#10: Trey Flowers
Flowers’s potential was realized when played 16 in 2016. He quickly became the starter at defensive end in 2017. In 2016 he racked up 45 combined tackles. Many may argue, however, that his breakout season was in 2017, when he picked up 62 combined tackles. He has exhibited his versatility by playing defensive tackle and end in New England. For the past two seasons, he has been a consistent defender in an inconsistent defense.
#9: Rafael Devers
The third baseman showed his potential in the second half of last season. The game-tying home run off of Aroldis Chapman being the most famous. He hit ten home runs in 58 games last year, and already has nine in 52 games this year. He has the power, and if he can get his fielding and average up, he will be a superstar.
#8: Jake DeBrusk
The former first round pick had a very good rookie season. He appeared in 70 games, recording 16 goals and 27 assists. He was the scoring threat that the Bruins had been lacking on the second line alongside David Krejci. In the playoffs, Debrusk showed grit and was not afraid to block the puck. Next season he will be even better giving the Bruins a very dangerous top two lines. Like Pastrnak, he has a very bright future in Boston for years to come and will be an impact player.
#7: Xander Bogaerts
Bogaerts was a big piece to the 2013 World Series run after getting called up mid-season. After that, the shortstop has been a key piece on a team that’s looking to claim its third straight AL East title. Bogaerts is starting to show his hitting potential. He consistently hits in the high .200s and has been a surprisingly superb shortstop after a rough fielding start to his career.
#6: David Pastrnak
Following the 2016-2017 season, the Bruins signed Pastrnak to a six-year extension after he scored a career-high 34 goals. He had an even better year this past season and solidified himself as one of the top young talents in the NHL. He set a new career high 35 goals to go along with 45 assists. When paired with Bergeron and Marchand, the three formed one of the deadliest lines in hockey. Pastrnak is still young and mistake prone, but he is a gifted goal scorer who is under team control for at least the next five years.
#5: Andrew Benintendi
Benny was a huge prospect after he got drafted, and he has not disappointed since his call-up in 2016. He has hit .278 so far in his career, and his power is on the rise. He hit 20 bombs last year and is on pace to hit 22 this year. Similarly to Betts, Benintendi is a great outfielder with great speed. If Benintendi could get smarter on the bases, he will be a five-tool player.
#4: Jaylen Brown
The versatile athlete from California struggled his rookie season, but took off this year. His PPG jumped from 6.6 to 14.5, and his RPG went from 2.8 to five. His three-point percentage rose 0.54%, and he can drive to the rim with ease. He improved his defense and averaged 18 PPG in an impressive postseason run. He and Tatum can be a force for years to come under Brad Stevens.
#3: Charlie McAvoy
The young Bruins defenseman received the most hype of a Bruins prospect in recent memory. Due to injuries, he made his NHL debut in the playoffs against Ottawa in the 2016- 2017 season. This past season was his first full NHL season and he did not disappoint. McAvoy dealt with injuries, but still appeared in 63 games. The Bruins expect McAvoy to anchor the blue line for years to come, and this past season McAvoy showed why. He is a rare talent and a force offensively and defensively. By some, he is already considered the face of the franchise.
#2: Jayson Tatum
He just finished his rookie season, but the forward from Duke has already proved that he can be a superstar. He averaged 13.9 PPG in the regular season, and 18.5 PPG in the postseason. He was the one bright spot in the Game 7 defeat against Cleveland, because he was the only one scoring in the fourth. He went on a 5-0 run by himself to give the Celtics their only lead of the fourth quarter. With Brad Stevens’s system and a great supporting cast to boost his game, Tatum has a good chance to be something special.
#1: Mookie Betts
The 2016 Al MVP runner-up is considered the best player in the MLB by some, and those claims are not a reach at all. Betts is one of few five-tool players in the MLB, which means he can hit for average and power, field and throw, and run like the wind. In 2016, he hit 31 home runs while maintaining a 318 average. He has a .1000 fielding percentage this season, and has only committed 13 errors in his five-season career. He has 13 steals so far this season, which ranks fourth in the MLB.
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