Every year in the MLB, there are players who build a reputation in the league by putting together some consistently productive games. An example from 2020 is Randy Arozarena, who provided seven homers for the Rays in the last month of the regular season, and took his hot streak into the playoffs. Here is a player from each team in the AL East who can have a breakout season in 2021.
Ryan Mountcastle got some at-bats last season when he made his debut. In 35 games, Mountcastle slashed .333/.386/.492. He had 42 hits, 23 RBIs and drew 11 walks. Out of his 42 hits, 32 were singles. If he could turn more of his hits into extra-base hits, that can certainly help the 23-year-old have a breakout season. Another factor is that he is on a struggling Orioles team, so that may help his chances of getting more starts.
Bobby Dalbec (Image from MSN.com)
Like Mountcastle, Bobby Dalbec also made his MLB debut last season. He appeared in 23 games and got 92 plate appearances. In those games, Dalbec hit eight homers and 16 RBIs with a .263/.359/.600 line. He played 21 of his 23 games at first base, and has a solid chance of getting a lot of playing time there in 2021. Dalbec is going to be turning 26-years-old during the season, so a breakout season could really help him build towards a solid big league career.
Clint Frazier has went back and forth between the Yankees and the AAA Railriders for a few years now. As other outfielders on the Yankees like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton battled injuries, Frazier would typically be one of the first guys to get called up. However, Frazier may get a chance to become a starter this season, and can certainly have a breakout year if he gets the opportunity. He has a career .806 OPS with the Yankees in 162 games played.
Joey Wendle has had some consistent numbers for the Rays over the past three seasons, but hasn’t built an All-Star season yet. In 264 games with Tampa Bay, Wendle has a .745 OPS. His OBP of .335 is not bad, but his .410 slugging percentage is something that he should want to increase. He has just 16 homers in 30 career regular season games. If he can start knocking the ball out of the park more, a breakout season could be on the horizon for Wendle.
Nate Pearson (Image from Minor League Baseball)
Nate Pearson is the lone pitcher on this list. His velocity as a starting pitcher is very notable, but his small sample size of 18 big league innings pitched hasn’t reflected that. In those 18 innings, Pearson has a 6.00 ERA, a 1.500 WHIP and 16 strikeouts. His 13 walks make his K/BB ratio poor, but improving his control can help that moving forward. Although it was just four starts, some big league experience can help Pearson have a potential breakout season heading into 2021.
Featured Image Courtesy of Newsday.
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