Boston sports are in a great place with competitive teams and young rosters. The future is bright in the city with these 25 stars age 25 or under.
When you look up and down all of the rosters for Boston sports teams, you’ll notice that one thing, in particular, jumps out. The Revolution, Celtics, Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots all have some really young players on their team.
There are tons of players under the age of 25 on all of those teams, and a lot of those guys are already stars. I did my best to rank the best Boston sports athletes under the age of 25 here. Of course, some guys were left off of the list, and some teams (Patriots) have more than anyone else on the list. The reasoning is simple, the New England Patriots have a larger roster, and therefore more players under 25.
I ranked these players in terms of what they have already done so far in their sport, their potential going forward, and their prominence in the city. So, sorry Revolution fans, a player like Juan Agudelo has no chance to compete with the likes of Mookie Betts, James White, or Marcus Smart.
25. Juan Agudelo, Revolution
Juan Agudelo is a forward for both the New England Revolution and the United States National Team. In 2017 he appeared in 20 games for the Revs, notching 8 goals and 1 assist. Agudelo also appeared in 3 games for the U.S. At just 24-years old, Agudelo is a star that New England should be able to count on going forward.
24. Eduardo Rodriguez, Red Sox
Left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has had an up and down career so far for the Boston Red Sox. At times, he looks like he could develop into an ace, but then he falls apart. In 2015, ERod started 21 games and went 10-6 with a 3.85 ERA. Somehow, he’s only gotten worse. In 2016 he posted a 4.71 ERA and he had an ERA of 4.19 in 2017. There’s hope still that Rodriguez can become a solid backend starter in Boston, but he certainly has some work to do.
23. Eric Rowe, Patriots
Eric Rowe is in his second season with the Patriots, and unfortunately, injuries have limited him to 3 games in 2017. In 12 total games for New England, Rowe has 25 tackles, 8 pass deflections, and 1 interception. He has the potential to become a solid #3 corner if he can find a way to stay on the field.
22. Deatrich Wise Jr., Patriots
A 23-year old rookie, Deatrich Wise Jr. is having himself a very solid season. Through 10 games, in which he’s started 2, Wise has 12 tackles including 3 sacks. He will look to become the next great edge rusher for the Patriots going forward to create a great duo with Trey Flowers.
21. Malcom Brown, Patriots
Malcom Brown is big, big man. At 6’2″ 319 lbs, the 23-year old defensive tackle is developing into a great asset in the middle. He’s in his third season with the Patriots, and over 39 career games he already has 72 tackles and 7 sacks. Brown could become the new Vince Wilfork on the New England Patriots defense.
20. Malcolm Mitchell, Patriots
Malcolm Mitchell hasn’t played for the Patriots in 2017, yet, but he is a guy with tons of potential. In 2016, Mitchell appeared in 14 regular season games for New England. He hauled in 32 receptions on 48 targets and took 4 of those in for a touchdown. HIs 401 yards per game weren’t huge, but he had some big plays and big moments for the Patriots. Mitchell was also a star in Super Bowl LI against the Falcons with 6 catches for 70 yards. Just 24 now, Mitchell will look to make a contribution for the Patriots either this season or next.
19. David Andrews, Patriots
Offensive linemen do not get enough credit from football fans, but center David Andrews deserves some praise. The New England Patriots chose to move on from Bryan Stork and in came Andrews. He’s now started 36 games for the Patriots over parts of three seasons. Andrews protection is always solid and his exchanges with QB Tom Brady are nearly flawless.
18. Anders Bjork, Bruins
With just 16 games under his belt as a member of the Boston Bruins, Anders Bjork is proving he has the potential to be a star. He has just 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points, but he seems to be finding his stride. Bjork is just a part of a tremendous young Bruins core, and the franchise should be in great shape going forward. A big surge could be coming for him soon, and it could help move him up this list.
17. Terry Rozier, Celtics
Terry Rozier has been huge off the bench in 2017 for the Celtics. He’s jumped up to 23.8 minutes per game after just 8.0 in 2015 and 17.1 in 2016. Rozier is making the most of his increased playing time too. He’s averaging 8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game for Boston. In nearly half of his games, he’s gone for double-digit points, and that’s the kind of production the Celtics will need to make a deep playoff run.
16. Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
Xander Bogaerts is a really good shortstop in the majors. No, he’s not a perennial all-star, but that’s not that easily available. The 24-year old took a dip in offensive production in 2017, but so did the entire Red Sox team. Bogaerts hit .273 with 10 home runs and 62 RBI in 148 games. That may be the norm for Bogey, but after a 2016 season in which he hit 21 long balls, fans were expecting a bit more. Bogaerts also made 17 errors in ’17, but a Gold Glove could come one day as he’s a .974 career fielder.
15. Rafael Devers, Red Sox
Devers has to improve his defensive play, but he’s going to be a key player for the Boston Red Sox in 2018. Last season, he was called up and played in 58 games. He hit .284 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI. With those types of numbers, Devers will be expected to become a 35 home run player with 80 RBI in a full season. The ceiling is extremely high for the 20-year old slugger.
14. Marcus Smart, Celtics
Marcus Smart has been a terrible shooter so far in 2017, but he’s still one of the players that coach Brad Stevens trusts most with a game on the line. He’s shooting 26.7% from the field, but averaging career highs in rebounds (4.4) and assists (5.3). Smart brings attitude and toughness to this Celtics team, and he’s going to be around for a long time in green.
13. James White, Patriots
Running back James White has emerged as a real threat out of the backfield for the New England Patriots. For now, he shares duties between all of the running backs, but in passing situations, you want White on the field. In 10 games this season he has 46 receptions for 376 yards and 2 touchdowns. He’s also added 140 yards on the ground. Of course, White will always be remembered for his performance in Super Bowl LI.
Against Atlanta, White had 110 receiving yards, 29 rushing yards, and 3 total touchdowns. He scored the Patriots first TD of the game, the game-tying TD, and the game-winning TD in addition to a crucial 2-point conversion. White was simply unstoppable in the big game.
12. Diego Fagundez, Revolution
Diego Fagundez is just 22, and he’s going to become an MLS superstar. He scored 7 goals and had 8 assists in 32 games for the Revolution in 2017.
11. Shaq Mason, Patriots
More love for an offensive lineman here. Shaq Mason has started all 10 games for the Patriots this season, and he appeared in 30 more of the last two seasons. The right guard is only 24-years old, and New England hopes he will be here for years to come to protect an aging Tom Brady.
10. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
With the injury to Gordon Hayward, the Celtics called upon rookie Jayson Tatum to step up as a starter. Through 18 games this season, the Duke product is averaging 13.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. the 19-year old is certainly in the Rookie of the Year conversation so far, but right now I don’t think he’d be in the lead. Boston has an extremely young team, and going forward they will definitely compete for an NBA title or two with Tatum on the team.
9. Trey Flowers, Patriots
Trey Flowers had a breakout season in 2016 with 7.0 sacks and 23 solo tackles. In 2017, it seems like he’s taken a step back, but he still has 30 tackles to go along with his 4.0 sacks in 10 games. Flowers may very well end up with more sacks than in 2016, and he already has more tackles, so the argument that he isn’t living up to expectations needs to stop. The Patriots need players like Flowers on the edge, and hopefully, the 24-year old stays in a Patriots uniform for years to come.
8. Charlie McAvoy, Bruins
Rookie Charlie McAvoy has played 19 games with the Boston Bruins, and it looks like he could one day take over as the defensive captain. He already has 10 points, including 2 goals. McAvoy always seems to find a way to get his teammates involved. Boston will be in good hands going forward when Zdeno Chara decides to move on and retire.
7. David Pastrnak, Bruins
David Pastrnak is an offensive mastermind. The 21-year old is already in his 4th season with the Bruins, and in 191 games played he has 69 goals and 71 assists for 140 points. Pasta is +19 in his career so far, even though that includes the -7 through 19 games this season. He’s always a threat on the power play, and he’s going to find ways to score no matter what.
This September David Pastrnak signed a six-year $40 million deal that will keep him in black and gold through 2023. The future is right for hockey in Boston. The #88 could one day be retired in the TD Garden rafters.
6. Andrew Benintendi, Red Sox
Left fielder Andrew Benintendi finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. In a normal year where a rookie doesn’t hit as many bombs as Judge did, Benny would have taken the award home easily.
