Jac Caglianone, Kyle Teel and Roman Anthony have finally arrived.
There’s still time for that trio of top prospects to factor into the American League Rookie of the Year race after their June call-ups, but they have a lot of work to do to catch the top rookie in the sport.
As more of the game’s most talented young players embark on their big-league journey, here are our latest MLB rookie power rankings.
(Note: The rankings below will be updated once a month throughout the season. Stats are through June 9.)
Honorable mentions:
- Liam Hicks (C/DH, Miami Marlins)
- Jack Leiter (SP, Texas Rangers)
- Jasson Domínguez (OF, New York Yankees)
It’s been a heck of a year for Rule 5 picks. Selected immediately after Shane Smith, Hicks has been the most valuable rookie on a young Marlins team, slashing .274/.346/.460. Leiter is looking better and better as the year is progressing, registering a 2.20 ERA in his last five starts to lower his overall ERA on the year to 3.48. Domínguez ranks second among rookies in RBI but is hitting around league average this year; with his defensive limitations, that leaves him just outside the top 10.
The top 10
10. Ben Casparius (RP, Los Angeles Dodgers)
Previous ranking: 7
Casparius took his first loss of the season over the weekend in one of his worst outings of the year, but he has saved the Dodgers’ bullpen this season. He ranks second among all rookie pitchers in fWAR and has the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio (44 strikeouts, seven walks) and lowest WHIP (1.00) of any rookie who has thrown at least 40 innings. He also has surrendered just one home run all year. There’s a lot of red here for a reason.
9. Hyeseong Kim (INF/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers)
Previous ranking: N/R
The counting stats aren’t there yet to put him higher on this list, but when he plays, he produces. The Dodgers are starting to give him a little more runway after slashing .410/.438/.590 with six steals in 26 games. His 1.028 OPS is by far the highest mark of any rookie with at least 60 plate appearances, and he is already top-five in WAR among rookie position players despite the lack of playing time.
8. Tomoyuki Sugano (SP, Baltimore Orioles)
Previous ranking: N/R
There could be some regression ahead, as Sugano has gotten out to a 5-4 record and 3.23 ERA despite a .289 expected batting average against and the lowest strikeout rate among all qualified rookie starters. But you can’t argue with the results. He has held his opponent to three earned runs or fewer in 12 of his 13 starts while throwing more innings than any rookie pitcher. That consistency is crucial for an Orioles rotation that needs all the help it can get.
7. Noah Cameron (SP, Kansas City Royals)
Previous ranking: N/R
Similar to Sugano, the underlying numbers suggest he should not be performing this well; but…he is. Historically well. Cameron is the first pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 to go at least six innings while allowing one or no runs in each of his first five career starts. He has just a 16% strikeout rate, and a .148 batting average on balls in play won’t be sustainable, but his results (0.85 ERA, 0.79 WHIP) are staggering nonetheless, which is why he leads all rookie pitchers in bWAR already. The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is because he has only made five starts.
6. Chase Meidroth, (SS, Chicago White Sox)
Previous ranking: N/R
As Teel begins his big-league journey, another product of the Garrett Crochet trade has thrived in Chicago since getting called up on April 11. Among qualified rookies, Meidroth has the best strikeout-to-walk ratio — he has the same number of walks as strikeouts through his first 175 plate appearances — and the fourth-highest batting average (.299) while registering one of the lowest whiff rates in MLB and playing terrific infield defense. The 23-year-old trails only Jacob Wilson and Carlos Narváez for the most bWAR by a rookie position player.
5. Drake Baldwin (C, Atlanta Braves)
Previous ranking: N/R
The reigning NL Rookie of the Month has cooled off over the past couple weeks, but he still leads all qualified NL rookies in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS while ranking second in homers. His offensive pop is especially impressive for a 24-year-old catcher, and the underlying numbers support his production. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson are the only Braves hitters with a higher hard-hit rate than Baldwin, who slashed .389/.411/.593 in May. The hard part now for the Braves is finding him at-bats, as the presence of Sean Murphy behind the plate and Marcell Ozuna at designated hitter limit his opportunities.
4. Chad Patrick (SP, Milwaukee Brewers)
Previous ranking: 4
If you haven’t heard the name, it’s time to take note. Last year’s International League Pitcher of the Year and Triple-A Triple Crown winner has taken his consistent production to the big leagues and stabilized the Brewers’ rotation since the beginning of April. He has not allowed more than three runs in any of his 13 starts, has a 1.69 ERA over his last four starts and leads all NL rookie pitchers in fWAR.
3. Shane Smith (SP, Chicago White Sox)
Previous ranking: 3
The top Rule 5 pick continues to get it done. Smith enters the week with the lowest ERA (2.45) among rookie starters with at least 10 starts. Like Patrick, he also has allowed three runs or fewer in every start this year. Smith limits hard contact, keeps the ball on the ground and also has an above-average whiff rate. His fastball-changeup combo works against lefties and righties alike.
2. Carlos Narváez (C, Boston Red Sox)
Previous ranking: N/R
Narváez ranks second in WAR, third in doubles and fourth in hits and OPS among all qualified rookies. Safe to say the Yankees did not expect this level of offensive production when they traded him to the Red Sox for a pitching prospect and international bonus pool space in December. On Sunday, Narváez repaid his former team by launching the go-ahead home run at Yankee Stadium to help Boston take the series. He is hitting better now as a big-leaguer than he did coming through the Yankees’ system, limiting his strikeout rate while still producing a higher slugging percentage than he had at any minor-league level.
1. Jacob Wilson (SS, Athletics)
Previous ranking: 1
Still pacing the pack, Wilson is leading all qualified rookies in hits, runs, RBI and every slash line category. He’s the best rookie in MLB by counting stats. He’s the best rookie by rate stats. Among all qualified players, Wilson trails only Aaron Judge in batting average and Luis Arraez in strikeout rate while ranking eighth in OPS. In a crowded field at shortstop, he’s putting together a strong argument not only to make the All-Star team but to start the game for the American League.
Also considered: Matt Shaw (3B, Chicago Cubs); Cam Smith (OF, Houston Astros); Agustin Ramirez (C/DH; Miami Marlins); Eric Orze (RP, Tampa Bay Rays); Caleb Durbin (3B, Milwaukee Brewers); Kristian Campbell (2B, Boston Red Sox); Jake Mangum (OF, Tampa Bay Rays); Chandler Simpson (OF, Tampa Bay Rays); Tim Tawa (2B, Arizona Diamondbacks); Luisangel Acuña (New York Mets); Will Warren (SP, New York Yankees); Jack Dreyer (RP; Los Angeles Dodgers)
Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.
Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
