(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
When looking for some of the best young talent in baseball, one should look no further than the Baltimore Orioles.
That team is loaded with some of the best young players in the sport including Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson.
Henderson is the reigning AL Rookie of the Year and he just put together an awesome season at age 22.
Across 150 games, Henderson batted .255 with 28 home runs and 82 RBI.
He finished eighth in AL MVP voting and won a Silver Slugger.
Also, Henderson had the seventh-best WAR in baseball amongst position players.
As shared by MLB Now, Henderson had a WAR of 6.2 which was the third best in the American League.
An electric rookie campaign from Gunnar Henderson @Orioles | #Top10RightNow pic.twitter.com/RDgNr0jT3t
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) February 1, 2024
It is rare for a player to have that type of production at such a young age.
What is most impressive is how he got better as the season went on.
He struggled to begin the 2023 season, batting .201 through the first 50 games.
But, he improved his average to .275 over the final 100 games.
He showed he could adjust to major-league pitching which is something a lot of young players struggle with.
Baltimore has done a great job of drafting and developing their players.
Last season, the Orioles were the number-one seed in the AL.
They won 101 games but their inexperience showed up in the playoffs.
Baltimore got swept by the Texas Rangers in their first playoff series.
Even though their season ended in disappointment their future is something to be excited about.
It will be interesting to see what Henderson does for an encore in 2024.
He is clearly on the shortlist of AL MVP candidates.
The Orioles should be in for another fantastic 2024 season.
The post Gunnar Henderson Stands Out Among 2023’s Best appeared first on The Cold Wire.