The AL East is currently dominating MLB conversations. With Aaron Judge’s stats reaching astronomical levels and Rafael Devers traded to the Giants, the East Coast leads the headlines this year. Although a fair number of veterans are expected to return to the All-Star Game, there are a few young faces that will debut, too.

Baltimore Orioles: Ryan O’Hearn and Jackson Holliday
Although Baltimore has had the most disappointing year of any team in the league, O’Hearn and Henderson’s efforts shouldn’t go unnoticed. Henderson leads the Orioles in hits with a .306 batting average, .495 slugging percentage, 10 home runs and 27 RBIs. He’s thus far the fan favorite for DH, according to MLB’s All-Star ballot standings published on June 16. O’Hearn should be considered Baltimore’s best candidate to be an All-Star, which would be the first such honor of his career. Holliday also has a chance to play in his first ASG, slashing .256/.308/.417 with 62 hits and 27 RBIs. With second base being a shallower position in the AL, his odds are more favorable than Gunnar Henderson, who has stiff competition at shortstop.

Boston Red Sox: Garrett Crochet and Jarren Duran
Boston’s biggest names will earn another All-Star Game to their resumes. Crochet has an exceptional 2.24 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, and is only two strikeouts behind MLB’s strikeout leader, Mackenzie Gore. He also leads Boston’s rotation in wins, ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts. Crochet was an All-Star last year in Chicago, and he’s bound to be an All-Star again. Duran will add a second ASG to his credentials after another strong start to the season. He has a .264 batting average with 82 hits and 38 RBIs.

Although Alex Bregman is an honorable mention, it’s doubtful whether he’ll be healthy enough to play in the ASG. Bregman has been on the 10-day IL with a strained right quad since May 24, and time is slowly running out for him to make it back before the All-Star Game. He had a hot spring before he landed on the IL, but he’ll have plenty of ground to make up when he returns.

New York Yankees: Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, Max Fried and Luke Weaver
The Bronx Bombers will contribute exactly that: bombers. Judge is destined to be an All-Star for a seventh time, with the best slash line and most hits and home runs in MLB. He’s also the runner-up in runs (65) and RBIs (60). Goldschmidt’s stats may not be as sky-high, but they’re still solid. The 15-year veteran will add an eighth ASG to his running count after compiling a  .309/.368/.452 slash line with 80 hits and 14 runs.

Additionally, Fried and Weaver will be valuable pitchers for the AL. Fried is having another stellar year, with a 9-2 record, 1.89 ERA and 0.95 WHIP under his belt. His 90 strikeouts and 20 earned runs across 95 innings warrants a third All-Star appearance. Weaver has saved eight games and held six while accumulating a 1.08 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP. He was placed on the 15-day IL on June 1 but is expected to return soon, and he should earn a spot on the AL All-Star roster for the first time in his career.

Tampa Bay Rays: Jonathan Aranda and Brandon Lowe
Tampa Bay will send two fun players to Atlanta. Aranda is a breakout first baseman with an exceptional .324 batting average and .498 slugging percentage with 71 hits. Fun fact: His .915 on-base plus slugging percentage is eighth-highest in the league, which is an impressive statement. He’s caught the eye of social media and the rest of the league, making him a favorite to play in his first ASG. Also, 2025 would be Lowe’s second ASG. He has been solid across the board this year, batting .260 and slugging .457. He has the highest slugging percentage and most home runs (14) and RBIs (39) of all second basemen. Lowe has been a serviceable player for his entire career, but this campaign has been better than most.

Toronto Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Alejandro Kirk
Toronto’s two biggest names will return to the ASG. Guerrero will be back after making the cover of MLB The Show 2024 and having a monster year. This season, he has a .274 batting average and .375 on-base percentage with 41 runs and 40 walks. Although he isn’t having a meteoric season at the plate, he’s still one of the league’s most exciting players to watch. Bichette took last year off but his hitting has improved enough to justify an All-Star nomination. His sturdy .268/.312 /.411 slash line and 80 hits back up his reliability as a contact hitter. Although he doesn’t send the ball over the fence as often as other shortstops, having his bat as an option coming off the bench would be handy for the AL.

Kirk, unlike Guerrero and Bichette, hasn’t recently played in the ASG. His last and only other appearance was in 2022, when he won the Silver Slugger Award. Now, Kirk is hitting even better, with a .316 average and .781 slug. He ranks within the top-three in hits, batting average, and on-base percentage among catchers, and has been more than a fair player offensively and behind the dish. As one of the better catchers in the AL, Kirk should be in the ASG.