These 10 players are All-MLB sleeper picks in '24

With the All-MLB Team presented by MGM Rewards announced Saturday night during the inaugural All-MLB Weekend in Las Vegas, we turn our attention to 2024 and ask: Which players could be sleeper picks to be named to their first All-MLB squad next year?

From rising young stars who could have multiple All-MLB honors on their résumés before it’s all said and done, to one exciting player who has been so dominant that he could make the team as a rookie next season, here’s a look at 10 candidates:

Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals
The hype was off the charts when Witt made his MLB debut in 2022, a season for which he finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. But he took his performance to another level in ’23.

The 23-year-old shortstop became the first player in Royals history to hit at least 30 home runs and steal at least 30 bases in a single season, and only the second in AL/NL history with 30 homers and 49 steals at age 23 or younger (also Mike Trout in 2012). He finished seventh in AL MVP Award voting.

Witt actually got off to a slow start at the plate last season -- at the All-Star break, he was hitting .257/.300/.442, though he did have 14 homers. In the second half, he caught fire, posting a .301/.343/.563 slash line with 16 homers the rest of the way.

As he ascends in the ranks of baseball’s best, it’s not hard to envision Witt being named to the All-MLB squad in 2024.

Royce Lewis, 3B, Twins
Lewis’ arrival on the Major League stage was marred by injury, but when he’s been in Minnesota’s lineup, he’s been sensational.

The first overall selection of the 2017 Draft made his MLB debut in May 2022, but he played in only 12 games before tearing his right ACL for the second time in two years and missing the rest of the season. He returned in May 2023, and though his ’23 campaign was limited to 58 games by oblique and hamstring injuries, he made history.

Lewis posted a .921 OPS with 15 home runs, four of which were grand slams, a Twins single-season record. The four slams came in an 18-game stretch, an AL/NL record. He then launched homers in his first two postseason at-bats, going on to total four home runs in his first taste of playoff baseball.

After electrifying the baseball world in September and October this past season, Lewis could very well find himself on the All-MLB Team if he plays a full season in 2024.

Jung Hoo Lee, CF, Giants
How Lee will perform in MLB is yet to be seen, and even though the Giants signed him to a six-year, $113 million contract, the Korean baseball star has shown some tendencies at the plate that may be cause for concern.

There’s the ground ball rate of nearly 60 percent, and also a relative power outage in an injury-shortened 2023 campaign with Seoul’s Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization -- his slugging percentage fell 120 points year-over-year from ’22 to ’23.

Still, there’s a lot to like about Lee’s profile as a hitter. He has a very high contact rate and great speed -- plus a baseball pedigree that earned him the nickname “Grandson of the Wind.” He sprays the ball to all fields, which can be particularly advantageous in the cavernous Oracle Park outfield. He’s also just 25 years old and has a track record of great defense in center field.

While it’s hard to project what kind of production Lee will give San Francisco, it’s not hard to imagine him living up to what he said in his introductory press conference on Friday: “From Opening Day on, fans will be impressed with the skill set.”

Spencer Steer, INF/OF, Reds
Steer is at the center of a young and exciting core of prospects who blossomed for the Reds in 2023, along with Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Will Benson.

Steer is a versatile defender, seeing time at first base, second base and third base, as well as the corner outfield spots. In his first full MLB season, he was impressive at the plate in 2023, posting an .820 OPS with 23 home runs and 86 RBIs for Cincinnati. He also has above-average speed, as evidenced by his 15 steals.

Entering his age-26 season, Steer could be on the verge of an even bigger performance in 2024. If that materializes, he could find himself on the All-MLB roster at this time next year.

Evan Carter, OF, Rangers
If his performance during the 2023 postseason is any indication, we could be seeing a lot of accolades headed Carter’s way in the years to come. Those could certainly include some All-MLB Team selections.

The 21-year-old outfielder made his MLB debut on Sept. 8, and it couldn’t have gone much better -- he hit .306 with four doubles and five home runs in 23 games. But that was only a prelude for bigger things to come. In October, he hit .300 (18-for-60) with a single-postseason-record nine doubles to help the Rangers win a World Series title.