In 2017, Benintendi hit .271 with 20 home runs and 90 RBI. He also drew 70 walks and stole 20 bases. In all of the Red Sox rumors this offseason, few players are off the table, but Andrew Benintendi is one of those guys. He’s untouchable, as he should be, and the Red Sox know they can count on him in their outfield for many more seasons.
5. Jaylen Brown, Celtics
Jaylen Brown has stepped up in 2017. The second-year player is averaging 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and an assist per game in his first season as a starter. In the last week, Brown has become an even better player though. Against the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and Dallas Mavericks, he’s up to 23.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. When the rest of the Celtics team seems to be in a funk, Brown finds a way to keep scoring until his teammates figure things out. He helps to bridge the gap and keep Boston close so that they always have a chance to win.
4. Cameron Fleming, Patriots
Cameron Fleming has really grown as a player with the help of Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. Injuries have limited him in 2017, but he’s really continued to improve. Now, I know it may be crazy to have a swing offensive lineman in the top-5 here, but his value is underestimated to the Patriots team as a whole. Fleming has the ability to step in anywhere on the line, and going forward I believe he will cement himself as an every game starter. That time will come in 2018, as I can almost guarantee he re-joins the Patriots on a new deal. Nothing is more important in New England than protecting Tom Brady, so Fleming gets a boost for that.
3. Mookie Betts, Red Sox
The top Boston Red Sox player on the list is Mookie Lynn Betts. Yes, MLB takes the top baseball spot in Boston.
Through 508 games for the Sox, Betts has 78 home runs and 310 RBI with a .292 average. He can be counted on to contribute 25 homers and 99 RBI over the course of a season. Betts finished 6th in AL MVP voting in 2017 after finishing 2nd in 2016. The 24-year old has already been an all-star twice and he has 2 Gold Glove’s, a Silver Slugger, and a Wilson Overall Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Betts is up for salary arbitration this offseason, but it’s almost a certainty that he will sign a long-term deal to remain in a Boston Red Sox uniform for at least 5 more seasons. An even longer contract is also possible for the star right fielder.
2. Brandin Cooks, Patriots
It took Brandin Cooks a few games to build up some chemistry with Tom Brady, and now that he’s played 10 games you can see why he’s a top weapon in the league. So far in 2017 Cooks has 45 receptions for 786 yards and 4 touchdowns. Cooks said recently that he wants to stay in New England for the rest of his career, and Patriots fans must hope that dream comes true.
"“The goal is to play the rest of my career here. That’s God willing. I don’t know what the future holds, but this is a special place.”"
Brady and Cooks have hooked up for a few long balls already this season, and it will be fun to see what they do against the onslaught of AFC East opponents that are upcoming. The duo will also be huge in the playoffs, and probably in the Super Bowl as well.
Just the threat of Brandin Cooks is enough to make a difference for the New England Patriots offense. Opponents must decide whether they want to cover him, or monster tight end Rob Gronkowski. There’s no way to shut down both, and one or the other is going to have a huge game each and every week for the Patriots.
1. Kyrie Irving, Celtics
New Celtics superstar Kyrie Irving is the best player 25 or younger in all of Boston. He’s averaging 22.5 points, 5.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 17 games played. His latest game, against the Dallas Mavericks, has been his best in green so far. Kyrie went off for 47 points and 6 assists to help the Celtics rally and win once again. Without Irving, there is no 16 game Boston Celtics win streak. He’s in the NBA MVP conversation right now, and if he continues to get better as the season goes on with his new team, he will win that award easily.
Who is the best Boston sports athlete aged 25 or younger?
— Chowder & Champions (@CandCFanSided) November 22, 2017
The above poll will run for a week, so let us know who YOU think is the best Boston athlete under 25!
Next: The top 5 Celtics rookie seasons of all-time
So, clearly, Boston sports are heading in the right direction for the future. Tons of players 25 or under make up the core of our favorite teams, and it will be fun to see how they look in 2019, 2020, or 2021. The Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots, and even the Revolution all have the ability to compete for championships this season or in the next few years. Let me know where you disagree with me on this list on Twitter @CandCFansided!