Who Are The Best MLB Rookies Right Now?

The next wave of MLB superstars came out ready to impress during the 2024 MLB season with a long list of impressive rookie debuts to account for. One of those talented rookies who made an immediate impact as a rookie was the former LSU Tigers starting pitcher Paul Skenes. Skenes, who was selected as the top overall pick during the 2023 MLB Draft made a fast path to the big leagues this past season while earning his first MLB All-Star selection. The strong first season from Skenes lands the Pittsburgh Pirates star rookie atop the Top 10 MLB Rookies 2024 Rankings list.

Skenes, who finished off his collegiate career helping to lead the LSU Tigers to the Collegiate Baseball National Championship, has fans in Pittsburgh looking to what looks to be a promising future for the starter as well as the Pirates organization.

While Skenes headlines the list of top rookies, he was just one of many that produced during the 2024 MLB schedule. Joining the Pirates rookie among the best rookies last season includes starting pitchers Shota Imanaga of the Chicago Cubs and Luis Gil of the New York Yankees, as well as San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill and the Baltimore Orioles right fielder Colton Cowser.

Here is a look at the Top 10 MLB Rookies 2024 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Tobias Myers

Team: Milwaukee Brewers

Position: Starting Pitcher

Previous Ranking: Unranked

As all eyes were glued to the other top rookie starters, one rookie to make a name for himself was the Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Tobias Myers.

The 26-year-old right hander broke onto the scene during his full season in the majors pitching to a 3.00 earned run average over 138 total innings of work.

Overall, the Brewers starter made 25 starts and two additional appearances while striking out a total of 127 hitters and allowed a 1.17 WHIP. In addition to the strong regular season, Myers made one start during the postseason going five innings allowed zero runs, two hits and posting five strikeouts.

Ceddanne Rafaela

Team: Boston Red Sox

Position: Center Fielder

Previous Ranking: 4

Just missing the Top 10 MLB Rookies 2024 Rankings list is the Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela. Rafaela, who joins his teammate Wilyer Abreu among the top rookies in all of baseball, is delivering hope to the Red Sox fan base with hopes of the team returning to the top of the AL East division.

Rafaela was a terrific all-around player who could do a little bit of everything for the Red Sox including putting together a strong season at the plate.

Overall, the 24-year-old center fielder finished off his first full season posting a .246 batting average to go along with 23 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs and 75 runs batted in while also adding 19 stolen bases and ranking among the best defensive center fielders in the game.

Top 10 MLB Rookies 2024 Rankings

10. Masyn Winn

Team: St. Louis Cardinals

Position: Shortstop

Previous Ranking: 7

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 MLB Rookies 2024 Rankings list is the St. Louis Cardinals 22-year-old shortstop Masyn Winn. Winn, who is just one of the many talented young stars of Major League Baseball under that age of 25 put together a strong rookie season both at the plate as well as in the field at shortstop.

After a small trip to the Majors in 2023, Winn landed the full-time job at shortstop for the Cardinals during the 2024 MLB season and did not disappoint. Over 150 games played, the 22-year-old infielder posted a .267 batting average with 32 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs and 57 runs batted in while also posting 11 stolen bases.

9. Wilyer Abreu

Team: Boston Red Sox

Position: Right Fielder

Previous Ranking: 8

A fresh young face of the Boston Red Sox emerged during the 2024 season as Wilyer Abreu broke onto the MLB scene while emerging as one of the top overall rookies.

Abreu who turned 25 during his rookie season put together a strong all-around season ranking among the rookie leaders with at least 100 games played in batting average (7^th), doubles (1^st) and home runs (6^th) over 132 games played.

The Red Sox right fielder finished the season posting a .253 batting average to go along with 33 doubles, 15 home runs while driving in 58 runs and finishing off the season with a 3.5 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) mark. In addition to solid production at the plate, Abreu showed stellar play in right field while earning his first MLB Gold Glove Award.

8. Mason Miller

Team: Oakland A’s

Position: Closer

Previous Ranking: 10

One of the most electrifying rookies over the course of the 2024 MLB season is the Oakland A’s closer . Mason Miller, who jumped to the highlight reels after dominating the ninth inning striking out Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto, and Aaron Judge while consistently topping the 100 miles per hour mark.

Despite the uncertainty of the A’s franchise as they prepare to move to Las Vegas, one thing is for certain is Miller ranks among the top young stars in baseball and one that has the stuff to rank among the best closers in the game for years to come.

The 26-year-old closer capped off his first full season with the A’s posting a 2.49 earned run average mark over 65 games pitched while striking out 104 batters in 65 innings to go along with 28 saves leading all rookie closers.

7. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

Position: Starting Position

Previous Ranking: 9

Another talented rookie to make the jump internationally to Major league Baseball is the talented Los Angeles Dodgers Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The former five-time Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) All-Star had a strong start to his MLB career posting a 7-2 record over 18 starts while posting a 3.00 earned run average.

While landing at number seven among the best MLB rookies, Yamamoto’s season was cut short due to injury which allowed him to record just 90 innings over 18 total starts. On the positive side the hard throwing right hander posted 105 strikeouts over those 90 innings.

In addition, the Dodgers promising starter returned down the stretch posting a 2-0 record during the Dodgers run to the World Series Championship.

