Paul Skenes, Julio Rodriguez and Every MLB Team's Best Player Under 25 in 2025
All 30 MLB teams have at least one promising building block for the future, and with a wealth of young, rising talent across baseball, the future of the sport is in good hands.
Jackson Chourio (Brewers), Andy Pages (Dodgers), Julio Rodríguez (Mariners) and Trey Yesavage (Blue Jays) are all still in action and hoping to help their team reach the World Series. All of them have yet to reach their 25th birthday.
With that in mind, we set out to identify the best under-25 player on every MLB roster during the 2025 season.
The focus was solely on this year's production, so long-term potential was not part of the equation, and only major league contributions were considered.
AL East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: SS Gunnar Henderson (Age: 24)
It speaks volumes to what he has already achieved that Henderson posted a 121 OPS+ with 56 extra-base hits and 5.4 WAR in 154 games, and it was the worst year of his career so far. In his three full seasons in the majors, he has a 135 OPS+ and 20.5 WAR in 463 games.
Honorable Mentions: 2B Jackson Holliday (21)
Boston Red Sox: OF Roman Anthony (Age: 21)
Anthony made his MLB debut on June 9 and quickly transformed the Red Sox offense, posting a 140 OPS+ with 27 extra-base hits, 32 RBI and 48 runs scored. Boston went 44-27 (.620) in the 71 games he played, compared to 45-46 (.494) without him in the lineup.
Honorable Mentions: SP Connelly Early (23)
New York Yankees: SP Cam Schlittler (Age: 24)
Even before his eight shutout innings and 12 strikeouts with the season on the line in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Red Sox, Schlittler looked like one of the game's most promising young arms. In 14 starts during the regular season, he logged a 2.96 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 84 strikeouts in 73 innings, and the Yankees went 9-5 in those games.
Honorable Mentions: SS Anthony Volpe (24), Jasson Domínguez (22)
Tampa Bay Rays: 3B Junior Caminero (Age: 22)
Caminero just put together one of the most productive offensive seasons in Rays history, posting a 131 OPS+ with 45 home runs and 110 RBI while earning his first All-Star selection. He had a .954 OPS at home, compared to a .743 OPS on the road; however, his over-the-fence production was evenly split.
Honorable Mentions: OF Chandler Simpson (24)
Toronto Blue Jays: SP Trey Yesavage (Age: 22)
Yesavage was the No. 20 overall pick in the 2024 draft, and he made his pro debut at Single-A to open the 2025 season. He made his MLB debut on Sept. 15 after dominating every step of the way in the majors, earning a spot on the playoff roster, and struck out 11 batters over 5.1 no-hit innings in Game 2 of the ALDS.
Honorable Mentions: RP Mason Fluharty (24)
AL Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: SS Colson Montgomery (Age: 23)
After a disappointing 2024 season and a slow start to the 2025 campaign, Montgomery caught fire in the minors before making his MLB debut on July 4. Despite playing just 71 games, he racked up 3.3 WAR and slugged 21 home runs in 284 plate appearances, and he also provided solid defense at shortstop.
Honorable Mentions: C Kyle Teel (23), IF Chase Meidroth (24), C Edgar Quero (22)
Cleveland Guardians: SP Parker Messick (Age: 24)
A second-round pick in 2022 who profiled as the prototypical high-floor college lefty, Messick dominated minor league hitters with a 3.33 ERA and 420 strikeouts in 354 innings before making his MLB debut on Aug. 20. In seven starts down the stretch, he logged a 2.72 ERA in 39.2 innings, playing a major role in Cleveland's mad dash to the playoffs.
Honorable Mentions: IF Brayan Rocchio (24), 1B/OF C.J. Kayfus (23)
Detroit Tigers: IF Colt Keith (Age: 24)
The Tigers signed Keith to a six-year, $28.6 million extension before he made his MLB debut in 2024, and he took a nice step forward in his second full season in the majors this year. Splitting his time between designated hitter, first base, second base and third base, he posted a 107 OPS+ with 22 doubles, 13 home runs and 45 RBI in 137 games.
Honorable Mentions: SP/RP Troy Melton (24)
Kansas City Royals: C Carter Jensen (Age: 22)
Jensen did not make his MLB debut until Sept. 2, so he only has 69 plate appearances in the big leagues under his belt, but he made a terrific first impression in Kansas City. He hit .300/.391/.550 with six doubles, three home runs and 13 RBI, and he should get a long look for a spot on the Opening Day roster next spring.
