Ranking the Top 10 Rookies of the 2025 MLB Season

Over the past few seasons, Major League Baseball has been tremendously blessed by the influx of talented young players making their way into the sport. Lately, we’ve even been blessed with some historic rookie seasons. Every year, it seems as though the sport adds another handful of superstars, and this season was no different.

In the American League, the Athletics shared a pair of dominant rookies who immediately became some of the best players in the sport after a limited number of games. Jacob Wilson emerged as one of the best contact hitters in the sport, while Nick Kurtz turned into one of the best first basemen in baseball in only his first full professional season.

Also, the Royals developed a very solid left-handed starter in Noah Cameron. At the same time, the Red Sox immediately benefited from the arrival of Roman Anthony, Just Baseball’s former number one overall prospect.

The National League had some pretty fun stories, too. The Atlanta Braves saw the dawn of a new star catcher in Drake Baldwin, while the Chicago Cubs saw the debut of a potential ace in Cade Horton. Both of these young stars will likely finish near the top of this year’s Rookie of the Year voting, as they showcased the tools needed to be stars.

We also can’t forget the excellence of Caleb Durbin and Isaac Collins, a pair of rookies who were a huge key reason why the Milwaukee Brewers finished the season with the best record in the sport.

Although only two Rookie of the Year awards will be handed out this winter, there are quite a few players who deserve to take home some hardware, or at least receive some recognition for their excellence.

With that being said, let’s attempt to narrow down this year’s top 10 rookies and highlight each player who stood above the rest. With the sheer amount of talent in this year’s crop of rookies, this was a tough list to narrow down.

Honorable Mentions

OF Daylen Lile, WSH

2025 Stats: 351 PA, 9 HR, 41 RBI, .299/.347/.498, 132 wRC+, 8 SB, 1.4 fWAR

When looking at the Washington Nationals’ roster, it’s evident that they’re full of youthful talent. From Dylan Crews to James Wood, their youth is arguably their biggest strong suit. However, Daylen Lile wasn’t on many people’s radars prior to his breakout 2025 campaign, yet he was still incredibly impressive.

In just 91 games, Lile managed to post a 132 wRC+ while posting some very solid underlying metrics along the way. For example, Lile posted an xBA and a launch angle sweet spot rate inside the top two percent of hitters, a notable achievement for the 22-year-old.

While Lile will likely never hit for much power, his speed allows him to be a legitimate extra-base hit threat. He finished third among all hitters in triples (11), while also legging out 15 doubles in the same pan. As he moves into his sophomore season, Lile will be a name to keep a close eye on.

SP Cam Schlittler, NYY

2025 Stats: 14 GS, 73 IP, 4-3, 2.96 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 10.36 K/9, 3.82 BB/9, 1.3 fWAR

This season, few arms around the league had a quicker rise to the big leagues than Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler. Beginning the season in Double-A, Schlittler ended up pitching his way into key playoff innings for the club, rapidly becoming one of the organization’s young stars.

Although he only made 14 starts in the regular season, Schlittler immediately made a huge impact, pitching to an ERA under 3.00 in this span. Schlittler also had one of the Yankees’ most memorable moments of the season, as he became the first pitcher in playoff history to throw at least eight innings with 12 strikeouts and zero walks.

This season was a dream outcome for Schlittler, as he’s now in line to be a crucial part of the Yankees’ rotation heading into next season. If he replicates the dominance he showcased in his first 73 innings, he’ll quickly become one of the brightest young arms in the sport.

10. 2B Luke Keaschall, MIN

2025 Stats: 207 PA, 4 HR, 28 RBI, .302/.382/.445, 134 wRC+, 14 SB, 1.6 fWAR

After regularly being featured on top prospect lists across all outlets, Luke Keaschall finally got his chance to shine this season. Although his season was cut short due to a left thumb injury, it’s undeniable that this stint was a positive sign of more success to come in the near future.

Among qualified rookie hitters this season, Keaschall finished with the third-highest wRC+, only coming in behind Kurtz and Anthony on the leaderboard. He also showcased elite discipline at the dish, as his chase rate, whiff rate, and strikeout rate ranked among the top of the sport.

