While 19-year-olds are regularly the youngest age an MLB player can make his debut, it has been rare to see anyone younger showcase his talent on the MLB field. He was originally signed by the Reds out of a semi-pro league that he had been playing in with his father. He would make only one more appearance in the next week, but then never again pitched in the majors. However, as of 2022, the youngest MLB player is likely to be outfielder Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals. On July 19, 1936 when a 17-year-old Bob Feller was handed his first appearance at the big league level, most had no idea that the less-than physically imposing teenager was about to embark upon a legendary career marked by two decades of pitching dominance. and let him make his MLB debut . He played most of 1945 in the minors before being drafted into military service for the majority of 1946. Staub started his career at a young age, and ended it after more than 2,900 games as a 41-year-old. Young finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year Award voting in '07, when he hit .288 with 93 RBIs in 162 games. Lets try to figure it out! Over his 16 seasons with the Phillies, as well as parts of two seasons with the Athletics and Indians, Hamner hit .262 with 104 home runs and 708 RBI. Dodgers Mookie Betts making Los Angeles home on and off the field, Orioles, Pirates play a spring training inning without umpires, 2023 MLB World Series odds: Futures lines for every team, Injured Cubs OF Seiya Suzuki off WBC Japan squad, could miss Opening Day, Padres show no signs of slowing down with Manny Machado extension, Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow to miss 6 to 8 weeks with oblique strain, Max Scherzer loves pitch clock, which debuts to mixed reactions, Rich Hill is MLB's oldest player, and maybe its most colorful, Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more, FOX SPORTS, SPEED, SPEED.COM & 2023 Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. NFL Franchise Dates of Entry From 1920 to 2002. But Alvarado ends that trend, as the Venezuelan lefty reliever had not yet turned 22 when he emerged from Tampa Bays bullpen and gave up three runs in an inning of work during a 10-6 loss to Miami at Tropicana Field. There have been 20 teenagers to start on Opening Day in the Modern Era (since 1900), according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Aside from playing for the Dodgers, Palica also saw action for the Baltimore Orioles. Following an underwhelming 2022 season, Giolito arrived to White Sox camp 35 pounds slimmer than his build last spring. Tatis says shoulder, wrist '100%' in first game since '21. The Rk column indicates how many players were born before/after the specified date. The same goes for these five players, each of whom has the talent to zoom through the minors but is starting at too low a level to imagine it happening quickly enough to beat the other candidates to the big leagues. The 17-year-old first baseman would only appear in two games for the Cleveland Indians, knocking one base-hit and collecting one RBI in eight at-bats. Gene Mauch, SS: 18 years, 152 days in 1944 (Dodgers)Mauch made his Major League debut on Opening Day in 1944 for the Dodgers, who were in need of players during wartime. Luciano was the number 2-ranked prospect among 2008's international class, and he signed with a bonus of 2.6 million dollars. Wander Franco was the youngest player in the MLB in both 2021 and 2022. Erv Palica earned his Major League debut not too long after his seventeenth birthday on April 21, 1945. Michael Vick holds the record since 2000 with a 4.33 time. Giants LHP Kyle Harrison (8/12/01)Padres OF Robert Hassell III (8/15/01)Phillies RHP Mick Abel (8/18/01)Rockies C Drew Romo (8/29/01)Giants SS Marco Luciano (9/10/01)Mariners SS Noelvi Marte (10/16/01)Athletics C Tyler Soderstrom (11/24/01)Rockies OF Zac Veen (12/12/01)Reds SS Elly De La Cruz (1/11/02)Giants OF Luis Matos (1/28/02)Red Sox 2B Nick Yorke (4/2/02)Rangers OF Evan Carter (8/29/02). Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. He went on to be arguably the greatest star of a generation, and one of the most respected players of all time, hitting 630 home runs with 2,781 hits and a .287 lifetime batting average. As such, it seems likely that the first 2002 baby to reach MLB will have a great chance to be a star someday, too. Will your squad's best young players be breaking camp with the team? Perez is the most intriguing player considered for this entire exercise. He went 0-for-3 in a White Sox win over the Indians. 