he hits it just as hard as he ever did. As long as he doesn’t get discouraged, Rodriguez will find his way again.

CJ Abrams, Nationals

The Braves’ Michael Harris II also deserves the spot, but credit goes to Abrams for his continued improvement so far: In 2022, Abrams posted a .604 OPS in 90-plus major league games while surviving a trade from the Padres to the Nationals.

If the change, or the pressure of replacing Juan Soto, was an issue, Abrams didn’t show it. He posted a .712 OPS in his first full season with the Nationals in 2023. It rose to .831 before this season was suspended and his first All-Star selection. Like Witt, Abrams has a lot of tools at his disposal, suggesting a long and successful career.

Hall of Fame Under 25

Michael Harris II, Braves; Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks; Grayson Rodriguez, Orioles; Ellie de la Cruz, Reds; Anthony Volpe, Yankees; Gabriel Moreno, Diamondbacks; Triston Casas, Red Sox; Matt McClain, Reds; Riley Green, Tigers