In writing and reading so many stories about the extremely talented and unparalleled rookie class from this past year, I realized that this class of rookies is following a very exciting trend of young stars that have been making their names be known at the highest level over the past three to four years. With the interest in baseball at an all-time high, it makes it especially exciting to know that Major League Baseball should continue to enjoy such a high level of interest with these stars paving the way, as we very well could be witnessing a Golden Age of baseball.

I decided to pack my own proverbial ark with two players at each position that are 25 years of age or younger (as of opening day of 2007). Most of the players listed below not only are already enjoying incredible success, but they are among the league leaders in nearly every statistical hitting and pitching category.

Another important point about these players is that most of them played in the minor leagues with the already increased rules and subsequent penalties concerning performance-enhancing drugs, and all of them play without any speculation as to whether or not they’re juiced.

Right-Handed Pitchers

So who is going to take the torch from Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux and Pedro Martinez, not only three of the greatest pitchers of their time, but three of the greatest pitchers of all-time. It would be hard to argue against the notion that Roger Clemens could very well be the great pitcher of all-time, but his days are closing, despite his continued dominance. It should be pointed out that young, dominant pitchers are more rare than young, dominant hitters since young pitchers are typically babied a lot more given the modern emphasis on pitch count and innings pitched progressions.

Jake Peavy

Peavy seems to go somewhat unnoticed pitching for the San Diego Padres, but few have been more dominant over the last three seasons. He doesn’t turn 26 until next May, and already has 57 wins and a 3.51 ERA in his young career. Most impressive are his 850 punchouts in 864 innings of work. Peavy’s second half surge propelled the Padres playoff push.

Carlos Zambrano

I’ve mentioned in previous columns that Zambrano has been the Cubs’ staff ace for a few years now without them even knowing it. Like Peavy, Zambrano is also currently 25 years old with a very impressive career already under his belt. His career is highlighted by a 64-42 record, playing mostly for bad teams, and while he is among the league leaders in walks allowed from year to year, he is nearly unhittable, and is also among the league’s strikeout leaders with 865 in 977 innings.

Just missed: Jeremy Bonderman, Rich Harden, Chad Billingsley, Anibal Sanchez, Justin Verlander, Matt Cain, Jered Weaver, Josh Johnson and Felix Hernandez just missed the cut. Hernandez in particular could be a name we look back on in 20 years and speak of in the same breath as Clemens.

On the way: Phillip Hughes, Homer Bailey and Yovani Gallardo all enjoyed incredible seasons in the minor leagues, following similar, successful progressions from advanced A-ball to AA. Mike Pelfrey, Luke Hochevar and Adam Miller aren’t that far away either. Matt Garza could be the Twins number two starter to open the 2007 season.

Left-Handed Pitchers

No category is loaded with more young talent than the lefties that are quickly making names for themselves before their 25^th birthdays. Many of the southpaws mentioned below have been compared to Tom Glavine at some point in their careers, a pitcher similar to Clemens, Maddux and Martinez above that this group will be hard-pressed to replace when Glavine decides to call it quits.

Dontrelle Willis

Willis and young teammate Miguel Cabrera (covered below) were the top story from the 2003 World Championship Florida Marlins. Willis won the Rookie of the Year, and so far the 25-year old has a 58-39 record and a 3.43 ERA over his first four seasons in the big leagues.

Scott Kazmir

Kazmir turns 23 in January, although a shoulder injury impeded his development this past year. He already is one of the premier strikeout pitchers in the big leagues with absolutely filthy and electric stuff. Look no further than his 378 strikeouts over 364 innings, as only Johan Santana, and maybe Francisco Liriano, are more prolific strikeout artists from the left side.

Just missed: Cole Hamels, Scott Olsen, Francisco Liriano, Jeremy Sowers and Zach Duke represent an impressive group of southpaws that have already left their mark on Major League hitters.

On the way: Jon Lester, John Danks, Scott Elbert and Gio Gonzalez may all make some noise in spring training about being added to their respective big-league squads. Adam Loewen already made it up to Baltimore, where he seems to be for good.

