Ranking the best 25-and-under stars of the last two World Series originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The 2020 World Series will pit two teams that couldn’t be more different against each other. Los Angeles not only has one of the largest payrolls in baseball but the Dodgers’ roster is built around a slew of All-Stars each capable of taking over any given game. The Rays come from a small market and their payroll reflects that; they reached the Fall Classic as a well-oiled machine in which every player has their role.
However, one thing both teams do have in common is youth. The Dodgers’ rotation is littered with budding stars. Their lineup is anchored by 24-year-old former MVP Cody Bellinger. Tampa Bay has seen rookie sensation Randy Arozarena emerge as a potential superstar and he’s not alone as one of several young studs in the middle of the Rays’ lineup.
Either the Rays or the Dodgers are about to usurp the Nationals as reigning World Series champions, so it’s worth comparing how their rosters stack up to Washington’s from a year ago. Even though the Nationals were the oldest team in baseball, they still had a pair of young outfielders in Juan Soto and Victor Robles that made an impact. On the other side, the Astros had a crop of homegrown stars that helped them push Washington to seven games before ultimately falling just short.
Which World Series team had the best 25-and-under stars highlighting their roster? With all due to respect to aged-out players like Walker Buehler, Tyler Glasnow and Trea Turner, here are the top 10 players to make the Fall Classic over the last two years before turning 26.
10. CL Roberto Osuna (HOU), 24 years old at start of 2019 World Series
Kicking off the list is Astros closer Roberto Osuna. While the former Blue Jay was suspended 75 games for a domestic violence incident in 2018 (the charges were dropped), he’s remained a reliable arm out of the bullpen when on the field. Even after appearing in just four games this season, Osuna has 155 saves since entering the league in 2015 — fourth-most in the majors over that span.
9. SP Dustin May (LAD), 23 years old at start of 2020 World Series
Dustin May entered the 2020 season as one of the top prospects in baseball and he didn’t disappoint, going 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 12 appearances (10 starts) and 56 innings. The Dodgers’ right-hander has been used as both a reliever and opener in the postseason, starting both Games 5 and 7 of the NLCS against the Braves.
8. C Will Smith (LAD), 25 years old at start of 2020 World Series
The Dodgers’ ability to churn out productive major leaguers from their farm system despite making the playoffs every year has been nothing short of masterful. One of those players is Will Smith, who has split catching duties with Austin Barnes over the last two years. The young backstop owns a .937 OPS in 91 career games and has already come up clutch for them this postseason.
7. OF Austin Meadows (TB), 25 years old at start of 2020 World Series
Tampa Bay made out like bandits in the trade that landed them Austin Meadows, acquiring him and Tyler Glasnow from the Pirates in exchange for Chris Archer and a pitching prospect. Meadows has since rewarded them with an All-Star season sandwiched between two injury-riddled campaigns. Though he hasn’t hit consistently this postseason, he did hit two key home runs in the ALDS against the Yankees.
6. DH Yordan Álvarez (HOU), 22 years old at start of 2019 World Series
Yordan Álvarez played just two games this season before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on both his knees in late August, so it’s easy to forget just how good he was for the Astros in 2019. The then-AL Rookie of the Year hit .313 with 27 home runs and his .655 slugging percentage was the highest ever for a rookie with at least 80 games played. Álvarez is expected to be healthy by the start of spring training.
5. OF Randy Arozarena (TB), 25 years old at start of 2020 World Series
This may seem a little low for Randy Arozarena considering what he’s doing this postseason: He’s put together a .382/.433/.855 slash line with seven home runs, three doubles and a triple in 60 plate appearances. However, the rookie outfielder has played in just 61 career games, so it’s hard to put him above some of the more established stars on this list.
4. SS Carlos Correa (HOU), 25 years old at start of 2019 World Series
Carlos Correa’s best offensive season came in 2017, when the Astros were found to have used hidden cameras to illegally steal opposing catchers’ signs. But even with that season thrown out, he’s still been a force for Houston with an .809 OPS with over 16 home runs a year. He’s also proven to have another gear in the playoffs, hitting 17 home runs with an .869 OPS in 63 career postseason games.
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3. 3B Alex Bregman (HOU), 25 years old at start of 2019 World Series
Unlike Correa, Bregman has produced even better over the last three seasons than he did in 2017. The former No. 2 overall pick placed among the top 5 in AL MVP voting in both 2018 and 2019 before taking a step back in the shortened 2020 campaign. His .229 career playoff batting average isn’t very impressive, but he does have five career World Series home runs.
2. OF Cody Bellinger (LAD), 25 years old at start of 2020 World Series
No, Cody Bellinger isn’t No. 1 on this list. But that shouldn’t take away from how spectacular he’s been for the Dodgers. Bellinger won NL Rookie of the Year in 2017 with 39 home runs, which set an NL rookie record at the time. He took NLCS MVP honors in 2018 for a few timely hits and strong work with his glove before winning NL MVP in 2019. This October, he joined elite company as a Game 7 hero.
1. OF Juan Soto (WSH), 20 years old at start of 2019 World Series
The top spot goes to Nationals phenom Juan Soto, who has a rare blend of patience and power at the plate that makes him one of the best all-around hitters in baseball. Soto turned 21 during the World Series last year and hit .333 with three home runs in the series. He also put together one of the best teenage seasons ever in 2018 and led MLB in on-base percentage and slugging percentage this year.
