Ranking Kevin McGonigle, JJ Wetherholt and Top 25 MLB Rookies After 60 Games

The 2026 MLB rookie class is shaping up to be one of the deepest in recent memory, with several of the game's top prospects quickly delivering on the preseason hype, while a handful of unexpected newcomers have also emerged as impact players.

Ahead we've ranked the top 25 rookies of the season so far, based solely on their on-field production this season. In other words, prospect pedigree, future expectations and long-term projection are not part of the equation here, just what they've done on the field so far.

Recent performance was also a factor, which explains why you won't see Moisés Ballesteros (CHC) or Carter Jensen (KC) on the list, as they followed up strong first months with rough May performances.

Sample size is also a factor, so while guys like Colt Emerson (SEA), Logan Henderson (MIL), Ryan Waldschmidt (ARI) and Kendry Rojas (MIN) have laid the foundation for a prominent spot in these rankings, they need to sustain that success for a bit longer before climbing into the top 25.

With that out of the way, let's get to the rankings!

Nos. 25-23

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25. OF/2B Sam Antonacci, Chicago White Sox

Stats: 162 PA, 107 OPS+, .275/.369/.362, 8 XBH (1 HR)

Antonacci hit .378/.505/.541 over 93 plate appearances in the Arizona Fall League last year, then suited up for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. He has not recorded an extra-base hit since May 14, but his contact skills, speed and defensive versatility have allowed him to make an impact for the upstart White Sox.

24. SP/RP Spencer Miles, Toronto Blue Jays

Stats: 16 G, 1 HLD, 3.47 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 12 BB, 34 K, 36.1 IP

The Blue Jays plucked Miles from the Giants system in the Rule 5 draft, and he has gone from mop-up reliever to valuable swingman and now into the starting rotation amid a wave of injuries to the starting staff. His mid-90s sinker has been extremely difficult for hitters to square up, and he ranks in the 96th percentile in average exit velocity allowed.

23. C Brandon Valenzuela, Toronto Blue Jays

Stats: 117 PA, 96 OPS+, .235/.328/.382, 7 XBH (4 HR)

With Alejandro Kirk sidelined since the first week of April after undergoing thumb surgery, the Blue Jays have leaned heavily on Valenzuela as their primary catcher and he has more than held his own. The 25-year-old was acquired from the Padres last summer in exchange for infielder Will Wagner, and aside from his quality offensive production he has also been a top-10 defender among catchers.

Nos. 22-20

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Didier Fuentes

22. RP Didier Fuentes, Atlanta Braves

Stats: 15 G, 3 HLD, 2.78 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 9 BB, 27 K, 22.2 IP

With an electric fastball that averages 97.1 mph and a slider that is generating a 35.6 percent whiff rate, Fuentes has emerged as a major weapon out of an Atlanta bullpen that leads the majors with a 3.02 ERA. Still only 20 years old until June 17, his future is in the rotation, but this year he is missing bats in a bullpen role.

21. RP Shane Drohan, Milwaukee Brewers

Stats: 11 G, 2 HLD, 2.63 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 8 BB, 28 K, 27.1 IP

Kyle Harrison has been one of the best pickups of the winter after the Brewers acquired him from the Red Sox during the offseason in the Caleb Durbin trade, and Milwaukee also acquired Drohan in that same deal. He has gone at least two innings in seven of his 11 appearances, giving the bullpen terrific length while waiting in the wings as a potential spot starter.

20. SP Nolan McLean, New York Mets

Stats: 12 GS, 4.21 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 24 BB, 77 K, 66.1 IP

McLean has just five quality starts through his first 12 outings, and his overall numbers don't jump off the page, but his stuff remains elite. His 27.9 percent strikeout rate ranks 12th among qualified pitchers, and after an ugly start on May 25, he allowed just two hits and one earned run over five innings on Sunday.