Catchers

Mike Piazza is no longer catching full-time, and Ivan Rodriguez appears to still be going strong, even if he’s not putting up the gaudy numbers he was while with the Rangers. Both are two of the greatest hitting catchers to ever play the game, with Pudge giving Johnny Bench a run for his money as to who is the greatest catcher of all-time. The catchers listed below are poised to take their places.

Joe Mauer

Mauer became the first American League catcher to lead the league in batting by hitting .347 at the age of 23. With an extremely patient and advanced approach, there is no reason to believe that he won’t continue to succeed at the plate and behind it, where his natural leadership abilities will allow this hometown hero to be the face of the Twins for years to come.

Brian McCann

As good as Mauer’s season was, McCann’s first full season may have been more impressive. He hit .333 with 34 doubles, 24 home runs and 93 RBI as a 22-year old, continuing to show his impressive power from the left side of the plate. The Braves have developed yet another young star that will be around for a long time.

Just missed: Russell Martin is really the only notable catcher under the age of 25 that is already in the big leagues that looks as though he could be a star for years to come.

On the way: Jarrod Saltalamacchia gives the Braves incredible depth at the catching position. Miguel Montero and Chris Iannetta could be starters in Arizona and Colorado respectively, while Neil Walker and Jeff Clement round out the high level catching talent getting close to the majors.

First Basemen

I want to point out that Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard didn’t qualify since they are both over the age of 25. The same goes for Mark Teixeira. With Frank Thomas, now a designated hitter, nearing the end of his career, and Jason Giambi moving to the DH as well while not being the same hitter he was a few years ago, this group could step up to replace them as perennial All-Stars.

Justin Morneau

The American League MVP at the age of 25, Morneau had a huge season for the Minnesota Twins by hitting .321 with 37 doubles, 34 home runs and 130 RBI in his second full season. A native Canadian, Morneau became the first Twin to reach 30 home runs since the 1987 season.

Prince Fielder

Fielder is the son of another legendary slugger, Cecil Fielder, although the two unfortunately have had a falling out and don’t stay in contact with one another. The younger Fielder, at 22 years of age, was extremely impressive during his first full season, hitting .272 while blasting 30 home runs. The sky is the limit for young Prince.

Just missed: Adrian Gonzalez and Conor Jackson both enjoyed very good rookie seasons for the Padres and Diamonbacks respectively. James Loney is somewhat without a home with the Dodgers after they re-signed Nomar Garciaparra, as he could find a new address in 2007.

On the way: The minors aren’t brimming with bona fide first base prospects like they were last year before Fielder and Jackson established themselves. One of Billy Butler or Alex Gordon could move to first base for the Royals next season. Daric Barton could be doing the same in Oakland, while Joey Votto and Scott Thorman aren’t far away.

Second Basemen

Similar to teammate Ryan Howard as listed above, Chase Utley did not qualify for this exercise. This list is the thinnest among the positional players, as All-Star caliber second basemen are harder to come by as some would think. With Roberto Alomar now retired, and Jeff Kent nearing the end of his career, this group stands atop the under-25 generation of stars.

Robinson Cano

At 24 years of age, Cano is the rare Yankee youngster that was given a chance before being traded for a proven veteran, and Cano made the most of his opportunity upon stepping onto the biggest of stages. So far in his young career he has hit .319 over 254 games, adding 75 doubles, 29 home runs and 140 RBI over two seasons.

Rickie Weeks

Weeks and Fielder gives the Brewers an exciting right-side of the infield, and they hope to get similar production from those two that the Phillies received from Ryan Howard and Chase Utley this past year. Weeks has been hampered by injuries, but when healthy has shown that there is little he can’t do. In 198 games he has hit 29 doubles, fives triples and 21 home runs while swiping 34 bags in 41 attempts.

Just missed: Josh Barfield will now team with Jhonny Peralta in Cleveland, giving the Indians a middle infield with two players 25 years of age of younger.

