Ranking the Top 50 MLB Rookies of the 2023 Season (2024)

With an absolutely loaded MLB rookie class this season, top 25 rookie rankings became a new monthly staple at Bleacher Report.

Now that the regular season has come to a close, it's time for one final version, this time with the list expanding from 25 to 50 players in an effort to illustrate what a truly remarkable group of newcomers there were across baseball.

Players are ranked based on their individual production, role with their team, and how they developed as the season progressed. In other words, a strong finish to the year carried more weight than a strong start that ended in steady regression.

Even with the list expanded to 50, there were still some tough exclusions, so let's kick things off with a few honorable mentions who just missed the cut.

Hitters

OF Dairon Blanco, KC
IF José Caballero, SEA
C Freddy Fermin, KC
OF Sal Frelick, MIL
IF Maikel Garcia, KC
C Logan O'Hoppe, LAA
3B Noelvi Marte, CIN
3B Andruw Monasterio, MIL
C/OF Blake Sabol, SF
1B Nolan Schanuel, LAA
IF Jared Triolo, PIT
2B Brice Turang, MIL
OF Joey Wiemer, MIL

Pitchers

RHP Tristan Beck, SF
LHP Brennan Bernardino, BOS
RHP Taj Bradley, TB
RHP Jhony Brito, NYY
RHP Bowden Francis, TOR
RHP Ian Hamilton, NYY
RHP Jake Irvin, WAS
RHP Ryne Nelson, ARI
RHP Ryan Pepiot, LAD
RHP Gregory Santos, CWS
RHP José Soriano, LAA
RHP Louie Varland, MIN
RHP Ryan Walker, SF

50. RHP Abner Uribe, Milwaukee Brewers

With a sinker that averaged 99.4 mph and a high-spin slider, Uribe has some of the best pure stuff of any pitcher in baseball. The 23-year-old posted a 1.76 ERA and allowed just 16 hits in 30.2 innings, tallying 20 walks and 39 strikeouts as an effectively wild middle relief option for the Brewers.

49. LHP Tom Cosgrove, San Diego Padres

Cosgrove made his MLB debut on April 29, just a few weeks before his 27th birthday, and he ended up being a staple in the San Diego bullpen. In 54 appearances, he had a 1.75 ERA and 0.98 WHIP, and his go-to slider from a low arm slot made him a difficult matchup for lefties and righties alike.

48. IF Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles

Part of a loaded crop of young infield talent in the Baltimore organization, Westburg logged a 100 OPS+ with 22 extra-base hits in 228 plate appearances after making his MLB debut on June 26. The 24-year-old split his time between second base (324 innings) and third base (164.2 innings), and he could fill a super-utility role going forward.

47. 1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cincinnati Reds

Encarnacion-Strand hit .331/.405/.637 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI in 67 games at Triple-A before making his MLB debut on July 17. The 23-year-old slugger had a 113 OPS+ with 13 home runs and 37 RBI in 241 plate appearances after he was promoted, and he looks like the heir to Joey Votto at first base.

46. SS Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels

Neto became the first player from the 2022 draft class to reach the majors when he took over as the Angels starting shortstop on April 15. The 22-year-old made two separate trips to the injured list with a strained oblique and lower back inflammation, but he was still a 1.6-WAR player over 84 games.

45. LHP Brandon Williamson, Cincinnati Reds

One of the prospects acquired in the deal that sent Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suárez to Seattle prior to the 2022 season, Williamson made 23 starts for the Reds this year. The 25-year-old finished with a 4.46 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over 117 innings as one of the team's better rotation options.

44. RHP Bryan Woo, Seattle Mariners

With Marco Gonzales sidelined for much of the year, Woo brought some needed stability to the No. 5 starter spot in the Seattle rotation. The 23-year-old had a 4.21 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 87.2 innings over 18 starts, and his mid-90s fastball generated a terrific 30.3 percent whiff rate.

43. RHP Kevin Kelly, Tampa Bay Rays

Kelly was selected No. 6 overall in the 2022 Rule 5 draft by the Colorado Rockies and then flipped to the Rays for cash considerations. The 25-year-old ranked sixth among rookie relievers with 12 holds while posting a 3.09 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 57 appearances, becoming the latest diamond in the rough to find success in the Tampa Bay bullpen.

42. OF Esteury Ruiz, Oakland Athletics

The speedy Ruiz set the AL rookie record with 67 steals in 80 attempts, providing a bright spot on a 112-loss Oakland team. The 24-year-old hit just .254/.309/.345 for an 88 OPS+ and posted poor defensive metrics (-21 DRS, -11.0 UZR/150) in center field, making him a minus-0.2 WAR player overall, but his elite speed earns him a spot on this list.

