3 surprise Blue Jays who deserve an All-Star selection

The All-Star Game is July 15 this season at Truist Park in Atlanta, home of the Braves. The rosters are determined by the fans voting for the starters at each position, while players, and the commissioner's office chooses the reserves. The Blue Jays began the week with a 35-30 record, 4.5 games behind the New York Yankees for the AL East, and tied for one of three Wild Card bids.

With this success, the Blue Jays should receive a few All-Star selections. The issue is that, besides Vladimir Guerrero Jr., no one else is guaranteed a trip to the Midsummer Classic. Below are three players who deserve to represent the Blue Jays and the struggle that may prevent their acknowledgment.

Who are three surprising Blue Jays that could earn an All-Star selection?

George Springer

Springer was an All-Star during the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons (with the Houston Astros) and the 2022 season (with the Blue Jays). Since then, he has had sub-par seasons until this year. The 35 year old is having a resurgence in 2025, hitting .251/.365/.487 with 34 runs, 10 home runs, and 28 knocked in.

The righty ranks in the top five amongst AL right fielders for runs, home runs, and runs batted in, and he is just behind Aaron Judge in on-base percentage and on-base plus slugging. Aaron Judge will win the starter fan vote, but Springer should get voted in by his peers, with only Lawrence Butler, Kerry Carpenter, and Wilyer Abreu as the top names to contend with. Barring a significant collapse, Springer should make his fifth All-Star appearance.

Brendon Little

Little is having a breakout season, but as good as he's been, he's still a relatively unknown name. At this rate, 2025 will be his first full season in the big leagues. After a short debut with the Chicago Cubs in 2022 (he pitched 2/3 of an inning and was sent back down to Triple-A Iowa), Little stayed in the minors until November 2023, when the Blue Jays acquired the lefty for cash considerations.

The Jays struck gold with this acquisition. Last season, Little threw 45 2/3 innings, had a 3.74 ERA, and a 36:19 strikeout:walk ratio. The Blue Jays are reaping the rewards from acquiring the relief pitcher this season. He entered Monday's contest with a 1.55 ERA and a 41:14 strikeout:walk ratio for an impressive 12.72 strikeouts/nine innings in 29 innings.

The lefty has been unhittable this season. Before the June 6 allowed run, Little had pitched in 16 games without allowing a run. Little ranks in the 95th percentile or higher for chase, whiff, and groundball percentages. While Little deserves an All-Star bid, being an unknown may hurt his chances because relievers are chosen by their peers. Currently, he is ranked 10th in ERA amongst AL relievers with at least 19 innings pitched this season.

Only four or five relievers are usually selected, and with more familiar names like Jhoan Duran, Josh Hader, and Andrés Muñoz ahead of Little, the Blue Jay needs a solid June to pull away from his competitors and earn his first All-Star selection.

Addison Barger

Barger is a dark horse All-Star selection, but with his uptick in playing time, there's reason to believe the rookie has a legitimate shot at making the Midsummer Classic. He started the year as a platoon player against righties, but since Alan Roden got sent down in early May and Daulton Varsho's struggles to stay healthy, Barger has become an everyday starter at third base or right field.

Barger ranks in the top eight amongst AL third basemen in runs batted in (21) and home runs (seven) despite having 50 fewer at-bats than the next batter closest to him. The left-handed batter ranks in the 96th percentile for average exit velocity (94), which shows the power the rookie has displayed. If the 25-year-old continues to be a consistent name in the batting order and heats up, he may force his peers to vote the rookie into his first All-Star appearance.

José Ramirez will win the starter fan vote, but Alex Bregman is possibly missing the game because of an injury. So, the reserve vote will likely include Junior Caminero, but there will be no real standout after that, other than possibly Isaac Paredes. The lack of competition may allow Barger to sneak in if he has a strong June.