As of Opening Day 2018, the average age of the major league player was 28.91, according to MLB. The Phillies had the youngest squad, with an average age of 26.92, and the Blue Jays were the oldest (31.01).
The MLB average in 2015 was 29.17, 29.04 in 2016 and 29.13 in 2017.
According to ESPN’s MLB roster analysis, the average age in 2019 has dropped again — this time to 28.24. There are just two teams in the majors with an average age of 30 or higher — the Giants and Athletics. The Orioles are the youngest, with an average age of 26.8.
In a day when service time is a major factor, teams are ignoring that philosophy and letting their star prospects do what they do best on the biggest stage.
The Mets made slugger Pete Alonso their starting first baseman, and the Blue Jays planned to start the season with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the consensus top prospect in baseball, as their third baseman — before he suffered a Grade 1 oblique strain.
The White Sox also decided to make 22-year-old Eloy Jimenez their starting left fielder, and 20-year-old Fernando Tatis Jr. was surprisingly made the Padres’ starting shortstop despite never playing a game above Double-A.
Trusting your fantasy squad to young — in this case very young — players is always a risky proposition. You’re buying into tales of their potential and history in the minors without knowing if they will be capable of handling all that goes along with being in The Show.
Jimenez didn’t really show what he is capable this spring, hitting .250 with two homers, five RBIs, 10 strikeouts and a .773 OPS. Don’t think anything of that performance because: A) He made the team, and B) exhibition numbers mean as much as your grandmother telling you you’re her favorite grandchild … and you’re an only child with no cousins.
Between Double-A and Triple-A last year, Jimenez hit .337 with 22 homers, 75 RBIs and a .961 OPS. He struck out just 69 times in 456 plate appearances (15.1 percent strikeout rate), so he has good plate discipline to go along with great hand-eye coordination, bat speed and power. He has the tools to get on base, as well as hit for average and smack 25 or more home runs.
Tatis became the youngest player (20 years, 85 days old) to start an Opening Day game since Adrian Beltre in 1999, when Tatis was all of 5 months old, as well as the youngest Padre ever. He went 2-for-3 with an impressive bunt single that put his speed on display, reportedly getting down the first base line in 3.8 seconds.
Like Jimenez, Tatis made the team despite a rather ho-hum exhibition season (.241, two homers, four RBIs, two stolen bases, .761 OPS), but he showed what he could do in three minor league seasons (274 games), hitting .280 with 42 homers, 143 RBIs, 63 stolen bases and a .845 OPS. Though his strikeout rate in the hovered around the 25 percent mark, his walk rate was 14.5 percent in Single-A in 2017 and 8.4 percent last year in Double-A.
Tatis has all the tools to be a superstar. He hits for power, he gets on base (.358 on-base percentage over three seasons in the minors), he scores runs (200 scored in the minors) and he steals bases. Expecting a .250-ish average with the potential for a 20-20 season is not insane.
The most important aspect to remember about Jimenez and Tatis is the fact they’re on teams looking to play and succeed with their youngsters. There will be plenty of opportunities for them to learn and play. Both will run into their share of struggles, likely going through prolonged stretches when you will question your sanity for drafting or picking up two of the youngest players available — and starting them. Don’t doubt yourself, you made the right decision.
There is a reason Tatis was the second ranked prospect and Jimenez was third.
These are two supremely talented athletes who will not only get playing time, but adjust to life in The Show and give you big league results.
Whitney Houston said it best when she said the “children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.” Baseball is a young man’s game. If a team decides these kids are good enough to play on Day 1, so should you.
Big hits
Robinson Cano 2B, Mets
The 36-year-old led the majors in average (.441), on-base percentage (.476) and hits (26) during the spring, and he didn’t get hurt. Opening Day also was a success, going 2-for-4 with a homer while driving in the Mets’ two runs.
Trevor Richards SP, Marlins
One of Roto Rage’s favorite sleepers had a stellar spring, holding opponents to a .125 average while sporting a 1.86 ERA, 0.62 WHIP and striking out 20.
Nick Tanielu 3B, Astros
Though he was sent to Triple-A, the 26-year-old made quite the impression. He went 18-for-51 (.353) with five homers, 18 RBIs, 11 runs and a 1.215 OPS. Solid speculative add.
Shane Bieber SP, Indians
He struck out 29 batters while walking just four and limiting opponents to a .165 average. He finished the spring with a 2.25 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP.
Big whiffs
Eugenio Suarez 3B, Reds
The 2018 All-Star, who finished 18th in MVP voting, struck out 20 times during the spring training, going 11-for-50 (.220) with one homer, three RBIs and a .631 OPS. Luckily, the games didn’t count.
Madison Bumgarner SP, Giants
The lefty allowed 19 runs on 35 hits over 20 ²/₃ innings, and opponents smacked him around for a .361 average. He did strike out 20 while walking just two.
Cedric Mullins OF, Orioles
In 17 spring games, he went 8-for-53 (.151) with a .640 OPS. He did, however, manage to hit three homers, walk seven times and steal four bases. This is why he’s starting for Baltimore.
Dylan Bundy SP, Orioles
Opponents hit .379 against him over his 21 ¹/₃ innings of warmup for the regular season. He recorded a 1.85 WHIP while allowing 19 runs, 36 hits and four homers.
Check swings
- Some fun with spring-training numbers: Who hit the most home runs this spring? That’s right, Pittsburgh’s Jung Ho Kang, whose last big-league round-tripper came on Oct. 1, 2016.
- Who had the most walks? Sean Newcomb, who famously was one strike away from pitching a no-hitter last July before the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor broke it up. Though opponents hit just .227 against him, he had a 5.14 ERA and issued 15 walks, the most of any pitcher.
- Who allowed the most homers? Though Trevor Bauer struck out the second-most batters (32) in the majors in the exhibition season, he allowed eight homers over 28 innings.
- In the category of “Odd, But True” in this round of “Jeopardy,” this is the answer: To start the 2019 season, former Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, top-five fantasy closer Craig Kimbrel, Logan Morrison, Evan Gattis and Bartolo Colon were all here. The question: Where is the unemployment line?
Team name of the week
Gurriel’s Gone Wild