MLB Rankings: Top 11 Rookies in the National League

Two months into the 2012 baseball season, there are plenty of young faces making an impact all around the major leagues. 

While it may be hard to predict which of these players will have the longevity to be among baseball's next stars, they certainly have all provided a needed spark for their teams this season.

Today we focus in on baseball's senior circuit, the National League and what rookies have shined in 2012's opening months. Here are the top 11 NL rookie performances of 2012 so far. 

Note: Only hitters with at least 100 registered at-bats and pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched were considered for this list.

11. Zack Cozart: Cincinnati Reds

Season Stats

204 AB .240 AVG 6 HR 14 RBI 15 2B

Reds rookie Zack Cozart has shown flashes of why he could be the Reds' future at shortstop.

Cozart came out of the gates blazing in April, becoming the first Reds rookie since Frankie Baumholtz in 1947 to hit safely in the team's first six games of the season.

He has since cooled off considerably, but Cozart has still made a huge impact on the Reds this season, which has helped them take over the division lead in the NL Central.

The 26-year-old Cozart has shown a lot of pop for a young player, already hitting six home runs and 15 doubles, the latter of which ranks eighth in the National League. 

10. Norichika Aoki: Milwaukee Brewers

Season Stats

106 AB .283 AVG 1 HR 7 RBI 3 3B

While Yu Darvish garnered most of the attention during the offseason, he wasn't the only Japanese player who made the transition to MLB this year.

Thirty-year-old Brewers outfielder Norichika Aoki became the team's first ever Japanese player when he was signed by the Brewers from the Tokoyo Yakut Swallows.

Aoki was one of only four players in Japanese history to get 200 hits in one season, so expectations were high for him coming into Milwaukee. 

Aoki has done well to this point, hitting at .283 for the Brewers and getting most of the starts in center field. 

For a Brewers offense that has struggled this season, they will need Aoki to continue to increase his average and get on base as he learns the nuances of the major league game. 

9. Jared Hughes: Pittsburgh Pirates

Season Stats

26.0 IP 1-0 2.08 ERA 4 HLD

The Pittsburgh Pirates have the second-best bullpen in the National League so far this season, and that is partially thanks to the stellar play of their rookie middle reliever, Jared Hughes.

Hughes does not have overpowering stuff despite his 6'7", 245 lb. frame, but he knows how to get hitters out, posting a gaudy 2.08 ERA in 20 appearances for the Pirates this season.

Hughes has allowed an earned run in only one of his last 13 games, proving he has the consistency to be a big league reliever for many years to come.

8. Wilin Rosario: Colorado Rockies

Season Stats

101 AB .238 AVG  8 HR 22 RBI 7 2B

Adding to an already potent Colorado Rockies lineup that features Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki, Michael Cuddyer and Todd Helton has been their rookie catcher, Wilin Rosario.

Rosario already has eight major league home runs in only 101 at-bats, which ties him with Carlos Ruiz and Yadier Molina for the National League lead amongst catchers.

Rosario's average may be low, but at age 23, he has plenty of time to figure out big league pitching and already has proven the ability to hit for power in the majors. 

7. Jordan Pacheco: Colorado Rockies

Season Stats

100 AB .300 AVG 1 HR 13 RBI 7 2B

Another Rockies rookie making his impact on the team so far this season has been their breakout third baseman, Jordan Pacheco.

Pacheco is hitting at a cool .300 in his first 100 at-bats for the team in 2012, which has helped them score the third-most runs in the majors up to this point.

Pacheco and Rosario have given Rockies fans something to look forward to in the future in what has been a tough season so far for the team. If Colorado can keep their core lineup, including Pacheco, together, they could have one the league's best offensive teams for years to come. 

6. Yonder Alonso: San Diego Padres

Season Stats

186 AB .280 AVG 1 HR 15 RBI 16 2B

The San Diego Padres offense has been absolutely abysmal since Adrian Gonzalez left town, and it doesn't look like that is going to improve much anytime soon.

However, one of the few bright spots for the team has been the play of their rookie first baseman, Yonder Alonso.

Alonso was acquired by San Diego in the offseason from Cincinnati in the Mat Latos trade, and he may end up becoming the best player the Padres acquired in that deal.

