Luis Gil, Joey Ortiz and Updated 2024 MLB Rookie Power Rankings
With two months of the 2024 MLB season now done, it's time for another updated edition of our rookie rankings.
These rankings will be updated each month throughout the season, with rookies rising and falling based on their recent performances. Our list was also expanded from 10 to 20 now that the sample size and crop of rookies has grown over the past month.
Future expectations, long-term upside, preseason prospect rankings and minor league track records were not a factor in these rankings. The sole focus was 2024 production.
Let the debate begin.
Honorable Mentions
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Pitchers
RHP José Buttó, NYM
RHP Cooper Criswell, BOS
RHP Declan Cronin, MIA
LHP Robert Gasser, MIL
LHP Kyle Harrison, SF
LHP Tim Herrin, CLE
RHP Orion Kerkering, PHI
RHP Jordan Leasure, CWS
RHP Justin Martinez, ARI
LHP Yuki Matsui, SD
RHP Max Meyer, MIA
LHP Erik Miller, SF
RHP Christian Scott, NYM
RHP Justin Slaten, BOS
RHP Cade Smith, CLE
RHP Mitch Spence, OAK
RHP Victor Vodnik, COL
Hitters
IF Blaze Alexander, ARI
OF Jackson Chourio, MIL
2B Nick Gonzales, PIT
SS David Hamilton, BOS
C Iván Herrera, STL
OF Jung Hoo Lee, SF
OF Wyatt Langford, TEX
C Korey Lee, CWS
2B Colt Keith, DET
C Kyle McCann, OAK
OF Andy Pages, LAD
IF/OF Ceddanne Rafaela, BOS
1B Nolan Schanuel, LAA
SS Max Schuemann, OAK
OF Jacob Young, WAS
Is Mason Miller a Rookie?
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The rookie status of Oakland Athletics breakout closer Mason Miller has been a topic of some debate in the early going this season, and thus far there has yet to be any clarification from Major League Baseball.
The 25-year-old made his MLB debut on April 19, 2023, and last pitched on May 7 before suffering a UCL strain and spending several months on the injured list.
He returned to action Sept. 6 and accrued 26 more days of service time before the season ended, seemingly putting him at exactly 45 days on the active roster.
The question seems to stem either from whether May 8 counted as a day of service time based on when he was placed on the injured list, and while FanGraphs and MLB.com include him on their rookie leaderboards, he is still classified as having "exceeded rookie eligibility limits during 2023 season" on his Baseball Reference page.
Over the years, the Baseball Reference rookie eligibility tracker has always been a reliable resource, so until it is otherwise clarified by the league he will continue to be treated as no longer a rookie for the sake of these rankings.
Nos. 20-16
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20. RHP Matt Waldron, San Diego Padres
Stats: 12 GS, 3.98 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 19 BB, 64 K, 63.1 IP, 0.6 WAR
Waldron is baseball's only knuckleball pitcher, throwing the pitch 37.4 percent of the time and limiting opposing hitters to a .211 average while also mixing in a four-seamer, sweeper, sinker and cutter. The 27-year-old has done a solid job holding down the No. 5 starter spot in San Diego while chewing through innings as the staff navigates injuries.
19. LHP Mitchell Parker, Washington Nationals
Stats: 9 GS, 3.60 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 12 BB, 43 K, 50.0 IP, 1.2 WAR
A fifth-round pick in 2020 out of JUCO powerhouse San Jacinto College in Texas, Parker began the year as the No. 10 prospect in the Nationals system after posting a 4.72 ERA with 150 strikeouts in 124 innings in the upper minors last year. He has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his nine starts since debuting on April 15.
18. OF Wenceel Pérez, Detroit Tigers
Stats: 162 PA, 109 OPS+, .253/.317/.425, 14 XBH (3 HR), 15 RBI, 4 SB, 0.4 WAR
Originally a middle infielder, Pérez shifted to the outfield last year and found his way onto the MLB roster for the first time this spring after signing out of the Dominican Republic all the way back in 2016. The 24-year-old has taken over as Detroit's everyday right fielder while splitting his time between leading off and the No. 3 spot in the batting order.