Carter is the No. 8 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. And he showed why in such a short period of time last fall. What’s next? Perhaps an All-MLB debut after his first full season in the big leagues.

Nolan Jones, OF, Rockies
Jones was a revelation for Colorado after the Rockies acquired him in a trade with the Guardians prior to the 2023 season. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound outfielder showcased power at the plate, speed on the bases and a cannon for an arm.

Had he made his Rockies debut prior to May 26, Jones may have finished higher than fourth in NL Rookie of the Year Award voting. He launched 20 home runs and stole 20 bases while posting a .931 OPS (138 OPS+).

A couple of Jones’ homers traveled nearly 500 feet, and the missiles he unleashed from left field had Statcast arm strength readings over 100 mph. In fact, Jones led MLB with an average arm strength of 98.9 mph in 2023.

Before you know it, it could be hard to keep up with Jones. His all-around abilities could even land him a surprise All-MLB selection in 2024.

Yainer Diaz, C, Astros
Diaz is an exciting young backstop with intriguing potential. After hitting at every level he played in the Minor Leagues, he made a big impression with the Astros in 104 games last season.

The 25-year-old belted 23 home runs with an .846 OPS in his first full season in the Majors. That performance makes him the presumptive starting catcher for Houston next season, and with the extra plate appearances, who knows what kind of numbers he’ll put up in 2024?

It will be a significant moment for the Astros, moving on from veteran Martín Maldonado, who was fantastic with Houston’s pitching staff and played a key role in the club’s success over the past several years, which includes two World Series championships. But Diaz represents a major offensive upgrade.

If he can produce like he did last season over a wider sample in 2024, it could lead to Diaz being a sleeper All-MLB candidate.

Paul Skenes, RHP, Pirates
Wait, what are we saying here? We’re saying that Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 Draft and the No. 3 overall prospect in the game per MLB Pipeline, could be a real candidate to make the All-MLB team next year.

This is a guy who was considered the best pitching prospect in the Draft since Stephen Strasburg in 2009. He has a fastball that sits at 98 mph and can touch 102 mph, along with a biting slider and a power changeup.

With the relatively low release point and flat angle from which Skenes unleashes his triple-digit fastball, it gets on opponents even more quickly than the radar gun would indicate, playing even higher than the impressive velocity readings show.

The consensus opinion is Skenes will be in Pittsburgh before we know it, perhaps as soon as May or June of next season. If that happens, the former Air Force/LSU star could raise some eyebrows with how he fares against Major League hitters in his first taste of the big leagues.

George Kirby, RHP, Mariners
So far, so great for Kirby over his first two seasons with the Mariners. He finished sixth in AL Rookie of the Year voting with a strong campaign in 2022, then followed that up with an even better performance in ’23.

In all, it adds up to 56 career starts over which he has a 3.37 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. The 25-year-old right-hander led the Majors with the fewest walks per nine innings (0.9) and the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio (9.1) last season, earning his first All-Star selection in the process.

Kirby is trending up, both with his results and also with his stuff -- he gained two ticks on his four-seam fastball, which averaged 94 mph in his rookie campaign and 96 mph last season.

Heading into 2024, the sky’s the limit for Kirby. It remains to be seen what heights he reaches next year, but they could certainly feature an All-MLB selection if he continues on his current trajectory.

Shōta Imanaga, LHP, free agent
Like Lee, Imanaga is kind of a wild card since we’ve never seen what he can do against Major League competition. But the 30-year-old Japanese left-hander has plenty of upside that suggests he could be very good in 2024.

Imanaga features a four-pitch mix: fastball, slider, splitter and curveball. He has seen some Major League hitters before -- during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he started the gold medal game against Team USA and impressed his opponents.

Some of the batters Imanaga faced said he kind of reminded them of Max Fried in the way he could dominate right-handed hitters. He notably struck out Paul Goldschmidt with a nasty splitter.

If Imanaga demonstrates more of the same on a larger scale next season, he could prove to be a great investment for whichever team signs him this offseason after he posted a 3.18 ERA over eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball. Could he be All-MLB in 2024? Don’t count him out.