FanPost

MLB is in a good place

Whether or not the Royals are in the best place, I think Major League Baseball is in the best place it has been in years. I think the "Steroid Era" is officially coming to an end with the careers of Manny and A-Rod winding down and the influx of new talent into the league. I think this years rookie class is the best I have ever seen and could be the best of all time when all is said and done.

When looking at this years rookie class, it has impact players at every position. Its always more fun to put players in a hypothetical line-up than to discuss their general merit so here is my hypothetical line-up.

1. Austin Jackson (CF - DET)

2. Carlos Santana (C - CLE)

3. Jason Heyward (RF - ATL)

4. Mike Stanton (LF - FLA)

5. Justin Smoak (1B - TEX)

6. Pedro Alvarez (3B - PIT) - assuming he gets the call real soon

7. Ike Davis (1B - NYM)

8. Starlin Castro (SS - CHC)

9. Reid Brignac (2B - TB)

BN: Buster Posey (C - SF)

BN: Drew Stubbs (CF - CIN)

BN: Brennan Boesch (OF - DET)

BN: David Freese (3B - STL)

BN: Gaby Sanchez (1B - FLA)

BN: Ian Desmond (SS - WAS)

BN: Alcides Escobar (SS - MIL)

BN: Danny Valencia (3B - MIN)

BN: Jose Tabata (OF - PIT)

SP: Steven Strausburg (SP - WAS)

SP: Mike Leake (SP - CIN)

SP: Jaime Garcia (SP - STL)

SP: Jake Arrieta (SP - BAL)

SP: Mitch Talbot (SP - CLE)

SP: Jouhlys Chachin (SP - COL)

SP: Brad Lincoln (SP - PIT)

RP: John Ely (RP - LAD)

RP: Andrew Cashner (RP - CHC)

RP: Drew Storen (RP - WAS)

RP: Sergio Santos (RP - CHW)

RP: Blake Wood (RP - KC)

Setup: Jennry Mejia (RP - NYM)

CL: Neftali Feliz (CL - TEX)

This list doesn't include Desmond Jennings (CF - TB), Brett Wallace (1B - TOR), Chris Carter (1B - OAK), Michael Taylor (OF - OAK), Jeremy Hellickson (SP - TB), Martin Perez (SP - TEX), Kyle Drabek (SP - TOR), Madison Bumgardner (SP - SF), Freddie Freeman (1B - ATL), Mike Moustakas (3B - KC). All of these guys could get the call soon. And I didn't include Brian Matusz (SP - BAL) or Wade Davis (SP - TB) because I think they are over the limit.

Strausburg gives this class a serious boost but Jason Heyward and Mike Stanton look like unbelievable players. Starlin Castro is one of the most exciting shortstops to watch. What Mike Leake and Jaime Garcia have done this year has been remarkable. Austin Jackson has hit everything.

So my question is... Is this one of the best rookie classes ever?

This FanPost was written by a member of the Royals Review community. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the editors and writers of this site.