The 5 unlikeliest All-Stars of 2016

For many baseball players, an All-Star Game appearance is old hat. Take Mike Trout, for instance, who joined a very exclusive list of all-time greats on Tuesday when he received his fourth AL starting assignment before turning 25. Or David Ortiz and Miguel Cabrera, who will be making their 10th and 11th respective All-Star appearances next Tuesday.

But for every Trout, Ortiz, and Cabrera, there's multiple All-Stars who aren't what you'd call household names. These players usually have to savor their time in the spotlight because they may well never reach these heights again. For the rest of their lives, though, they'll be able to say they were a big-league All-Star - even if it was on the strength of one remarkable first half.

Here are the five most unlikely All-Stars of 2016:

Adam Duvall

Duvall, acquired by the Reds from San Francisco in last July's Mike Leake trade, hit just eight home runs over his first 55 big-league games. But he's broken out in 2016, his first full campaign as the Reds left fielder, and his 22 home runs entering Wednesday's action have him just three back of league leader Kris Bryant. That powerful first half earned him a trip to San Diego thanks to the players' vote, where he'll serve as the Reds' lone representative.

Brad Brach

From Steve Delabar to Brad Boxberger, it seems like there's always at least one previously unknown reliever who cracks the All-Star squad with a remarkable first half. This year that honor goes to Brach, the right-hander who's been a force out of the first-place Orioles' bullpen. The 30-year-old owns a career-best 0.99 ERA, 0.788 WHIP, 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings, and 2.6 walks per nine innings this season, while setting up fellow All-Star Zach Britton. Alex Colome of the Rays and Will Harris of the Astros are two other nondescript relievers who earned All-Star nods this year.

Eduardo Nunez

Somebody had to represent the hapless Twins, and while Joe Mauer would have made a fine choice, utility man Nunez is both a surprising and deserving choice. The former Yankees backup finally broke out in Minnesota, earning his first All-Star nod thanks to a .823 OPS and a career-best 11 homers in 315 plate appearances, while splitting time between shortstop and third base. Not bad for a guy whose claim to fame before Tuesday night was being Derek Jeter's late-career backup.

Steven Wright

Everything's gone wrong with the Red Sox pitching staff this season, except for Wright. The knuckleballer bounced around the minors since 2006, and owned just 26 big-league appearances before securing a starting spot with the Red Sox in spring training. Since then, all the 31-year-old's done is lead the majors with three complete games while owning a club-best 2.42 ERA in 108 innings to emerge as the surprising stabilizing force of the Red Sox staff. He's the first knuckleball pitcher to make an All-Star Game since R.A. Dickey in 2012.

Odubel Herrera

Though the Phillies haven't been great this year, Herrera - a 2014 Rule 5 pick from the Rangers - has provided the rebuilding club with a glimmer of hope in his second big-league season. Despite the occasional mental lapse, Herrera's leading the Phillies in most major hitting categories while sporting a .302/.388/.441 line, and will undoubtedly surpass last year's totals in both home runs and stolen bases. He's top 10 in the National League in several categories as well, including fourth in times on base. The 24-year-old's not a known name just yet, but he could become one in the years to come.