Despite his inexperience, Bud Black has relied on Alonso to be the team's No. 3 hitter, and he has answered with an excellent season so far.

Alonso has not been given many opportunities to drive in runs because of the Padres awful offense around him, but he has hit for a high average. If they are able to build around him for the future, expect Alonso to be one of the Padres' biggest RBI threats moving forward. 

5. Matt Carpenter: St. Louis Cardinals

Season Stats

104 AB .288 AVG 3 HR 20 RBI 9 2B

With the exit of Albert Pujols and the injury to Lance Berkman, the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals were desperate for production at first base.

They found it when they moved Matt Carpenter into the starting lineup, who has provided much more than they could have expected since joining the big league club.

Before going on the DL yesterday, Carpenter was right in the middle of the potent Cardinal offense hitting at .288 with 20 RBI's in just over 100 at-bats this season.

Carpenter could be a 20-25 home run, 100 RBI kind of player if he is given the chance to play every day. He certainly has all of the physical tools, and he will be a rookie to watch for the rest of his season when he gets healthy. 

4. Stephen Lombardozzi: Washington Nationals

Season Stats

110 AB .309 AVG 1 HR 8 RBI .372 OBP

Although almost all of the attention has gone to Bryce Harper (more on him later), he has not been the only Nationals rookie who has helped them jump out to an early lead in the NL East this season.

Stephen Lomardozzi has been equally important to the Nats since moving into the starting lineup, sharing time at third base and left field.

Lombardozzi was hitting as high as .323 just last week, but has since cooled down a little bit, his average swaying drastically each game due to his low number of at bats on the season. Still, today at .309, Lombardozzi leads all National League rookies with at least 100 at-bats in batting average.

Whatever his exact average is day-to-day, one cannot deny Stephen Lombardozzi's impact on the Nationals lineup this season. 

3. Bryce Harper: Washington Nationals

Season Stats

118 AB .288 AVG 5 HR 12 RBI .380 OBP

The hype surrounding Bryce Harper since he was chosen first overall by the Washington Nationals has been off the charts, but he has backed it up with his play on the field so far in his rookie season. 

The Nats wasted little time getting Harper up to the big leagues, and the 19-year-old has shown signs of immaturity so far. However, he has also all of the physical tools that were advertised.

He already has hit five big league homers and has his average near the .300 mark along with having great discipline at the plate. For most rookies, those numbers would be considered a huge success, but considering the hype, Harper still has a long way to go before he can prove to everyone he is baseball's next superstar.

The good news for Harper is that he will be around for a long time and will only get better with more and more big league at-bats. Harper may not have done enough to be considered the NL rookie of the year at this point, but don't be surprised if he runs away with the title by season's end.

2. Kirk Nieuwenhuis: New York Mets

Season Stats

168 AB .292 AVG 2 HR 16 RBI 29 R

Kirk Nieuwenhuis has been a godsend on the New York Mets this season.

Nieuwenhuis was called up on the second day of the season after an injury to Andres Torres, and ever since, has been a staple of the Mets' surprising lineup. Nieuwenhuis has been a large reason why the Mets are seven games over .500 and just a half-game out of first place. 

None of that would be possible without Nieuwenhuis' production from the top of the lineup. He has shown the ability to not only hit for average, and play great defense, but has also had a tremendous knack for key hits in clutch situations.

His numbers in May tailed off slightly after his red-hot start in April, but he is still near the .300 mark and has done enough to be considered the top every day rookie in the NL so far this year.

1. Wade Miley: Arizona Diamondbacks

Season Stats

59.2 IP, 6-2, 2.72 ERA, 36 SO

The National League has an astounding 10 pitchers who have at least five wins and an ERA under three so far this season, but the most surprising amongst them is easily D-Backs rookie Wade Miley.

Miley's numbers have been dynamic to this point, leading the team in both wins and ERA. Despite giving up seven earned in his last two starts, Miley still has an ERA of under three for the season and is right in the All-Star discussion.

Whether or not he can keep up those numbers with his low strikeout total are up for debate, but if the season ended today, there is little doubt Miley would be the favorite to take home National League Rookie of the Year honors.