2012 MLB Spring Training: National League Rookie of the Year Candidates

The National League rookie crop this season may not be as loaded at the top as the American League, but if and when Bryce Harper makes his major league debut this season, he will have a fair amount of good competition for the Rookie of the Year award.

Here is a list of 10 players to watch for as the National League's best first-year player in the 2012 season.

Yonder Alonso, 1B, San Diego Padres

The fact that the San Diego Padres were willing to trade away a very good young pitcher like Mat Latos to the Cincinnati Reds shows how highly they think of their new first baseman.

Yonder Alonso will look to fill the hole that was left in the Padres lineup after Adrian Gonzalez left for the Red Sox at the conclusion of the 2010 season. 

Considering that he already has time in the big leagues as a September call-up the past two seasons, as well as the fact that he will be the starting first baseman for San Diego on Opening Day, Alonso has to be the favorite for the Rookie of the Year award this season. 

The seventh overall pick in the 2008 draft is a .293 career hitter in the minor leagues and has shown the ability to hit for power as well as get on base. Despite playing in the pitchers' ballpark that is Petco Park, Alonso should have a very good first full year in the league.

Bryce Harper, RF, Washington Nationals

While it is still a mystery as to when the legend that is Bryce Harper will finally make his major league debut, most agree that it will be at some point this season. 

Major League Baseball's hottest prospect, who has been in the public's attention since he was a sophomore in high school, is arguably the biggest talent to come through the minor leagues in a generation.

While he is still only 19-years-old, most think that Harper will be an exciting and effective offensive player in the major leagues this year.

Devin Mesoraco, C, Cincinnati Reds

A pair of Yonder Alonso's teammates from the Triple-A Louisville Bats last season will be next on this list, starting with the young catching prospect, Devin Mesoraco, who played in 18 games for the Cincinnati Reds last season.

Mesoraco, the 15th overall pick in the 2007 draft, may not be the Reds' Opening Day catcher, as there is a chance that will go to veteran Ryan Hanigan, but Mesoraco will surely given time in the big leagues this season to challenge Hanigan for playing time. 

Despite struggling slightly in his small sample size of big league plate appearances, Mesoraco hit .289 with a .371 OBP and 15 home runs for Louisville in 2011, which came off of a breakthrough offensive performance in 2010. 

Mesoraco is one of the top catching prospects in baseball, and if given a chance to start over Hanigan this season, he will be in contention for Rookie of the Year.

Zack Cozart, SS, Cincinnati Reds

Zack Cozart is the other Louisville Bats teammate of Mesoraco and Alonso who will be given his first shot this season to be a full-time starting shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds.

The former Ole Miss Rebel and 2007 second-round draft pick got called up to the Cincinnati Reds' major league roster in July of last year, but his season was cut short by an elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery. 

After looking to have successfully recovered from surgery this offseason, Cozart is the favorite to be the starting shortstop for the Reds on Opening Day. Still with rookie eligibility, he has the chance to play himself into the award this season.

Tyler Pastornicky, SS, Atlanta Braves

When Alex Gonzalez's contract expired at the end of the 2011 season, the Atlanta Braves decided to let him walk and go with the young prospect they received in the same trade as they did Gonzalez, Tyler Pastornicky.

Pastornicky enters Atlanta Braves camp as the projected starting shortstop for the perennial contenders, despite not having ever played a major league game. 

The 22-year-old, though, hit .314 last year in the minor leagues between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett, and appears to be a major factor in the Braves success this year.

Shelby Miller, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

The twice-reigning minor league pitcher of the year in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, 21-year-old Shelby Miller may be on pace to make his major league debut at some point this year.

The 19th overall pick in 2009 draft has developed exactly how the Cardinals wished he would, and has elevated into one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball.

After going a combined 11-6 with a 2.77 ERA and a whopping 170 strikeouts in only 139.2 innings, Miller looks like he is ready to bring his stuff to the next level. He will most likely start the year in the minor leagues, but when a rotation spot opens up in St. Louis, he will be looked at long and hard to fill that spot.

Randall Delgado, SP, Atlanta Braves

Randall Delgado will enter spring training after a September cameo in 2011, with a chance to compete with fellow young star pitchers Mike Minor and Julio Teheran for a chance to make the starting rotation right away.

With Tim Hudson likely to miss the start of the season, two of those three will probably be in the starting rotation in April, giving Delgado a very good shot right off the bat. 

The 22-year-old Panamanian was impressive in seven starts last season, more so than fellow top prospect Julio Teheran, and will likely shine this season if given the chance to start.

Drew Pomeranz, SP, Colorado Rockies

Another guy who somewhat struggled in his first taste of big league action last year, Drew Pomeranz will be given a shot this year to prove that he was worth acquiring for Ubaldo Jimenez last summer.

The fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft is considered an elite prospect by most scouting services and could be at the top of the Rockies rotation very soon. Though he may start the season in Triple-A, he should be given an opportunity to enter the starting rotation at some point in the 2012 season, where he will try and perform better than he did last year.

Josh Vitters, 3B, Chicago Cubs

While the Chicago Cubs went out and picked up former Colorado Rockie third baseman Ian Stewart this offseason, his position may not be so secure with the third overall pick from the 2007 draft appearing increasingly ready for his big league debut.

Vitters will be pushing very hard this spring training for a chance to make the big league club. Though he will most likely not make the team right away, he will start in Triple-A Iowa and will be called upon to make his debut very quickly when there is an injury.

If Vitters keeps progressing the way he has been recently, he will prove to be one of the best rookies in the league when he gets the chance.

Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs

Anthony Rizzo was one of the three big prospects that the Boston Red Sox gave up in order to acquire Adrian Gonzalez, and now he will be in his third different big league camp in the past three years.

When the San Diego Padres decided that Yonder Alonso was a better immediate option for first base, they dealt Rizzo to Chicago, where he will be behind only longtime Triple-A veteran Bryan LaHair at first base. 

LaHair has proven to be a very good hitter, but due to his age and lack of athleticism he may not be the long term answer that Theo Epstein and Dale Sveum are seeking at the position. Rizzo struggled in the major leagues in 2012, but should be given an ample chance to redeem himself in 2012.