17. RHP Ben Brown, Chicago Cubs
Stats: 14 G, 7 GS, 3.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 18 BB, 61 K, 51.1 IP, 1.2 WAR
The Cubs acquired Brown from the Phillies at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for rental reliever David Robertson, and he immediately became a consensus Top 10 prospect in the North Siders system. The 24-year-old has bounced between the rotation and a multi-inning relief role, and he threw a gem against the Brewers on May 28 when he struck out 10 over seven shutout innings.
16. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson, Minnesota Twins
Stats: 9 GS, 3.05 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 11 BB, 36 K, 44.1 IP, 1.0 WAR
After making one-off appearances at the MLB level in 2022 and 2023, Woods Richardson has carved out a regular role in the Twins rotation since replacing Louie Varland as the No. 5 starter on April 13. The 23-year-old has only completed six innings twice in nine starts, but he has been extremely effective in the role he is filling.
Nos. 15-11
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15. OF Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres
Stats: 211 PA, 90 OPS+, .268/.305/.343, 8 XBH (3 HR), 22 RBI, 7 SB, 1.1 WAR
Merrill ranks second among all rookies with 53 hits, though 45 of them are singles and his .343 slugging percentage leaves something to be desired. To his credit, he has been fantastic defensively in center field while learning a new position on the fly, posting strong defensive metrics (3 DRS, 12.7 UZR/150) and shoring up a major hole on the roster.
14. 1B Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs
Stats: 197 PA, 120 OPS+, .238/.335/.440, 17 XBH (8 HR), 23 RBI, 1 SB, 0.9 WAR
After a terrific 2023 season at Triple-A, Busch had nothing left to prove in the minors, but also no path to playing time with Freddie Freeman blocking his route. The Cubs acquired him from the Dodgers in exchange for pitching prospect Jackson Ferris, and he has been one of the team's most productive hitters. His 34.0 percent strikeout rate will need to improve, though.
13. RHP Hunter Gaddis, Cleveland Guardians
Stats: 29 G, 12 HLD, 1.59 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 5 BB, 26 K, 28.1 IP, 1.0 WAR
With James Karinchak and Trevor Stephan both sidelined, Gaddis has filled a major void in the eighth-inning role setting up All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase. His early success has been a big reason why the Guardians boast baseball's best bullpen, with a 2.38 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and .194 opponents' batting average as a group.
12. LHP Bryan Hudson, Milwaukee Brewers
Stats: 22 G, 8 HLD, 1.07 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 8 BB, 39 K, 33.2 IP, 1.8 WAR
A towering 6'8" southpaw who was drafted by the Cubs in 2015, Hudson made his MLB debut with a 7.27 ERA over 8.2 innings with the Dodgers last year before he was traded to the Brewers in January. The 27-year-old has stepped up big in a bullpen that is without closer Devin Williams, using a 7'4" extension to help his 91.8 mph fastball play up while generating a 42.4 percent whiff rate with his sweeper.
11. 2B/LF Davis Schneider, Toronto Blue Jays
Stats: 197 PA, 130 OPS+, .246/.345/.455, 21 XBH (7 HR), 30 RBI, 3 SB, 1.1 WAR
Schneider posted a 175 OPS+ with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBI in 35 games with the Blue Jays last season, but he still maintained his rookie status entering 2024. The 25-year-old has split his time between left field (30 starts) and second base (15 starts), and he ranks second on the Toronto roster in home runs (7) and RBI (30).
10. RHP Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
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Stats: 4 GS, 2-0, 2.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 5 BB, 30 K, 22.0 IP, 0.8 WAR
Despite having a much smaller sample size than anyone else on this list with only four big league starts under his belt, it's impossible to ignore just how dominant Paul Skenes has been to start his MLB career.
