Phillies Duo, Japanese Stars Highlight Current National League All Star Favorites

by Julian Spivey

We’re about 50 games into the Major League Baseball season, meaning it’s almost time for the league to unveil its All Star Game ballot.

Every year I like to pick the players I think should get the starting nod for the midsummer classic. I like to make my first selections in May and my final batch in June.

Here are the 10 players I think are currently the most deserving of the All-Star starting spots in the National League…

*All stats are as of May 18

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Pitcher: Shōta Imanaga (Chicago Cubs)
During the MLB offseason, the biggest pitching acquisition out of the Japanese professional league was Yoshinobu Yamamoto going to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shōta Imanaga was almost an afterthought when he signed with the Chicago Cubs. Imanaga is certainly an afterthought no more – he’s been the best pitcher in baseball nearly 50 games into the season. Imanaga leads baseball with a 0.84 ERA while having a 5-0 record with 58 strikeouts and a 0.91 WHIP.

Catcher: William Contreras (Milwaukee Brewers)
Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras is currently tied with Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani for the National League batting title with a .350 average. He’s tied with Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernadez for second in the league with 37 RBI. The 26-year-old backstop, who was an All-Star with the Atlanta Braves in his first full-time season in the league in 2022, is well on his way to career-highs all around.

First Base: Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies)
The Philadelphia Phillies are the hottest team in baseball right now and a lot of that has to do with their veteran superstar Bryce Harper, who has taken very well to first base after spending the majority of his career as an outfielder. Harper is fourth in the N.L. with 10 home runs and fifth in the league with 33 RBI. The two-time MVP is looking to make his eighth career All-Star team.

Second Base: Ketel Marte (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte was one of the biggest stories of the 2023 MLB Postseason with his lengthy hit streak. Marte has picked off in 2024 right where he left off in 2023 on a hot streak. Marte is hitting .287 with nine home runs, 25 RBI and a .333 OBP. Marte is hoping to make his first All-Star appearance since 2019.

Third Base: Alec Bohm (Philadelphia Phillies)
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm is another one of the big reasons the Phillies are currently the best team in baseball. Bohm is fifth in the N.L. with a .329 average. He’s second in the league with 37 RBI and he’s fourth in the league with 57 hits. The 27-year-old is looking to make his first All-Star appearance this season.

Shortstop: Mookie Betts (Los Angeles Dodgers)
It’s wild how Mookie Betts could go from one of the best outfielders in baseball to the best shortstop in the National League, but here we are. Betts is fourth in the league with a .341 average and second in the league with 63 hits. He leads the league with 40 runs scored. He’s also added eight home runs and 29 RBI to go along with all those numbers. The 31-year-old is looking to make his eighth career All Star Game.

Outfield: Jurickson Profar (San Diego Padres), Teoscar Hernandez (Los Angeles Dodgers), Cody Bellinger (Chicago Cubs)
As amazing as my American League outfield selections were, the National League is kind of lackluster thus far this season when it comes to the outfield – you can blame some of it on reigning MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. having a bit of a slow start and the aforementioned Mookie Betts move to shortstop. San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar is hitting .325 with seven home runs and 30 RBI. The 31-year-old veteran is hoping to make the first All-Star Game of his 11-year career. Teoscar Hernandez’s .245 average is lower than I’d like to see from one of my All-Star selections but I can’t deny his power numbers with 11 home runs being third in the league and his 37 RBI are second. My final outfield selection goes to Chicago Cubs veteran Cody Bellinger, who is hitting .264 with seven home runs and 22 RBI.

Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers)
With apologies to Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves who is having a terrific season thus far, but this is a no-brainer to go with Shohei Ohtani in his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers (hell, he’s going to win the fan vote anyway when it happens). Ohtani leads the N.L. with a .350 average (tied with William Contreras), he’s first in the league with 13 home runs, and he’s first in the league with 64 hits.