3 Braves players who can make their first All-Star team in 2024

Last season, the Atlanta Braves showed just how dominant they were by sending eight players to the 2023 MLB All-Star Game in Seattle. Six of their nine regular position players made the NL All-Star team, which is just absurd to think about.

Despite a lack of postseason success the Braves were clearly the best team last regular season, winning 107 games in dominant fashion. They’ll once again be among the league’s best this season.

While the Braves will certainly send players to the All-Star Game who have been there before, there’s a chance that these three players who have yet to be selected to an All-Star team will have their moment this season.

3) A.J. Minter can make his first All-Star team in 2024

This one might be a bit far-fetched, but it’s certainly not impossible. Set-up men often get overlooked in All-Star Game consideration because they don’t have many (if any) saves, but Yennier Cano showed last season that it’s not impossible for a non-closer to make it.

Minter has established himself as one of the premier set-up men in the game. His 3.70 ERA from this past season was a bit higher than we had become accustomed to from Minter, but that ERA was inflated from an awful April and an iffy May.

From June 1 on, Minter was nothing short of dominant. He had a 1.85 ERA in 43 appearances and 39 innings pitched. He racked up 20 holds and three saves in that span without blowing a single save opportunity. That kind of dominance is nothing new for the southpaw who had a 0.83 ERA in the shortened 2020 season and a 2.06 ERA in 2022. When he’s on, he’s on.

It’s all about timing for Minter. If he can get off to a good start, he’ll have a chance of being named an All-Star even as a non-closer.

2) Raisel Iglesias can make his first All-Star team in 2024

Crazy enough, Raisel Iglesias has never made a single All-Star game. He’s been one of the best closers in the league since taking over as a full-time closer in the 2017 campaign, yet has not been given the respect he clearly deserves.

This past season Iglesias was once again one of the better relievers in the National League. He posted a 2.75 ERA in 58 appearances and 50 innings of work, converting 33 saves in 37 opportunities. The right-hander did miss the first month of the season and started a bit slowly once he returned from the IL, but he had a 1.84 ERA in 30 second-half appearances showing how great he can be.

The 34-year-old will serve as Atlanta’s primary closer entering the 2024 campaign once again. This time around, he’s healthy, and should rack up the stats necessary to get into the game. He should record plenty of saves pitching for a Braves team that should win most of their games, so as long as he keeps his ERA low enough, it’s hard to envision Iglesias not getting in.

The National League has elite closers like Edwin and Alexis Diaz, Ryan Helsley, David Bednar, and Camilo Doval (to name a few) so Iglesias will face some stiff competition, but as long as he pitches as he is capable there’s little reason to doubt he’ll be snubbed once again.

1) Michael Harris II can make his first All-Star team in 2024

Six of Atlanta’s nine regulars were All-Stars last season alone, and seven of their nine have been All-Stars in their careers. The only players in their projected lineup who haven’t been All-Stars yet are Jarred Kelenic, a young player who has potential but hasn’t quite put it all together at the MLB level quite yet and Michael Harris II, a player who looks like he’ll have a great shot at being an All-Star this season.

Harris has already established himself as one of the premier center fielders not only in the National League but in all of baseball. He’s a five-tool player who has been an instrumental piece for Atlanta in each of his first two MLB seasons.

This past season saw the 23-year-old slash .293/.331/.477 with 18 home runs and 57 RBI in 138 games. He tacked on 33 doubles, 20 stolen bases, and was elite defensively as well, ranking in the 92nd percentile in outs above average according to Baseball Savant.

Harris should hit right in the middle of Atlanta’s lineup this season and so far in Spring Training he’s been unbelievable, recording 13 hits in 37 at-bats with three home runs and three stolen bases. Spring stats don’t mean much, but it’s good to see Harris get off to a good start after he did not do that last season.

His numbers have looked All-Star worthy in each of his first two seasons, it’s just on Harris to get going early enough to his numbers look All-Star worthy at the right time.

This article was originally published on fansided.com as 3 Braves players who can make their first All-Star team in 2024 .