As baseball’s best gather in Philadelphia for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game — the Midsummer Classic — several players stand out for skills that make fans stop and watch. According to ESPN, experts Bradford Doolittle, Buster Olney, Jeff Passan and David Schoenfield identified a group of All-Stars whose singular talents have defined the season, though injuries and pitching schedules mean not all will be on display Tuesday night.
Bradford Doolittle singled out Corbin Carroll for his appetite for triples, calling him almost “greedy” about the extra base. Doolittle noted Carroll has led the National League in triples season after season, has 53 career triples and, according to ESPN, has never been thrown out trying to stretch a hit into a triple.
Buster Olney highlighted the “joy” of Toronto second baseman Ernie Clement, tracing a path from a fourth-round selection by Cleveland in 2017 through claims and releases before finding the Blue Jays. Olney wrote that Clement hit .296 with a league-leading 23 doubles and received more All-Star votes than any other American League player. Fellow All-Star Louis Varland said Clement’s grin and clubhouse attitude are contagious.
David Schoenfield focused on Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong’s defense, citing Statcast marks: a 95th-percentile top speed score, first among all fielders in fielding run value at plus-17 runs and a 91st-percentile arm strength. Schoenfield asked whether Crow-Armstrong might be the best defensive center fielder of all time. Teammate CJ Abrams put it plainly: “If you hit out there, it’s usually caught. So, you know, hit it over the fence or just don’t hit to PCA.”
