Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin have been named the 2025 Rookies of the Yr. Kurtz gained the award unanimously following his monster debut season. In most different years, A’s shortstop Jacob Wilson or Purple Sox outfielder Roman Anthony would have taken residence the {hardware}. They as a substitute completed behind Kurtz. The Nationwide League class was stacked — Baldwin beat out the equally deserving Caleb Durbin (Brewers) and Cade Horton (Cubs).
No award will get you excited concerning the future the way in which Rookie of the Yr does. It is a younger participant being acknowledged for his greatness, and nice younger gamers are what sports activities hopes are constructed on. With that in thoughts, this is a glance forward on the 2026 rookie class and, extra importantly, who may very well be within the operating for the 2026 Rookie of the Yr awards.
MLB Rookie of the Yr awards: Athletics’ Nick Kurtz takes residence AL honors, Braves’ Drake Baldwin wins in NL
R.J. Anderson
American League
C Samuel Basallo, Orioles: The O’s imagine a lot in Basallo that they signed him to an eight-year, $67 million extension in August. The 21-year-old principally struggled throughout his late-season cameo (.559 OPS in 31 video games), although he is already had two walk-off hits, and people 31 video games had been priceless expertise. There’s one thing to be stated for taking your lumps, studying what changes it’s important to make, and spending the offseason getting higher. Basallo, who didn’t play sufficient to exhaust his rookie eligibility, figures to share catcher/DH responsibility with Adley Rutschman in 2026, which may equal extra enjoying time than the standard rookie catcher. That will not damage his Rookie of the Yr probabilities.
SS Kevin McGonigle, Tigers: Arguably the most effective prospect in baseball, McGonigle slashed .305/.408/.583 with 19 residence runs and extra walks (59) than strikeouts (46) throughout three minor league ranges in 2025. He has but to succeed in Triple-A and the dearth of minor-league seasoning may work in opposition to him, however groups more and more view Triple-A as a pit cease greater than a degree to spend a full season for improvement. The shortstop place is large open in Detroit. McGonigle might not make his MLB debut till June or July, although he would not be the primary Rookie of the Yr winner to play solely half a season within the huge leagues, or thereabouts.
RHP Trey Yesavage, Blue Jays: Baseball followers are already greater than acquainted with Yesavage given his postseason heroics. He made solely three regular-season begins, nevertheless, and postseason play doesn’t rely towards rookie standing, so Yesavage remains to be eligible for subsequent yr’s Rookie of the Yr award. We have already seen how good he might be on the sport’s largest stage, and he’ll have the added benefit of not having to compete for a big-league job in spring coaching. We already know Yesavage will break camp in Toronto’s rotation. There is a lengthy method to go between at times, however given what we all know proper now, Yesavage needs to be thought of the 2026 Rookie of the Yr frontrunner.
Nationwide League
RHP Bubba Chandler, Pirates: The Pirates slow-played Chandler’s improvement this season, a lot in order that he admitted he was “mad” he was not known as up sooner. He pitched nicely following his August debut, hanging out 31 batters in opposition to solely 4 walks in 31 ⅓ innings. Spectacular command for a rookie, that’s. Chandler, 23, neither pitched sufficient nor spent sufficient time within the huge leagues to exhaust his rookie standing. He is eligible for the 2026 Rookie of the Yr award and is more likely to be a part of Pittsburgh’s rotation proper out of the gate on Opening Day.
RHP Nolan McLean, Mets: McLean may’ve been the Nationwide League’s model of Yesavage within the postseason had the Mets, , made the postseason. The 24-year-old was spectacular in his MLB debut this yr, pitching to a 2.06 ERA with 57 strikeouts in eight begins and exhibiting energetic stuff with motion that may finest be described as cartoonish. McLean threw 48 innings for the Mets, two fewer than the 50-inning rookie restrict. He stays Rookie of the Yr eligible going into subsequent season and is for certain to be in New York’s season-opening rotation. It isn’t out of the query that McLean will begin Opening Day in 2026.
IF JJ Wetherholt, Cardinals: Arguably the most effective all-around prospect within the minors, Wetherholt hit .306/.421/.510 with 17 residence runs and practically as many walks (72) as strikeouts (73) within the minors this season. He performed 47 video games in Triple-A too. He is knocking on the door. Wetherholt will not unseat Masyn Winn at shortstop however he should not have any bother enjoying second or third. The one query is how the Cardinals will make room for him (Brendan Donovan commerce?) and the way quickly they’ll do it. Wetherholt is about as near MLB prepared as a prospect can get.
Thriller League
A number of distinguished Japanese veterans are anticipated to make their method over to MLB through the posting system this offseason. We do not know the place they’ll signal but, however the guidelines say these gamers will likely be Rookie of the Yr eligible no matter their age or years of expertise in Japan, so we will embrace them right here.
RHP Tatsuya Imai: Imai, 27, has been considered one of Japan’s high pitchers with the Seibu Lions the previous couple of years, and this yr he threw 163 ⅔ innings with 178 strikeouts and a 1.92 ERA. It is the mid-to-upper-90s fastball with the same old deep array of secondary pitches you discover with Japanese starters (slider, splitter, curveball, and so on.). Imai is just not the subsequent Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He is seen as extra of a mid-rotation starter with untapped potential than a plug-and-play ace. The Lions posted Imai this week.
3B Munetaka Murakami: The 25-year-old Murakami has been on the radar since his historic 56-homer season for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in 2022, which is the single-season document for a Japanese-born participant. The years since haven’t been fairly as dominant, and an indirect damage restricted him to 69 video games this season, however in that timeframe he hit 24 residence runs. There are actual questions on Murakami’s bat-to-ball capability (his 27.0% strikeout price in 2025 was nicely north of the 19.5% league common) and his third base protection, however nobody doubts the ability. Murakami’s 45-day posting window closes Dec. 22.
1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto: Maybe a safer wager to carry out immediately than Murakami, Okamoto has been one of many Japan’s high hitters the final decade. He hit .322/.411/.581 with 15 residence runs in 77 video games round a non-throwing elbow damage this yr (it was a fluke damage suffered in a collision at first base) and has a historical past of massive pull energy and glorious contact charges. Okamoto is a bit older than Imai and Murakami (30 in June), which will likely be baked into the contract. The Yomiuri Giants have by no means posted a place participant of their historical past (Hideki Matsui left as a free agent). Okamoto would be the first and will land with a group keen to stay with him at third base. He not but been formally posted.