Nos. 19-17

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Kazuma Okamoto

19. OF Carson Benge, New York Mets

Stats: 217 PA, 93 OPS+, .253/.318/.359, 13 XBH (4 HR)

Benge followed up an ugly first month (97 PA, .189 BA, .525 OPS) with vastly improved May (120 PA, .306 BA, .801 OPS) while moving into the leadoff spot in the Mets batting order. His strong batted-ball metrics suggest he should keep trending up these rankings in the coming months.

18. 3B Kazuma Okamoto, Toronto Blue Jays

Stats: 238 PA, 98 OPS+, .214/.303/.419, 19 XBH (12 HR)

Okamoto leads the Blue Jays in home runs (12) and RBI (33), though his overall offensive value has been sapped by a 32.4 percent strikeout rate and limited on-base production. The 29-year-old had six straight 30-homer seasons in Japan, and is on track to debut with one stateside after inking a four-year, $60 million deal.

17. RP Bradgley Rodríguez, San Diego Padres

Stats: 24 G, 3 HLD, 1.63 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 8 BB, 26 K, 27.2 IP

The Padres have not needed much high-leverage work out of Rodríguez thanks to their stacked relief corps, but he has the stuff to be a late-inning option. His fastball clocks in at 98.1 mph, and he backs it with a devastating changeup that has generated a 41.0 percent whiff rate while limiting opposing hitters to a .095 average.

Nos. 16-14

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Foster Griffin

16. SP Foster Griffin, Washington Nationals

Stats: 12 GS, 3.76 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 21 BB, 65 K, 67.0 IP

Griffin went from first-round bust to Japanese League standout during a three-year stint with the Yomiuri Giants, and the Nationals rolled the dice with a one-year, $5.5 million deal in December. The soft-tossing lefty ranks second among all rookies with 67 innings pitched, and he has been a key arm for the better-than-expected Nationals.

15. 1B T.J. Rumfield, Colorado Rockies

Stats: 227 PA, 116 OPS+, .284/.361/.443, 17 XBH (7 HR)

Rumfield posted an .826 OPS with 31 home runs in 252 games for the Yankees Triple-A affiliate in 2024 and 2025, but without a clear path to playing time he was flipped to the Rockies during the offseason for reliever Angel Chivilli. He hit .310/.400/.483 with four home runs and 12 RBI over 100 plate appearances in May.

14. SP Walbert Ureña, Los Angeles Angels

Stats: 10 G, 8 GS, 2.44 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 25 BB, 41 K, 44.1 IP

Originally slotted in a bullpen role as part of the Opening Day roster, Ureña joined the rotation in mid-April and has settled in as one of the Angels most promising young players. The 22-year-old logged a 1.64 ERA in 33 innings over six starts in May, including six innings of five-hit, one-run ball against the Rays last week.

Nos. 13-11

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Konnor Griffin

13. OF Chase DeLauter, Cleveland Guardians

Stats: 232 PA, 120 OPS+, .268/.345/.434, 19 XBH (7 HR)

DeLauter hit .300/.379/.680 with five home runs and 12 RBI through his first 15 games this season. In the weeks since he has cooled off, batting .258/.333/.355 with two long balls, but he has still been a key run producer for a first-place Guardians team with 32 RBI and a .902 OPS in high-leverage at-bats.

12. OF Tristan Peters, Chicago White Sox

Stats: 160 PA, 113 OPS+, .289/.353/.408, 12 XBH (2 HR)

The White Sox acquired Peters from the Rays in exchange for cash considerations in December, and he has emerged as the replacement for Luis Robert Jr. in center field. With a 113 OPS+ in the batter's box and strong defensive metrics (5 DRS, 5 OAA), he has provided well-rounded value as one of the most out-of-nowhere contributors of the year. He might be the 2026 version of what Isaac Collins was for the Brewers last year.

