Bobby Witt Jr., Jackson Chourio and Elly De La Cruz Make Up Elite Club Heading into 2025

Those three young stars, plus Francisco Lindor and Jarren Duran, are five of the most electric players in the league.

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) fields a ball against the New York Yankees during game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Kauffman Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

We are officially inside one month until the start of the 2025 regular season! The season officially kicks off on March 18-19 with the Tokyo Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, but the stateside opener is March 27 for most teams around the league.

And heading into this season, one of the focuses will be the several young stars who continue to assert themselves as some of the best players in the league.

Take, for example, the note posted on social media by Sarah Langs of MLB.com on Sunday night:

Players in 85th percentile or better in batting, baserunning AND fielding run value, 2024:

Bobby Witt Jr.
Elly De La Cruz
Francisco Lindor
Jackson Chourio
Jarren Duran

h/t the wizard @Jason_Bernard

Players in 85th percentile or better in batting, baserunning AND fielding run value, 2024:

Bobby Witt Jr.
Elly De La Cruz
Francisco Lindor
Jackson Chourio
Jarren Duran

h/t the wizard @JasonBernard_

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 2, 2025

Each of those players, other than Lindor, has fewer than four years of service time in the big leagues.

Witt Jr. hit .332 to win the American League batting title last year, also belting 32 homers, netting 109 RBI and 45 doubles. He led the majors in hits with 211. Witt Jr. added 31 stolen bases and finished second in the American League MVP race, ahead of Juan Soto and behind Aaron Judge.

He also made his first All-Star Game and looks as if he'll be one of the best players in the game for years to come. He won a Gold Glove Award and a Silver Slugger and led the Royals to the playoffs.

De La Cruz is also coming off a great season in 2024. He led baseball in steals with 67, and for a while, he was on pace to steal 100 bases. In addition to his baserunning prowess, he also hit 25 homers and hit .259, showing his ability to make more consistent contact. He made his first All-Star Game and looks like he'll pair with Matt McLain to make a very exciting middle-infield tandem for years to come in Cincinnati.

The 20-year-old Chourio hit .275 in the regular season with 21 homers, 79 RBI and 22 stolen bases as the Brewers won the National League Central.

Duran was the All-Star Game MVP and is the catalyst of the Red Sox lineup.

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