Top 40 Rookies of last 5 Years

jduds · 05-14-2025, 09:47 AM

This is my ranking of rookies from the last five years in terms of how excited I would be to pull one of their cards. That means it is a mix of both long-term potential and current place in the hobby. I'm curious to see who I forgot (I'm sure there is a glaring oversight) and also to see if there are any that people feel I am way off on (like 5 spots or more). Overall, 2021 only has 3 players, 2022 has 8, 2023 a robust 10, 2024 a massive 14, and 2025 a paltry 5.

1. 2022 Bobby Witt Jr.
2. 2024 Paul Skenes
3. 2023 Gunnar Henderson
4. 2023 Corbin Carroll
5. 2022 Julio Rodriguez
6. 2021 Tarik Skubal
7. 2024 Jackson Merrill
8. 2024 Jackson Chourio
9. 2024 Wyatt Langford
10. 2024 Elly De La Cruz
11. 2023 Adley Rutschman
12. 2024 Jackson Holiday
13. 2024 Pete Crow-Armstrong
14. 2022 Spencer Strider
15. 2023 Mason Miller
16. 2025 James Wood
17. 2024 Yoshinobu Yamamoto
18. 2021 Garret Crochet
19. 2023 Riley Greene
20. 2023 Eury Perez
21. 2024 Junior Caminero
22. 2025 Dylan Crews
23. 2023 Michael Harris
24. 2024 Jasson Dominguez
25. 2021 William Contreras
26. 2022 Cal Raleigh
27. 2022 Hunter Greene
28. 2025 Kristian Campbell
29. 2022 CJ Abrams
30. 2022 Steven Kwan
31. 2025 Coby Mayo
32. 2024 Tyler Soderstrom
33. 2024 Lawrence Butler
34. 2022 Oneill Cruz
35. 2024 Jordan Lawlar
36. 2023 Anthony Volpe
37. 2023 Bryce Turang
38. 2023 Ezequiel Tovar
39. 2025 Jacob Wilson
40. 2024 Spencer Schwellenbach

henryd30 · 05-14-2025, 09:59 AM

I would probably have Shota somewhere in the mix.

theshowandme · 05-14-2025, 10:54 AM

2021 has a lot more than 3 if we are using 2021 Bowman’s Best…

jduds · 05-14-2025, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryd30

I would probably have Shota somewhere in the mix.

I left off Shota, Senga, and Suzuki due to their ages. I might need to rethink that and put them in the 30s rather than just excluding them. I definitely should have Roki Sasaki on the list somewhere.

PeteD · 05-14-2025, 12:40 PM

I'd have Cole Ragans and Hunter Brown over Eury Perez unless you're factoring in age.

jduds · 05-14-2025, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteD

I'd have Cole Ragans and Hunter Brown over Eury Perez unless you're factoring in age.

Brown was a coin flip with Schwellenbach for me and the Braves homer in me won out. Ragans was a complete oversight and needs to be around 25-30. I am indeed ranking Perez highly due to his young age.

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atk825 · 05-14-2025, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jduds

This is my ranking of rookies from the last five years in terms of how excited I would be to pull one of their cards. That means it is a mix of both long-term potential and current place in the hobby. I'm curious to see who I forgot (I'm sure there is a glaring oversight) and also to see if there are any that people feel I am way off on (like 5 spots or more). Overall, 2021 only has 3 players, 2022 has 8, 2023 a robust 10, 2024 a massive 14, and 2025 a paltry 5.