Despite his 2025 campaign barely lasting 200 plate appearances, Keaschall gave Twins fans a huge reason to be excited about their future.

9. 3B Caleb Durbin, MIL

2025 Stats: 506 PA, 11 HR, 53 RBI, .256/.334/.387, 105 wRC+, 18 SB, 2.6 fWAR

Prior to the 2025 season, the baseball world raised some serious questions about the Milwaukee Brewers, as they looked relatively incomplete across the board. They ended up finishing the season with the best record in baseball, and it couldn’t have been done without third baseman Caleb Durbin.

Durbin finished the season as one of 16 qualified rookie hitters to post an above-average wRC+, putting him among some pretty elite company. Thanks to his big season, Durbin earned a nod as one of the finalists for the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

Initially, many people were surprised to see Devin Williams dealt for a player of Durbin’s caliber. However, he silenced all the haters this year, cementing himself as a very good big league hitter.

8. SS Colson Montgomery, CWS

2025 Stats: 284 PA, 21 HR, 55 RBI, .239/.311/.529, 129 wRC+, 0 SB, 2.7 fWAR

The last few seasons have thrown nearly everything imaginable Colson Montgomery‘s way. From his rise as a top prospect to injuries to some disappointing play in Triple-A, the future looked quite uncertain for the 23-year-old shortstop. Despite this, his first taste of big league action was a sight to see.

Although he only played 71 big league games this year, Montgomery’s power was otherworldly. He slugged 21 home runs in this stint, a number that tied him for second among qualified rookie hitters. In fact, over 34% of his major league hits were homers.

White Sox fans will certainly feel much more confident in Montgomery’s future now, as he’s established himself as a legitimate power threat against some tough arms.

7. OF Isaac Collins, MIL

2025 Stats: 441 PA, 9 HR, 54 RBI, .263/.368/.411, 122 wRC+, 16 SB, 2.6 fWAR

Similarly to Durbin, the Milwaukee Brewers simply wouldn’t have finished with such a positive record without the presence of Isaac Collins in their lineup. His consistent production transformed their lineup, really helping theme leap into elite territory offensively.

In his first season as an everyday player for the team, Collins dominated. He finished as one of four Brewers with at least 50 plate appearances to register a 120 wRC+ or higher, racking up nearly 3.0 fWAR along the way. He also posted elite numbers defensively, with his 4 OAA ranking in the sport’s 86th percentile.

Collins wasn’t nominated as a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, but he certainly deserves a ton of credit for what he brought to the Brewers lineup this year.

6. LHP Noah Cameron, KCR

2025 Stats: 24 GS, 138.1 IP, 9-7, 2.99 ERA, 4.18 FIP, 7.42 K/9, 2.80 BB/9, 1.8 fWAR

After making it back to the playoffs last year, expectations were high for the Royals in 2025. Unfortunately, the club fell short, finishing with a record of 82-80. However, they had plenty of bright spots, and one of these was the development of Noah Cameron.

In a year where rookie hitters took most of the spotlight, Cameron established himself as quite a solid arm. He was one of only four rookie pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched to finish with an ERA below 3.00. He was also one of the best arms in the sport at limiting barrels, as he finished in the league’s top 20% in this area.

While he may be overshadowed by Cade Horton in conversations surrounding rookie pitchers, Cameron looks to be a very valuable big league left-hander heading into 2026.

5. RHP Cade Horton, CHC

2025 Stats: 22 GS, 118 IP, 11-4, 2.67 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 7.40 K/9, 2.52 BB/9, 2.2 fWAR

After being a coveted top prospect for a few years now in the Cubs’ system, right-hander Cade Horton finally got his chance to shine at the big league level. In a relatively open National League Rookie of the Year race, Horton has established a legitimate case to take home the award.

To put it simply, Horton was the best rookie pitcher in baseball this season. He finished with the best ERA among starters with at least 50 innings pitched while also being one of only five starters to record at least 2.0 fWAR.

