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Despite the fact that the 2013 Brewers have been dreadful, you could make a solid case for 23-year-old shortstop Jean Segura to be the National League MVP. His franchise record-tying six hits last night moved him back into the lead for the league batting title with a .365 average, and his 72 hits also lead all NL hitters.
Segura enters play Wednesday on pace for 233 hits. Even if he cools off a bit he's still got a solid chance at posting just the eighth 200 hit season in franchise history, and being the youngest ever to do it:
Player | Season | Hits | Age |
Ryan Braun | 2009 | 203 | 25 |
Paul Molitor | 1982 | 201 | 25 |
Robin Yount | 1982 | 210 | 26 |
Cecil Cooper | 1980 | 219 | 30 |
Cecil Cooper | 1982 | 205 | 32 |
Cecil Cooper | 1983 | 203 | 33 |
Paul Molitor | 1991 | 216 | 34 |
Yount's 210 in 1982 is also the most ever for a Brewer shortstop. Meanwhile, Paul Molitor holds the franchise record for most hits in a season before his 25th birthday: he had 188 as a 22-year-old in 1979. Even if he only hits .250 for the rest of the season, Segura could challenge that mark.
Since 2000, only four major league players have reached 200 hits in their age 23 season or before:
Player | Team | Season | Hits | Age |
Starlin Castro | Cubs | 2011 | 207 | 21 |
Hanley Ramirez | Marlins | 2007 | 212 | 23 |
Albert Pujols | Cardinals | 2003 | 212 | 23 |
Juan Pierre | Rockies | 2001 | 202 | 23 |
Now, it's almost certainly unfair to expect Segura, a career .313 hitter in the minors, to continue to hit .365 over a full MLB season or become the 25 home run hitter he's on pace to be. But with that said, if he's even half as good as he's been for the rest of the season the Brewers are going to have one of baseball's most valuable shortstops.