The big names of baseball are getting younger, the old guard is moving on, and a new, young crop of superstars is taking center stage. In the past, baseball players were thought to be in need of seasoning before they were ready to move up to the big leagues. Guys would play four years in the NCAA and then spend significant time in the minors before being considered major league ready. Just look at the career of Jose Bautista; he was drafted in 2000, played his first MLB game in 2004, and from then until 2009 he played different positions, was a backup, and bumped around a few teams before settling with the Toronto Blue Jays. In his first year with the Jays, he was the backup third baseman to Scott Rolen. It wasn’t until 2010, at age 29, that he became a regular starter. Bautista may be a late bloomer, but his story is not an uncommon one. Now, however, we are seeing a plethora of young talent coming into the league and contributing right away.
Baseball is Getting Younger
As a Jays fan, the first name that comes to mind is 20-year-old closer Roberto Osuna. He contributed at a very young age, pitching the ninth inning for the majority of last season, including the playoffs. When he made his debut for the Blue Jays on April 8, he became the youngest pitcher to pitch for the Blue Jays in franchise history.
Osuna is not the only young guy making an immediate impact as a youngster in MLB. Arguably the two best players currently in MLB both happen to be under the age of 25. I’m speaking of course of Bryce Harper and Mike Trout, both of whom have earned MVP awards already. Playing in the National and American Leagues, respectively, they give each league a young superstar to set the tone for the rest of the league. They are not alone, as other young players such as Aaron Sanchez, Chris Archer, Mookie Betts, Manny Machado, Carlos Correa, and Noah Syndergaard are all players who are making big splashes in the Majors, all at age 25 or younger.
The youth movement has brought a breath of fresh air to MLB. These players bring energy, excitement, and, most importantly, a new audience. I watched a video of a young kid, no more than 6 or 7 years old, hit the ball of a tee, flip his bat, and run to first where he did a dance. And while old school opinions may contend that’s a disgrace to the game, the truth is that it showed something. It showed a kid who was loving the game and having fun. At the end of the day, that’s what baseball is supposed to be, a game you play to have fun. The vast majority of kids who play baseball will never be drafted, or play in the NCAA, or even play for a competitive AAA team. They play the game to have fun, and now they can flip on the television and watch the guys that they look up to having fun as well.
The important thing is how quickly these guys have been able to impact the game. There are new guys under the age of 25 in the league every year, but not every batch of young guys has made such an impact as the guys I mentioned above. The excitement these players are bringing to the ballpark everyday is creating more, and younger, baseball fans. For a game that has been seen as slow for years, these players have a bigger impact that any time limit set on time between pitches or innings. They bring more fans to the game. The more kids watching baseball and playing baseball, the better the game will become.
The game is in good hands with these youngsters leading the charge. Barring injury, they will continue to lead the league into a new period of growth. And if that leads to more kids having fun, flipping bats, and loving the game, that’s okay with me.
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