23 players age 22 or younger have put up a 125 OPS+ since 2000, more than the previous three decades combined (20). He would make only a handful of appearances throughout the rest of the year, but turned his opportunity as a 17-year-old into a solid Major League career. Cavs Nation - Spencer See 3h. He had debuted and played three games in late 1939, then played the full 154-game schedule in 1940 for Chicago. Batting ninth, Upton went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. Bob Kennedy, 3B: 19 years, 242 days in 1940 (White Sox)Kennedy hit leadoff for the White Sox and went 0-for-4 in a 1-0 loss to Bob Feller and the Indians. Gaudin began his 11-year big league career by going 3-2 with a 4.25 ERA in 41 outings over two seasons with the Devil Rays. ?2001: Wander Franco2000: Elvis Luciano1999: Fernando Tatis Jr.1998: Juan Soto1997: Ozzie Albies1996: Julio Urias1995: Roberto Osuna1994: Rougned Odor1993: Jurickson Profar1992: Bryce Harper, (If youve never heard of Elvis Luciano, thats OK. As of now, here are the 10 youngest players who opened the season in the big leagues: 1. The 20-year-old hailed from the Dominican Republic and made his major league debut late in the season on Sept. 7, 2017. 35. Though it was remarkable, he got torched in his lone teenage appearance and didn't set foot on a big league field for another eight years. At 17 years old, McKee remains to be the youngest MLB player to accomplish a nine-inning complete-game victory in the season ender. The future Hall of Famer played in 107 games in 1974 for the Brewers, hitting .250 with three home runs. Inactive players are those players no longer playing in professional baseball anywhere (including the minors or internationally). Following his early debut, Weinert was able to hang on as a lefty hurler for parts of nine seasons with the Phillies, Cubs and a couple appearances with the Yankees. 1 overall prospecttwo years in a row, will play this entire season at the same age as your average college sophomore or junior. That got us thinking: Where does he rank among the youngest Rays players ever at the time of their big league debut? The 40 -year -old MVP and the end of the race are previously extended in the last two decades of major league baseball.Today, there seems to be an influx of young people i. While Jones didn't do much during the 1995 regular season, he took the World Series by storm. After a handful of mediocre relief appearances, the hard-throwing Feller earned his first start on August 23, hurling a complete game gem, allowing only one run, while striking out 15. 6. He was compelled to enlist following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It would be the only game he would ever pitch in the big leagues. On the flip side of Baker is Oliver Marmol of the St. Louis Cardinals . According to the statistics, the average age of the AL and NL rookies of the year was 22.4 and 23.6 years, respectively. Predicting when top 2023 prospects will make their MLB debuts. Read more on clutchpoints.com. He missed most of the 1952-53 seasons due to military service. He would play three more seasons in the minor leagues before retiring from baseball in 1960. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Tatis says shoulder, wrist '100%' in first game since '21. ), the right-hander put together a 2.26 ERA in Class A during his pro debut in 02, breezed through Class A Advanced the next year, made three dominant starts for Double-A Orlando and arrived in the Majors to pitch 2 1/3 innings out of Tampa Bays bullpen against Kansas City on Aug. 1, 2003. Entering the 2023 campaign, Franco will turn 22 years old. Junior played in 127 games, hit .264 and smacked 16 home runs. Astros pitchers youve probably never heard of: LHP Julio Robaina (3/23/01)RHP Jaime Melendez (9/26/01). FIFA World Cup - Best Goals from Every Angle, Draw for the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023. Furthermore, while Jasson Dominguez is a top young prospect, his highly anticipated MLB debut will still come in 2023. Like Alex George, Rogers McKees baseball career was short-lived. Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you. He was 40 years, 191 days old in his final game, on May 31, 2010. Al Kaline, RF: 19 years, 115 days in 1954 (Tigers)The Hall of Famer had debuted at age 18 in 1953, but started in his first Opening Day in 1954. The Rays first true homegrown star, Crawford was selected in the second round of the 1999 Draft then steadily but speedily climbed to the Majors. Wander Franco, SS, Rays (age 21, DOB: March 1, 2001) Franco is nearly three years younger than the Rays franchise. Crawford went on to become one of the Rays most accomplished players. Whether out of a desire for youthful exuberance and energy, or financial concerns with signing more established players, there appears to be a new wave of youngsters taking Major League Baseball by storm. In terms of innings, Brady lasted just 81.1. You might have noticed a theme above: All the earliest debuts took place before the team dropped the Devil and became the Rays. Kranepool would play his entire 18-year career for the Mets, winning the 1969 World Series with the club and representing the team in the 1965 All-Star Game. He would enjoy a solid 11-year big league career, posting a 45-65 record and a 4.88 ERA over 1,070 innings split between the rotation and bullpen. The 20 Youngest MLB Players to Debut Since World War I0 of 20Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesBaseball is a young man's game. In case you're wondering, the only player ever