Midseason Grades for Vlad Guerrero Jr., Each Star of MLB's Stacked Rookie Class
There's nothing like an exciting young prospect bursting onto the scene and taking the league by storm, and this year's MLB rookie class has a chance to be one of the best in history.
Phenoms like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr. and Eloy Jimenez headlined top prospect lists heading into the season, and all three have settled into their respective starting lineups during the first half of the 2019 campaign.
However, others such as Pete Alonso, Mike Soroka, Chris Paddack, Austin Riley and Yordan Alvarez have debuted with a bang as well, siphoning off some of the rookie buzz for themselves.
Here at the midway point of the season, it's the perfect time to take inventory of all the top prospects who have debuted so far this year and hand out some first-half grades.
Any player who made Bleacher Report's preseason Top 50 prospect list and the group of 50 honorable mentions was analyzed and graded in the following article if he has played at the MLB level this season.
Players were graded based on production at the major league level, continued development at the minor league level and their impact on their big league clubs. A grade of a "C" represents a player who has not made a significant impact but has also done nothing to hurt his stock, with other grades falling in accordingly around that.
Let's get started with a nod to a few standout rookies who were not part of that preseason top 100 prospect list.
Notable Rookies Who Were Unranked on B/R's Preseason Top 100 List
1 of 6
While they will not be covered in the following article since they did not check in among B/R's top 100 prospects at the start of the season, the following rookies deserve a mention for their solid performances thus far.
Pitchers
- SP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
- SP Shaun Anderson, San Francisco Giants
- RP Ty Buttrey, Los Angeles Angels
- SP Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks
- SP John Means, Baltimore Orioles
- SP Zach Plesac, Cleveland Indians
- SP Trent Thornton, Toronto Blue Jays
- SP Spencer Turnbull, Detroit Tigers
- RP Marcus Walden, Boston Red Sox
Hitters
- IF/OF Cavan Biggio, Toronto Blue Jays
- IF Michael Chavis, Boston Red Sox
- OF Oscar Mercado, Cleveland Indians
- SS Kevin Newman, Pittsburgh Pirates
- OF Harold Ramirez, Miami Marlins
- OF Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates
- 1B Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks
Next 50
2 of 6
RHP Griffin Canning, Los Angeles Angels
A strong case can be made that Canning is already the ace of the Angels starting staff. The 23-year-old has posted a 3.79 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 63 strikeouts in 61.2 innings over 11 starts, and he already looks like a steal as a second-round pick in 2017.
Grade: A
LHP Taylor Hearn, Texas Rangers
Hearn was crushed in his MLB debut on April 25, allowing three hits, four walks and four earned runs while recording just one out before he got the hook. The 6'5" southpaw has power stuff, and he's been solid at Triple-A with a 4.05 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 20 innings. His future might be in the bullpen.
Grade: D
RHP Dakota Hudson, St. Louis Cardinals
After posting a 2.63 ERA in 26 appearances out of the Cardinals bullpen last season, Hudson has moved into the starting rotation this year and been one of the team's top starters. While his 3.40 ERA leads the rotation, his 4.97 FIP raises some questions about the sustainability of his performance.
Grade: B
RHP Josh James, Houston Astros
A right quad injury during spring training took James out of the running for the final spot in the Astros rotation, and he has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen this year. In 30 appearances, he has posted a 4.57 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with 65 strikeouts in 41.1 innings. There's little question the flame-thrower has swing-and-miss stuff, but his command needs work with 5.7 walks per nine innings.
Grade: C
C Danny Jansen, Toronto Blue Jays
While Jansen posted a 115 OPS+ in 95 plate appearances down the stretch last year, he's off to a disappointing start in 2019. He's hitting just .188/.269/.290 with four home runs in 209 trips to the plate. Luckily, his defense is keeping his value afloat. He's thrown out 32 percent of base stealers, tallied 6 DRS and graded out as one of the best pitch-framers in baseball, according to Baseball Prospectus.
Grade: C
LHP Yusei Kikuchi, Seattle Mariners
After posting a solid 3.43 ERA through his first 11 starts, Kikuchi has been knocked around of late, serving up an 8.42 ERA and an alarming .387 opponents' batting average in his last seven starts. The 28-year-old signed a three-year, $43 million deal that includes four option years during the offseason, so he'll be given every opportunity to right the ship.
Grade: D
2B Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays signed Lowe to a six-year, $24 million extension during the offseason that could keep him in Tampa Bay through 2026 if the club exercises a pair of option years. The 24-year-old won AL Rookie of the Month in April, and he's hitting .271/.333/.513 with 17 doubles, 15 home runs and 47 RBI on the year while playing solid defense (4 DRS, 1.1 UZR/150) at second base.
