Who was the youngest player in MLB history?

The Cincinnati Reds hold a unique record that will most certainly never be broken, as they fielded the youngest player in MLB history. Joe Nuxhall, known as "The Ol' Left-hander," made his Major League debut on June 10, 1944, with the Cincinnati Reds.

Nuxhall was able to reach the majors at such a young age due to a shortage of players as a result of World War II. While he only played one game with the team in 1944, it was a less-than-ideal MLB debut. He was 15 years and 316 days old when he made his MLB debut for the Reds.

Through 0.2 innings, Nuxhall finished with a 67.50 ERA with zero strikeouts while giving up five runs to the eventual World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.

Speaking about his debut, Nuxhall said, "I was pitching against seventh, eighth, and ninth graders, kids 13 and 14 years old... All of a sudden, I look up and there's Stan Musial and the likes. It was a very scary situation."

"February 18, 1944: A day after he plays in a high school basketball game, 15-year-old Hamilton High School student Joe Nuxhall is signed by the #Reds due to the shortage of players because of those serving in World War II. #OTD" - Cincinnati Reds

Nuxhall did not pitch again in the MLB until 1952, at the age of 23. He had a successful MLB career, pitching for a total of 16 seasons. From 1952-66, Nuxhall would post a 135-117 record with a 3.88 ERA while also recording 1,372 strikeouts. He spent time with the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Athletics, and Los Angeles Angels.

While he will be remembered as the youngest player in Major League Baseball history, he was also named to the All-Star team twice and inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1968.

Wander Franco was the youngest player in MLB in 2022

Wander Franco was the youngest player in the MLB in both 2021 and 2022. Born on March 1, 2001, he was tagged as one of the best prospects in Major League Baseball. The shortstop joined the Tampa Bay Rays as one of the top international prospects in the 2017 international class, signing on July 2, 2017.

In 153 games with the Rays, Franco has hit 13 home runs, collected 72 RBIs, and stolen 10 bases, while maintaining a career-high .282 batting average. Entering the 2023 campaign, Franco will turn 22 years old. It remains to be seen if he will remain the youngest player in the MLB next season.