Five Players Who Could Make Their First All-Star Game in 2025

The All-Star Game is a place for MLB's best to shine. These five players could earn their first trip to the Midsummer Classic this season.

Grayson Rodriguez of the Baltimore Orioles throws a pitch during his Major League debut against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 5: Grayson Rodriguez #30 of the Baltimore Orioles throws a pitch during his Major League debut against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on April 5, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ben Ludeman/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)

Once again, first-time All-Stars dominated the field at the 2024 Midsummer Classic.

National League starting pitcher Paul Skenes and the game’s MVP, Jarren Duran, were just two of 39 first-timers selected to represent their respective leagues in Texas last summer.

It’s become an annual tradition for breakout stars and the future of baseball to get their first appearance on the national stage at MLB’s mid-season showcase.

Looking ahead to 2025, as the All-Star festivities make their way to Truist Park in Atlanta, there is sure to be a new crop of players donning the AL and NL All-Star uniforms for the first time.

Ad – content continues below

Today, as we have done the past two years, we are going to look at five players who could stamp their name among baseball’s elite and earn a trip to the All-Star Game for the first time come July. However, we’ll be limiting the list to players in at least their third MLB season, as second-year stars like Jackson Chourio and Wyatt Langford already seem destined for stardom in 2025.

So, with that all set up, let’s dive in.

All stats courtesy FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

Five Potential First-Time All-Stars

Lawrence Butler, Athletics

  • 2024 Stats: 451 PA, .262/.317/.490, .345 wOBA, 22 HR, 57 RBI, 130 wRC+, 3.3 fWAR
  • 2025 Steamer Projections: 672 PA, .256/.317/.455, .333 wOBA, 29 HR, 78 RBI, 122 wRC+, 3.5 fWAR

A breakout star in 2024, Lawrence Butler is poised to take on the mantle of franchise centerpiece with the Athletics entering his third season in the big leagues.

Just 24 years old, the six-foot-four, sweet-swinging outfielder put his name on the map through his final 61 games last season, ranking as the 15th most-valuable position player in the second half. Butler slashed .300/.345/.553 — good for a 155 wRC+ — while smacking 13 homers and stealing 12 bases after the All-Star break.

However, it wasn’t necessarily a slam dunk, breakthrough season from Opening Day to Game 162. Butler was optioned to Triple-A on May 13, sporting a 29.8% strikeout rate, 67 wRC+, and .094 ISO. He looked more like the player who struggled to make any kind of quality contact through a 42-game debut in 2023.

Ad – content continues below

But once he returned from 27 games in Triple-A Las Vegas on June 18, Butler had clearly made some adjustments both mechanically and in his approach. 

Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (4) hits a single during an MLB game between the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics.
OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 21: Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (4) hits a single during an MLB game between the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics on September 21, 2024, at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Our Aram Leighton wrote an excellent piece in September, identifying some of the swing changes that Butler made that helped him find his stride in the majors.

Armed with his refined swing, Butler cut his strikeout rate to 21.8% from his return through the end of the season and was able to tap into his raw power more frequently — a pretty dangerous combination, as it turns out.

Over his final 330 plate appearances, Butler started to swing more often but also stopped whiffing.

SpanSwing%Contact%In-Zone Contact%In-Zone Swing%
March 28 to May 1342.970.176.559.8
June 18 to Sept 2849.577.085.068.8
Butler’s swing and contact numbers pre- and post-demotion

Pairing any kind of significant improvement in results with a tangible adjustment in mechanics or approach is always a reassuring sign that a player isn’t just going through the ups and downs that naturally come in baseball. So, seeing Butler’s new swing pay immediate dividends should be an indication of good things to come in 2025.

As far as earning his spot among the American League’s finest this coming July, Butler will likely have some stiff competition to crack a starting outfield, with Aaron Judge and a hopefully healthy Mike Trout bound to earn a significant portion of the fan vote. But if Butler can maintain his second-half pace, he should be able to crack the next tier of AL outfielders.

Ad – content continues below

Christian Walker, Houston Astros

  • 2024 Stats: 552 PA, .251/.333/.468, .343 wOBA, 26 HR, 84 RBI, 119 wRC+, 3.0 fWAR
  • 2025 Steamer Projections: 646 PA, .243/.327/.463, .339 wOBA, 32 HR, 96 RBI, 124 wRC+, 3.1 fWAR

Christian Walker has long been one of the most underrated players in baseball. Over his last three seasons with the Diamondbacks, the 33-year-old ranked sixth among qualified first basemen in fWAR (10.8), third in home runs (95) and ninth in wOBA (.347).

So, you might figure he had cracked the National League All-Star roster at least once. But that’s not the case. Going up against the likes of Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, Pete Alonso and Matt Olson has made life rough for other intriguing senior circuit one-baggers.

But no longer calling the desert home, Walker could be in line to get that long-deserved All-Star nod as one of the Astros’ off-season expenditures.

Just Baseball’s Top 10 First Basemen for the 2025 season

In signing his three-year, $60 million deal with Houston, not only does Walker take himself out of the uber-competitive first base picture in the National League, but he also moves into a park that should prove to be a perfect fit for his swing.