Grade: A
RHP Corbin Martin, Houston Astros
Martin has moved quickly since being taken in the second round of the 2017 draft out of Texas A&M, and he made his MLB debut on May 12. He started five games before he was optioned back to the minors, posting a 5.59 ERA and failing to pitch beyond the fourth inning outside of the 5.1 frames in his debut.
Grade: C
LHP Justus Sheffield, Seattle Mariners
Sheffield was expected to join the big league rotation in short order after he was acquired in the James Paxton trade during the offseason. Instead, he has slid backward down the organizational ladder, earning a demotion to Double-A after struggling to a 6.87 ERA in 55 innings with Triple-A Tacoma. The 23-year-old allowed two earned runs in three innings in his lone MLB appearance of 2019.
Grade: F
RHP Mike Soroka, Atlanta Braves
How good has Soroka been this year? The 21-year-old ranks among the National League leaders in ERA (2.13, second) and WHIP (0.98, fourth) with 67 strikeouts in 84.2 innings, pitching his way onto the NL All-Star roster in the process. With a 3.15 FIP and .206 opponents' batting average, he looks like the real deal.
Grade: A+
RHP Bryse Wilson, Atlanta Braves
In two starts and one relief appearance at the MLB level this season, Wilson has allowed 11 hits and eight earned runs over 8.2 innings for an 8.31 ERA. The 21-year-old has a 3.79 ERA and a 79-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 78.1 innings at Triple-A, and he still has a chance to be a long-term rotation piece.
Grade: C
No. 50 Pete Alonso to No. 36 Luis Urias
3 of 6
50. 1B Pete Alonso, New York Mets
Alonso followed up a big 2018 season with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League and more of the same during spring training. The Mets rewarded him with a spot on the Opening Day roster, and he has been one of the most productive sluggers in baseball this season, hitting .278/.372/.627 with 28 home runs and 64 RBI en route to 3.7 WAR. The 24-year-old is the clear favorite for NL Rookie of the Year honors.
Grade: A+
45. RHP Jon Duplantier, Arizona Diamondbacks
Duplantier made his MLB debut on April 1 and tossed three shutout innings to record a save. The 24-year-old posted a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings out of the bullpen, was briefly returned to the minors and earned a second promotion, this time to join the rotation, at the end of May. He made three starts before landing on the injured list with shoulder inflammation and has a 4.32 ERA overall in 25 innings.
Grade: C
42. OF Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros
No minor league hitter got off to a hotter start than Alvarez, who batted .343/.443/.742 with 23 home runs and 71 RBI in 56 games at Triple-A before earning a promotion. The 22-year-old hasn't missed a beat in the majors, hitting .317/.406/.733 with seven home runs and 21 RBI in 16 games. He appears to be up for good and is now squarely in the mix for AL Rookie of the Year honors.
Grade: A+
39. SS Carter Kieboom, Washington Nationals
Kieboom homered in his MLB debut on April 26 and went deep again two days later. However, the 21-year-old hit just .128/.209/.282 with 16 strikeouts in 43 plate appearances before he was returned to the minors, failing to seize a golden opportunity with Trea Turner sidelined. He's back to raking at Triple-A with a 1.030 OPS and 33 extra-base hits in 63 games, so it's only a matter of time before he gets another shot.
Grade: C
36. 2B Luis Urias, San Diego Padres
Urias began the season in the minors after a rough spring. He was called up briefly in April and went 2-for-24 with 11 strikeouts in 29 plate appearances before he was sent back down. However, he has found his power stroke at Triple-A, hitting .322/.406/.616 with 17 home runs to double his career total. With a 70-grade hit tool, there's no reason to be worried about his early struggles in a small sample size.
Grade: C
.png?w=256)
No. 34 Brendan McKay to No. 25 Alex Verdugo
4 of 6
34. LHP/DH Brendan McKay, Tampa Bay Rays
If his debut is any indication, McKay is going to be very good for a very long time. After posting a 1.22 ERA and 0.80 WHIP with 88 strikeouts in 66.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, he was called up to make his MLB debut on June 29. He allowed just one hit in six scoreless innings against a good Texas Rangers team. While the offensive side of his two-way game has stalled, his progress on the mound has been impressive.
Grade: B
31. RHP Touki Toussaint, Atlanta Braves
The favorite to win the No. 5 starter job heading into spring training, Toussaint has instead filled a multi-inning role out of the Atlanta bullpen. In 37 innings spanning 20 appearances, he has a 4.86 ERA and 1.49 WHIP with 39 strikeouts. While he has not had as big an impact as expected, his live arm is still a weapon for a contending Braves team.
Grade: C
29. 3B/OF Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves
The Braves blocked Riley at his natural position by signing veteran third baseman Josh Donaldson during the offseason, but he forced his way onto the MLB roster with his powerful bat. The 22-year-old won NL Rookie of the Month in May, and he's batting .273/.326/.582 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI in 43 games while serving as the primary left fielder.