41. RHP Hunter Brown, Houston Astros

With a 3.62 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 97 strikeouts in 87 innings over his first 15 starts, Brown was a legitimate AL Rookie of the Year contender over the first three months of the season. However, the next three months were a different story entirely as he struggled to a 6.95 ERA while allowing a .920 OPS in 68.2 innings. That left him with a 5.09 ERA overall on the year, though he did lead all AL rookies with 178 strikeouts.

40. 2B Davis Schneider, Toronto Blue Jays

Schneider was not even considered a top 30 prospect in the Toronto system when the season began, but he played his way to the big leagues in August and hit .426/.526/.894 with six home runs and 14 RBI in his first 14 games. The 24-year-old slumped in September, but he has put himself in the conversation for a regular role in 2024.

39. OF Evan Carter, Texas Rangers

One of baseball's top prospects, Carter earned a September call-up after a terrific season in the minors and hit .306/.413/.645 with five home runs and 12 RBI in 75 plate appearances as the team's starting left fielder over the final month. The 21-year-old has continued to impress as one of the early standouts of the 2023 postseason and could enter 2024 as the AL Rookie of the Year front-runner.

38. RHP Reese Olson, Detroit Tigers

In the same draft that Casey Mize (first round) and Tarik Skubal (ninth round) were selected by the Tigers, Olson was a 13th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers. The 24-year-old was acquired in exchange for Daniel Norris at the 2021 trade deadline, and he arrived in the majors this season with a 3.99 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 103 strikeouts in 103.2 innings.

37. RHP Bryce Miller, Seattle Mariners

Miller burst onto the scene with a 1.15 ERA, 0.51 WHIP and a 28-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 31.1 innings over his first five starts in the majors. The 25-year-old threw his high-spin, mid-90s fastball nearly 60 percent of the time while showing pinpoint command with just 26 walks in 131.1 innings. He finished the season with a 4.32 ERA and 1.14 WHIP to establish himself as a long-term piece of the Seattle rotation.

36. LHP Logan Allen, Cleveland Guardians

Allen was the first of Cleveland's three standout rookie starting pitchers to reach the big leagues this season, making his MLB debut on April 23. The 25-year-old made 24 starts and finished with a 3.81 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 125.1 innings, though his 1.40 WHIP will need to improve going forward.

35. C Bo Naylor, Cleveland Guardians

Expected to compete for the starting catcher job out of spring training, Naylor instead spent the first two and a half months in the minors before he was recalled for good on June 18. The 23-year-old posted a 124 OPS+ with 13 doubles, 11 home runs and 32 RBI in 230 plate appearances, and he has the tools to quickly develop into one of the best offensive catchers in baseball.

34. RHP J.P France, Houston Astros

France is the latest success story to emerge from a Houston system that has done a great job developing pitching talent in recent years. A 14th-round pick in 2018, he joined the rotation in early May and finished 11-6 with a 3.83 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 136.1 innings, though he ran out of steam a bit with a 7.94 ERA over his final six appearances.

33. OF Matt Wallner, Minnesota Twins

An imposing 6'4", 220-pound slugger who had a 27-homer, 95-RBI campaign in the minors in 2022, Wallner has a 139 OPS+ with 14 home runs and 41 RBI in 245 plate appearances while playing his way into the starting left field job for the AL Central champions. The 25-year-old could be a fixture in the middle of the Twins lineup for years to come.

32. RHP Javier Assad, Chicago Cubs

Assad threw 5.2 scoreless innings for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, and he spent the first four months of the season pitching in the Cubs bullpen. The 26-year-old joined the rotation at the beginning of August and logged a 2.84 ERA over nine starts, and overall he finished with a 3.05 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 109.1 innings.

31. OF Johan Rojas, Philadelphia Phillies

Center field has been a revolving door for the Phillies the past several seasons, and Rojas might finally be a long-term answer. The 23-year-old hit .302/.342/.430 for a 111 OPS+ in 164 plate appearances and posted elite defensive metrics (15 DRS, 12.1 UZR/150) en route to 2.4 WAR in 59 games.

30. RHP Justin Topa, Seattle Mariners

Topa was acquired from Milwaukee in exchange for pitching prospect Joseph Hernandez in January, and he ended up emerging as one of the team's key setup relievers. The 32-year-old had a 2.61 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 8.0 K/9 in 75 appearances, and his 23 holds trailed only All-Star Yennier Cano (31) among all rookie relievers.

