Where Is Baltimore Orioles Superstar Ranked On Coveted Youngsters List?

How high did a Baltimore Orioles superstar land on the list looking at the best players under the age of 25?

Sep 25, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) follows through on a two run single against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles are loaded with young talent, providing the franchise with an incredibly bright outlook.

Catcher Adley Rutschman, third baseman Jordan Westburg and right fielder Colton Cowser have all cemented themselves as everyday contributors. The talented outfielder even found himself on the top 25 under the age of 25 list after finishing as the runner up in the Rookie of the Year Award race last year.

This year, the team is hopeful that second baseman Jackson Holliday and corner infielder Coby Mayo can rise to the occasion and become the next wave of young players to establish themselves in the Major Leagues.

All of those players are incredibly talented, but there is one youngster who has already ascended to superstar status; shortstop Gunnar Henderson.

He announced his presence in 2023, winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award while also finishing eighth in the MVP voting and winning the Silver Slugger Award.

The Orioles knew they had a talented player, but even the team had to be surprised with the incredible jump that as made in Year 2.

Henderson took his game to another level, going from an incredible 6.2 WAR as a rookie to 9.1 in 2024. He finished fourth in the AL MVP voting behind New York Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge, Kansas City Royals stud shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Judge’s teammate, Juan Soto.

Earning his first of what should be many All-Star nominations, it should come as no surprise that Nick Selbe of Sports Illustrated views the Baltimore superstar in such a positive light.

On the 25 best players under the age of 25 list that he compiled, where Cowser came in at No. 24, Henderson was No. 3.

“Top-end bat speed, strike zone control and contact quality at a premium position are the stuff MVP candidates are made from. Expect him to claim some real hardware sooner rather than later,” wrote Selbe.

Henderson crushes the ball with an average exit velocity of 92.4 mph in his career. His hard-hit rate of 53.2% is elite. He's swinging the bat harder, resulting in more damage being done at the plate.

He isn’t a free swinger by any means with his 22.1% strikeout rate being just below league average while his 10.8% walk rate is above the mean.

Coming off a season in which he hit 37 home runs with 31 doubles, it will be fun to see what Henderson has in store for Year 3.

Pittsburgh Pirates phenom starting pitcher Paul Skenes was No. 2 with Witt taking home the top spot.

Unseating the No. 1 pick in the 2023 after his historic rookie campaign with the Pirates will be tough, but Henderson has the talent to push for the No. 1 spot next year when Witt ages out of the race.