2024 Biggest Improvement Thus Far
 

We have a biggest disappointment thread, I figured we should spread some positivity and look at 2024’s biggest improvement players. Who’s popped up on your radar?

Has to be Anthony Volpe

Love it! Gunnar, Josh Naylor, Skubal & Mason Miller

Salvador Perez -- .714 OPS in 2023 to .952 OPS so far this season.

Sale
Ozuna

Kyle Tucker, Jurickson Profar (of all people), and SSS alert but maybe Alek Manoah is finally fixed?

Ranger Suarez, Seth Lugo, and Erick Fedde come to mind on the pitching side of things.

Adley Rutschman is making a big jump as far as highly regarded prospects go.

Luis Rengifo, Kevin Pillar, and Abraham Toro are some unexpected names that have caught my attention.

Being fair, a lot of the inserts this year have been much more creative and collectible. Fanatic/Topps AB’s through the roof, but also attempting to innovate a little more this year.

[QUOTE=BAHoopla;19468488]Has to be Anthony Volpe[/QUOTE]

This, 100% without a doubt.

The 2023 Rookie class is looking like a big change from last year.

Volpe is pulling away in a big way.

I would put him Gunnar & Adley right at the top right now pretty evenly.

While Corbin Carroll looks like trash this year and Jordan Walker is not even in the Majors anymore. Michael Harris has regressed. Josh Jung is injured.

[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240524/6ce03e26b680d2de6c62c49a3157d681.jpg[/IMG]
The one and only correct answer.

Honorable mention: Ozuna, Alec Bohm, Shohei Ohtani


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Taylor Ward, Tanner Houck, Dylan Cease, and Jack Flaherty.

One of my long shot preseason picks was for Jarren Duran to get 50 doubles and 20 HRs. It looks like I should have gone with 50 doubles and 20 triples. He currently has 3 bWAR, and this is a dude who was getting crucified two years ago for his comically bad play. Also, Alec Bohm has turned into one of the best players on the current best team in baseball.

Jo Adell

The Shortstop position

Add Luis Gil to the pitchers.

wRC+ -- cherry picked a few names from 2023, min 500 PA, sub 100 wRC+ who are doing better this year

Profar 76 --> 176
Ryan McMahon 88 --> 131
Volpe 84 --> 126
Varsho 85 --> 117
Cronenworth 92 --> 127
J. Pena 96 --> 137


over 100 last year -- decent rise this year:

Bohm 105 --> 152
Witt 115 --> 149
William Contreras 124 --> 164
Gunnar 123 --> 167
Brent Rooker 127 --> 167

2024 Biggest Improvement Thus Far
 

My eyes have been opened to supposed 2023 one month wonder Brent Rooker’s season so far:

.286/.354/.571 w 11/35 for a nice OPS of .935 on that team. I’m pretty impressed.

Teoscar

I know this is about players, but the Royals are on pace to have more wins by the All-Star Break than the 56 they won all of last year.

Jo Adell

[QUOTE=speedyjg13;19468634]Jo Adell[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=StlBen;19469359]Jo Adell[/QUOTE]

Is it the fact that he has a .234 avg or the .302 OBP that qualifies him as the biggest improvement?

He has a .8 WAR this season bringing his career WAR to... -0.6

[QUOTE=caflisch78;19469412]Is it the fact that he has a .234 avg or the .302 OBP that qualifies him as the biggest improvement?

He has a .8 WAR this season bringing his career WAR to... -0.6[/QUOTE]


Biggest improvement doesn’t mean he is the best player. But having a career negative WAR until this year and now having nearly 1 WAR after less than 50 games this year is a huge improvement. (And improvements is what the thread is about).


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Red Sox starting rotation

Bobby Witt Jr. is the first player that came to mind. Already good but he leapt in to Superstar territory very quickly.

There is a new article on mlb.com about Clarke Schmidt's improvement