The start of the 2016 MLB season is just around the corner. All 30 teams are in spring training, and the preparation that is being done now could pay off big come playoff time. Many players are simply fighting for roster spots in spring training, but there are a number of players around the league that are expected to have major impacts in 2016.
There was a big youth movement in baseball last season with players like Bryce Harper, Antony Rizzo, Carlos Correa and Kris Bryant dominating the league. This season, there are some young players that have the potential to break out, and those players could end up in the postseason if certain things fall into place.
Players like Taijuan Walker, Mookie Betts, Michael Conforto, Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez, Corey Seager and Jonathan Schoop could be household names by the time 2016 is done.
Here is a look at three players that could put up big numbers this season:
Taijuan Walker, Seattle Mariners
Walker has the chance to be one of the top breakout players in 2016 with the Seattle Mariners. After making 11 combined starts in 2013-14, Walker started 29 games for the Mariners last year. Overall, he had an up and down season, finishing with an 11-8 record and a 4.56 ERA, but he showed a ton of potential. After getting knocked around at the beginning of the season, Walker settled in and finished with 157 strikeouts in 169 innings pitched. Walker is just 23 years old and has a fastball that averages around 95 mph, making him a potential weapon in the rotation behind Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma. Mariners manager Scott Servais said last week that Walker will not have an innings limit this season, giving him the chance to get a full year under his belt.
Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox
Betts had a strong season for the Red Sox in 2015, and he could have an even bigger year in 2016. He showed that he has five tools as a player, and while he may have broken out in a sense already, Betts is on track to be one of the top young players in baseball moving forward. The 23-year-old showed a strong glove in the outfield last season, and he also showed speed on the base paths, stealing 21 bases in 145 games. Betts posted a .291 average with 18 home runs and 77 RBI, and he should only get better this season. Betts hit close to .400 during the month of September, and he will try to continue that hot hitting to start the 2016 season.
Michael Conforto, New York Mets
Conforto was called up last season for the Mets and made an immediate impact for the team. He added some power and depth in the outfield and ended up playing a major role for the team in the playoffs. The 23-year-old played in 56 games during the regular season, hitting nine home runs with 26 RBI while posting a .270 batting average. The Mets are expected to use Conforto as a starting outfielder, and that gives him the potential to put up big numbers this season.
