Ranking Roman Anthony and Every MLB Team's Best Rookie in 2025
Few things excite a fanbase like a rookie taking the league by storm. Roman Anthony is a prime example—he's provided a huge spark to the Boston Red Sox during the second half of the season.
Not every team has a high-profile newcomer, but all 30 clubs have at least one rookie making his mark at the big league level.
Ahead, we started by choosing each team's top rookie of the 2025 season, based solely on their performance this year and ignoring things like long-term upside and future projection.
Then, we ranked each of those rookies 1-30 for our full ranking of every MLB team's best rookie in 2025.
Notable Standouts Who Are Not Their Team's Top Rookie
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Hitters
OF Jasson Domínguez, NYY
3B Caleb Durbin, MIL
IF Hyeseong Kim, LAD
OF Jake Mangum, TB
C Carlos Narvaez, BOS
C/DH Agustín Ramírez, MIA
3B Matt Shaw, CHC
C Kyle Teel, CWS
SS Jacob Wilson, ATH
Pitchers
RP Lake Bachar, MIA
SP Ryan Bergert, SD/KC
RP Ben Casparius, LAD
SP Jacob Lopez, ATH
RP Isaac Mattson, PIT
SP Jacob Misiorowski, MIL
SP Chad Patrick, MIL
SP Cam Schlitter, NYY
SP Shane Smith, CWS
Nos. 30-26
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30. 3B Otto Kemp, Philadelphia Phillies
Stats: 161 PA, 79 OPS+, .228/.298/.359, 11 XBH (4 HR), 1 SB
Kemp opened the season at Triple-A, hitting .313 with 14 homers and 55 RBI in 58 games before debuting on June 7. He filled in for the injured Alec Bohm through July, then was optioned back to Triple-A when Bohm returned on August 17.
29. RP Joey Cantillo, Cleveland Guardians
Stats: 29 G, 8 GS, 3.93 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 36 BB, 80 K, 66.1 IP
Cantillo made eight starts in July and August after spending the first three months in the season in the bullpen, going 2-3 with a 4.03 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 38 innings. The 25-year-old was optioned back to Triple-A in mid-August, but he has been a useful arm filling a variety of roles.
28. IF Christian Koss, San Francisco Giants
Stats: 160 PA, 89 OPS+, .255/.299/.359, 9 XBH (3 HR), 3 SB
Koss has provided quality defense at second base (280.0 INN, 6 DRS) while also seeing sporadic work on the left side of the infield, and while his offensive numbers do not jump off the page, he has been clutch. In 43 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, he is batting .361/.390/.500 with 14 RBI.
27. RP David Morgan, San Diego Padres
Stats: 35 G, 0 SV, 0 HLD, 2.81 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, 41.2 IP
Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Hope International University in 2022, Morgan has been a nice find for the Padres, logging quality innings in a low-leverage role since making his MLB debut on May 26. He averages 97.8 mph with his fastball and backs it with two quality offspeed pitches.
26. RP Ryan Zeferjahn, Los Angeles Angels
Stats: 56 G, 2 SV, 17 HLD, 4.67 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 11.8 K/9, 52.0 IP
Zeferjahn's upper-90s fastball, cutter, sweeper, and slider each generate whiff rates above 30 percent, giving him dominant late-inning potential. However, one disastrous outing on July 2 has inflated his ERA and does not reflect how effective he's been overall.
Nos. 25-21
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25. RP Juan Mejía, Colorado Rockies
Stats: 45 G, 1 SV, 8 HLD, 3.71 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 9.9 K/9, 51.0 IP
Mejía has been one of the most productive arms on the Rockies staff this season, racking up 56 strikeouts in 51 innings while also doing a great job limiting hard contact. His 84.9 mph average exit velocity allowed ranks in the 99th percentile, and his expected ERA (2.78) paints a more impressive picture than his surface-level stats.
24. RP Andrew Saalfrank, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stats: 20 G, 3 SV, 2 HLD, 1.27 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 6.3 K/9, 21.1 IP
With AJ Puk and Justin Martínez on the injured list and Shelby Miller traded at the deadline, there is a case to be made that Saalfrank is the best arm left in the D-backs bullpen. The southpaw has been equally effective against lefties (25 PA, .190 BA, .558 OPS) and righties (57 PA, .182 BA, .447 OPS).