On the way: The Angels didn’t mind Adam Kennedy leaving via free agency with Howie Kendrick ready to take over. Dustin Pedroia should be the Red Sox’ starting second baseman when teams take the field in April.

Third Basemen

Not since the days of Mike Schmidt and George Brett have we seen so much young talent at third base, with a lot more on the way. Similar to left-handed pitching, this is the deepest group among the hitters.

Miguel Cabrera

As mentioned above, Cabrera teamed with fellow rookie Dontrelle Willis in 2003 to give the Marlins the added spark they needed to win the World Series. He turns 24 in April, and already has established himself as arguably the best all-around hitter since Manny Ramirez by hitting .311 with a .384 on-base percentage and a .535 slugging percentage over three and a half seasons. He already has 145 doubles, 104 home runs and 404 RBI under his belt, with a lot more to come.

David Wright

If I had to choose one 25 and younger star to begin my team with, it probably would be Wright, who is poised to personify the New York Mets much like Derek Jeter has done so with the cross-town Yankees. Wright turns 24 next week, and already has a career line of .306/.375/.521 with 67 home runs and 258 RBI over two and a half seasons. I predict he’ll end his career with some heavy hardware, and should keep the Mets competitive over the next 10 to 15 years.

Just missed: It was hard leaving Ryan Zimmerman off of this list, but Wright and Cabrera are two of the best and brightest young stars in all of baseball.

On the way: Third base is loaded in the minors, highlighted by Alex Gordon and Ryan Braun. Andy LaRoche and Andy Marte could also be starting for their parent clubs early next year. Josh Fields had a big season, and is a big reason why Joe Crede has been involved in trade rumors this offseason.

Shortstops

A few short years ago Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra and Miguel Tejada made this category an interesting discussion. The players listed below don’t quite have the thunder that Arod, Jeter and company do, but they serve as a new breed of pesky, speedy leadoff style hitters that the game hasn’t seen in a few years from the shortstop position, outside of Rafael Furcal.

Jose Reyes

Reyes and Wright should hold down the Mets left-side of the infield for years to come, and could represent the National League All-Stars at their respective positions similar to how Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell did so for Houston. Reyes turns 24 next June, and is a career .285 hitter with 156 stolen bases, 82 doubles, 40 triples and 33 home runs to his credit already.

Hanley Ramirez

The best of the Marlins impressive rookie class of 2006, Ramirez won the National League Rookie of the Year award by hitting .291 with 46 doubles, 11 triples, 17 home runs while swiping 51 bags. He and Reyes give the National League two incredibly exciting shortstops with a great blend of speed, power and defense.

Just missed: Jhonny Peralta has enjoyed a very productive career in just over two seasons. Stephen Drew could be just as productive as his older brother J.D. at a much more demanding position.

On the way: Troy Tulowitzki should be the Rockies starting shortstop come opening day. Erick Aybar is blocked by Orlando Cabrera at the big-league level, and will likely be surpassed by Brandon Wood just below him. With Kendrick at second base, Aybar likely will need to find a different organization to be given the chance he deserves.

Corner Outfielders

I’m going to lump the left and right fielders together, since they are often interchangeable and start their careers wherever they are needed more. I will pick four total players for this category, which surprisingly isn’t as strong as I initially thought it would be.

Carl Crawford

Crawford would probably play centerfield on any other team, but plays left for the Devil Rays given the presence of Rocco Baldelli (listed below). Crawford’s statistical upward trend is very encouraging, and at 25 years old there is no reason to believe he won’t get even better. Arguably the best and most lethal base-stealer in the game, he uses his game-changing speed to hit an astonishing 65 triples and steal 227 stolen bases in five years as a big-leaguer.

Jeff Franceour

Francoeur’s five-tool ability is undeniable, as is his rocket for a right arm. While he has hit 44 doubles and 43 home runs and drove in 148 runners, he could stand to brush up his plate discipline, as he has only walked 34 times, versus 190 strikeouts, in 908 career at-bats. Franceour has the natural talent to overcome such nitpicking.