to win an MVP Award in his age-21 season or younger was Vida Blue in 1971. So one level down we go! Since each league now has 15 teams, the new alignment requires additional interleague play. Baldelli finished third in the 2003 AL Rookie of the Year Award voting after slashing .289/.326/.416 with 11 homers, 78 RBIs and 27 steals, and he enjoyed a 3-WAR season in 04. In the process, Caballero emerged as the youngest third baseman to play in the MLB. Did he pinch run? PACE, Fla. (BVM) - The No. Alvarado made his professional debut during his age-17 season, the first of his two years in the Venezuelan Summer League. For the Philadelphia Phillies, McKee appeared only in five games. He then wouldn't appear in the big leagues again until 1952 at a more reasonable age of 23. Saturday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis could go a long way in determining the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. On that day, he hurled three innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, allowing one run on two hits and three walks. Scheib was eclipsed by Joe Nuxhall less than a year later however. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Feller would go on to pitch until 1956, compiling a 266-162 record with a 3.25 ERA and 2,581 strikeouts. Mickey Mantle, RF: 19 years, 179 days in 1951 (Yankees)Batting third in his first Opening Day and his Major League debut, the Hall of Famer went 1-for-4 in a Yankees win against the Red Sox. But his 13-year career in the Majors began as a 21-year-old starter for the Devil Rays a little more than three years after he was drafted in the 34th round. Born on March 1, 2001, he was tagged as one of the best prospects in Major League Baseball. If Hassell somehow destroys each level of the minors one month at a time, perhaps Preller would be aggressive enough to call up the sweet-swinging outfielder for a September playoff push. He returned to be a solid big league hurler for several seasons in the mid-1950's. Franco wont be the youngest player to debut in the Majors, of course. The Orioles beat the Washington Senators, 7-6. Until this day, Joe Nuxhall is in the record books for being the youngest player to ever play in the MLB. He is also the youngest artist in the Top 10. Rogers Hornsby, SS: 19 years, 351 days in 1916 (Cardinals)Hornsby had debuted in September 1915, but played in his first Opening Day in 1916. But more importantly, Ott is also a 12-time All-Star and a World Series champion. A international player must be at least 17 by the end of their first pro season. MLB! Tatis says shoulder, wrist '100%' in first game since '21. He was signed by the Giants at the very young age of 16. He pinch hit and struck out in the eighth inning of win over the Chicago White Sox. Marco Jose Luciano is a 19-year-old active MLB player from the Dominican Republic. Teams are once again realizing the vital role that talented youths play in this great game, as we are seeing young players contributing to their teams across MLB. Alvarez is a bit tougher to imagine, considering how much extra time catchers usually need to develop, but he is about as highly touted on prospect lists as any other player mentioned in this search outside of Volpe. The No. Since then . Witt Jr. has that rare power speed combo (30/30 in 2021) that makes fans, scouts, and collectors foam at the mouth in . Here are the 10 youngest players opening the season in the big leagues: 1. Upon returning to baseball, he cemented a regular utility role with the Phillies, taking part in their storied "Whiz Kid" squad in 1950. Tampa Bay called up Upton and gave him his first start on Aug. 2, 2004, a 6-3 loss against Boston. It remains to be seen if he will remain the youngest player in the MLB next season. 2 prospect in the Minors, according to Baseball America, behind only Joe Mauer. Crawford went 1-for-4 with two RBIs in his debut. Though he did little to impress in those two games, he was able to stick around Chicago for eight seasons, even earning All-Star honors in 1949 and 1950. MLB's current rules don't allow anyone younger than 17 to be on a big league roster. Ozzie Albies, also 20, is the second youngest. Tips/tools for using data gri ds: Manual Filter: Single-click a row to highlight in orange. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. The youngest player in Major League Baseball is Baltimore Orioles infielder Adrian Marin, who is currently 21 years old. Following the 1944 season, Miksis joined the Navy and served for 2 years before resuming his big league career in 1946. He appeared in just 40 games in his career, hitting three home runs, all in 1947. He would sit out the entire 1943 season, and played only sparingly upon his return for the 1944 and 1945 seasons. Delmon Young: 20 years, 349 days Debut: Aug. 29, 2006 The No. MLB 35 HR/120 RBI Seasons Since 2000. He's proven to be a perennial Cy Young candidate since shifting to . While his talent will never be disputed, addiction curbed much of his success in the subsequent years. 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