23. SP Chase Burns, Cincinnati Reds
Stats: 8 GS, 5.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 13 BB, 57 K, 34.1 IP
With 10 strikeouts in four of his eight starts, Burns has the stuff to be an ace in the big leagues, and he allowed three hits and one earned run in six strong innings against the Pirates on Aug. 8 before landing on the injured list with a flexor strain. The No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft has an impressive 2.45 FIP backing his 5.24 ERA.
22. SP Nolan McLean, New York Mets
Stats: 3 GS, 0.89 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 4 BB, 21 K, 20.1 IP
McLean has looked like the best pitcher in the Mets rotation over his first three big league starts, including eight shutout innings against the Phillies on Aug. 27. His limited body of work makes it tough to move him any higher in the rankings, but don't be surprised if he is featured prominently in October.
21. SP Troy Melton, Detroit Tigers
Stats: 9 G, 3 GS, 2.45 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 5 BB, 25 K, 29.1 IP
A year after Jackson Jobe pitched his way onto the Tigers' playoff roster as a late-season call-up, Melton is making a compelling case of his own as a multi-inning weapon. Armed with a fastball that averages 96.9 mph and a slider that is generating a 36.2 percent whiff rate, he has a 0.74 ERA in 24.1 innings since getting knocked around for seven hits and six earned runs in his MLB debut.
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Nos. 20-16
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20. RP Braydon Fisher, Toronto Blue Jays
Stats: 41 G, 0 SV, 5 HLD, 3.03 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 11.6 K/9, 38.2 IP
The Blue Jays acquired Fisher in the deal that sent Cavan Biggio to the Dodgers in 2024, and he has been a quality middle relief option in his first taste of the big leagues. The 25-year-old has limited opposing hitters to a .190 average while surrendering just seven extra-base hits with 159 batters faced.
19. 3B Ben Williamson, Seattle Mariners
Stats: 295 PA, 76 OPS+, .253/.294/.310, 14 XBH (1 HR), 5 SB
A terrific defender at third base (703.0 INN, 8 DRS) who plugged a glaring hole on the Mariners roster for much of the year, Williamson needs to prove he can make enough of an offensive impact to be an everyday player. The 24-year-old was optioned back to Triple-A after Eugenio Suárez was acquired at the deadline, but he could compete for the starting third base job again next spring.
18. OF Chandler Simpson, Tampa Bay Rays
Stats: 346 PA, 88 OPS+, .291/.327/.344, 14 XBH (0 HR), 38 SB
The speedy Simpson swiped 104 bases in 110 games in the minors last year, and his 38 steals this season are good for second in the majors behind former teammate José Caballero (41). He still has work to do refining his base-stealing skills, as he has also been caught 11 times, and he is still a work-in-progress defensively in the outfield (688.0 INN, -11 DRS, -6 OAA).
17. SP/RP Braxton Ashcraft, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stats: 21 G, 5 GS, 3 HLD, 2.58 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 8.3 K/9, 52.1 IP
Ashcraft made his MLB debut on May 26 and his first 17 appearances all came out of the bullpen, with 12 of those outings lasting at least two innings. The 25-year-old moved into the rotation on Aug. 9, and in his first four starts he has a 1.42 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 20 strikeouts in 19 innings.
16. SP Michael McGreevy, St. Louis Cardinals
Stats: 12 G, 11 GS, 4.17 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 11 BB, 40 K, 69.0 IP
The Cardinals are in a transition period, especially on the pitching side of things, and McGreevy looks like a potential long-term piece in the rotation. The No. 18 overall pick in the 2021 draft has settled in nicely since replacing Erick Fedde in the rotation, and in six August starts he went 4-0 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 36 innings.
