Ten Rookies In The Thick Of The Rookie Of The Year Race In MLB

These ten rookies are in the thick of the Rookie of the Year race.

Early in the season, the AL and NL Rookie of the Year races are hard to predict. Plenty of top prospects will be called up in the next month or two that have the ability to shake up this race significantly. But, as of now, these ten have put themselves in the race.

Athletics SS Jacob Wilson

There aren’t a lot of walks and there isn’t much power in the bat, but he’s been one of the very best contact hitters in baseball so far. Wilson is hitting an outstanding .357 with 51 hits already, and could win a batting title. He’s been solid on the bases and in the field, too, and would win AL Rookie of the Year if voting was today.

Boston Red Sox 2B Kristian Campbell

The Red Sox will soon call up the top prospect in the game, CF Roman Anthony. In the meantime, another megaprospect in Kristian Campbell has been fantastic. His OPS+ is 130 with an OPS closing in on .900, and he’s walked an impressive 19 times. He’s showing that he has potential to be one of the game’s premier second basemen.

Detroit Tigers SP Jackson Jobe

Jobe has been shaky, but it’s a weak crop of rookies right now. That being said, he’s been serviceable. One of the game’s top pitching prospects has the potential to go on a heater and get himself firmly in the race.

New York Yankees Outfielder Jasson Dominguez

Jasson Dominguez was, largely, a product of the Yankees hype machine that had crazy fans. comparing to fellow switch-hitting Yankee outfielder Mickey Mantle. He’s no Mickey Mantle, but’s he’s been serviceable. His OPS is just below league average, even if he isn’t hitting for as much power as you’d think a guy nicknamed The Martian should hit for. Again, it’s a weak rookie crop, so he has to be mentioned.

Chicago White Sox RP Shane Smith

Who leads all rookies in WAR, you ask? It’s White Sox relief pitcher Shane Smith. You almost certainly don’t know who that is, because the White Sox are awful. Hitters have an OPS of under .600 against him, and he’s getting guys from both sides of the plate out. Will it last? Who knows. But, he’s been great so far.

New York Mets 2B Luisangel Acuna

Acuna has been in a platoon for the Mets, first with Brett Baty and now with Jeff McNeil. When he’s played, he’s produced. He’s got an OPS+ of 109, has already swiped nine bags, and has been solid in the field. If he gets the job full-time, he could steal 40-50 bases this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers SP Roki Sasaki

Sasaki, the ballyhood Japanese pitcher that was the apple of every team’s eye this offseason due to unique rules that made him affordable for every team, has been up-and-down. He’s been just above league-average in ERA+, but his stuff has not played how many thought it would. That being said, he’s still a better pitcher than league average, and we know that the 23-year-old has incredible potential.

AJ Smith-Shawver

Smith-Shawver, 22, has been solid in his first full year in the Braves’ rotation. He has a 3.86 ERA and is striking out a pretty good 9 per 9. His peripherals say that ERA should be up a bit, but it’s so far so good for Smith-Shawver.

Miami Marlins C Agusto Ramirez

Ramirez made his major league debut on April 21 and has torn the cover off the ball since. He’s got an extraordinary 157 OPS+, and that’s backed up by his metrics in terms of hard-hit rate and other similar stats that are off the charts. He’s clobbering major league pitching, and is keeping his strikeouts down.

Atlanta Braves C Drake Baldwin

Baldwin is another NL East catcher that has been sensational. He’s split time with Sean Murphy, and has been fantastic when given chances to play. He’s got an .802 OPS and a 124 OPS+. He’s been a great pitch framer too, and that goes a long way.