He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft following a brilliant junior season at LSU where he went 13-2 with a 1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 209 strikeouts in 122.2 innings, and he needed just 34 innings in the minors before making his MLB debut on May 11.
In his second career start, he struck out 11 of the 19 batters he faced across six no-hit innings.
The 22-year-old has simply overwhelmed hitters while showcasing a fastball that averages 99.3 mph, a lethal splitter that has limited opponents to a .067 average and 40.3 percent whiff rate, and a hard-biting slider.
9. OF Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles
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Stats: 194 PA, 122 OPS+, .234/.330/.431, 19 XBH (7 HR), 26 RBI, 3 SB, 0.9 WAR
Colton Cowser was the No. 1 rookie in these rankings last month after a huge April, but the league has adjusted and now he will need to show he can make the necessary adjustments on his end.
- April: 86 PA, .303/.372/.632, 13 XBH (6 HR), 18 RBI
- May: 95 PA, .188/.305/.275, 5 XBH (1 HR), 7 RBI
The 24-year-old still has excellent batted-ball metrics, ranking among the MLB leaders in hard-hit rate (92nd percentile), average exit velocity (85th percentile) and barrel rate (97th percentile).
Those numbers, coupled with his strong track record in the minors and elite hit tool, make it easy to believe his May struggles were simply a bump in the road on his way to stardom.
8. RHP Gavin Stone, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Stats: 11 GS, 6-2, 2.90 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 19 BB, 47 K, 62.0 IP, 1.3 WAR
Right-hander Gavin Stone won the No. 5 starter job for the Dodgers out of spring training, edging out Michael Grove who has since settled into a bullpen role.
Despite strong numbers in the minors, Stone struggled mightily in his first MLB action last year, posting a 9.00 ERA with 46 hits and eight home runs allowed in 31 innings, so he began the year as an X-factor at the back of the staff.
After a shaky start to the year, he has a 2.00 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 54 innings over his last nine starts, and he has tossed 12 scoreless innings in his last two outings against the Mets and Rockies.
7. OF Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox
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Stats: 189 PA, 130 OPS+, .272/.344/.485, 22 XBH (6 HR), 22 RBI, 7 SB, 1.9 WAR
Wilyer Abreu showed enough as a late-season call-up last year when he posted a 132 OPS+ with six doubles and two home runs in 86 plate appearances to earn a starting role in the Red Sox outfield.
The 24-year-old had been one of the team's most consistent hitters prior to landing on the injured list with an ankle sprain earlier this week, with 21 of his starts coming from the No. 2 spot in the batting order.
His strong batted-ball metrics should help him prove his early success is sustainable, and he might be the biggest competition right now to a certain New York Yankees pitcher in the AL Rookie of the Year race.
6. 3B Joey Ortiz, Milwaukee Brewers
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Stats: 183 PA, 146 OPS+, .286/.385/.487, 19 XBH (5 HR), 21 RBI, 2 SB, 1.7 WAR
Expectations were sky-high for Joey Ortiz heading into his first season in the Brewers organization after he was acquired as the prospect centerpiece in the blockbuster deal that sent ace Corbin Burnes to the Orioles.
So far, he has more than lived up to the hype.
His 146 OPS+ leads all rookies who have recorded at least 100 plate appearances, and he has plugged a glaring hole at third base for the Brewers after the position had been a revolving door for the last several years.
Looking to the future, he is viewed as the long-term replacement for free-agent-to-be Willy Adames at shortstop.
5. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Stats: 12 GS, 6-2, 3.32 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 14 BB, 76 K, 65.0 IP, 0.9 WAR
Since he was tagged for five earned runs while recording just three outs in his MLB debut against the Padres in the Seoul Series, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has looked every bit the frontline starter the Dodgers were expecting when they signed him to a 12-year, $325 million deal.
