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Ranking the Top 50 MLB Rookies of the 2024 Season
B.Lee30 min ago
- Denis Poroy/ Now that the regular season has come to a close, it's time for one final version of our monthly MLB rookie rankings, this time with the list expanding from 25 to 50 players in an effort to highlight the impressive overall depth of this year's rookie class. The NL Rookie of the Year race between Pittsburgh Pirates starter Paul Skenes and San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill figures to be one of the highest in recent memory, while the AL Rookie of the Year race is a wide-open battle. Players are ranked based on their individual production, role with their team, and how they developed as the season progressed. In other words, a strong finish to the year carried more weight than a strong start that ended in steady regression. Even with the list expanded to 50, there were still some tough exclusions, so let's kick things off with a few honorable mentions who just missed the cut.
- Steven King/Icon Sportswire via The Tigers acquired Sweeney in the deal that sent Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers at the trade deadline, and he took over as the team's everyday shortstop after Javier Báez was lost for the season to a hip injury. He hit .218/.269/.373 with four home runs and 17 RBI in 119 plate appearances and provided plus defense ( 4 DRS, 2.6 UZR/150 ) at a premium position. Spence was plucked from the Yankees farm system in the Rule 5 draft, and he ended up chewing through 151.1 innings, which trailed only Shōta Imanaga (173.1) and Luis Gil (151.2) among rookie pitchers. He finished with a 4.58 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 126-to-44 strikeout-to-walk ratio and looks like a useful piece going forward for the Athletics. The No. 29 prospect in the Nationals system at the start of the 2024 season, Parker made his MLB debut on April 15 and went on to make 29 starts, finishing 7-10 with a 4.29 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 133 strikeouts in 151 innings. The 6'4", 239-pound left-hander was a fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft out of JUCO powerhouse San Jacinto College. An imposing 6'3", 250-pound slugger, Noel has been raking in the minors for years, albeit with a high strikeout rate and limited defensive profile. He made his MLB debut on June 26 and posted a 115 OPS+ with 13 home runs in 198 plate appearances while serving as a platoon partner for Will Brennan in right field. His impressive power production was accompanied by a .218 average and 31.8 percent strikeout rate. Kochanowicz made his MLB debut on July 11 and got knocked around to the tune of 14 hits and 11 earned runs over seven innings in two starts before he was demoted. He returned to the big leagues on Aug. 11 and pitched like an ace the rest of the way, posting a 2.78 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 58.1 innings while logging eight quality starts in nine outings. He struck out just 25 batters in 65.1 innings overall, but it's hard to ignore his late-season result.
- John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via The Cardinals claimed Siani off waivers from the Reds in September 2023, and while he hit just .228/.285/.285 for a 61 OPS+ in 334 plate appearances, he made a significant impact with his defensive work in the outfield. His defensive metrics ( 8 DRS, 18.3 UZR/150 ) in center field were elite, and he also added 20 steals in 23 attempts. Joyce has been grabbing headlines with his elite fastball velocity since his days at the University of Tennessee, and he averaged 102.1 mph with his four-seamer this year while carving out a role in the Angels bullpen. He finished with a 2.08 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with four saves and eight holds in 31 appearances. Holmes was a Top 100 prospect prior to the 2015 (No. 74) and 2016 (No. 72) seasons as a member of the Dodgers and Athletics organizations, but injuries derailed his rise to the majors. The 28-year-old finally made his MLB debut this season and turned out to be a useful swingman, posting a 3.56 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in 68.1 innings over seven starts and 19 relief appearances. The Dodgers used 17 different starting pitchers during the regular season, and Knack was one of the few left standings at the end of the year, putting him in position to serve as the team's No. 4 starter in the playoffs. The 27-year-old had a 3.65 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 69 innings while making 12 starts and three appearances out of the bullpen.41. SP/RP José Buttó, New York Mets With a mid-90s fastball and a terrific changeup that generated a 42.6 percent whiff rate, Buttó settled into a key bullpen role after previously serving as a starter in the minors and in his early MLB action. He logged a 2.55 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 9.6 K/9 with seven wins, three saves and four holds in 30 appearances, including seven starts.
- Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via 40. OF Wenceel Pérez, Detroit Tigers Pérez debuted with a bang in early April, hitting .304/.375/.506 with eight extra-base hits in 88 plate appearances over his first 25 games in the majors. His production eventually leveled off, but he still posted a solid .242/.300/.383 line with 31 extra-base hits in 425 plate appearances as Detroit's primary right fielder. Injuries opened the door for Arrighetti to make 28 starts in the Houston rotation, and he finished 7-13 with a 4.53 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 171 strikeouts for an impressive 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings. During an eight-start stretch from mid-July through the end of August, he had a 2.68 ERA over 50.1 innings while helping the Astros climb back into contention after a slow start.38. 2B Otto López, Miami Marlins López took over as Miami's primary second baseman after Luis Arraez was traded to the Padres in May, and he quietly formed a productive double-play tandem with Xavier Edwards as the season unfolded. His .270/.313/.377 batting line doesn't jump off the page, but it's solid production coupled with his stellar defensive metrics ( 9 DRS, 5.7 UZR/150 ) at second base. The Angels rushed Schanuel to the majors just a few weeks after he was taken No. 11 overall in the 2023 draft, and he showed enough down the stretch to stake claim to the starting first base job while still maintaining his prospect status. He hit .250/.343/.362 for a 101 OPS+ with 19 doubles, 13 home runs and 54 RBI in 147 games and looks like a solid building block going forward. Pages earned an early promotion to the majors on April 16 after hitting .371/.452/.694 with five home runs and 15 RBI over his first 15 games at Triple-A. He continued to swing a hot bat upon arriving in the big leagues, and while he quickly leveled off, he ultimately put together a strong rookie campaign. In 116 games, he hit .248/.305/.407 for a 102 OPS+ with 23 doubles, 13 home runs and 46 RBI in 443 plate appearances.
- Adam Hunger/ The Cubs bullpen was extremely inconsistent this year, but the North Siders did unearth a potential gem in Hodge. A 13th-round pick in 2019 who began his career as a starter before shifting to the bullpen midway through 2023, he made his MLB debut on May 22 and was closing games by the end of the year. He finished with a 1.88 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 while tallying nine saves and nine holds in 39 appearances. Hudson made six forgettable appearances for the Dodgers in 2023, posting a 7.27 ERA in 8.2 innings before he was acquired by the Brewers in an under-the-radar trade in January. The towering 6'8", 220-pound lefty had a 1.73 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 9.0 K/9 with 14 holds in 43 appearances, though he dealt with diminished velocity down the stretch and was ultimately left off Milwaukee's playoff roster. The Tigers signed Keith to a six-year, $28.6 million extension in January, despite the fact that he had not yet made his MLB debut. That paved the way for him to make the Opening Day roster, and while he wasn't the AL Rookie of the Year contender many were expecting, he settled in nicely as the season progressed and finished with a .260/.309/.380 line that included 15 doubles, 13 home runs and 61 RBI in 148 games. Wood was the prospect centerpiece of the blockbuster deal that sent Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres, and after emerging as one of the top prospects in baseball in 2023, he forced his way into the MLB picture just a few days after his 22nd birthday on July 1. With an athletic 6'7", 234-pound frame, he has as much offensive upside as any young player in the game, and he hit .264/.354/.427 for a 122 OPS+ with 26 extra-base hits and 14 steals in 79 games. Baz missed most of 2022 and all of 2023 dealing with recurring elbow issues and eventually Tommy John surgery, but he quickly rebuilt his stock after he was activated from the injured list on July 5. In 14 stats, he posted a 3.06 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 79.1 innings, and he should enter spring training next year penciled into a rotation spot.