11. SS Konnor Griffin, Pittsburgh Pirates

Stats: 208 PA, 104 OPS+, .270/.327/.402, 15 XBH (4 HR)

Considering he was still just 19 years old on Opening Day and had played just 26 games combined between Double-A and Triple-A, Griffin has made a surprisingly smooth transition to the big leagues. He had six multi-hit games in May, including a pair of four-hit performances, and the odds are high he will find his way into the top 10 of these rankings by next month.

10. 2B Travis Bazzana, Cleveland Guardians

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Stats: 126 PA, 138 OPS+, .294/.389/.450, 11 XBH (3 HR)
WAR: 1.1

Travis Bazzana was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, and after reaching Triple-A in his first full professional season, he might have broken camp with a spot on the Opening Day roster this spring if not for the fact that he was away from the team playing for Australia in the World Baseball Classic.

He homered in the WBC, then reported to Triple-A for 24 games before making his MLB debut on April 28 and immediately becoming one of the best all-around players on the Cleveland roster.

A strikeout rate below 20 percent and a walk rate above 10 percent speaks to his advanced feel for hitting, and with a .389 on-base percentage, eight steals and 13 runs scored in 30 games he has been a dynamic table-setter out of the leadoff spot.

9. SP Connelly Early, Boston Red Sox

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Stats: 11 GS, 2.95 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 22 BB, 57 K, 61.0 IP
WAR: 1.1

Connelly Early got a taste of the big leagues last year as a September call-up, logging a 2.33 ERA in 19.1 innings over four starts to earn a spot on Boston's playoff roster and even the starting nod in Game 3 of the ALWC.

The 24-year-old has picked up right where he left off this season as a key piece of what has been a surprisingly good Red Sox rotation, and he has been particularly good of late with a 1.78 ERA in 25.1 innings over his last four starts.

There are some regression indicators in his profile, including a 4.45 FIP and an average exit velocity allowed mark that sits in the 12th percentile, but it's easy to ignore that when he's coming off seven shutout innings against the Braves.

8. IF Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds

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Stats: 253 PA, 128 OPS+, .261/.356/.477, 23 XBH (12 HR)
WAR: 1.3

Sal Stewart was one of the most productive September call-ups of 2025, posting a 122 OPS+ with five home runs in 58 plate appearances down the stretch while helping the Reds earn a surprise wild-card berth.

The 22-year-old broke camp with the starting first base job, but has also made a handful of starts at third base (12) and second base (5), providing valuable versatility that has helped the Reds play the hot hand elsewhere in the lineup.

He cooled down a bit in May after logging a .943 OPS with nine home runs and 29 RBI over the first month of the season, but he still leads all NL rookies in home runs (12) and RBI (37).

7. SP Payton Tolle, Boston Red Sox

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Stats: 7 GS, 2.61 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 11 BB, 46 K, 41.1 IP
WAR: 0.6

Unlike teammate Connelly Early, fellow left-hander Payton Tolle did not find immediate success when he made his MLB debut down the stretch last season, struggling to a 6.06 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 16.1 innings.

He opened the 2026 season back at Triple-A, but was called up in late April to replace an injured Sonny Gray. This time it looks like he's in the majors for the long haul.

After throwing his fastball a staggering 64.1 percent of the time in his debut, he has dialed that back to 46.9 percent usage this year while incorporating a new sinker and leaning more on his cutter. That's helped better keep hitters off balance, and he has four quality starts through his first seven outings.

6. DH/C Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles

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Stats: 177 PA, 142 OPS+, .283/.345/.516, 18 XBH (9 HR)
WAR: 1.6

The Orioles saw enough potential in Samuel Basallo's bat to sign him to an eight-year, $67 million extension just days after he made his MLB debut last August, and it's shaping up to be a fantastic decision by the front office.

Still only 21 years old, he leads the Orioles roster with a 142 OPS+, while his nine long balls trail only established sluggers Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso, who he has often been tasked with protecting while hitting No. 4 or No. 5 in the batting order.

He has also been more impactful than expected behind the plate, starting 22 games at catcher and throwing out 24.1 percent of base-stealers while helping to keep Adley Rutschman fresh.