Grade: A+
26. C Francisco Mejia, San Diego Padres
Along with Austin Hedges, Mejia has been part of a light-hitting platoon behind the plate for the Padres this season. The 23-year-old is hitting .208/.271/.364 with seven extra-base hits in 85 plate appearances—a far cry from the numbers he was putting up in the minors. His offense will need to carry his value, but he's struggled to establish himself in the big leagues.
Grade: D
25. OF Alex Verdugo, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers cleared a spot for Verdugo by trading away Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp during the offseason, and he's rewarded them with a .311/.360/.506 line, nearly as many walks (20) as strikeouts (27) and 29 extra-base hits in 278 plate appearances. He's going to be a good one for a long time.
Grade: A
No. 24 Mitch Keller to No. 9 Chris Paddack
5 of 6
24. RHP Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates
After a surprisingly rocky spring training, Keller returned to Triple-A where he posted a 2.82 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 70.1 innings over 13 starts. He made his MLB debut on May 27, and the struggles against top-level hitting have continued. He has an unsightly 10.50 ERA and 2.25 WHIP in three big league starts, but there's still plenty of time for everything to click.
Grade: C-
23. RHP Kyle Wright, Atlanta Braves
Like Keller, Wright has struggled in limited MLB action, posting a 7.07 ERA and 1.79 WHIP in three starts. However, his issues have carried over to the minors, where he has pitched to a 5.43 ERA in 58 innings at the Triple-A level. His stock has undoubtedly taken a hit, and he is sliding down prospect rankings as a result.
Grade: F
18. 2B Keston Hiura, Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers called up Hiura when a struggling Travis Shaw hit the injured list, and he hit .281/.333/.531 with five home runs in 69 plate appearances before he was inexplicably optioned back to the minors. He was recalled on June 28 as Shaw went the other way, and he could be up for good this time. With a .329/.407/.681 line and 36 extra-base hits in 57 games at Triple-A this year, he has nothing left to prove in the minors.
Grade: A
17. IF Brendan Rodgers, Colorado Rockies
With the Rockies struggling to find production at second base, Rodgers was called up to make his MLB debut on May 17. He hit just .224/.272/.250 with two extra-base hits and 27 strikeouts in 81 plate appearances before he landed on the injured list with a shoulder impingement. While the early returns were disappointing, he was raking at Triple-A prior to the call-up and has a strong track record, so there's no reason to be discouraged.
Grade: C
9. RHP Chris Paddack, San Diego Padres
With just 37.2 innings of Double-A experience under his belt, Paddack won a spot in the San Diego rotation after a stellar spring training. The 23-year-old posted a brilliant 1.93 ERA over his first nine starts before getting knocked around a couple of times in June. Still, he has a solid 3.05 ERA and 0.94 WHIP with 81 strikeouts in 76.2 innings, and he looks the part of a future ace. Expect the Padres to keep a careful eye on his innings this year.
Grade: A
No. 8 Nick Senzel to No. 1 Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
6 of 6
8. CF Nick Senzel, Cincinnati Reds
If not for season-ending surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right index finger last June, Senzel likely would have been part of the 2018 rookie class. He's hitting a solid .269/.329/.477 for a 104 OPS+ with 23 extra-base hits in 218 plate appearances, and he's doing so while learning a new position. An infielder by trade, he has moved out to center field, where he's holding his own defensively.
Grade: B
6. CF Victor Robles, Washington Nationals
The departure of Bryce Harper opened the door for Robles to step into an everyday role, and he's responded by hitting .244/.314/.435 with 12 doubles, 12 home runs and 11 steals in 15 attempts. He's also played solid defense in the outfield with 3 DRS in 644.2 innings between center field and right field. All that has been worth 1.3 WAR, and he's capable of a lot more.
Grade: B
3. LF Eloy Jimenez, Chicago White Sox
Signed to a six-year, $43 million extension before he made his MLB debut, Jimenez broke camp with the starting left field job. He played just 21 games before missing nearly a month with an ankle injury. Despite that time on the sidelines, he has still slugged 14 home runs while posting a 106 OPS+ in 229 plate appearances. He hasn't even scratched the surface.
Grade: B+
2. SS Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
Tatis missed 34 games with a hamstring injury, and he's still having a phenomenal season. The 20-year-old is hitting .337/.405/.613 for a 169 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 12 steals en route to 3.0 WAR. Even with the time he missed, he was still a major snub from the NL All-Star roster. If anyone is going to chase down Pete Alonso in the NL Rookie of the Year race, it's a healthy Tatis.
Grade: A+
1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
Guerrero dug himself an early hole with a 9-for-47 (.191) start to his MLB career that included just two extra-base hits and one RBI. He finally broke out with a two-homer game on May 14, and he's hitting .269/.335/.474 with 16 extra-base hits and 22 RBI in 41 games since then. It's not the immediate splash some were expecting, but does anyone doubt this kid is going to be a star?
Grade: B-
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.
.png?w=480)
