Dark Horse AL ROY Candidates

Player Name The 2022 season is still in question, but when we do see baseball there will be a few prospects who could sneak into the American League Rookie of the Year conversation. By Zach Smith

Once the 2022 MLB season gets under way, fans will be greeted by a nice wave of blue chip prospects making their MLB debut’s in the early months of the season.

On the AL side, Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodriguez, and Adley Rutschman–our top three prospects respectively–will be the favorites to take home the Rookie of the Year honors, but that’s not guaranteed. Fill in some text

As our Aram Leighton writes, projecting the ROY before the season is tough. Not knowing call-up times or whether there will be an adjustment period are the biggest questions surrounding prospects. Fill in some text

On the latest episode of The Call Up, we highlighted some of the candidates who are poised to get a taste of the big leagues in the early parts of the season: Fill in some text

Josh Lowe – OF Tampa Bay Rays Josh Lowe – OF Tampa Bay Rays A dynamic outfielder who impacts winning, Lowe did a little bit of everything in Triple-A last season hitting .291/.281/.535 with 22 homers for the Durham Bulls.

Lowe is capable of playing all three outfield spots, playing mostly center where his plus speed translates. He could get plenty of action this year as he has nothing left to prove in the minors.

Jeremy Peña – SS Houston Astros Jeremy Peña – SS Houston Astros An under-the-radar name for fans outside of Houston, Peña’s season was cut short due to injury, but in his 30 games Peña hit 10 homeruns while playing great defense.

He added an impressive amount of muscle, which has translated in the form of big jumps in exit velocities. Peña has Gold Glove upside and could rake on the Crawford Boxes at Minute Maid Park.

Joe Ryan – SP Minnesota Twins Joe Ryan – SP Minnesota Twins Acquired in the Nelson Cruz deal from the Rays, Ryan is a prospect who the Rays probably would’ve preferred to keep. The x-factor for him will be his changeup.

Ryan will be one of the key pitchers for a barren Twins rotation next season and could surprise a lot of people next year behind his decent stuff and exceptional command.

Cole Winn – SP Texas Rangers Cole Winn – SP Texas Rangers Cole Winn, a first round selection by the Rangers in 2018, enjoyed a fantastic season in the upper levels last year and could be forcing his way to an earlier-than-anticipated MLB debut.

Winn comes at hitters with a mid-90s fastball, sharp slider, sweeping curve and a fading change. His deep arsenal and feel for his bag could lead him to a call-up in the earlier parts of 2022.