29. OF Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals

Walker hit .276/.342/.445 for a 114 OPS+ with 19 doubles, 16 home runs and 51 RBI in 465 plate appearances and looked the part of a future offensive star for the Cardinals, The 21-year-old was miscast as an outfielder, though, posting awful defensive metrics (-16 DRS, -15.9 UZR/150) that dragged down his overall value.

28. IF Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds

The Reds were 27-33 when De La Cruz made his MLB debut on June 6, then promptly ripped off a 14-2 stretch of games. With a rare combination of size, speed, athleticism and power, De La Cruz checks all the boxes to be a future superstar, and he finished with 13 home runs and 35 steals in 98 games. The 21-year-old will need to improve on a 33.7 percent strikeout rate to take the next step forward.

27. C Francisco Álvarez, New York Mets

Álvarez was the No. 1 prospect on B/R's preseason Top 100 list, and while he hit just .209 with a .284 on-base percentage, he flashed plenty of overall upside. The 21-year-old ranked second among all catchers with 25 home runs, he was one of baseball's best pitch-framers, and he carried the Mets offense for stretches in May (1.029 OPS, 7 HR, 17 RBI) and July (.974 OPS, 8 HR, 16 RBI).

26. LHP Tyler Holton, Detroit Tigers

Holton was one of only five relievers to post a 3-WAR season in 2023, joining Tanner Scott (MIA), Michael King (NYY), Chris Martin (BOS) and Félix Bautista (BAL). The 27-year-old posted a 2.11 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 85.1 innings, and he recorded more than three outs in 33 of his 59 appearances.

25. OF Masataka Yoshida, Boston Red Sox

Yoshida signed a five-year, $90 million deal following seven seasons in the Japanese League, and he hit .289/.338/.445 for a 109 OPS+ with 33 doubles, 15 home runs and 72 RBI in 140 games. His poor defense (-4 DRS, -4.2 UZR/150) and a second-half swoon (245 PA, .254/.278/.386) kept him from ranking any higher, but his stateside debut was still an overall success.

24. 1B Ryan Noda, Oakland Athletics

The Athletics claimed Noda off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers in December, and he got an opportunity to be Oakland's everyday first baseman this season. The 27-year-old logged a .364 on-base percentage and 15.6 percent walk rate, and despite a high strikeout rate he finished with a 121 OPS+ and 16 home runs in a 2.3-WAR season.

23. RHP Gavin Williams, Cleveland Guardians

Williams quickly emerged as one of baseball's top pitching prospects after going No. 23 overall in the 2021 draft. The 6'6" right-hander made his MLB debut on June 21 and continued to show ace-caliber upside across 16 starts, posting a 3.29 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 81 strikeouts in 82 innings. The 24-year-old may not have been Cleveland's best rookie pitcher in 2023, but he has the highest ceiling of any young arm in the organization.

22. 2B Edouard Julien, Minnesota Twins

Julien put himself on the top prospect radar when he hit .400/.563/.686 over 96 plate appearances in the Arizona Fall League last year. An injury to Jorge Polanco opened the door for him to be Minnesota's starting second baseman, and he posted a 130 OPS+ with 33 extra-base hits and 2.6 WAR in 109 games.

21. C Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants

Bailey hit .233 with a 77 OPS+ in 353 plate appearances, but his defensive game earned him a spot inside the top 25 in our rookie rankings. The 24-year-old was baseball's most valuable all-around defensive catcher in baseball, according to FanGraphs. The Giants pitching staff had a 3.69 ERA in 765.2 innings with him behind the plate, compared to a 4.40 ERA over 669 innings with anyone else in the crouch.

20. SS Ezequiel Tovar, Colorado Rockies

Tovar broke camp as Colorado's starting shortstop and ended up starting 152 of 162 games at the position over the course of the season. The 22-year-old hit a modest .253/.287/.408, but he tallied 37 doubles, 15 home runs, 73 RBI, 79 runs scored and 11 steals while also posting strong defensive metrics (12 DRS, 1.8 UZR/150) in a 2.5-WAR campaign.

19. 2B Zack Gelof, Oakland Athletics

Despite not making his MLB debut until July 14, Gelof was Oakland's team leader with 2.6 WAR in 69 games. The 23-year-old hit .267/.337/.504 for a 137 OPS+ with 20 doubles, 14 home runs and 14 steals in 300 plate appearances, and he should be the Athletics everyday second baseman and one of their offensive leaders in 2024.

18. RHP Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles

One of baseball's top pitching prospects entering 2023, Rodriguez struggled to a 7.35 ERA through 10 starts before he was demoted back to the minors in late May. The 23-year-old returned to the majors after the All-Star break and looked like a different pitcher the rest of the way, logging a 2.58 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 76.2 innings over his final 13 starts to enter the playoffs as the team's No. 2 starter.