1. 2022 Bobby Witt Jr.
2. 2024 Paul Skenes
3. 2023 Gunnar Henderson
4. 2023 Corbin Carroll
5. 2022 Julio Rodriguez
6. 2021 Tarik Skubal
7. 2024 Jackson Merrill
8. 2024 Jackson Chourio
9. 2024 Wyatt Langford
10. 2024 Elly De La Cruz
11. 2023 Adley Rutschman
12. 2024 Jackson Holiday
13. 2024 Pete Crow-Armstrong
14. 2022 Spencer Strider
15. 2023 Mason Miller
16. 2025 James Wood
17. 2024 Yoshinobu Yamamoto
18. 2021 Garret Crochet
19. 2023 Riley Greene
20. 2023 Eury Perez
21. 2024 Junior Caminero
22. 2025 Dylan Crews
23. 2023 Michael Harris
24. 2024 Jasson Dominguez
25. 2021 William Contreras
26. 2022 Cal Raleigh
27. 2022 Hunter Greene
28. 2025 Kristian Campbell
29. 2022 CJ Abrams
30. 2022 Steven Kwan
31. 2025 Coby Mayo
32. 2024 Tyler Soderstrom
33. 2024 Lawrence Butler
34. 2022 Oneill Cruz
35. 2024 Jordan Lawlar
36. 2023 Anthony Volpe
37. 2023 Bryce Turang
38. 2023 Ezequiel Tovar
39. 2025 Jacob Wilson
40. 2024 Spencer Schwellenbach

Mason Miller ahead of Yamamoto is cute.

atk825 · 05-14-2025, 01:34 PM

Also, don't look now, but Andy Pages is coming to form.

Skipscards · 05-14-2025, 01:49 PM

Nice list. Just for fun, I went through all players who debuted between 2021 and 2025 and here is everyone who has averaged at least 2 WAR per season. Note, for 2025, we are approximately 25% through the season so I weighted 2025 as .25. Here's the order, player, and debut season:

Code:

1	Shane Smith	2025
2	Paul Skenes	2024
3	Julio Rodríguez	2022
4	Bobby Witt Jr.	2022
5	Gunnar Henderson     2022
6	Tomoyuki Sugano	2025
7	Steven Kwan	2022
8	Ha-Seong Kim	2021
9	Jackson Merrill	2024
10	Jeremy Peña	2022
11	Wyatt Langford	2024
12	Adley Rutschman	2022
13	Jackson Chourio	2024
14	Anthony Volpe	2023
15	Corbin Carroll	2022
16	Michael Harris	2022
17	Zach Neto	2023
18	Brice Turang	2023
19	Hunter Greene	2022
20	Shota Imanaga	2024
21	Chad Patrick	2025
22	Andrew Abbott	2023
23	Tanner Bibee	2023
24	George Kirby	2022
25	Cal Raleigh	2021
26	Zack Gelof	2023
27	Brendan Donovan	2022
28	Elly De La Cruz	2023
29	Drake Baldwin	2025
30	Jake Mangum	2025
31	Edgar Quero	2025
32	Riley Greene	2022
33	Mike Vasil	2025
34	Gunnar Hoglund	2025
35	Kodai Senga	2023
36	Seiya Suzuki	2022
37	Andy Pages	2024
38	Wilyer Abreu	2023
39	Kyle Bradish	2022
40	Wander Franco	2021
41	Spencer Schwellenbach	2024
42	Bryson Stott	2022
43	CJ Abrams	2022
44	Parker Meadows	2023
45	Logan Gilbert	2021
46	JP Sears	2022
47	Christian Koss	2025
48	Blake Perkins	2023
49	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	2024
50	Jarren Duran	2021
51	Tobias Myers	2024
52	Jonathan Cannon	2024
53	Masyn Winn	2023
54	Cole Ragans	2022
55	Alek Manoah	2021
56	Lars Nootbaar	2021
57	Masataka Yoshida	2023
58	Eury Pérez	2023
59	Gabriel Moreno	2022
60	Bailey Ober	2021
61	Pete Crow-Armstrong	2023
62	Yainer Diaz	2022
63	Javier Assad	2022
64	Taylor Walls	2021
65	Brenton Doyle	2023
66	José Caballero	2023
67	Geraldo Perdomo	2021
68	Chase Meidroth	2025
69	Tim Tawa	2025
70	Cam Smith	2025
71	James Wood	2024
72	Dérmis Garcia	2022
73	Esteban Quiroz	2022
74	Cade Smith	2024

jduds · 05-14-2025, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atk825

Mason Miller ahead of Yamamoto is cute.