Nos. 15-11
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15. OF Cam Smith, Houston Astros
Stats: 449 PA, 87 OPS+, .240/.312/.358, 30 XBH (8 HR), 6 SB
Smith played his way onto Houston's Opening Day roster after coming over from the Cubs during the offseason in the Kyle Tucker trade. And while he has worn down since the All-Star break, his future is extremely bright. The 22-year-old hit .277/.347/.418 with 27 extra-base hits in 323 plate appearances during the first half of the season.
14. SP/RP Brad Lord, Washington Nationals
Stats: 43 G, 14 GS, 4.34 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 35 BB, 85 K, 103.2 IP
Lord ranks fourth on the Nationals roster with 103.2 innings of work, filling a variety of roles on the staff from setup reliever to pitching out of the starting rotation. His numbers looked significantly better before a pair of rocky starts against the Yankees (4.1 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 6 ER) and Rays (3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 ER) to close out August.
13. RP Jack Dreyer, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: 56 G, 2 SV, 10 HLD, 2.86 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 8.3 K/9, 66.0 IP
The Dodgers have leaned heavily on Dreyer and fellow rookie Ben Casparius (44 G, 4.64 ERA, 75.2 IP) to help prop up an injury-plagued bullpen, and Dreyer has been a nice diamond in the rough find as a former undrafted free-agent signing. The 26-year-old has limited lefties to a .185 average and .523 OPS, and his exposure to some high-leverage spots should be useful come October.
12. SS Colson Montgomery, Chicago White Sox
Stats: 179 PA, 122 OPS+, .224/.281/.539, 21 XBH (15 HR), 0 SB
Montgomery saw his prospect star fade a bit during a disappointing 2024 season, and he got off to a similarly slow start this year before catching fire at the end of June and earning his first MLB call-up. With 15 home runs in 179 plate appearances, he has made an immediate offensive impact for the South Siders, and his defensive metrics (6 DRS, 3 OAA) have also been rock solid at shortstop.
11. 2B Luke Keaschall, Minnesota Twins
Stats: 126 PA, 153 OPS+, .315/.413/.509, 13 XBH (4 HR), 8 SB
Keaschall had seven hits and five walks in his first seven games in the majors before suffering a fractured forearm on April 25 that ended up costing him more than three months. He went 2-for-4 with a home run in his return to action on Aug. 5, and he has quickly emerged as the everyday second baseman and primary cleanup hitter while looking like a long-term building block.
Nos. 10-6
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10. OF Jakob Marsee, Miami Marlins
Stats: 121 PA, 189 OPS+, .352/.430/.629, 18 XBH (4 HR), 9 SB
Marsee looked like a prospect on the rise after winning 2023 Arizona Fall League MVP honors, but the Padres flipped him to the Marlins in the Luis Arraez deal last May and he struggled with the jump to Double-A. He has provided a nice spark to the Marlins offense since making his debut on Aug. 1, logging 11 multi-hit games in August, including a four-hit, two-homer, seven-RBI performance on Aug. 13.
9. SP Jack Leiter, Texas Rangers
Stats: 24 GS, 3.77 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 59 BB, 118 K, 121.2 IP
After dealing with some ups and downs during the first half of the season, Leiter has allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his last 12 starts, posting a 3.13 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 60.1 innings during that span. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft has taken longer than expected to break through, but he looks the part of a rotation staple going forward.
8. SP Tomoyuki Sugano, Baltimore Orioles
Stats: 26 GS, 4.41 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 35 BB, 95 K, 140.2 IP
Sugano leads all rookies in wins (10), quality starts (9) and innings pitched (140.2), serving as a valuable workhorse for an Orioles staff in flux while making good on the one-year, $13 million deal he signed during the offseason. The 35-year-old spent 12 seasons in the Japanese League before finally making the move stateside.
7. SP Will Warren, New York Yankees
Stats: 28 GS, 4.30 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 60 BB, 149 K, 136.0 IP
Spring injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil opened the door for Warren to break camp with a spot in the Opening Day rotation, and he has settled in nicely as the season has unfolded. Over his last 10 starts, he has a 3.14 ERA in 51.2 innings, and he is competing with Gil and Cam Schlitter for the No. 3 and No. 4 starter jobs in October.