- Jim McIsaac/ The Red Sox shaky middle infield situation would have been much worse if Hamilton didn't step forward as a viable starting option. Acquired in the Jackie Bradley Jr. for Hunter Renfroe swap back in 2021, he hit .248/.303/.395 with 26 extra-base hits and 33 steals in 98 games while providing steady defense at second base and shortstop. Rocchio won an open battle for the starting shortstop spot during spring training and held onto the job all season for a contending Guardians team. His offensive production was modest, as he hit .206/.298/.316 for a 76 OPS+ in 442 plate appearances, but he provided terrific defense ( 10 DRS, 10.7 UZR/150 ) and should be a finalist for AL Gold Glove honors. Outside of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Horwitz might have been Toronto's most productive offensive player from the time he was called up in early June through the end of the season. He hit .265/.357/.433 for a 125 OPS+ with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 40 RBI in 381 plate appearances, and provided unique defensive versatility while splitting his time between first base and second base. Jones pitched his way into Pittsburgh's rotation with a terrific spring training and looked like the early NL Rookie of the Year favorite when he posted a 3.05 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 59 innings over his first 10 starts. He made just two total starts in July and August while nursing a lat strain and didn't have the same electric stuff down the stretch, but he still finished with a 4.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 121.2 innings. He is a key piece of a promising young Pirates rotation. Meadows hit an abysmal .096 with 32 strikeouts in 85 plate appearances to open the 2024 season before he was optioned to the minors on May 6. He returned to the big leagues on July 5, but three days later suffered a strained hamstring that cost him a month. Since he was activated from the injured list on Aug. 3, he has been a different player, hitting .296/.340/.500 with 21 extra-base hits in 201 plate appearances while serving as the primary center fielder and leadoff hitter on a red-hot Tigers team.
- Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/25. RP Justin Martínez, Arizona Diamondbacks One of baseball's hardest-throwing relievers with a sinker that averaged 100.2 mph , Martínez also deployed a lethal splitter/slider combination that both generated a whiff rate north of 45 percent. The 23-year-old had a 2.48 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 11.3 K/9 with eight saves and nine holds in 64 appearances. Kerkering made his MLB debut as a September call-up in 2023 and pitched well enough to earn a spot on the playoff roster, ultimately making more appearances in the playoffs (7) than he did during the regular season (3). He was a full-fledged member of the relief corps in 2024 and was lights-out with a 2.29 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 while tallying 14 holds in 64 appearances. The No. 18 prospect in the Nationals system at the start of the year, Young ended up starting 149 games in center field on the strength of his elite defense. He hit .256/.316/.331 for an 86 OPS+ with 28 extra-base hits and 33 steals in 521 plate appearances, which accompanied by his terrific defensive work ( 11 DRS, 4.0 UZR/150 ) made him one of the best under-the-radar rookies of 2024. Woods Richardson provided a major boost to a Twins rotation that lost Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda during the offseason and did not make a major outside addition to replace them. The 6'3", 210-pound right-hander made 28 starts, going 5-5 with a 4.17 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 117 strikeouts in 133.2 innings. He was one of the prospects acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays, along with Austin Martin, in the deal that sent José Berríos the other way at the 2021 trade deadline. PCA looked overmatched at the plate early on, but the Cubs stuck with him thanks to his elite defense and top-of-the-scale speed, and things started to click during the second half. Over the final two months of the season, he hit .284/.337/.466 with 16 extra-base hits, seven home runs, 27 RBI and seven steals in 52 games. His elite defensive metrics ( 12 DRS, 8.9 UZR/150 ) and plus speed (27/30 SB) give him an extremely high floor, while his offensive upside is what makes him a potential star.