According to Baseball Savant’s Park Factors Leaderboard, Houston’s Daikin Park — we miss you already, Minute Maid — has had the ninth-highest home run factor for right-handed hitters over the past three seasons, while Arizona’s Chase Field has had the seventh-lowest.

Of course, that is a product of the infamous Crawford Boxes, sitting a mere 315 feet from home plate down the left-field line in Houston.

Ad – content continues below

Using Baseball Savant’s expected home runs by park feature, we can see that Walker will be uniquely positioned to take advantage of his new home. In 2024, only one stadium boosted the 33-year-old’s expected long ball totals higher than that of Daikin Park.

2024 spray chart for new Houston Astro potential first time All-Star Game participant Christian Walker.
All of Walker’s hits in 2024 overlayed at Daikin Park (per Baseball Savant).

Walker doesn’t pull the ball at a rate as extreme as that of, say, new teammates Isaac Paredes or Jose Altuve, but he still ranked 27th among qualified hitters in pull percentage (42.1%) in 2024. Combine that with his propensity to hit the ball in the air — he also ranked 12th in all of baseball in fly ball rate (46.9%) — and you have a player who should fit the Astros’ lineup like a glove.

Beyond his seamless free-agent fit with the reigning AL West champs, Walker should vie for an All-Star spot in the American League because of his well-rounded game, his spot on a winning club, and the apparent lack of competition among AL first basemen.

With Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Yandy Díaz, Vinnie Pasquantino and Triston Casas the frontrunners to give Walker a run for his money, the newest Astro seems like a pretty good bet to be in Atlanta on July 15.

Trevor Megill, Milwaukee Brewers

  • 2024 Stats: 48 G, 46.1 IP, 2.72 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 1.01 WHIP, 27.3 K%, 7.7 BB%, 1.0 fWAR
  • 2025 Steamer Projections: 65 G, 65.0 IP, 3.48 ERA, 3.41 FIP, 1.17 WHIP, 29.7 K%, 8.6 BB%, 0.7 fWAR

Death, taxes, and the Brewers sending elite late-game relievers to the All-Star Game.

Milwaukee has sent a reliever to the Midsummer Classic in eight of the last 10 years — excluding the 2020 season when no game was held. That list has included Devin Williams, Josh Hader, Jeremy Jeffress, Corey Knebel, and Francisco Rodriguez.

Ad – content continues below

And now? Trevor Megill is poised to emerge as the latest development win in Brew City.

After Williams was shipped to New York in December, Megill looks like the heir apparent in the ninth inning.

It’s a role that should come easy to the six-foot-eight righty, as he saved 21 games for the Brewers in 2024, filling in when Williams was out to begin the season.

Armed with a fastball that averages 98.8 MPH and a devastating knuckle curve, Megill has the stuff to stick as Milwaukee’s closer. That said, he did miss a month last season with a back injury and has never thrown more than the 46.1 innings he logged in 2024.

But if he can stay healthy in 2025, Megill has a chance to be one of MLB’s top closers.

In posting a 32.8% chase rate and 29.7% whiff rate, the 31-year-old demonstrated that he’s able to miss bats and rack up strikeouts while only throwing two pitches.

Ad – content continues below

PitchPitch%Average AgainstSlugging AgainstWhiff%Run ValueStuff+
Fastball71.6.209.27922.212127
Knuckle Curve28.4.167.33355.00167
Megill’s arsenal stats in 2024, per Baseball Savant and FanGraphs

Of all relievers to throw at least 40 innings in 2024, Megill’s 141 Stuff+ ranked eighth, and his knuckle curve’s 167 mark was the seventh-best grade on any individual pitch.

Megill also limits the long ball extremely well. Over the past three seasons, he’s allowed just 10 homers in 126 innings.

Put it all together, and you have what looks to be a pretty reliable late-game arm. Steamer’s projections agree, having him penciled in for 28 saves, a near 30% strikeout rate, and a sub-10% walk rate. That has him in the same territory as the likes of Ryan Helsley, Andrés Muñoz and Jeff Hoffman.

Predicting which relievers are set to break out in any particular year is nearly an impossible task. But Megill has clearly shown that he has the skills to close out games, and now, with the opportunity in front of him to follow in the footsteps of his dominant predecessors, he could break onto the national stage with a strong first-half.

Luis García Jr., Washington Nationals

  • 2024 Stats: 528 PA, .282/.318/.444, .328 wOBA, 18 HR, 70 RBI, 111 wRC+, 3.1 fWAR
  • 2025 Steamer Projections: 545 PA, .278/.320/.441, .327 wOBA, 17 HR, 66 RBI, 110 wRC+, 2.8 fWAR

Following a 2024 breakout that saw Luis García Jr. grade as the Nationals’ most valuable position player (per FanGraphs), the 24-year-old will enter 2025 with a chance to establish himself as part of Washington’s long-term future.

Last season, the left-handed hitting García posted career-highs across the board, providing positive value offensively, defensively, and on the bases.

