Top 10 Rookies of the 2022 Season
Player Name
Baseball’s newest superstar is the runaway favorite for AL Rookie of the Year. However, there’s more young stars that deserve recognition for their efforts in their first season of big league ball.
By
Will O'Shea
Kirby is exactly who we hoped he’d be; a reliable, middle-of-the-rotation starter who could be in line to start postseason games as a rookie.
79.1 IP, 3.40 ERA, 3.60 FIP,
1.17 WHIP
10. George Kirby - SP - SEA
10. George Kirby - SP - SEA
Morel’s game is reminiscent of former Cub Javier Báez, burying plate discipline concerns with eye-popping athleticism and top-flight exit velocities.
.263/.333/.463, 10 HR, 31 RBI
9. Christopher Morel - UTIL - CHC
9. Christopher Morel - UTIL - CHC
Miranda’s a line drive machine that hits the ball with authority and has thrusted himself into the middle of an order that seems primed to take on October
.279/.327/.475, 11 HR, 47 RBI
8. Jose Miranda - INF - MIN
8. Jose Miranda - INF - MIN
The production has been spotty, but Witt has some of the loudest tools not just among rookies, but in
all of baseball.
.257/.301/.451, 15 HR, 56 RBI, 21 SB
7. Bobby Witt Jr. - SS - KC
7. Bobby Witt Jr. - SS - KC
The Guardian’s unearthed gem is second in all of baseball in contact rate, and his 2.9% whiff rate has allowed him to hit with a 119 wRC+.
.298/.371/.381, 28 RBI, 37 BB, 36 K
6. Steven Kwan - OF - CLE
6. Steven Kwan - OF - CLE
Not only is Harris a contender for NL Rookie of the Year, but also a front-runner for the NL Gold Glove in center field.
.286/.322/.482, 10 HR, 33 RBI, 12 SB
5. Michael Harris II - OF - ATL
5. Michael Harris II - OF - ATL
4. Jeremy Peña - SS - HOU
4. Jeremy Peña - SS - HOU
Peña’s 2.6 fWAR ranks tied for second among all rookie hitters, and he is fourth among shortstops in Outs Above Average.
.248/.292/.427, 15 HR, 38 RBI
3. Spencer Strider - SP - ATL
3. Spencer Strider - SP - ATL
Among pitchers who have thrown 80 or more innings so far this season, Strider leads all of baseball with a 38% strikeout rate.
3.11 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 138 K, 34 BB, 3.1 fWAR
2. Adley Rutschman - C - BAL
2. Adley Rutschman - C - BAL
He’s shown why he has the tools and the maturity to quickly become the best catcher in the game, with a 1.019 OPS since the All-Star Break.
.254/.365/.437, 22 2B, 2.6 fWAR
The J-Rod Show provides entertainment with power, speed, defense, and flare. 2022 marks the beginning of a storied career for this young superstar.
.271/.334/.482, 18 HR, 57 RBI, 21 SB
1. Julio Rodriguez - OF - SEA
1. Julio Rodriguez - OF - SEA