Top Rookie of the Year candidates in each league
With Spring Training underway across the league, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo took time on the most recent Pipeline Podcast to record their prime 5 candidates for Rookie of the Year in every league for the upcoming season.
Callis took the National League and Mayo made his picks for the American League.
Here are the highest Rookie of the Year candidates in every league:
No. 5 : Kodai Senga, RHP, Mets
This a man who starred in Japan, he starred within the World Baseball Classic, he received a gold medal on the 2020 Olympics, which have been held in ’21. This is a man with mid-90s fastball, he’s received this depraved fork ball, I believe they name it the ‘ghost fork’. And no one else has a ‘ghost fork’ in order that alone ought to earn some Rookie of the Year votes. He’s received a cutter, he’s received a slider, he throws strikes. Even although he signed a $75 million deal, he’s not coming right into a scenario the place he’s gotta be the ace.
No. 4: Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Rockies (MLB No. 25)
He’s already been up a bit of bit. He performed 9 video games in September with the Rockies final 12 months at age 21. Obviously he’s proficient, he can hit, he’s received some energy, he can run a bit of bit. He’s gonna get the Coors Field issue which goes to assist. But he’s additionally the most effective defensive shortstop prospects within the sport.
No. 3: Miguel Vargas, INF, Dodgers (MLB No. 35)
I believe he’s the most effective pure hitters in baseball. I really feel like he’s a bit of bit underrated. He’s by no means hit lower than .308 in a Minor League season and but I don’t really feel like he will get talked about loads being among the many best hitters in all of the Minor Leagues. He’s simply received elite bat to ball expertise, he’s a kind of guys who grew up across the sport. His father, Lázaro Vargas, was the DH for Cuba’s 1992 and 1996 Olympic Champions. Miguel is rising into energy, he’s a bit of higher pace sensible and defensively than he was when he entered professional ball. And I believe he’s such a gifted hitter that he’s going to get a whole lot of at-bats and do nicely with them.
No. 2: Jordan Walker, OF, Cardinals (MLB No. 4)
He hasn’t performed above Double-A and the Cardinals are a loaded workforce, however I believe his mixture of hitting means and energy are very onerous to disregard. I believe he’s additionally an asset in proper area, the place he moved from third base late final 12 months as a result of Nolan Arenado is third at St. Louis and isn’t going anyplace. For a man who’s 6-5, 250 kilos, he’s fairly athletic. We all noticed him within the Fall League, and I wouldn’t have guessed 250 kilos. It’s like a lean 250, if that is smart, and he’s simply such a bodily athlete. And he is received an enormous time arm for proper area. I simply suppose he’s going to make an excellent impression in camp, and even when he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster I simply don’t suppose they’ll have the ability to hold him in Triple-A for too lengthy.
No. 1: Corbin Carroll, OF, D-backs (MLB No. 2)
They traded Daulton Varsho within the offseason to create much more room within the outfield. He got here up and regarded like he had been an enormous leaguer for some time when he got here up and performed 32 video games final 12 months, shortly after turning 22. He’s the most effective throughout software packages that you simply’re going to see, and he’s an 80 runner, he’s a 70 defender in heart. He’s the most effective bat to ball pure hit guys within the Minor Leagues. He’s received stable energy, he’s received stable arm power, it’s a fairly full package deal.
No. 5: Josh Jung, 3B, Rangers (MLB No. 34)
First-round decide in 2019. Got his ft moist final 12 months within the massive leagues. The solely factor that has held him again has been accidents. So he hasn’t actually performed a ton within the Minor Leagues, he most likely would have graduated way back, however he’s carried out nothing however hit within the Minors. If you take a look at his Minors’ profession, it’s type of like having one season’s price, however he’s received an .OPS of over 1.000, 30 homers, he’s hit over .300. The mixture of on-base expertise and energy I believe is gonna play and that job is his.
No. 4: Hunter Brown, RHP, Astros (MLB No. 43)
The solely factor that’s up within the air with Hunter Brown is what precisely his function goes to be as a result of the Astros rotation is ridiculous. I believe he clearly confirmed that his stuff goes to play within the massive leagues, developing final 12 months and being lights out, and pitching nicely within the postseason. But I believe even when he’s not going to be within the rotation, he is usually a multi-inning man out of the bullpen and have a huge effect that means. And then if somebody goes down, he can step into the rotation as wanted.
No. 3: Triston Casas, 1B, Red Sox (MLB No. 23)
He must be the Red Sox each day first baseman. The considerably scary factor is that as ridiculous as his uncooked energy is, he’s nonetheless studying the way to faucet into it. He’s a superb hitter, he’s managed to maintain his strikeouts comparatively low for a man who has as a lot energy as he does. But, you take a look at his Minor League numbers, he has not hit a gazzilion dwelling runs within the Minors. But I believe he’s that man that’s going to develop into that energy as soon as he’s within the massive leagues. And I believe it is a excellent mixture of skillset and alternative, and I believe his left-handed swing at Fenway Park goes to work very nicely, and he’s received energy to all fields so I believe that he’s going to place up some superb numbers proper out of the gate.
No. 2: Logan O’Hoppe, C, Angels (MLB No. 53)
I believe he’s certainly one of these guys who’s going to proceed to indicate that he’s higher than anybody anticipated, came visiting to the Angels within the Brandon Marsh commerce, went utterly bonkers, made it as much as the massive leagues. I believe he’s received each alternative to be their No. 1 catcher. He’s superb behind the plate and I believe that’s going to maintain him there. He will proceed to play simply due to how nicely he works with the pitchers, how good he’s behind the plate, he’s received a superb arm, however the energy is absolutely beginning to present up, and he could also be a greater massive leaguer than he was a prospect. And so I believe he’s going to be a man who far exceeds expectations.
No. 1: Gunnar Henderson, 3B/SS, Orioles (MLB No. 1)
I really feel like he and Corbin Carroll are the apparent decisions right here. Henderson got here up final 12 months and greater than held his personal and he was solely 21. He doesn’t flip 22 till June. He can play quick, he can play third, I believe he’ll most likely play third as a rule. There’s energy, there’s pace, he confirmed off all the instruments making it from Double-A to the massive leagues final 12 months. He’s going to graduate off of our record fairly quickly, however he’s about as simple a alternative on the prime of the AL record as there may very well be.
