Finalists at each position were announced over the weekend for the 2021 MLB All-Star Game.
While much of the reveal went as expected, there were a few surprises and a few notable omissions.
Some star players in the National League were snubbed from the group of finalists, and those players have every right to be upset with the results.
While it seems like fan voting is here to stay, it may not be the best way to determine who gets selected to the annual Midsummer Classic.
For evidence, look no further than the fact that these three MLB stars were left out despite having All-Star-caliber campaigns so far.
Here are the three biggest NL snubs, ranked.
3. Kyle Schwarber – Washington Nationals Outfielder
Kyle Schwarber is having a resurgent 2021 season.
After ending his six-year tenure with the Chicago Cubs to join the Washington Nationals, Schwarber has found his footing with his new club.
He is batting .249 with an .884 OPS this season to complement 22 home runs, putting him on pace for 48 long balls by the end of the year.
Game-tying 3 pointers in Philly this year:
Ben Simmons: 0
Kyle Schwarber: 1@kschwarb12 // #NATITUDE pic.twitter.com/mjZgjsNLJH— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 23, 2021
Schwarber has been even better lately, batting .373 with a ridiculous 1.509 OPS and 12 home runs over his past 13 games.
He certainly deserved a look as an All-Star finalist.
2. Omar Narvaez – Milwaukee Brewers Catcher
Omar Narvaez is having the best season of his career.
He has appeared in 56 games and is slashing .302/.394/.462 while adding some elite defensive production.
Unfortunately, Buster Posey, Yadier Molina, and Willson Contreras rounded out the group of NL finalists at the catcher position.
While Posey’s case is legitimate (and he will likely win the starting job), it’s hard to argue that Molina and Contreras are having better years than Narvaez.
Narvaez has a better batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage than both of them.
It would make sense if Molina and Contreras made up for the gap in offensive production by being better defensive catchers (i.e. pitch framing, game calling), but that’s not the case.
In fact, Narvaez ranks fifth in all of baseball in Runs Extra Strikes (a statistic that measures a catcher’s effeteness at framing pitches) according to Baseball Savant, while Molina and Contreras both rank outside the top 10.
1. Jake Cronenworth – San Diego Padres Infielder
The San Diego Padres are widely regarded as the most exciting team in baseball, and Jake Cronenworth has certainly had a hand in the team earning that distinction.
After finishing second in the Rookie of the Year race in 2020, Cronenworth has followed the act with an equally-impressive 2021 campaign.
Through 78 games, Cronenworth is batting .283 with an .825 OPS and a 135 OPS+.
He has homered 12 times, doubled 17 times, and tripled once.
The 27-year-old has displayed some infield elite defense, too, accumulating 0.6 defensive WAR to push his overall number to 3.3.
That 3.3 mark puts Cronenworth on pace for a WAR of 6.9 overall for a full 162, a number that could put the youngster in the MVP conversation (as more of a back-of-the-ballot option) by the end of the season.
Jake Cronenworth 2nd base NL ranks this year #Padres
3.3 WAR (1st)
12 HR (Tied 1st)
31 RBI (2nd)
53 R (1st)
31 RBI (2nd)
82 H (2nd)
.287 AVG (2nd)
.834 OPS (2nd)All-Star ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/KiuAAf9YhN
— Jim Russell (@JimRussellSD) June 27, 2021
It’s wild that he was snubbed from the list of finalists despite being on pace for that kind of MLB campaign.
NEXT: 2 American League Closers Who Deserve MLB All-Star Spots