6. C Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves
Stats: 348 PA, 126 OPS+, .280/.351/.462, 27 XBH (15 HR), 0 SB
Baldwin had played just 17 games above the High-A level entering the 2025 season, but a spring injury to Sean Murphy paved the way for him to earn an Opening Day roster spot. He made an immediate impact offensively and forced his way into the team's plans even after Murphy returned, and the Braves now have arguably the best catching tandem in baseball.
5. OF Isaac Collins, Milwaukee Brewers
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Stats: 383 PA, 123 OPS+, .274/.371/.425, 30 XBH (8 HR), 16 SB
A ninth-round pick in the 2019 draft by the Colorado Rockies, outfielder Isaac Collins was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers prior to the 2023 season in a move that received little fan fare at the time.
The 28-year-old was never ranked as an organizational top-30 prospect during his time in the minors, and he was a surprise inclusion on Milwaukee's Opening Day roster this year, but he has emerged as a key contributor for the best team in baseball.
His terrific on-base percentage (.371) and strong defensive metrics (2 DRS, 5 OAA) have helped him rack up 2.5 WAR in 113 games, good for the sixth-highest total on the Brewers roster.
4. SP Noah Cameron, Kansas City Royals
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Stats: 19 GS, 2.92 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 31 BB, 83 K, 108.0 IP
Noah Cameron made his MLB debut on April 30 and kicked off his big league career with a bang, rattling off five straight quality starts while logging a 0.85 ERA in 31.2 innings.
His performance was inevitably going to level off after that red-hot start, but he has settled in as a rock-solid MLB starter, pitching to a 3.77 ERA in 76.1 innings in his next 14 starts.
With Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic both missing time to injury, his emergence as a reliable option behind Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha has been invaluable for a team still fighting for a wild-card berth.
3. SP Cade Horton, Chicago Cubs
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Stats: 19 G, 18 GS, 2.92 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 31 BB, 81 K, 98.2 IP
Where would the Chicago Cubs pitching staff be without the rise of Cade Horton during the second half of the season?
The 24-year-old was limited to just nine starts in 2024 while dealing with shoulder issues, but the Cubs called on him for his MLB debut on May 10 to replace an injured Shota Imanaga and he has not looked back.
Since July, he's posted a stellar 1.34 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 48 strikeouts in 53.2 innings across 10 starts. During that stretch, the Cubs are 7-3 in games he's started, making him the likely No. 3 starter for October.
2. OF Roman Anthony, Boston Red Sox
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Stats: 295 PA, 140 OPS+, .289/.397/.466, 27 XBH (8 HR), 4 SB
This is what a hyped prospect emerging as a star while his rookie season unfolds looks like, folks.
June: 73 PA, .210/.329/.339, 1 HR
July: 104 PA, .329/.452/.494, 1 HR
Aug: 118 PA, .304/.390/.520, 6 HR
Roman Anthony began the season as the No. 1 prospect in baseball, and the 21-year-old has transformed the Red Sox offense since taking over as the team's primary leadoff hitter.
He might still be a long shot in the AL Rookie of the Year race, but it's entirely possible Anthony ends up being the best player from the 2025 rookie class by a wide margin when all is said and done.
1. 1B Nick Kurtz, Athletics
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Stats: 392 PA, 180 OPS+, .308/.402/.632, 52 XBH (27 HR), 2 SB
How good has Nick Kurtz been in the context of all-time great offensive seasons by a rookie?
Consider the following leaderboard of the highest OPS+ in MLB history by rookies who recorded at least 350 plate appearances:
Nick Kurtz, 2025: 180 OPS+
Jose Abreu, 2014: 173 OPS+
Yordan Alvarez, 2019: 173 OPS+
Aaron Judge, 2017: 171 OPS+
Roger Connor, 1880: 171 OPS+
Mike Trout, 2012: 168 OPS+
Bernie Carbo, 1970: 164 OPS+
Mark McGwire, 1987: 164 OPS+
He didn't debut until the 24th game of the season for the Athletics, and it took him another 17 games before he hit his first home run, but he could still wind up with a 30-homer season en route to unanimous AL Rookie of the Year honors.
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