- Matthew Stockman/ Surface-level stats do not fully illustrate how important Rafaela was for the Red Sox in 2024. He split his time evenly between shortstop (647.0 INN) and center field (634.1 INN) while hitting .246 with 23 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs, 75 RBI and 19 steals in 571 plate appearances. His 2.6 percent walk rate and .274 on-base percentage need work, but the eight-year, $50 million extension he signed in April looks like money well spent. The prospect centerpiece in the Corbin Burnes blockbuster, Ortiz filled a major void at third base for the Brewers. He hit .239/.329/.398 for a 101 OPS+ with 25 doubles, six triples, 11 home runs, 60 RBI and 11 steals in 142 games, while also providing strong defense ( 7 DRS, 4.8 UZR/150 ) at the hot corner. He is expected to slide over as the shortstop of the future if Willy Adames walks in free agency. Yamamoto would likely rank significantly higher on this list if he had not missed nearly three months with a rotator cuff strain. When healthy, he went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 105 strikeouts in 90 innings, showcasing the electric stuff that earned him a 12-year, $325 million deal during the offseason. He will serve as the Dodgers No. 2 starter in the playoffs after returning to action in September. Myers' claim to fame entering 2024 was being the player the Guardians acquired from Tampa Bay for a low-level prospect named Junior Caminero. He spent time in the Orioles, Rays, Guardians, Giants and White Sox organizations before joining the Brewers on a minor league deal prior to the 2023 season, and he emerged as a key arm in their rotation this year. The 26-year-old went 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 127 strikeouts in 138 innings, and he tossed five shutout innings of two-hit ball in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. While teammates Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin both exhausted their rookie status in 2023 before turning in breakout 2024 campaigns, Smith was a rookie and made his MLB debut on Opening Day. In 74 appearances, he posted a 1.91 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and a 103-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 75.1 innings. He led all rookies with 28 holds, and he was a key cog in a Cleveland bullpen that led the majors with a 2.57 ERA.
- Luke Hales/ Langford hit .360/.480/.677 with 29 extra-base hits in 44 games after signing as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, and the Rangers saw enough during spring training to put him on the Opening Day roster. He hit .253/.325/.415 for a 111 OPS+ with 25 doubles, 16 home runs and 74 RBI in 134 games less than a year removed from playing college ball, and he got better as the season progressed with a .784 OPS and 11 home runs after the All-Star break. Stone won the No. 5 starter job during spring training and ended up being an invaluable member of an injury-plagued Dodgers rotation, leading the team with 140.1 innings pitched. He finished 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 116-to-37 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 25 starts, though he will miss the postseason with shoulder inflammation. Blocked by Freddie Freeman at first base and Max Muncy at third base, Busch was traded by the Dodgers during the offseason in exchange for pitching prospect Jackson Ferris in what looks like a potential win-win move. After crushing Triple-A pitching last year, Busch broke camp as the Cubs' starting first baseman, and he hit .248/.335/.440 for a 118 OPS+ with 28 doubles, 21 home runs and 65 RBI in 567 plate appearances. Wells posted a 103 OPS+ with 18 doubles, 13 home runs and 55 RBI in 414 plate appearances, peaking over the summer when he hit .303/.389/.549 with nine home runs and 29 RBI in 44 games during July and August. He also threw out 26 percent of base stealers and graded out as one of the best pitch-framers in baseball, erasing questions about the defensive side of his game. Fitzgerald was an afterthought in the spring position battle between Nick Ahmed and Marco Luciano for the starting shortstop job, and he only tallied 86 plate appearances during the first half before turning in a fantastic second half. He hit .281/.333/.519 with 15 doubles, 13 home runs, 27 RBI and 10 steals in 255 plate appearances after the All-Star break, and he racked up 2.7 WAR in just 96 games overall.
- Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Stats: A season-ending injury to Spencer Strider left the Atlanta Braves rotation with a glaring hole, and after cycling through several different spot starter options, they finally found the answer when Spencer Schwellenbach made his MLB debut on May 29. The 24-year-old was a second-round pick in the 2021 draft after serving as the starting shortstop and closer at the University of Nebraska, and the Braves drafted him as a pitcher, despite the fact that he needed Tommy John surgery at the onset of his pro career. He tallied 12 quality starts in 21 outings, and really hit his stride down the stretch, going 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA in 26 innings over his final four appearances. That included seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball in a critical game against the New York Mets on Sept. 30.
- Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Stats: Colton Cowser was one of the biggest stories of the 2024 season's first few weeks, hitting .405/.435/.833 with six doubles, four home runs and 15 RBI In 46 plate appearances over his first 16 games. The league eventually adjusted to his early success and he slumped in May and June, but he rebounded over the final three months and hit .268/.337/.477 with 11 doubles, 12 home runs, 35 RBI in 65 games after the All-Star break. He fits best in left field defensively, but also saw time in center field and right field, and he finished with plus defensive metrics ( 3 DRS, 1.3 UZR/150 ) for his overall work across the three positions.
- Matt Dirksen/Stats: For the first five months of the 2024 campaign, Mason Miller was presented as having "exceeded rookie limits during 2023 season" on his Baseball Reference player page. Having long trusted the site for that type of information, I took it as fact and excluded him from these rookie rankings each month. However, at some point in September, his rookie status was changed to "still intact through 2024" on that very same player page, so let this serve as an overdue acknowledgement that he should have been part of the rookie conversation all along. With an electric fastball that averaged 100.9 mph and a wipeout slider that generated a 47.2 percent whiff rate, Miller was one of the most overpowering relievers in baseball. He struck out 104 of the 249 batters he faced for a 41.8 percent strikeout rate that led all qualified relievers.
- Dustin Satloff/Stats: Considering he only earned a spot on the Opening Day roster as a replacement for the injured Gerrit Cole, right-hander Luis Gil put together quite the rookie season, and it could end in AL Rookie of the Year honors. After pitching a combined 29.2 innings in 2022 and 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, he was well off the top prospect radar entering the year, despite a promising debut in 2021 when he posted a 3.07 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 29.1 innings over six starts. He did issue an MLB-high 77 walks, but those free passes were largely offset by the fact that he only surrendered 104 hits in 151.2 innings, good for a .189 opponents' batting average.
- John Fisher/Stats: The Milwaukee Brewers signed Jackson Chourio to a record-setting eight-year, $82 million extension in December, setting a new standard for money given to a player before his MLB debut. He was just 18 days removed from his 20th birthday when he made his MLB debut on Opening Day, and while he dealt with some early growing pains, he looked like a bona fide superstar over the final four months of the year. From June 1 through the end of the regular season, he hit .303/.358/.525 with 25 doubles, 16 home runs, 63 RBI, 60 runs scored and 15 steals in 399 plate appearances. Elite-level production for the youngest player to appear in an MLB game in 2024. He went 5-for-11 in the Wild Card Series against the Mets to cap off his stellar debut, homering twice in Game 2.
- Sean M. Haffey/Stats: The fact that Jackson Merrill was one of the best offensive players in baseball this season is made even more impressive when you consider that he is only 21 years old, and he did it while learning to play a new defensive position on the fly. He made his first career start in center field at any professional level on Opening Day, breaking camp with a starting spot and playing his first two big-league games in the Seoul Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in South Korea. There is still room for improvement, most notably in his production against left-handed pitching (156 ), but he was a star from the jump and should only get better in the coming years in the middle of the San Diego offense.
- Dustin Satloff/Stats: Comparing pitchers and position players is always tough, and if you have Jackson Merrill in the No. 1 spot on your rookie rankings, that's a completely reasonable take that is easily defended with his everyday production and major impact for a postseason contender. However, Paul Skenes just put together one of the most dominant seasons ever by a rookie pitcher. If he had been on the Opening Day roster, there's a very real chance he would have joined Fernando Valenzuela as just the second rookie pitcher in MLB history to take home Cy Young honors. The National League starter in the All-Star Game, he was pulled from a no-hitter not once, but twice, and he did not allow more than six hits or four earned runs in any of his 23 starts. All of that while he was less than a year removed from playing college ball.
Read the full article:https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10137709-ranking-the-top-50-mlb-rookies-of-the-2024-season
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