In 11 starts since that rocky debut, he has gone 6-1 with a 2.67 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 74 strikeouts in 64 innings, recording six quality starts and limiting opposing hitters to a .225 batting average.
He still has a long way to go to live up to the expectations that came with the massive contract he signed, but the early returns have been great for a 25-year-old with a long track record of dominance in Japan.
4. RHP Jared Jones, Pittsburgh Pirates
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Stats: 12 GS, 4-5, 3.25 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 15 BB, 76 K, 69.1 IP, 1.5 WAR
The Pirates signed Jared Jones to an above-slot $2.2 million bonus in the second round of the 2020 draft, and he emerged as a top prospect last season when he posted a 3.85 ERA and 146 strikeouts in 126.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.
His numbers would look even better if not for an ugly start on the road against the Tigers on May 29 when he allowed five hits, two walks and seven runs (five earned) over 4.1 innings, but he quickly rebounded with six scoreless frames against the Dodgers on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old ranks fifth among qualified NL starters with a 5.07 strikeout-to-walk ratio, displaying the plus command and swing-and-miss stuff to be a staple in the Pittsburgh rotation alongside Mitch Keller and Paul Skenes for years to come.
3. SS Masyn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals
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Stats: 197 PA, 130 OPS+, .309/.359/.446, 16 XBH (3 HR), 21 RBI, 8 SB, 2.3 WAR
Masyn Winn has long been viewed as the shortstop of the future for the Cardinals, but he looked overmatched at the plate in his MLB debut last year when he hit .172 with a 28 OPS+ in 133 plate appearances after debuting on Aug. 18.
The addition of veteran Brandon Crawford on a one-year, $2 million deal in free agency was made in part as an insurance policy if Winn struggled again, but he has instead taken the starting shortstop job and run with it.
Even with all the elite-level talent at the shortstop position across baseball right now, his 2.3 WAR trails only Gunnar Henderson (4.3), Bobby Witt Jr. (3.9), Mookie Betts (3.5), Anthony Volpe (2.6) and Corey Seager (2.4) thanks to his strong contact skills and elite defense (5 DRS, 1.8 UZR/150) up the middle.
2. LHP Shōta Imanaga, Chicago Cubs
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Stats: 11 GS, 5-1, 1.88 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 10 BB, 65 K, 62.1 IP, 2.0 WAR
Despite averaging just 91.9 mph with his fastball, Shōta Imanaga has used that pitch to find immediate success at the MLB level after making the jump from the Japanese League during the offseason.
His elite spin rate (2,436 rpm) and vertical movement creates a rising effect that allows his fastball to play up well beyond his velocity, and it has been one of the most valuable pitches in the sport as a result.
The 30-year-old tossed seven shutout innings against the Pirates on May 18 to lower his ERA to 0.84 on the year, setting a new MLB record for the lowest mark through the first nine starts of a player's career.
He has scuffled a bit in his last two starts to add more than a run to his ERA, but he is still having a Cy Young-caliber start to the year while sitting in the driver's seat in the NL Rookie of the Year race.
1. RHP Luis Gil, New York Yankees
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Stats: 12 GS, 8-1, 1.82 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 34 BB, 85 K, 69.1 IP, 2.7 WAR
Right-hander Luis Gil looked like a rising star during the 2019 season when he put together a breakout performance in the minors, and the following year he made his MLB debut with a 3.07 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 29.1 innings across six starts.
However, he spent most of the 2022 and 2023 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he only broke camp with a spot in the starting rotation as a replacement for Gerrit Cole after he landed on the injured list.
The 26-year-old won AL Pitcher of the Month in May, going 6-0 with a 0.70 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 38.2 innings, limiting opposing hitters to just 14 hits and a .109 batting average.
He kicked off June with six scoreless innings of one-hit ball against the Twins on Tuesday, and he is not only the front-runner for AL Rookie of the Year honors but also a bona fide Cy Young candidate.
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