With opening day just weeks away, rosters have been mostly finalized, and teams are now gearing up for the season. After an off-season that saw the Royals spend over 100 million dollars, the Guardians hired a new manager, and other significant moves, I thought it would be an excellent time to come out with the All-AL Central first team.

Catcher- Salvador Perez, Royals

When it comes to the catcher position, the division is not deep. Despite being a bottom feeder for most of the last decade, Kansas City has never had to worry about filling the catcher void that the rest of the division has. Perez is coming off a decent season, blasting 23 home runs along with 80 RBIs in his eighth all-star season behind the dish. Barring someone breaking out, Perez will be the best the division offers in 2024.

First Base- Josh Naylor, Guardians

The competition takes a big step up here. While there are guys with limitless potential such as Vinnie Pasquantino, nobody has produced as much as Naylor did in 2023. The 26-year-old posted career highs in batting average, doubles, RBIs, and slugging last season. Naylor doesn’t quite have the pop in his bat that Spencer Torkelson and Andrew Vaughn have, but he does have a more consistent bat. This comes down to who’s the best hitter, none of the first basemen in the AL Central are strong defenders.

Second Base- Andrés Giménez, Guardians

Another position in which the division lacks depth is second base. While four of the teams in the central are in limbo, Cleveland struck gold on Giménez. At only 25 years of age, Andrés already has a career WAR of 14.6 in just two full seasons as a starter. Giménez is a fantastic defender who has shown the capability to be an above-average hitter. Again, the division is incredibly weak regarding second, but Giménez is an outlier with all-star potential.

Shortstop- Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

Get used to seeing this name in this spot for a while. One of the game’s most prominent prospects came onto the scene in 2022 and has never looked back. While many of these picks factor in previous production, it’s hard not to also factor in the future, and Bobby’s looks brighter than maybe any player in the entire division. Not only do I think Witt Jr. will be the best shortstop in the central, but I’m also predicting that he will be the consensus number-one shortstop in all of baseball after 2024.

Third Base- José Ramírez, Guardians

While I project Bobby Witt Jr. to become the face of the division, there’s no denying that title has belonged to Ramírez for the first part of this decade. The 31-year-old slugger put together another stellar season in 2023, posting 24 home runs to accompany his .282 batting average. As painful as it is to see him knock Royals pitching around the yard year after year, Ramirez has become one of my favorite players to watch—four consecutive seasons of finishing in the top ten in MVP voting and no signs of slowing down in 2024.

Left Field- Steven Kwan, Guardians

Speaking of a player who gives the Royals fits. Steven Kwan burst onto the scene in 2022, and from the get-go, he was a threat in the Guardians lineup. Kwan has posted a 9.1 WAR with two gold gloves in two seasons. While I considered going with Eloy Jimenez here, Kwan has proven to be a consistent batter and a much better defender. If you’re into power bats, he won’t be your cup of tea, but as someone who grew up watching small ball, I can’t help but have a soft spot for Kwan.

Centerfield- Luis Robert Jr., White Sox

Dear baseball gods, please let this man stay healthy. Through the first three seasons of his career, Robert Jr. appeared to be going down the Byron Buxton path of super-talented but injury-prone, but in 2024, he played north of 100 games for the first time in his career and we got to see what we were all waiting for. In 145 games, Robert Jr. mashed 38 home runs and 36 doubles to help him become an all-star for the first time. Entering his age 26 season, Robert Jr. is looking prime to continue being one of the premier power hitters in the AL.

Right Field- Max Kepler, Twins

Not the deepest position in the division, I feel I have no choice but to put Kepler here. After it appeared his best days were behind him, Kepler put together a solid 2023 season that saw a resurgence in his power. We will most likely never see the 2019 Max Kepler that hit 36 long balls, but if he can continue to hit 20-25 home runs and keep his batting average north of .250 I believe he will stay in the Twin lineup as a key contributor. Watch out for former top-five pick Riley Greene of the Tigers to challenge Kepler for the top spot this season, but for now, I’m giving the nod to Kepler.

Designated Hitter- Kerry Carpenter, Tigers

It’s tricky to rank the DH spot since most of these guys split time between DH and being a utility man. Talking strictly about hitting, Carpenter had a fantastic 2023. Kerry Carpenter was drafted in the 19th round of the 2019 draft with relatively low expectations. After fighting through the minors, Carpenter saw minimal playing time in 2022 before breaking out in 2023. Carpenter posted 20 home runs with a .278 batting average in 118 games. Barring any medical issues, Carpenter is poised to continue getting better in 2024.

Starting Pitcher- Shane Bieber, Guardians

The former Cy Young winner finds himself at the top heading into 2024. While other proven veteran starters such as Eduardo Rodriguez and Dylan Cease were definitely in the running, I feel we are in for one of Bieber’s best years to date in 2024. The only thing that has stopped Bieber in the past I injury, but when he’s healthy there are very few in baseball who are as good as him. If he runs into the injury bug again, keep an eye on Cole Ragans of the Royals to fill this spot.

Reliever- Emmanuel Clase, Guardians

Cleveland is pretty good at this pitching thing. While 2023 wasn’t as dominant as we’ve come to expect from Clase, he was still able to record 44 saves and make his second all-star team. Clase has devastating stuff that, at times, feels unfair. This was a two-man race between Clase and Twins closer Jhoan Durán, who has also been incredible, but for now, I give the slight edge to Clase.

Manager- Rocco Baldelli, Twins

This one came by default. Cleveland has a first-year manager, Kansas City, and Chicago have second-year managers who were put in impossible situations in year one. During the sign-stealing scandal, Detroit’s AJ Hinch’s only winning seasons came with the Astros. Baldelli is a fine manager who has produced three division champions in his five years in Minnesota. This spot is entirely up for grabs in 2024, but for now, I’ll give the nod to Rocco.