The MLB All-Star Game is just under a month away and there is plenty of competition for both rosters. Players such as Bryce Harper, Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Juan Soto are most likely locks for the game, however, there are many players that are on the bubble for this years Midsummer Classic. Here is a look at five sleeper All-Star candidates.
Under-The-Radar MLB All-Star Picks
5) Luis Rengifo
Rengifo has played very well so far for an underperforming Angels team that has been battered by injuries. As of June 18th, Rengifo is batting .315 with four home runs and 20 RBIs through 56 games. He has a career-high OBP with a mark of .360 and has been one of the bright spots so far this season for Los Angeles. Whether Rengifo can keep this up remains to be seen, as his career-high batting average is just .264. If he can continue to deliver offensively, Rengifo has a shot at representing the Angels in the 2024 All-Star Game.
4) CJ Abrams
The Washington Nationals have played surprisingly well so far this season, posting a 35-36 record through their first 71 games. While they are behind the Phillies and Braves in the NL East by a wide margin, they have kept themselves in the Wild Card race as we enter the midway point of the season. One of the reasons for their success is CJ Abrams, who is entering his third year with the Nationals. Abrams, who was acquired in the Juan Soto trade in 2022, is hitting .258 with 11 home runs and 36 RBIs through 65 games. One of his strengths is his speed, as evidenced by his league-leading five triples to go along with 10 stolen bases. Defensively, he has been an above-average shortstop with his .980 fielding percentage ranking seventh in the entire league. Abrams has become a rising star in Washington and has the chance to be an All-Star candidate for years to come.
3) Heliot Ramos
In his first full season in the MLB, Heliot Ramos has gotten off to a great start for the San Francisco Giants. In 36 games, Ramos has nine home runs and 31 RBIs to go along with a .328 average. While these numbers are a small sample size, his power has been huge for the Giants who have been plagued by injuries to Jung Ho Lee, LaMonte Wade, and others throughout the season. Ramos currently ranks ninth in the fan vote through the first round however if he keeps up his performance he could climb up the rankings and possibly snag one of the last All-Star spots in what has been a promising 2024 campaign.
2) Jeff Hoffman
There will undoubtedly be plenty of Phillies present at the All-Star Game as they are one of the best teams in baseball and have many players at the top of their positions in the fan voting. One player who has a chance of making the team as a reliever is Jeff Hoffman. The ninth-year veteran is having a career year, having given up just three runs in 30.1 innings of work for an ERA of 0.89. Hoffman has been a force for the Phillies since signing as a minor league free agent in 2023 and is a big reason for the team’s success so far in 2024. Hoffman may be left off the roster due to the amount of pitching spots available but he has a shot if he can continue to play at a high level in the back end of the Phillies bullpen.
1) Josh Smith
After a disappointing first two years with the Rangers, Josh Smith has finally lived up to the potential of a second-round pick. Smith is hitting .296 with 4 home runs and 25 RBIs. Not only is he putting the ball in play, he is also walking at a high rate with 22 walks in 211 at-bats, which brings his OBP to .385, good enough for 10th in the MLB. While Smith has an uphill battle at third base alongside the likes of Jose Ramirez, Jordan Westburg, and Rafael Devers, he has been arguably the Rangers’ best player so far this year and deserves some recognition in what has been a breakout campaign so far.
With only so many roster spots available, there will be plenty of deserving players that are left off the roster. While these five players may not receive the nod, they deserve a look as we inch closer to the 94th annual Midsummer Classic.
Main Image: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
