2022 MLB All Breakout Team - Position Players

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With all-star voting nearly coming to a close, I don’t want to fret over who got in and who didn’t. With the sheer volume of games being played, it’s hard to get recognized for impressive contributions. I figured it would be nice to recognize all of the players who have broken through this year, even if they don’t get to play in the midsummer classic.

Catcher

Alejandro Kirk

The 6th ranked prospect in the Toronto system was not somebody I was expecting to be the Al’s all-star starting catcher. Kirk has done nothing but surprises baseball fans this season as he’s become one of Toronto’s most productive players. In his first two seasons, Kirk was largely a non-factor but he has grabbed top 10 marks in BA, OBP, and OPS+ this season. Don’t let those stats fool you into thinking Kirk is a batting specialist. Kirk doesn’t lag far behind the position’s defensive benchmark in Jose Trevino. Kirk ranks top 10 in most framing and defensive stats and actually ranks second to Trevino in DRS. Alejandro Kirk is an easy pick at catcher.

Hm: Jonah Heim

First Base

Luis Arraez

First base has been arguably the most stacked position this year. Relative newcomers like Arraez, Garrett Cooper, and Ty France have established themselves as franchise cornerstones. With career years from vets like Christian Walker and Josh Bell, first base proved to be the most difficult decision. Part of me wanted to shift Arraez to the weaker pool at 2B (where he only has roughly 30 fewer plate appearances) but deep down I knew I’d be cheating. Ty France and Garrett Cooper are deserving of far more press but Arraez blows them out of the water this season.

As the major league leader in BA and OPS, Arraez has quietly built up a decently sturdy MVP case. The Twins’ swiss army knife doesn’t have a particularly flashy game but a steady finish to the season could push him to stardom. Regardless if Arraez has a poor second half, he has had an admirable first half, setting himself up as somebody Twins fans will remember for a while.

Hm: Garrett Cooper, Ty France, Josh Bell, Christian Walker

Second Base

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

The Bahamian prospect didn’t have a great debut in 2020 – a season where the Marlins surprisingly made the playoffs. He had a great start to the 2021 season but then suffered a steep falloff in the second half.

After two unexceptional seasons, Chisholm has become a star in the Marlins organization. Chisholm has improved from an average hitter (98 WRC+) to one that is in the top ranks of the MLB (138 WRC+). With his blazing speed and electricity at the plate, the Marlins star has superstar written all over him. An all-star appearance is already in line, but Chisholm won’t be stopping there.

Hm: Brendan Rogers

Shortstop

Jeremy Pena

Jeremy Pena’s astronomic rise from an unranked prospect in 2018 to a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year is rarely seen in this era of the MLB. Pena ranks third to stars Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker in team WAR in what is a surprise season to all MLB fans. Before Yordan Alvarez went absolutely nuclear in June, the rookie Pena was actually the frontrunner for team MVP. Pena’s snub from the all-star game is one of this year’s biggest snubs, but I’m sure he isn’t worrying much about that. The Astros have themselves yet another stud in Jeremy Pena.

Hm: Andres Gimenez

Third Base

Ke’Bryan Hayes

Third base is one of the weaker positions on the list. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ke’Bryan Hayes’ game, but his performance isn’t up to that of the rest of this list.

Hayes has showcased his elite defense with defensive ratings that surpass even Nolan Arenado. Kebryan Hayes should be in line for a gold glove this year but he has serious work to do on the offensive end. Despite having a hard-hit rate of nearly 50%, Hayes is an average hitter by nearly all metrics. He has the tools to be elite on the offensive side. You can look at a 24-game sample in his rookie year where he produced a 201+ OPS.

Kebryan Hayes hasn’t wowed with the bat, but his otherworldly defense will make him a franchise cornerstone either way. Let’s just hope the Pirates don’t mess this one up.

Hm: Patrick Wisdom, Jon Berti

Outfield

Julio Rodriguez

Julio Rodriguez was one of the most-hyped prospects in recent memory and he has done nothing but deliver. A line of 15 HRs and 21 SBs in the first half of his debut season bodes well for the rest of what should be an incredible career. Julio Rodriguez built a decent all-star case this year but its yet to be seen if he’ll make it.

Steven Kwan

King Kwan put the league on notice after breaking the all-time record for most times reaching the bases in a player’s first four games. Sadly, Kwan Academy hasn’t received as much press after a frigid month of May where he slashed .173/.271/.253. Obi-Kwan still deserves a spot after putting in two solid .400+ OBP months in April and June.

Austin Hays

Austin Hays has been one of the most important pieces to a surprisingly competitive Baltimore Orioles team. Hays maintained sparse playing time in the majors in his first few years but made his way to an everyday role in 2021. He played well in 2021 but has stepped up to the next level. Hays has shown marked improvement in nearly every meaningful batting and fielding metric, (a slight decrease in SLG%). Outside of Cedric Mullins, Hays is the Orioles’ best player and that should be enough to capture the third outfield spot on this team.