Alex Rios

Rios, 25, had his best season last year, as he was named to the All-Star team and hit .302 with 17 home runs and 82 RBI in his third full season. While he calls right field his own at this point in time, he has the natural athletic ability and speed to play centerfield should Vernon Wells price himself out of the Blue Jays budget within the next year.

Nick Markakis

Markakis could have been drafted in the first round as a left-handed pitcher, but the Orioles liked his polished approach and powerful bat better as an every day player. He made them look good for that decision during his rookie year as a 23-year old, hitting .291 with 25 doubles and 16 home runs.

Just missed: Jeremy Hermida’s season was overlooked given the success of so many of his rookie teammates. Carlos Quentin showed his impressive power for the Diamondbacks, while Ryan Sweeney continued to hit in the majors, and he could play any one of the three outfield spots on the South side of Chicago next year.

On the way: Matt Kemp might find himself manning one of the outfield corners for the Dodgers next year with the team signing Juan Pierre to rove center for the next five years. Travis Buck, Hunter Pence and Adam Lind all have polished, powerful bats and they all could be contributing in the majors in 2007.

Centerfielders

A few of the players listed above could find themselves on this list if it weren’t for some of their existing teammates. Crawford, Rios and Kemp in particular may end their careers as notable centerfielders even though they are more likely to play a corner spot at this point in time. The group listed below are close to being mentioned in the same breath as Carlos Beltran, while Ken Griffey’s stellar career may be coming close to an end, at least in the center.

Grady Sizemore

I saw a few compelling arguments close to the end of the regular season asking who was the best centerfielder in the game right now, Carlos Beltran or Grady Sizemore? The nod still goes to Beltran, but Sizemore is making it very close after hitting .290 with a .533 slugging percentage, with 53 doubles, 11 triples and 28 home runs during his second full season at the age of 23.

Rocco Baldelli

Baldelli’s career has been slowed by injuries the past year, but when healthy this past season he put up some impressive numbers: A .302 batting average, a .533 slugging percentage and 46 extra-base hits in just over a half of a season. His speed and power combination still remains one of the best in all of baseball, and his defense keeps the speedy Crawford in left field.

Just missed: Lastings Milledge is blocked as much as a player can be by Carlos Beltran, who will be roaming centerfield in Queens for quite a few more years.

On the way: Chris Young could be the D-Backs starting centerfielder on opening day. Adam Jones, Felix Pie and Jacoby Ellsbury are knocking on the doors in Seattle, Chicago (Cubs) and Boston respectively, while the 2005 draft class of Justin Upton, Cameron Maybin, Jay Bruce and Andrew McCutchen may not take much longer to progress.

Closers

There has to be a separate category for the closers given their increased importance over the past decade, right? Bruce Sutter was elected to the Hall of Fame last year, Trevor Hoffmann is now the all-time leader in saves, and Mariano Rivera is arguably the greatest closer to ever play the game.

Francisco Rodriguez

Rodriguez, similar to Willis and Cabrera as listed above, was the biggest story of the World Champion Angels from the 2002 season. KRod has been mowing batters down since he took the mound that season as a 20-year old, and now at 24, he has become one of the most dominant closers in the game with 106 saves to his credit.

Chad Cordero

Cordero spent all of 26.1 innings in the minors, using a nasty heavy fastball, slider combination that hitters have a hard time making contact with. In just over three full seasons he has 91 career saves, and was ranked fifth in the Cy Young voting after the 2005 season.

Just missed: Huston Street was just edged out by Cordero. Bobby Jenks also got squeezed out. Jonathan Papelbon was not considered since he is expected to be a starter next year.

On the way: Closers are often made, not born, but Craig Hansen is probably the most notable short reliever close to making his mark at the big-league level. Jonathan Broxton already enjoyed some time with the Dodgers, and may be their closer of the future.

Did I miss one of your favorite young stars? You know what to do.

The thoughts and opinions listed here do not necessarily reflect those of Perfect Game USA. Patrick Ebert is affiliated with both Perfect Game USA and Brewerfan.net, and can be contacted via email at pebert@brewerfan.net.