17. C Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros

Diaz hit .282/.308/.538 for a 128 OPS+ with 22 doubles, 23 home runs and 60 RBI in 377 plate appearances, giving the Astros a major offensive weapon behind the plate and at designated hitter for a stretch while Yordan Alvarez was injured. He also threw out 30 percent of base stealers behind the plate.

16. LHP Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds

Abbott struck out 90 of the 211 hitters he faced across 10 starts in the upper levels of the minors before making his MLB debut on June 5. The 24-year-old continued to impress when he first arrived in the majors with a 1.21 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 42 strikeouts in 37.1 innings to begin his big league career, and he finished with a 3.87 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 109.1 innings over 21 starts.

15. SS Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees

Volpe joined Nomar Garciaparra (1997) and Bobby Witt Jr. (2022) as just the third rookie shortstop in MLB history with a 20/20 season as he tallied 21 home runs and 24 steals in 159 games. The 22-year-old was a 3.2-WAR player on the strength of that power/speed mix and elite defense (16 DRS, 2.7 UZR/150), and not looking beyond his .209 batting average is failing to see the impact he made this season.

14. RHP Eury Pérez, Miami Marlins

Pérez was the youngest player to take the field in an MLB game this season until Junior Caminero debuted for the Tampa Bay Rays in September. The towering 6'8" right-hander posted a 3.15 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 108 strikeouts while allowing just 72 hits in 91.1 innings, and the Marlins carefully monitored his innings. Once he is fully turned loose, he could be a perennial Cy Young contender.

13. 1B Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox

One of the AL Rookie of the Year front-runners when the season began, Casas hit just .225/.330/.398 in 291 plate appearances during the first half of the year. The 23-year-old caught fire in July and went on to hit .317/.417/.617 with 15 home runs and 38 RBI in 54 games after the All-Star break, establishing himself as a long-term building block in Boston. All told, he posted a 129 OPS+ with 24 home runs and 2.2 WAR in 132 games.

12. IF Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins

Lewis has battled injuries since going No. 1 overall in the 2017 draft, and this season was no different as he missed 36 games with an oblique strain at midseason. However, after returning to action on Aug. 15, he hit .295/.386/.607 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI in 32 games while moving into the No. 3 spot in the lineup. The 24-year-old has continued his ascent to stardom during the playoffs with three home runs in three games.

11. RHP Yennier Cano, Baltimore Orioles

Cano made 17 appearances and logged 21.2 scoreless innings before finally giving up his first earned run of the season on May 17. The 29-year-old earned a spot on the AL All-Star team serving as the primary setup man to Félix Bautista, and he finished the regular season with a 2.11 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 72 appearances while tallying eight saves and 31 holds as one of baseball's most productive late-inning arms.

Stats: 89 G, 129 OPS+, .290/.357/.507, 43 XBH (16 HR), 50 RBI, 65 R, 14 SB, 3.7 WAR

For all the hype surrounding Elly De La Cruz, it was Matt McLain who was the far more productive rookie middle infielder for a Cincinnati Reds team that welcomed a wave of prospect talent to the big leagues.

The 24-year-old missed the entire month of September with an oblique injury, he still finished 11th among all shortstops with 3.7 WAR in only 89 games, checking in just ahead of $300 million man Trea Turner (3.6 WAR) on that list.

Stats: 122 G, 109 OPS+, .266/.315/.467, 49 XBH (23 HR), 70 RBI, 75 R, 2.4 WAR

Josh Jung was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he was expected to move quickly through the minors as one of the most polished college hitters in the nation. Injuries limited him to just 179 games over his first four professional seasons, but he finally made his MLB debut last September and the Texas Rangers saw enough to give him the starting third base job on Opening Day.

The 25-year-old earned the starting nod for the American League at third baseman in the All-Star Game, and he was one of only five rookies to reach 20 home runs and 70 RBI during the 2023 season.

Stats: 151 G, 112 OPS+, .248/.353/.437, 40 XBH (23 HR), 70 RBI, 86 R, 16 SB, 3.3 WAR

James Outman emerged as the early NL Rookie of the Year front-runner when he posted a .991 OPS with seven home runs and 20 RBI in April, but his production cratered in May when he scuffled to a .552 OPS in 92 plate appearances.

A few more weeks of struggling might have earned him a demotion back to Triple-A, but he eventually got back on track and finished with a strong all-around season as the starting center fielder on a division-winning club.