If done as a poll, I'd bet I'm probably about 20 spots too high on Miller given his position, but I'm big on him and see him being the next truly dominant closer for the next decade, barring injury. Too much listening to fantasy baseball folks gush over his stuff has me ignoring all the negatives with him.

atk825 · 05-14-2025, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jduds

If done as a poll, I'd bet I'm probably about 20 spots too high on Miller given his position, but I'm big on him and see him being the next truly dominant closer for the next decade, barring injury. Too much listening to fantasy baseball folks gush over his stuff has me ignoring all the negatives with him.

Sure. But Yamamoto barring injuries is an ace who has already won three Sawamura Awards, a World Series and plays in LA. Like I know Aroldis has off the field issues but even without that, how big is his market? And that's basically Miller's upside, I think.

elontusk1119 · 05-14-2025, 02:10 PM

where is Mackenzie Gore?

atk825 · 05-14-2025, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elontusk1119

where is Mackenzie Gore?

Yah, he sure is a post hype sleeper. He's been awesome.

jduds · 05-14-2025, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipscards

Nice list. Just for fun, I went through all players who debuted between 2021 and 2025 and here is everyone who has averaged at least 2 WAR per season. Note, for 2025, we are approximately 25% through the season so I weighted 2025 as .25. Here's the order, player, and debut season:

Code:

1	Shane Smith	2025
2	Paul Skenes	2024
3	Julio Rodríguez	2022
4	Bobby Witt Jr.	2022
5	Gunnar Henderson     2022
6	Tomoyuki Sugano	2025
7	Steven Kwan	2022
8	Ha-Seong Kim	2021
9	Jackson Merrill	2024
10	Jeremy Peña	2022
11	Wyatt Langford	2024
12	Adley Rutschman	2022
13	Jackson Chourio	2024
14	Anthony Volpe	2023
15	Corbin Carroll	2022
16	Michael Harris	2022
17	Zach Neto	2023
18	Brice Turang	2023
19	Hunter Greene	2022
20	Shota Imanaga	2024
21	Chad Patrick	2025
22	Andrew Abbott	2023
23	Tanner Bibee	2023
24	George Kirby	2022
25	Cal Raleigh	2021
26	Zack Gelof	2023
27	Brendan Donovan	2022
28	Elly De La Cruz	2023
29	Drake Baldwin	2025
30	Jake Mangum	2025
31	Edgar Quero	2025
32	Riley Greene	2022
33	Mike Vasil	2025
34	Gunnar Hoglund	2025
35	Kodai Senga	2023
36	Seiya Suzuki	2022
37	Andy Pages	2024
38	Wilyer Abreu	2023
39	Kyle Bradish	2022
40	Wander Franco	2021
41	Spencer Schwellenbach	2024
42	Bryson Stott	2022
43	CJ Abrams	2022
44	Parker Meadows	2023
45	Logan Gilbert	2021
46	JP Sears	2022
47	Christian Koss	2025
48	Blake Perkins	2023
49	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	2024
50	Jarren Duran	2021
51	Tobias Myers	2024
52	Jonathan Cannon	2024
53	Masyn Winn	2023
54	Cole Ragans	2022
55	Alek Manoah	2021
56	Lars Nootbaar	2021
57	Masataka Yoshida	2023
58	Eury Pérez	2023
59	Gabriel Moreno	2022
60	Bailey Ober	2021
61	Pete Crow-Armstrong	2023
62	Yainer Diaz	2022
63	Javier Assad	2022
64	Taylor Walls	2021
65	Brenton Doyle	2023
66	José Caballero	2023
67	Geraldo Perdomo	2021
68	Chase Meidroth	2025
69	Tim Tawa	2025
70	Cam Smith	2025
71	James Wood	2024
72	Dérmis Garcia	2022
73	Esteban Quiroz	2022
74	Cade Smith	2024

Great list. It helps highlight some 2025 guys likely to join my list (Baldwin for sure). Neto, Moreno, Gelof, Ober, Gilbert, Suzuki, and Duran would be strong candidates for 40-50 for me, but there's no one on this list and not on mine that immediately make me realize I forgot someone. Shane Smith at the top is certainly a surprise. He cracked my fantasy baseball roster this week. Who knows, maybe he'll crack my top 40 rookie list as well.

jduds · 05-14-2025, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elontusk1119

where is Mackenzie Gore?

