The 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta is less than a month away! While the NL Central may be causing the least commotion right now, their stars can go toe-to-toe with anyone else in the league. The NL Central will feature a few returning players in addition to first-timers who need more national recognition.

Chicago Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker
With an exciting group of veterans and breakout players, the Cubs will contribute at least two of their best players to the ASG. Crow-Armstrong has quickly become a flamboyant player on the field and social media. His .539 slugging percentage, 57 RBIs, and 18 home runs call enough attention to his exuberant attitude, and his colorfully-dyed hair only attracts more attention to his flashy playing. This would be Crow-Armstrong’s first All-Star berth. His teammate Tucker has also made a bold statement in Chicago, hitting .277 and leading the team with a .389 on-base percentage. He gained popularity with the Astros, but he’s become even more of a favorite with the Cubs as he looks to be a four-time All-Star.

A third Cubs player may sneak onto the All-Star roster, and that could be Shota Imanaga. Before he got hurt, he had a 2.82 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 34 strikeouts in eight games. He’s been out for more than a month with a hamstring strain, but if he can pitch in five or so more games before the summer break hits, he may have a chance of being named an All-Star for the second year in a row.

Cincinnati Reds: Elly De La Cruz, TJ Friedl, Andrew Abbott
A few of Cincinnati’s parts stand out among the sum. De La Cruz will definitely be a back-to-back All-Star, slashing .273/.352/.498 with 16 home runs, 50 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. In his third year in the league, De La Cruz continues to bring energy and hype to the league and Reds organization. Although he might not be on the cover of The Show 2025, Friedl is having an impressive year of his own. He has a .290 batting average and .384 on-base percentage with 38 walks. Friedl’s patience and consistency at the plate should be rewarded with his first All-Star nomination.

Abbott has been a highly underrated pitcher in the NL: 6-1 with a 1.87 ERA and sub-1.00 WHIP in his 11 starts. He has maintained a 9.2 K/9 rate and has only allowed 13 earned runs during his outings. An added bonus to his strong stats is that he averages 91 pitches per game, showing that his pitching can endure late into games. Abbott may not be the biggest name in the league now, but after the ASG he’ll gain more attention.

Milwaukee Brewers: Freddy Peralta and Abner Uribe
Like in 2022, the Brewers will only send pitchers to the Midsummer Classic. Peralta will be Milwaukee’s lone starting pitcher, at 6-2  with a 2.60 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. He has been a sound starter for the Brewers once again with 84 strikeouts through 83 innings, ranking in the Top 25 of all MLB pitchers. With similar stats to his 2021 campaign, Peralta is bound to return to the ASG for the first time since 2021. Although he isn’t a closer, Uribe is making an impression in the bullpen. Uribe’s 1.31 ERA, 11.5 K/9 rate, and 44 strikeouts — ranked eighth-highest among MLB relievers — are impressive at age 24. While he should get more save opportunities than he does, he should still make his ASG debut this year.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Paul Skenes
Skenes will be Pittsburgh’s only representative this year. Last year’s NL Rookie of the Year will undoubtedly head back to the ASG. He’s by far Pittsburgh’s best starter, commanding a 1.78 ERA and .085 WHIP. Eleven of his 15 games were quality starts, and he has 85 strikeouts this season.

St. Louis Cardinals: Brendan Donovan
Despite outplaying their expectations, the Cardinals will only send one All-Star in a star-studded NL that’s heavily dominated by the coasts, and second baseman Donovan deserves to be their guy. The former third-place finisher for 2022’s NL Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove winner is hitting the best he ever has. He leads second basemen in batting average and on-base percentage, and he ranks second at his position in slugging percentage. This isn’t his first year in the league, but it should be his first year as an All-Star.