NL and AL Rookie of the Year Odds – August 2024

As we hit the mid-point of August, here are the latest odds on NL and AL Rookie of the Year, including the odds for an incredible race brewing in the senior circuit.

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Stats updated prior to games on August 16.

Latest NL Rookie of the Year Odds

Paul Skenes: -160

Skenes has been dominant across his first 15 MLB starts, going 6-2 with a 2.25 ERA, 115 strikeouts and a 2.6 fWAR.

But given that the Pirates have lost 10 games in a row and aren’t really in the playoff race anymore, it will be interesting to see how they manage the former No. 1 overall pick’s innings down the stretch, and whether that hurts his case.

Jackson Merrill: +105

For those of you scoring at home, Merrill is hitting .329 with 20 RBIs and a 1.017 OPS for the Padres since the All-Star break.

He also has five outs above average in center field, a position he transitioned to prior to this year after having been a shortstop for most of his life. If Merrill were in the AL, he would be the favorite.

Tyler Fitzgerald: +3000

As a former fourth-round pick who will turn 27 in September, Fitzgerald doesn’t have the same top-prospect profile as Skenes or Merrill. But he is still a rookie, and one who is turning in a season that’s worth mentioning here.

Across 183 at-bats this season for the Giants, Fitzgerald is hitting .317 with 14 home runs and a .998 OPS, while seeing time at every position on the diamond (pitcher included) other than third base.

Jackson Chourio: +5000

Perhaps the 20-year-old isn’t having the same type of season as Skenes or Merrill, but it’s clear why the Brewers rewarded him with an eight-year, $82 million deal before he ever played in an MLB game.

Since the All-Star break, Chourio is hitting .365 with a 1.000 OPS, which has allowed the Brewers to hold onto the top spot in the NL Central, even though they’ve lost former NL MVP Christian Yelich for the season.

Shota Imanaga: +6600

It’s actually a little surprising to see Imanaga this low considering he was an All-Star in his first MLB season. But there may be a belief — particularly in a race this contested — that the 30-year-old lefty will be penalized for having pitched professionally in Japan for eight years, even if he is technically an MLB rookie.

Imanaga is 9-2 with a 3.16 ERA across 22 starts this year, and he leads all NL pitchers in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.89) and BB/9 (1.3). Maybe he isn’t your typical rookie, but it’s hard to argue with the results Imanaga has gotten in his first MLB season.

Latest AL Rookie of the Year Odds

Colton Cowser: -300

While Jackson Holliday seemed to be the most likely Oriole to sit at the top of this list early in 2024, it’s Cowser who has been the most consistent rookie for the O’s.

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft has 18 home runs, 56 RBIs and a .783 OPS in his first full season. Cowser has also seen time at all three outfield positions, posting 10 outs above average.

Luis Gil: +400

Perhaps the early season Cy Young talk has subsided, but Gil is still putting together an excellent rookie campaign for the Yankees. The 26-year-old righty is 12-6 with a 3.25 ERA and 141 strikeouts across 121 2/3 frames this season.

New York will have to be careful in how much they push the Tommy John surgery veteran’s innings throughout the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs, but there’s little doubt Gil has put himself in the long-term plans for the Yankees.

Austin Wells: +800

Speaking of the Yankees, Wells is a former first-round pick who has come of age in 2024. Not only does Wells have 10 defensive runs saved behind the dish, but he also has a .773 OPS and 3.0 fWAR.

Wilyer Abreu: +1800

Abreu was impressive for the Red Sox in a short burst last year, but because he only played in 28 games, he was still rookie-eligible coming into this season.

He’s once again looked the part for the Red Sox in 2024, with 14 home runs, 47 RBIs and an .850 OPS across 94 games. He also has six defensive runs saved in right field for Alex Cora’s squad.

Ceddanne Rafaela: +1800

And finally, another Red Sox rookie.

Not only does Rafaela have 58 RBIs, but he’s also seen time at second base, shortstop, third base and center field for Boston in 2024.

Center field appears to be the 23-year-old’s best position, as he’s posted eight defensive runs saved for the Red Sox in 2024. But being able to play multiple other positions — even if he’s graded out poorly at shortstop — only increases Rafaela’s value.