Speed is back in Major League Baseball since the new rules have encouraged players to run wild on the basepaths. With larger bags and strict pickoff regulations, there has never been a better time to be a thief in baseball. 2023’s stolen base boom was historic, with over 1000 more total steals than in 2022.
Up and down depth charts all over baseball are speedsters who now have the green light to wreak havoc on the basepaths and keep defenses on their toes. So, here are four unknown speedsters who will cause problems for defenses all over baseball in 2024.
Four Unknown Speedsters Who Could Be Stolen Base Machines
Jose Azocar: OF, San Diego Padres
Jose Azocar has yet to make a name for himself in a star-studded San Diego Padres lineup. However, the 27-year-old outfielder has shown he possesses elite speed. His 29.6 feet per second sprint speed is the 20th fastest in all of baseball but he just didn’t get many opportunities in 2023. He played just 55 games, usually coming off the bench, and accumulated just 102 plate appearances and 25 times on base. Not exactly a lot of base-stealing chances.
He still managed to steal eight bases in the big leagues last year, getting caught just twice, but he was a much more prolific base stealer in Triple-A, swiping 18 bags with a 78% success rate. The good news is he looks like he’ll get many more chances in 2024, with the departures of Juan Soto and Trent Grisham along with a very strong Spring Training up to this point Azocar appears to be an important part of the Padres’ offense in 2024. With a solid offensive performance, he could be one of the most prolific thieves in the National League
