As we approach the second month of the season, several 30-something sluggers deserve your attention, because they’ve gotten off to starts that are reminders of how well they used to hit in their roaring 20s.
Here are six players age 30-plus who have bounced back so far in 2025 after recent disappointing results:
Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles CF. Age: 30.
2024 results: .234/.305/.405 with 18 home runs, 105 wRC+ in 499 plate appearances.
2025 results: .279/.421/.547 with six homers, 186 wRC+ in 107 plate appearances.
Only two others, Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso, have started hotter than Mullins, who is one of only a handful of Orioles players hitting better than league average.
Mullins hasn’t been bad for the past three seasons, posting 7.9 WAR (via FanGraphs) with results (.244/.311/.407, plus 85 stolen bases combined) that register about 5 percent above league average. But he also hasn’t approached his All-Star, Silver Slugger, 30-30 level of 2021, when he batted .291/.360/.518. Can he sustain his production long enough for the rest of the O’s to join him?
Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals 3B. Age: 34.
Apr 26, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) is mobbed by teammates after hitting a solo walk-off home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images2025 results: .266/.367/.447 with three homers, 14 walks, seven strikeouts, 126 wRC+ in 109 plate appearances.
Aside from his rookie year or the pandemic-shortened season, Arenado had his worst results at the plate in 2024, prompting some to say his best days were behind him at age 33.
Arenado showed quite recently that he still has it on both sides of the ball.
In the eighth inning Friday night, he made a nifty off-balance throw to retire Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio at the plate on a grounder to third, helping the Cardinals preserve a one-run lead.
In the bottom of the ninth Saturday afternoon, Arenado turned Trevor Megill’s 98 mph fastball on the inside corner into a walk-off home run. It was only his third home run of the season, but his .266/.367/.447 slash line is about 25 percent better than league average.
About 80 percent of the league still hits the ball harder, but Arenado has made it work so far by drawing walks and being really hard to strike out. His BB% and K% would easily be career bests if he can sustain them. He hasn’t been too lucky, either, posting a batting average on balls in play about 20 points below his career norm.
Paul Goldschmidt, New York Yankees 1B. Age: 37.
Apr 12, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first base Paul Goldschmidt (48) hits a double against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-Imagn Images2025 results: .364/.413/.465 with one homer, seven doubles, eight walks, 157 wRC+ in 110 plate appearances.
Goldschmidt won NL MVP in 2022 at age 34, giving him an important plank in his Hall of Fame résumé. He was still about 20 percent better than league average in 2023, but he really flattened out in 2024 — league average on the nose. His and Arenado’s regression really killed the Cardinals.
It’s not the most unexpected result for someone nearing their late 30s, but if Goldschmidt wants a cleaner path to Cooperstown, not to mention staying viable for a World Series with the Yankees or someone like them, he needs to stay above average for a couple more seasons.
He hasn’t hit for power yet, and his average exit velocity is only in the 32nd percentile, per MLB Statcast. A season ago, amid his mediocre results, it was in the 82nd percentile. His .449 BABIP isn’t sustainable, and his BB% is near his career low from 2024. If he starts hitting home runs, he’ll be able to build on his good results so far. He needs 37 to reach 400 for his career.
George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays OF. Age: 35.
Apr 8, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder George Springer (4) runs through bases after hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images2025 results: .329/.412/.521 with two homers, four stolen bases, 173 wRC+.
Springer stayed on the field for most of the past two seasons, but his results were mediocre when compared to the rest of his career. If he could put together a full season similar to 2022, it would push the Jays to compete for a playoff spot. That would look like: 135 games played, 25 home runs, 15 stolen bases, and a 130 wRC+.
Rhys Hoskins, Milwaukee Brewers 1B. Age: 32.
Mar 30, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Rhys Hoskins (12) reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning New York Mets at Citi Field. credits: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports2025 results: .299/.402/.442 with three homers, 139 wRC+ in 92 plate appearances.
Hoskins had his worst season in 2024 after missing all of 2023 because of an ACL injury sustained in spring training. He’s walking more and striking out less this season, but his isolated power is about 90 points below his career average. Still, he looks a little more like vintage Rhys Hoskins so far.
Trevor Story, Boston Red Sox SS. Age: 32.
Apr 18, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) hits a two-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images2025 results: .282/.319/.436 with five home runs, six stolen bases, 114 wRC+ in 106 plate appearances.
He has been through the wringer with injuries, but Story has produced below-average results for years. He batted a combined .241/.311/.432 with 49 home runs total from 2021-24, which translated to a 92 wRC+ in 1,265 plate appearances — the 35th-ranked shortstop in that span.
Story has sent some mixed signals regarding his ability to maintain his strong start. His 30.2%-3.8% K-BB% is not good, but he’s in the 90th percentile in hard-hit rate, and 77th in barrel rate. He still runs well and is due for some good luck in staying on the field. He didn’t miss a lot of games for injuries from 2017-21. He’s had a couple of 6-plus WAR seasons.