Honorable Mentions: OF Jac Caglianone (22)
Minnesota Twins: 2B Luke Keaschall (Age: 23)
A fractured forearm sidelined Keaschall just seven games into his big league career, and it ended up costing him 87 games, but when he did take the field he looked like a legitimate long-term building block for the Twins. The Arizona State alum hit .302/.382/.445 with 14 doubles, four home runs, 28 RBI, 14 steals and 2.0 WAR in 49 games.
Honorable Mentions: SS Brooks Lee (24)
AL West
3 of 6
Athletics: 1B Nick Kurtz (Age: 22)
Simply put, Kurtz had one of the greatest offensive seasons in MLB history by a rookie in 2025. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft made his MLB debut on April 23, and he posted a 173 OPS+ with 36 home runs in 117 games, racking up 5.4 WAR along the way.
Honorable Mentions: OF Tyler Soderstrom (23), SS Jacob Wilson (23), SP Luis Morales (23)
Houston Astros: OF Cam Smith (Age: 22)
The prospect centerpiece of the blockbuster deal that sent Kyle Tucker to the Cubs, Smith was a surprise inclusion on Houston's Opening Day roster after a fantastic spring training. He had a solid first half (323 PA, .765 OPS, 25 XBH) before scuffling after the break (170 PA, .489 OPS, 8 XBH), but his future is extremely bright.
Honorable Mentions: None
Los Angeles Angels: SS Zach Neto (Age: 24)
With back-to-back 5-WAR seasons, Neto has quickly established himself as one of the best shortstops in baseball since going No. 13 overall in the 2022 draft out of Campbell University. He filled up the stat sheet, posting a 117 OPS+ with 29 doubles, 26 home runs, 62 RBI, 82 runs scored, 26 steals and 5.1 WAR in 128 games.
Honorable Mentions: 1B Nolan Schanuel (23)
Seattle Mariners: OF Julio Rodríguez (Age: 24)
With 22.9 WAR through his age-24 season, Rodríguez is on a Hall of Fame-caliber trajectory to start his career, though he was again a slow starter who caught fire during the second half. He has averaged 31 home runs and 32 steals per 162 games during his time in the majors, and he has the Mariners on the doorstep of a World Series appearance.
Honorable Mentions: 3B Ben Williamson (24), 2B Cole Young (22)
Texas Rangers: OF Wyatt Langford (Age: 23)
Langford played 44 games in the minors before making his MLB debut as part of the Rangers' Opening Day roster in 2024. He posted a 127 OPS+ with 25 doubles, 22 home runs, 62 RBI, 22 steals and 5.6 WAR in 134 games this year, and as the club looks to trim payroll and get younger in the coming years, he represents a cornerstone building block.
Honorable Mentions: OF Evan Carter (23)
NL East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves: C Drake Baldwin (Age: 24)
A spring injury to Sean Murphy opened the door for Baldwin to break camp with a spot on the Opening Day roster, and he made the most of the opportunity. He hit .274/.341/.469 for a 126 OPS+ with 18 doubles, 19 home runs, 80 RBI and 3.3 WAR in 124 games, and he stands side-by-side with Cubs right-hander Cade Horton in the NL Rookie of the Year race.
Honorable Mentions: OF Michael Harris II (24), SP Hurston Waldrep (23)
Miami Marlins: SP Eury Pérez (Age: 22)
After posting a 3.15 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 91.1 innings as a 20-year-old in 2023, Pérez missed the entire 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound on June 9 and almost immediately looked the part of a rising ace again, finishing with a 4.25 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 105 strikeouts in 95.1 innings while shaking off the rust.
Honorable Mentions: OF Jakob Marsee (24), C Agustín Ramírez (24), UT Javier Sanoja (23)
New York Mets: SP Nolan McLean (Age: 24)
If the Mets had made the playoffs, McLean might have been their Game 1 starter, despite not making his MLB debut until Aug. 16. In eight starts down the stretch while the team chased a wild-card berth, he went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 57 strikeouts in 48 innings. He still holds rookie status heading into 2026 and could open the year as the NL Rookie of the Year front-runner.
Honorable Mentions: C Francisco Alvarez (23)
Philadelphia Phillies: RP Orion Kerkering (Age: 24)
Kerkering's season ended on a sour note, but there's a reason he was on the mound in that crucial situation to begin with Game 4 of the NLDS. The homegrown late-inning reliever had a 3.30 ERA and 9.8 K/9 with 19 holds in 69 appearances during the regular season, and he still figures prominently into their bullpen plans going forward.
Honorable Mentions: None
Washington Nationals: OF James Wood (Age: 23)
With an imposing 6'7", 234-pound frame and light-tower power, Wood emerged as a franchise cornerstone in his first full season in the big leagues, posting a 132 OPS+ with 38 doubles, 31 home runs, 94 RBI and 3.7 WAR in 157 games. His staggering 221 strikeouts and 32.1 percent strikeout rate speak to the work he still needs to do in his development, but there is a lot to like about his long-term upside.
