Around the Horn: Top 10 MLB rookies this season

(Photo Courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

By Finley Rogan

Throughout this season, there have been many great rookies across Major League baseball. Compiling a list of only ten was difficult. Not as difficult as having to leave Elly De La Cruz off the list. For the list, I valued age, impact, and projectable success going forward. A few honorable mentions: Triston Casas, Anthony Volpe, Andrew Abbott, and Royce Lewis. Here are my ten best rookies in baseball this season.

1. OF Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks

Stats: 588 PA, 131 wRC+, .279/.357/.505, 24 HR, 5.2 WAR

Corbin Carroll will win National League Rookie of the Year this season. He has been nothing short of a superstar for the Diamondbacks. Carroll’s 5.2 Wins Above Replacement led all rookies in 2023. After getting called up late in the 2022 campaign, Carroll immediately looked the part of a major leaguer. His most impressive tool is his speed, Carroll sits in Statcast’s 99th percentile for sprint speed this season and has stolen 47 bags for Arizona. Carroll has been stellar at the plate as well, showcasing good bat-to-ball skills. Carroll’s solid offensive production, above average glove in the outfield, combined with his elite speed, have given the Diamondbacks a shot at playing in October this year, and a centerpiece for the franchise to build around for years to come.  

2. SS/3B Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles

     Stats: 559 PA, 124 wRC+, .257/.327/.496, 26 HR, 4.2 WAR

The 2019 first round selection entered the season number one in the MLB Top 100 prospect rankings. It is safe to say that after a rocky start to the season, the sweet swinging lefty Henderson has lived up to the hype. Since June 1st, Henderson has played like an all-star leading all rookies in WAR (4.2), his 137 wRC+ ranks third among rookies in that time frame, all while playing good defense at both shortstop and third base. Henderson has been the best rookie for Baltimore, who have surprised everyone this season, and will look to help lead them to their first AL East division title since 2014.

3. RHP Kodai Senga, New York Mets

     Stats: 27 GS, 155.1 IP, 191 SO, 2.95 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 3.4 WAR

Senga came over from Japan last winter and signed a five-year, 75 million dollar contract to pitch for the Mets. He has repaid the Mets by being one of few bright spots on their roster this season. Senga has given New York 155 strong innings this year. He is eleventh in strikeouts this season with 191, and finds himself fourth on the ERA leaderboard among qualified starting pitchers. Senga’s most thrilling pitch is his “Ghost Fork” with a 60% whiff rate, which has left batters flailing all season. After the Mets traded Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the deadline, Senga now finds himself as the ace of the pitching staff going forward. Although he is much older than most of the rookie class, nobody can deny how well Kodai Senga has pitched in his debut MLB season.

4. OF James Outman, Los Angeles Dodgers

     Stats: 511 PA, 119 wRC+, .248/.356/.433, 20 HR, 4.0 WAR

Outman came out of the gates scorching hot for the Dodgers this season with a 165 wRC+ in the first month of the season, slashing .292/.376/.615, with 7 home runs. Although he has not sustained that elite pace, Outman has still given the Dodgers a solid season at the plate, and in the outfield. He makes it in the top half of the list because of his consistency all season long. Outman looks to be a centerpiece of the Dodgers outfield going forward, and has helped soften the blow of losing Trea Turner, and Cody Bellinger this offseason.

5. RHP Yennier Cano, Baltimore Orioles

     Stats: 64 G, 67.1 IP, 58 SO, 2.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 1.5 WAR

Cano has been one of the best stories of the season. He was acquired as part of a package of fringe big league pitchers sent to Baltimore by Minnesota, in exchange for Jorge López at the 2022 trade deadline. Cano was abysmal in his 18 major league innings for the Twins and Orioles last season, posting a 10.50 ERA out of the bullpen. This season however, Cano has been a revelation for the Orioles bullpen. He increased his sinker usage by 15%, and lowered his slider usage by more than 10%, and the results have been amazing. Cano did not allow a run in his first 17 games this season. He has since put up elite numbers for the Orioles, and proved to be a critical piece of their pitching staff. Batters have gotten only 16 hits off of Cano’s wiffle ball changeup.  With closer Felix Bautista potentially injured during the playoffs, the Orioles will rely on Cano to be an elite reliever in October. Nobody can say they expected that last season.

6. RHP Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians

     Stats: 24 G, 136.2 IP, 137 SO, 3.03 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 2.9 WAR

Bibee entered the season as Cleveland’s fifth ranked prospect. He has impressed this season and has been a consistent piece of the Guardians rotation. Bibee ranks second among qualified rookie starters in ERA, FIP, and WAR. He is just another example of why the guardians have had elite pitching development for the greater half of a decade. Could Bibee enter the tier that Corey Kluber, Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie? We will have to see a couple more good seasons from him, but Bibee has shown real talent and potential in 2023.

7. 2B/SS Matt McLain, Cincinnati Reds

     Stats: 403 PA, 128 wRC+, .290/.357/.507, 16 HR, 3.2 WAR

Since the Reds 2020 first round pick got called up in May he has been nothing short of an all-star. McLain has shown a very solid hit tool, ranking top 10 in OBP, SLG, and wRC+ among all rookies. McLain has also given the Reds value in the field playing above average defense at both second base, and shortstop, while being a good base runner with 16 stolen bases. Although he is less likely to continue at this level, McLain should consistently find a spot in the Reds young lineup for the foreseeable future. The Reds have had a great rookie class, and getting McLain back from injury might just be what they need to play games in October.

8. 3B Josh Jung, Texas Rangers

     Stats: 461 PA, 119 wRC+, .274/.323/.489, 22 HR, 2.5 WAR

Josh Jung has been one of the best prospects in the Rangers farm system since he was drafted 8th overall in the 2019 draft. Jung made the team out of spring training, and stamped himself as the future at third base in Texas. Jung mashes left-handed pitching, his 174 wRC+ against lefties leads all qualified rookies. He plays average defense at third, but his bat has carried him to American League rookie of the year consideration. Sadly for Jung, he has been injured since early august, and Gunnar Henderson looks like he has run away with the award.

9. RHP Eury Pérez, Miami Marlins

     Stats: 18 G, 88.1 IP, 106 SO, 3.06 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 1.5 WAR

Eury Pérez entered the season as the Marlins top prospect, and one of the top three pitching prospects in the majors. Pérez has a unique 6-8, 220lb frame. He is also the youngest player featured on this list. Pérez has been elite in the MLB so far, he is top 5 in ERA, SIERA, and K/9 among all rookie pitchers. He is the newest prize in a line of solid starters coming out of Miami such as Sandy Alcantara, Sixto Sanchez, and Edwards Cabrera. Perez has a chance to be one of the premier starters in the MLB, he just might get to that level sooner than you think. 

10. 2B Edouard Julien, Minnesota Twins

     Stats: 352 PA, 133 wRC+, .266/.379/.476, 22 HR, 2.3 WAR

After a great showing for Canada in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Julien was called up to the Twins major league roster in April. Julien is a fascinating hitter as his best skill is his eye. The Twins infielder ranks second in BB%, and first among all qualified rookies in wRC+. He has a projectable hit tool, with above average bat to ball skills, coupled with elite plate discipline. Although Julien is a poor defender at second base, his bat is too good to keep off of this list. Julien will hit leadoff for the Twins this October. He might just walk them to a long overdue playoff win.