Stats: 22 GS, 11-4, 3.76 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 32 BB, 119 K, 124.1 IP, 2.1 WAR

With Walker Buehler sidelined for the entire season and Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urías, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and several other key arms spending time on the injured list, the 22 starts that Bobby Miller made ended up being huge for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 24-year-old averaged 99.1 mph with his four-seam fastball, and that was part of a high-octane five-pitch repertoire that helped him find immediate success at the big league level. Expect the 6'5", 220-pound right-hander to be a fixture in the Dodgers rotation going forward.

Stats: 156 G, 119 OPS+, .271/.356/.464, 63 XBH (23 HR), 86 RBI, 74 R, 15 SB, 3.0 WAR

The Cincinnati Reds acquired Spencer Steer from the Minnesota Twins at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for Tyler Mahle in the same deal that brought fellow rookie standout Christian Encarnacion-Strand to the town.

The 25-year-old was a consistent presence in the middle of the Reds lineup all season, and he led all rookies with 86 RBI on the year. He also added some defensive versatility to his toolbox, seeing time at first base, second base, third base and both corner outfield spots after playing just nine total innings in the outfield in the minors.

Stats: 106 G, 138 OPS+, .297/.389/.542, 46 XBH (20 HR), 62 RBI, 60 R, 20 SB, 4.3 WAR

Nolan Jones was a top 10 prospect in the Cleveland farm system for six years running before he was traded to the Colorado Rockies last offseason in exchange for infield prospect Juan Brito.

The 25-year-old showed elite plate discipline throughout his time in the minors, posting a .402 on-base percentage and a 16.3 percent walk rate, but he never had a 20-homer season during his time in the Guardians organization.

That changed this year when he burst onto the scene with a 20/20 season in only 106 games, and his 4.3 WAR made him Colorado's team leader despite the fact that he did not play his first MLB game this year until May 26.

Stats: 25 GS, 10-4, 2.98 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 45 BB, 141 K, 142.0 IP, 3.6 WAR

A fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft out of Cal State Fullerton, right-hander Tanner Bibee posted a 2.17 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 167 strikeouts in 132.2 innings while making his pro debut in 2022.

The 24-year-old began the year with a 1.76 ERA in 15.1 innings at Triple-A before he was quickly promoted to the majors to bolster an injury-plagued Cleveland rotation, and he never looked back.

He did not allow more than three earned runs in any of his final 16 starts, posting a 2.50 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 96 strikeouts in 93.2 innings during that span to cement his status as the best rookie pitcher in the American League.

Stats: 29 GS, 12-7, 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 77 BB, 202 K, 166.1 IP, 4.5 WAR

For all the ill-advised spending the New York Mets have done the last few years, the decision to sign Japanese League star Kodai Senga to a five-year, $75 million deal last winter looks like a stroke of genius.

The 30-year-old took some time to find his footing stateside, but once he did he was one of the best pitchers in baseball. His 202 strikeouts led all rookie pitchers and made him one of 17 pitchers to reach the 200 mark this year.

Over his final eight starts, he had a 2.36 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 49.2 innings, and with Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander both traded at the deadline, he is on track to be the ace of the staff in 2024.

Stats: 150 G, 125 OPS+, .255/.325/.489, 66 XBH (28 HR), 82 RBI, 100 R, 10 SB, 6.3 WAR

A .201/.332/.370 line over the first two months of the season threw some water on the hype surrounding Gunnar Henderson entering the 2023 season, but he quickly improved as the weather warmed up.

From the start of June through the end of the regular season, he hit .276/.322/.535 with 22 doubles, 23 home runs and 68 RBI in his final 100 games to steadily climb to the top of the AL Rookie of the Year race.

On top of his stellar offensive production, he also provided elite defense at shortstop (584.2 INN, 10 DRS, 13.8 UZR/150) and third base (594.2 INN, 3 DRS, 9.2 UZR/150), which helped make him a 6-WAR player.

Stats: 155 G, 134 OPS+, .285/.362/.506, 65 XBH (25 HR), 76 RBI, 116 R, 54 SB, 5.4 WAR

The Arizona Diamondbacks took a chance signing Corbin Carroll to an eight-year, $111 million extension following a strong 32-game debut in 2022, and now that has a chance to be one of the best bargains in baseball.

Case in point, here's a list of all the rookies in MLB history with a 25-homer, 50-steal season:

The 23-year-old was the best player on the D-backs roster from start to finish during a season where they claimed a wild-card berth and swept the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card Round.

Expect him to be the unanimous NL Rookie of the Year when award season rolls around, and a top-five finish in NL MVP voting is not out of the question.