Unfortunately, a rib fracture caused Horton to miss a significant amount of time down the stretch for the Cubs. Next season will be huge for Horton, as he’ll be healthy and have the chance to dominate over a full season’s worth of games.

4. C Drake Baldwin, ATL

2025 Stats: 446 PA, 19 HR, 80 RBI, .274/.341/.469, 125 wRC+, 0 SB, 3.1 fWAR

For a few seasons, Braves catcher Drake Baldwin has found himself ranking highly on our top 100 prospects list, and he got the chance to make the transition to the big leagues this season. Beginning the year with the big league team, he quickly established himself as one of the best catchers in the sport following a slow start to his career.

Out of all catchers with at least 100 plate appearances, Baldwin was one of seven players to post a 125 wRC+ or higher. He also generated the ninth most fWAR among these catchers. Baldwin also registered elite underlying numbers across the board, including a hard-hit rate in the 85th percentile, with 92nd percentile blocks above average.

For Baldwin, 2025 was a huge success, as he quickly established himself as one of the best pieces of the Braves’ lineup that failed to meet expectations.

3. SS Jacob Wilson, ATH

2025 Stats: 523 PA, 13 HR, 63 RBI, .311/.355/.444, 121 wRC+, 5 SB, 3.5 fWAR

After flying through the minor leagues, Jacob Wilson had a huge first full season of big league action. Combined, Wilson and Nick Kurtz represented a bright new future for the Athletics, creating a true dynamic rookie duo in Sacramento.

Immediately after making his MLB debut, Wilson became one of the best contact hitters in baseball. He posted whiff and chase rates in the 99th percentile or better, while also leading rookie hitters in batting average. The former first-round pick even became the first rookie shortstop to start an All-Star game since 1960.

If it weren’t for the dominant season Kurtz had, Wilson would’ve had a legitimate case to take home the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Even though he likely won’t receive any hardware, he was still recently named a finalist for the award.

2. OF Roman Anthony, BOS

2025 Stats: 303 PA, 8 HR, 32 RBI, .292/.396/.463, 140 wRC+, 4 SB, 2.7 fWAR

After entering the 2025 season as our top-ranked prospect, Roman Anthony burst onto the scene following his promotion in early June. Following his promotion, Anthony immediately became one of the best young players in baseball, handling very good pitching with ease.

Anthony was one of just two qualified rookie hitters to finish with a wRC+ of 140 or higher, while he also generated almost 3.0 fWAR in just 71 games. Due to his immediate success in the big leagues, Anthony earned an 8-year, $130 million extension.

Sadly, a left oblique strain caused him to miss a sizable amount of time at the end of the season, cutting a special rookie season short. However, Anthony still played well enough to be considered our second-best rookie in 2025.

1. 1B Nick Kurtz, ATH

2025 Stats: 489 PA, 36 HR, 86 RBI, .290/.383/.619, 170 wRC+, 2 SB, 4.6 fWAR

After being drafted by the Athletics in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Nick Kurtz wasted no time getting to the big leagues. Since his promotion in late April of this year, Kurtz immediately blossomed into arguably the best first baseman in baseball and the best rookie in the sport.

Among all big leaguers with at least 400 plate appearances, Kurtz joined Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani as the only hitters in baseball to post a wRC+ above 170. He also finished as the only rookie to post an fWAR above 4.5, putting him on pace for over 6.3 fWAR in a full season. Kurtz was on pace to hit 50 homers across 162 games as well.

On July 25th, Kurtz had a game so special that it deserves its own section in this story. He went 6-for-6 with four home runs, becoming one of only 21 players to homer four times in the same game. Kurtz was the first rookie to do this, and he missed becoming the first player with five homers in a game by no more than five feet.

In my eyes, Kurtz will have no problem taking home the American League Rookie of the Year Award this winter, becoming the first Athletic since 2009 to win the award. Kurtz will be someone to keep a close eye on in 2026, as he looks to cement himself as one of the best hitters in MLB.