Mookie Betts has only played about four and one-third seasons of big league baseball with the Boston Red Sox. In that short stretch, however, he has accomplished more than most players could even dream of.
He has already made three All-Star appearances and has won three Gold Glove awards, two Silver Slugger awards, a World Series Championship, and – once voting commences – almost certainly an MVP award.
But this laundry list of awards barely does Betts justice. Let’s take a look at how Mookie compared to other accomplished young stars throughout baseball history. First, we are going to examine the group of players whose first five seasons occurred after WWII.