Jorge Polanco – SS
If there is one Twin that should be voted in as an All-Star starter, it should be Jorge Polanco. Questions were raised when the Twins gave Polanco a five-year extension prior to spring training (along with another Twin that should be in this vote) coming off a season in which he picked up an 80-game PED suspension, but he has answered those questions with a breakout season.
Entering Tuesday, the shortstop ranked second in batting average (.326) behind New York’s D.J. LeMahieu (.331) and has also added 11 HR and 38 RBI. On top of that, Polanco has been an all-around factor for the Twins, ranking fifth in the American League and first among AL shortstops with 3.8 wins above replacement.
Polanco’s impact on the Twins can’t be understated as he’s become a catalyst for a team that ranks first in runs per game. While he doesn’t have the star power of his opponents (Carlos Correa of Houston and Gleyber Torres of New York), the 25-year old is on his way to becoming one of the top shortstops in all of baseball which in itself deserves a nod to start the All-Star game.