6. Jackson Chourio

Team: Milwaukee Brewers

Position: Left Fielder

Previous Ranking: Unranked

The Milwaukee Brewers continue to build a top tier roster through strong scouting both through the MLB draft as well as through the international signings.

One of those young stars who showed that success is Jackson Chourio who made a splash during his rookie season all while being just 20 years old. Chourio capped off his rookie season batting .275 over 528 at bats while posting a .791 OPS. Entering the season Chourio ranked among the youngest players in Major League Baseball did not allow his age to limit his abilities including during his first trip to the postseason.

During the regular season, Chourio posted 145 hits including 29 doubles, four triples, and 21 home runs while driving in 79 runs and adding 22 stolen bases. The strong production ranked the Brewers rookie fourth in doubles, tied for third in home runs, second in doubles, and fourth in stolen bases.

5. Luis Gil

Team: New York Yankees

Position: Starting Pitcher

Previous Ranking: 2

Rounding out the Top 10 MLB Rookies 2024 Rankings list is the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year starting pitcher Luis Gil of the New York Yankees. Gil was a key contributor to the Yankees 2024 success including a deep postseason run to the 2024 World Series.

The 26-year-old lefty posted a 3.50 earned run average with a 15.7 record and 171 strikeouts over 29 starts during the 2024 MLB season.

Despite the strong start to his MLB career, Gil experienced growing pains during the season posting a stellar .70 earned run average mark during the month of May while struggling with marks of 6.45 in June and 5.25 in September. Nonetheless, Gil ranked among the best rookie pitchers to make it to the majors during the 2024 MLB schedule.

4. Shota Imanaga

Team: Chicago Cubs

Position: Starting Pitcher

Previous Ranking: 1

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga. Imanaga, who made the jump from Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters within the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league made a splash during his first Major League Baseball season.

The former NPB star wasted no time earning a selection to the 2024 NL All-Star team while also landing among the All-MLB Second Team. The left-handed starter capped off the 2024 MLB season posting a 15-3 record over 29 games started for the Cubs while pitching to a 2.91 earned run average, 1.02 WHIP, and 174 strikeouts.

To go along with those numbers Imanaga finished the season trailing only Paul Skenes among all rookies with at least 20 starts while also finishing tied with Luis Gil for the rookie lead with 15 wins.

3. Colton Cowser

Team: Baltimore Orioles

Position: Left Fielder

Previous Ranking: 4

Another talented rookie outfielder coming off a great start to their Major League Baseball career is the Baltimore Orioles Colton Cowser.

The Orioles rookie left fielder put together a strong first season in the majors ranking among the top leaders of the entire rookie class in a wide range of statistics while also playing solid left field in one of the most difficult left fields among all the MLB stadiums.

Cowser, who will be 25 entering his second season, finished the season batting .242 with 24 doubles, 24 home runs, 69 runs batted in while also posting a .447 slugging percentage. Despite struggling down the stretch, Cowser finished the season posting a 3.1 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) mark.

2. Jackson Merrill

Team: San Diego Padres

Position: Center Fielder

Previous Ranking: Unranked

If it wasn’t for the season that fellow top rookie put together in the National League, Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres would have taken home the Rookie of the Year Award for the National League.

Merrill, who is just 21 years old, was the youngest player at the 2024 MLB All-Star game while putting together a strong first full season with the very talented San Diego Padres. Merrill put together an all-around great season at the plate, on the base paths as well as in the outfield.

Over 156 games during his rookie season, the Padres center fielder posted a .292 batting average over 554 at bats while posting 31 doubles, 24 home runs and driving in 90 runs. In addition, Merrill finished the season ranked third in doubles, tied for first in home runs, and first in runs batted in among all MLB rookies.

1. Paul Skenes

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Position: Starting Pitcher

Previous Ranking: 6

In at number one the Top 10 MLB Rookies 2024 Rankings list is the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie starting pitcher Paul Skenes. Skenes took the baseball world by storm after posting a strong start to his minor league career that landed him in the Pirates rotation during the 2024 season.

After being called up in June, Skenes was as talented as any starter in all of baseball, pitching to an impressive 11-3 record over 23 total starts. Even more impressive was the righty’s 1.96 earned run average that would have ranked best among starting pitchers had he pitched enough innings.

Nonetheless the feat was impressive but was also joined by a stellar .95 WHIP, 170 strikeouts in just 133 innings and a 5.9 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) mark. Those numbers landed Skenes on the 2024 National League All-Star team as well as the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Award winner.

Sunday Umoh

Sunday Umoh is the visionary founder and CEO of Fan Rankings LLC, a platform that merges sports passion with technology to create an engaging and interactive space for fans worldwide. With a background in Information Science and Systems and experience as a Software Engineer, Umoh has built a brand that blends analytical insights with emotional connection, offering unique coverage of Football, Basketball, MMA, and Boxing. A graduate of Morgan State University and a former collegiate Track and Field athlete, Umoh previously gained attention for his impactful Washington Wizards blog, fireerniegrunfeld.com. His journey exemplifies how technology can amplify sports fandom, with Fan Rankings setting a new standard in sports media, providing a community for fans to connect, debate, and celebrate their favorite teams and athletes.

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