5. SP Trey Yesavage, Toronto Blue Jays

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Stats: 7 GS, 2.19 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 17 BB, 39 K, 37.0 IP
WAR: 1.7

Trey Yesavage introduced himself to a national audience last postseason when he struck out 11 batters over 5.1 no-hit innings against the Yankees in his playoff debut. He also added a seven-inning, 12-strikeout gem in Game 5 of the World Series, and all told had a 3.58 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 27.2 playoff innings.

Not unlike Randy Arozarena back in 2020 when he was a playoff hero for the Rays prior to winning 2021 AL Rookie of the Year, it feels wrong calling Yesavage a rookie after he thrived in the postseason pressure cooker, but with just 14 regular season innings in 2025 he still qualifies.

A right shoulder impingement landed him on the injured list to start the 2026 campaign, but he has gone right back to pitching like a present and future ace since returning to action on April 28.

4. 2B JJ Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals

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Stats: 257 PA, 123 OPS+, .250/.362/.407, 16 XBH (9 HR)
WAR: 2.9

JJ Wetherholt was one of the favorites to go No. 1 overall in the 2024 draft heading into his junior season at West Virginia, but a nagging hamstring injury limited him to 36 games and caused him to fall to the Cardinals at No. 7 overall.

That's quickly shaping up to be one of the steals of an extremely deep draft class, as his advanced bat flew through the minor leagues and landed him on the Opening Day roster for a St. Louis squad that was supposed to be rebuilding.

Instead, they are in the thick of the NL Central race, and Wetherholt's immediate impact as the everyday second baseman and leadoff hitter has been a big part of their success.

3. SP Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians

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Stats: 12 GS, 2.21 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 21 BB, 74 K, 69.1 IP
WAR: 2.8

With a 6'0", 225-pound frame lacking in physical projection and a fastball that sits in the low 90s, Parker Messick was the prototypical high-floor college lefty when the Guardians selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft.

However, the Cleveland organization has shown a real knack for squeezing the most out of that type of pitching prospect in recent years, and the Florida State product is shaping up to be one of its biggest success stories.

After logging a 2.72 ERA in 39.2 innings over seven starts last season, Messick still had to win a spot in the Opening Day rotation this spring. Now he looks like a legitimate All-Star candidate, and his 3.02 FIP and an elite 44.7 percent whiff rate on his changeup both point to sustainable success.

2. 1B Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox

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Stats: 246 PA, 160 OPS+, .240/.378/.560, 24 XBH (20 HR)
WAR: 1.9

After rumors of a potential $200 million payday entering the offseason, Munetaka Murakami ended up settling for a two-year, $34 million deal from the Chicago White Sox when concerns about his ability to handle elite velocity and manage his strikeout rate took center stage.

With a 32.5 percent strikeout rate, those concerns were not unfounded, but an excellent 17.9 percent walk rate and elite power production have essentially made him the modern day version of Adam Dunn.

A hamstring strain sidelined him last week, but with 20 home runs through 246 plate appearances, he has been as big a reason as any for the White Sox surprising start to the year.

1. SS/3B Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers

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Stats: 254 PA, 125 OPS+, .286/.390/.410, 18 XBH (3 HR)
WAR: 3.2

Kevin McGonigle began the 2026 season as the No. 1 prospect on Bleacher Report's Top 100 list, and two months into his rookie season he has lived up to that lofty billing as one of the most valuable all-around players in baseball.

His 3.2 WAR trails only Shohei Ohtani (4.4), Cristopher Sánchez (4.3), Andy Pages (3.8), Bobby Witt Jr. (3.4) and Cody Bellinger (3.4) among all players across Major League Baseball to begin the 2026 campaign.

With the same number of walks and strikeouts (35), solid extra-base pop (18 XBH), good speed (9 SB) and quality defense at shortstop (291.1 INN, 2 DRS) and third base (207.0 INN, 3 DRS), he has been the complete package and one of the few bright spots on a disappointing Tigers team.