There are probably about 10 pitchers that could easily swap places with Schwellenbach. Gore, Ober, Joe Ryan, Hunter Brown, AJ Smith-Shawver, and a slew of hyped pitchers that haven't produced yet could all grab a spot in the 30-40 range any given week. That level of variability is normally a good indicator of when to stop ranking. I feel fairly good about 1-25, but after that, there are a lot more debates in my head when ranking them.

mfw13 · 05-14-2025, 03:03 PM

Skenes K/9 rate is way down this year....might be a sign of impending arm troubles....

I wouldn't put any pitcher in my top five.....

Mine would be:

1 - Witt
2 - Carroll
3 - Merrill
4 - Langford
5 - Wood

theshowandme · 05-14-2025, 03:22 PM

Imagine if Wander never pulled the Pete Rose move

jduds · 05-14-2025, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfw13

Skenes K/9 rate is way down this year....might be a sign of impending arm troubles....

I wouldn't put any pitcher in my top five.....

Mine would be:

1 - Witt
2 - Carroll
3 - Merrill
4 - Langford
5 - Wood

I agree about Skenes and will sell any cards of his that I happen to get instantly. I was basing this list on who I'd be excited to hit and not who I think will be the best player, and I'd be very happy to hit any decent Skenes card given his current place in the hobby. My top 10 of how I think players will actually wind up in 15 years would be
1. Witt 2. Gunnar 3. Langford 4. Skubal 5. Merrill 6. Contreras 7. Holliday 8. Wood 9. Carroll (talent-wise top 5, but worried about injuries), 10. Miller

redauto5 · 05-14-2025, 03:41 PM

Great list! Does Jazz deserve a spot? Maybe around 30ish?

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MiamiMarlinsFan · 05-14-2025, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redauto5

Great list! Does Jazz deserve a spot? Maybe around 30ish?

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I definitely think he’s had a better career than Volpe, and especially Tovar. So maybe 38th…

Skipscards · 05-14-2025, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jduds

Great list. It helps highlight some 2025 guys likely to join my list (Baldwin for sure). Neto, Moreno, Gelof, Ober, Gilbert, Suzuki, and Duran would be strong candidates for 40-50 for me, but there's no one on this list and not on mine that immediately make me realize I forgot someone. Shane Smith at the top is certainly a surprise. He cracked my fantasy baseball roster this week. Who knows, maybe he'll crack my top 40 rookie list as well.

Thanks. Just thought it'd be fun to see the old "baseball good" vs "hobby good". And yeah, Shane Smith was definitely a surprise, but then again, he's pitched 43 innings. The good news for him is the White Sox really took their time with him. He's never had much of a workload, pitched fantastic at every level, and they have eased him in to being a starter. Guys like this are much likelier to have longer careers with fewer injuries. But it's way too early to get too excited. Plus he pitches for the White Sox.

teosdesserts · 05-14-2025, 04:42 PM

Rutschman over Jackson Holliday is insane…

atk825 · 05-14-2025, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

I definitely think he’s had a better career than Volpe, and especially Tovar. So maybe 38th…

And yet, Ke'Bryan has had a better career than all of them lol

jduds · 05-14-2025, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redauto5

Great list! Does Jazz deserve a spot? Maybe around 30ish?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

He was an oversight instead of one I consciously left out. That said, he’s an oversight because I’ve written him off in terms of the hobby. He’s probably a top 40 guy in terms of actual baseball value, but I don’t see a much higher ceiling than a 4 WAR season for him. That’s probably true of many of the younger guys on this list, but uncertainty about their ceilings (they could be great) keeps them ranked higher. Chisholm is in the same boat as Mountcastle and Hayes (good players but we know their limits) whom I did purposefully leave off, but he’s flashy and has the Yankees thing going for him so will likely crack my top 40 when I revise it.