Honorable Mentions: OF Daylen Lile (22)
NL Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (Age: 23)
Crow-Armstrong is still searching for consistency at the plate, but it's hard to poke holes in a 23-year-old posting a 118 OPS+ with 37 doubles, 31 home runs, 95 RBI, 91 runs scored and 35 steals in a 6.0-WAR season. He is also a lock to take home his first Gold Glove in center field, and could be the NL Platinum Glove winner.
Honorable Mentions: SP Cade Horton (24), 3B Matt Shaw (23)
Cincinnati Reds: SS Elly De La Cruz (Age: 23)
Whether it was the grind of playing every day, pitchers making adjustments or something else entirely, De La Cruz went from an All-Star in the first half (.854 OPS, 39 XBH, 18 HR, 25 SB) to a non-factor in the second half (.666 OPS, 21 XBH, 4 HR, 12 SB). The tools are there for him to be a face of the franchise player, but the 2026 season will be an important one in his development.
Honorable Mentions: OF Noelvi Marté (23)
Milwaukee Brewers: OF Jackson Chourio (Age: 21)
Chourio was the youngest player to make an Opening Day roster in 2025, and only four younger players appeared in the big leagues this year, yet he already has two 20/20 seasons under his belt. At an age when most prospects are still in the lower levels of the minors or playing college ball, he was one of the best players on a team that finished with 97 wins and a division title.
Honorable Mentions: SP Jacob Misiorowski (23)
Pittsburgh Pirates: SP Paul Skenes (Age: 23)
The term "generational talent" gets thrown around a lot when talking about young stars, but Skenes truly is that on the mound. Over his first 55 starts in the big leagues, he has a 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 386 strikeouts in 320.2 innings, and he is the favorite to take home NL Cy Young honors after leading the NL in ERA (1.97) and WHIP (0.95) while racking up 216 strikeouts in 187.2 innings.
Honorable Mentions: SP Bubba Chandler (23)
St. Louis Cardinals: SS Masyn Winn (Age: 23)
The Cardinals are at a crossroads, looking to get younger this offseason and expected to aggressively shop veterans such as Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and others, which leaves Winn as the foundational piece of their upcoming rebuilding efforts. The slick-fielding shortstop provides a valuable mix of defense, speed, extra-base pop and contact skills, and he is still capable of taking his game to another level.
Honorable Mentions: OF Victor Scott II (24)
NL West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: RP Justin Martínez (Age: 24)
With Corbin Carroll turning 25 years old and Jordan Lawlar still trying to break through in the majors, the options are limited for the D-backs. Martínez signed a five-year, $18 million extension last offseason following a breakout campaign where he showcased one of the best fastballs in baseball, but his 2025 was cut short by Tommy John surgery in June.
Honorable Mentions: None
Colorado Rockies: OF Jordan Beck (Age: 24)
A first-round pick in 2022 following a standout junior season at the University of Tennessee, Beck made his MLB debut at the end of April and ended up being one of the more productive hitters in the Colorado lineup. He batted .258/.317/.416 with 27 doubles, 16 home runs, 53 RBI and 19 steals in 148 games.
Honorable Mentions: SS Ezequiel Tovar (24), SP Chase Dollander (23)
Los Angeles Dodgers: OF Andy Pages (Age: 24)
Where would the Dodgers outfield have been without Pages breaking through as an everyday contributor? The former top prospect posted a 114 OPS+ with 27 doubles, 27 home runs and 86 RBI in 158 games, and played a solid defensive center field to fill a clear void.
Honorable Mentions: SP/RP Roki Sasaki (23), Edgardo Henriquez (23)
San Diego Padres: OF Jackson Merrill (Age: 22)
Merrill navigated three separate trips to the injured list during the 2025 season, but in the 115 games he did play, he hit .264/.317/.457 for a 112 OPS+ with 47 extra-base hits and 2.8 WAR. His nine-year, $135 million extension kicks in next season, and that could end up being one of the best bargains in baseball for years to come.
Honorable Mentions: None
San Francisco Giants: SP/RP Hayden Birdsong (24)
The Giants have some rising young talent, headlined by first baseman Bryce Eldridge, but in 2025 the impact by players under 25 years old was minimal. Birdsong started the year in the bullpen and pitched his way into the rotation, but he spent the final two months of the season in Triple-A after he was demoted in July. He finished with a 4.80 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 65.2 innings.
Honorable Mentions: OF Luis Matos (23)