Ad – content continues below

A true free-swinger at the plate, the five-year veteran’s approach will likely always limit his upside as far as reaching base goes, but García’s bat-to-ball skills and ability to make consistent, solid contact cover up some of his chase issues.

Just Baseball’s Top 10 Second Basemen for the 2025 season

For a guy who makes as much contact as García does, being able to turn in an 8.0% barrel rate, a 41.2% hard-hit rate, and a .379 xwOBAcon shows a significant improvement in his ability to tap into the upper echelons of his power more frequently.

Another thing that makes García a decent bet to repeat — if not improve upon — his big 2024 is just how consistent he was throughout the season. His first- and second-half splits are nearly identical, showing that his breakout numbers weren’t carried by a single month of production.

One area that will be worth monitoring in 2025, however, is how he fares against left-handed pitching.

Platoon SplitPAAVGOBPSLGK%BB%wRC+
Vs. RHP414.288.326.46915.75.3120
Vs. LHP114.259.289.35218.44.478
García’s 2024 splits

While he clearly found a ton of success in off-handed matchups, García struggled to do damage against opposing southpaws and was frequently held out of Washington’s lineup with a lefty on the mound.

With the Nationals bringing in Amed Rosario, it’s unclear if García will be subject to a platoon this summer.

Ad – content continues below

Regardless, García’s lefty bat will have him in the lineup the majority of the time, and as he showed in 2024, that’s a great spot for him to be in. The second base picture in the National League should help his All-Star bid, as he will be battling Ketel Marte, Ozzie Albies, and Nico Hoerner for a trip to Georgia.

Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles

  • 2024 Stats: 20 G, 116.2 IP, 3.86 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.24 WHIP, 26.5 K%, 7.7% BB%, 2.0 fWAR
  • 2025 Steamer Projections: 28 G, 162.0 IP, 3.69 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, 26.5 K%, 7.3 BB%, 2.5 fWAR

Grayson Rodriguez is quietly one of the most important pitchers in baseball in 2025.

The Baltimore Orioles lost Corbin Burnes to free agency, and instead of adding a replacement at the top of their rotation, they signed veterans Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano to backfill behind Rodriguez and Zach Eflin.

In doing so, the Orioles are clearly leaving the door open for Rodriguez to make the leap into the small group of bona fide aces in MLB. The good news? It’s a role that Rodriguez has seemingly been destined to fill since the Orioles selected him 11th overall in 2018.

Now entering his third big-league season, the six-foot-five righty is going to have to build on his success in 2024 and, most importantly, stay healthy.

Last summer, we saw Rodriguez pitch as one of the best mid-rotation starters in baseball, using a deep four-pitch mix to increase his strikeout rate, drop his walk rate and limit damage even better than he did in his rookie campaign.

Ad – content continues below

However, as the season wore on, the 25-year-old became less effective and eventually was shut down for the final two months of the year due to a right lat/teres strain.

So, being able to withstand the rigors of a full workload in 2025 will arguably be the thing that decides just how well his campaign goes. Because we know he has the chops to get outs at a high level.

All four of Rodriguez’s main pitches graded at 113 or higher by Stuff+ last year. Put them all together, and the Central Heights High School product ranked eighth among all MLB pitchers in 2024 (min. 110 IP) with a total Stuff+ grade of 119, coming in ahead of Tyler Glasnow, Ryan Pepiot and Taj Bradley.

It’s Rodriguez’s changeup, however, that could be the key to unlocking his No. 1 upside.

PitchPitch%Stuff+Average AgainstSlugging AgainstxBAxSLGWhiff%
Fastball46.5113.291.413.247.39826.9
Changeup21.0140.161.306.173.30334.8
Slider15.8118.250.563.270.51336.1
Curveball15.5114.260.380.269.39224.1
Rodriguez’s arsenal stats in 2024

Rodriguez’s secondary offering checked in as the top changeup in baseball by Stuff+ (144) and held opposing hitters to a paltry .161 average — but he only threw it 21% of the time.

Of course, just saying, “Throw this pitch more,” isn’t always an effective solution, but in this case, it seems like Rodriguez could benefit from reining in his fastball usage just a tad.

Ad – content continues below

Projection systems seem to generally be buying what Rodriguez is selling, with the Orioles starter often projected to place among the top 25 pitchers in the American League by fWAR. But FanGraphs’ new OOPSY projection system is particularly excited about Rodriguez’s 2025.

That checks out, since OOPSY accounts for Stuff+. And it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to believe that Rodriguez could be a small pitch-usage tweak away from being able to capitalize on the elite stuff he possesses and take the leap into the top 10 to 15 starters in the junior circuit.

Similarly to relievers, it’s difficult to project which starters will get hurt, which will struggle, and which will continue to pitch at an All-Star level. But given Rodriguez’s situation — taking over for Burnes as Baltimore’s go-to arm — he will have the chance to build the narrative that he has taken the ace mantle for what should be a successful Orioles club. That narrative should help him make his pitch for becoming a first-time All-Star in 2025.