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jduds · 05-14-2025, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teosdesserts

Rutschman over Jackson Holliday is insane…

It is indeed. I need to move Adley behind with Raleigh and Contreras as I like both better.

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05-14-2025, 09:47 AM	#1
jduds Member Join Date: May 2020 Location: Hattiesburg, MS Posts: 3,793 chilaw57	Top 40 Rookies of last 5 Years This is my ranking of rookies from the last five years in terms of how excited I would be to pull one of their cards. That means it is a mix of both long-term potential and current place in the hobby. I'm curious to see who I forgot (I'm sure there is a glaring oversight) and also to see if there are any that people feel I am way off on (like 5 spots or more). Overall, 2021 only has 3 players, 2022 has 8, 2023 a robust 10, 2024 a massive 14, and 2025 a paltry 5. 1. 2022 Bobby Witt Jr. 2. 2024 Paul Skenes 3. 2023 Gunnar Henderson 4. 2023 Corbin Carroll 5. 2022 Julio Rodriguez 6. 2021 Tarik Skubal 7. 2024 Jackson Merrill 8. 2024 Jackson Chourio 9. 2024 Wyatt Langford 10. 2024 Elly De La Cruz 11. 2023 Adley Rutschman 12. 2024 Jackson Holiday 13. 2024 Pete Crow-Armstrong 14. 2022 Spencer Strider 15. 2023 Mason Miller 16. 2025 James Wood 17. 2024 Yoshinobu Yamamoto 18. 2021 Garret Crochet 19. 2023 Riley Greene 20. 2023 Eury Perez 21. 2024 Junior Caminero 22. 2025 Dylan Crews 23. 2023 Michael Harris 24. 2024 Jasson Dominguez 25. 2021 William Contreras 26. 2022 Cal Raleigh 27. 2022 Hunter Greene 28. 2025 Kristian Campbell 29. 2022 CJ Abrams 30. 2022 Steven Kwan 31. 2025 Coby Mayo 32. 2024 Tyler Soderstrom 33. 2024 Lawrence Butler 34. 2022 Oneill Cruz 35. 2024 Jordan Lawlar 36. 2023 Anthony Volpe 37. 2023 Bryce Turang 38. 2023 Ezequiel Tovar 39. 2025 Jacob Wilson 40. 2024 Spencer Schwellenbach

05-14-2025, 12:40 PM	#5
PeteD Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Igloo up north Posts: 1,498	I'd have Cole Ragans and Hunter Brown over Eury Perez unless you're factoring in age. __________________ Elbows up hosers.

05-14-2025, 04:42 PM	#22
teosdesserts Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 6,641 eosdesserts teosdesserts	Rutschman over Jackson Holliday is insane… __________________ Nick Markakis super fan, former Supercollector

05-14-2025, 09:59 AM	#2
henryd30 Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Iowa Posts: 271 henryd30	I would probably have Shota somewhere in the mix.

05-14-2025, 10:54 AM	#3
theshowandme Member Join Date: Nov 2020 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 5,041 theshowandme nova_cards	2021 has a lot more than 3 if we are using 2021 Bowman’s Best…

05-14-2025, 01:34 PM	#8
atk825 Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Posts: 3,065	Also, don't look now, but Andy Pages is coming to form.

05-14-2025, 02:10 PM	#12
elontusk1119 Member Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 476	where is Mackenzie Gore?

05-14-2025, 03:03 PM	#16
mfw13 Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 17,352	Skenes K/9 rate is way down this year....might be a sign of impending arm troubles.... I wouldn't put any pitcher in my top five..... Mine would be: 1 - Witt 2 - Carroll 3 - Merrill 4 - Langford 5 - Wood

05-14-2025, 03:22 PM	#17
theshowandme Member Join Date: Nov 2020 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 5,041 theshowandme nova_cards	Imagine if Wander never pulled the Pete Rose move

05-14-2025, 03:41 PM	#19
redauto5 Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 1,307	Great list! Does Jazz deserve a spot? Maybe around 30ish? Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk