MLB top 10: surprising player starts

A brand new season of baseball means that there’s bound to be a handful of players who are off to a surprisingly hot start and surprising players who may not have found their groove yet.

This Top 10 will be divided into two top fives of hot and not-so-hot players in no particular order.

Surprising Hot Starts

5. SS Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees

Anthony Volpe is entering his sophomore season as the Yankees’ starting shortstop. Volpe finished 2023 at eighth in AL Rookie of the Year but won a Gold Glove at shortstop.

Currently ranked fourth in the league in batting average (.372), Volpe has a 1.041 OPS with two home runs and six RBI, also leading AL shortstops in WAR (1.1).

4. OF Tyler O’Neill, Boston Red Sox

Tyler O’Neill was dealt from the Cardinals to the Red Sox this offseason after missing the majority of the past two seasons dealing with injuries.

O’Neill is tied with Mike Trout in home runs (six) to lead MLB, also standing alone as the OPS leader (1.346) while batting .343.

3. SP Brady Singer, Kansas City Royals

Kansas City seems to be having a rejuvenation in 2024, as they are currently in second place in the AL Central and Brady Singer has looked like a true ace so far.

In three starts, Singer has a .098 ERA with a .76 WHIP and 18 strikeouts in 18.1 innings. Just last year, Singer posted a 5.52 ERA in 29 starts.

2. SP Ronel Blanco, Houston Astros

In two starts, Ronel Blanco has shown stability for the rotation in the Astros’ shaky start. Blanco is coming off a 2023 season in which he had a 4.50 ERA in 52 innings.

Now in 2024, Blanco already recorded a no-hitter in his first start plus making history by going 14 straight innings without a hit to maintain a 0.00 ERA with 11 strikeouts and a .47 WHIP.

1. 3B Ryan McMahon, Colorado Rockies

Arguably playing for one of the worst teams in the league, the Rockies sit at a 3-10 record. However, Ryan McMahon has been one hitter Rockies fans can appreciate.

McMahon is batting .383, fourth in MLB, with two home runs, nine RBI and a 1.017 OPS.

Surprising Not-So-Hot Starts

5. SS Francisco Lindor, New York Mets

The Mets as a whole haven’t been off to a great start, and neither has Francisco Lindor.

Lindor is hitting a measly .098 through the first 12 games with six hits and an OPS of .380, even recording a -0.6 WAR.

4. SP Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners

Luis Castillo has not looked like the ace the Mariners need to start 2024. The fifth-place 2023 AL Cy Young candidate has made three starts and is 0-3.

In 15.2 innings, Castillo has given up 25 hits, with 12 earned runs. He has a 6.89 ERA and a 1.85 WHIP with 18 strikeouts going into his next start.

3. OF Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks

Corbin Carroll walked away with the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year Award. Carroll is a speedy outfielder with some pop but is having a slow start to 2024.

Carroll hasn’t been producing up to par for the reigning NL Champions, batting .224 with a .660 OPS, one home run and only two RBI.

2. 1B Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals

Two years removed from winning the NL MVP Award, Paul Goldschmidt hasn’t been contributing to a Cardinals team that stands in last in the NL Central.

The Cardinals haven’t been able to get anything going, neither has Goldschmidt who is batting .182, slugging .250 and has a .544 OPS with one home run.

1. SP Joe Musgrove, San Diego Padres

Joe Musgrove is coming off a 2023 season in which he only made 17 starts. But moving to the No. 2 spot with the loss of Blake Snell, Musgrove isn’t off to a great start for 2024.

Musgrove has made four starts, recording a -0.3 WAR in 18.1 innings. In those starts, he has a 6.87 ERA, a 1.75 WHIP, with 14 earned runs on 25 hits and a .342 opposing batting average.

Caitlyn Brooks is a first-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email crb6283@psu.edu.