Los Angeles Dodgers: Players that will shock the MLB world in 2019

1. Max Muncy

There is an expectation that Max Muncy is going to have a major regression from his huge breakout season in 2018. Muncy burst out of the scene after being a AAA replacement-level player his entire career and slugged 35 home runs to go along with 79 RBIs.

Muncy, alongside Matt Kemp, kept the Dodgers somewhat afloat and helped will the team out of a losing record once Justin Turner returned. He was slugging home runs at a pace that would even make Cody Bellinger jealous and he truly was the definition of a breakout.

However, he started to slow down in the second half and lost his right to be in the everyday lineup and started playing mostly against right-handed pitchers. We have seen this same song and dance too many times and just saw it with Bellinger as well.

A left-handed power-hitting bat bursts onto the scene, pitchers finally get tape on him and eventually shut him down. Year two is never as good as year one.

And while we do not expect Muncy’s 2019 to be as great as his 2018 was, we certainly do not expect a major regression. Muncy is different from these other power-hitting left-handed bats because of his patient at the plate and willingness to take a walk.

I mean even with his struggles he had a .391 on-base percentage and .973 OPS last season. Those kinds of numbers don’t come by accident.