Every year at around this time at MLB Pipeline, we try to look into our crystal ball and find a Rookie of the Year candidate for each team. In 2025, we picked two of the three American League finalists in the A’s Jacob Wilson and Roman Anthony of the Red Sox. And we singled out one of the NL finalists: Braves catcher Drake Baldwin.
On the heels of the winners being announced, we’re back at it again, picking one prospect per team who could be named Rookie of the Year in 2026.
Yesavage was already going to be Toronto’s best chance at a Rookie of the Year in 2026 when he debuted in the Majors in September … and then the postseason happened. His World Series dominance has already made him a borderline household name across two countries, thanks to a splitter that is already one of the most effective in the Majors alongside his riding four-seamer and short, dropping slider. Could MLB hitters improve the more they see Yesavage’s unique stuff and supremely high arm angle? Perhaps, but he also consistently improved his command during his stay in the Majors, as he proved on the game’s biggest stage.
There are some options here, with Dylan Beavers another strong candidate, but belief in Basallo’s bat wins the day here. It remains to be seen where he plays, but here’s guessing he’s in the lineup most of the time while seeing time behind the plate, at first base and at DH. He’s only 21, but after posting a 151 wRC+ and .966 OPS in Triple-A, there’s nothing left for him to prove offensively in the Minors. He’ll learn from his 31-game big league trial and put up big numbers.
The Tampa Bay front office will spend much of this winter picking a direction at the shortstop position. Even if Williams (who played 32 games in the Majors in 2025) gets an inside lane to win the job, he’ll have to prove he can do a much better job of putting the ball in play after fanning in 41.5 percent of his MLB plate appearances to this point. His power, speed and shortstop defense give him a high ceiling, perhaps even an award-winning one, and he can meet if he makes the right adjustments to get a bat that’s even just a smidge above-average.
A 2024 second-rounder out of Texas Christian, Tolle rocketed from High-A to Fenway Park in his pro debut this year, thanks largely to elite extension that makes his mid-90s fastball almost unhittable. He logged a 3.04 ERA, .203 opponent average and 133 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings at three Minor League levels, ranking second in the Minors in strikeout minus walk rate (30 percent), third in strikeout rate (37 percent) and fourth in K/BB ratio (5.8) among pitchers who worked as many frames as he did.
Jones offers one of the best combinations of size (6-foot-7, 240 pounds) and athleticism in the Minors, though he also comes with serious swing-and-miss concerns (33 percent strikeout rate as a pro, 35 percent this year). The 2022 first-rounder from Vanderbilt slashed .274/.362/.571 with 35 homers and 29 steals in 116 games between Double-A and Triple-A, placing second in the Minors in homers, fifth in slugging, sixth in total bases (250), seventh in extra-base hits (59) and eighth in runs (102).
The rare player to make his big league debut in the playoffs, DeLauter might have cracked the Guardians lineup in 2024 if not for a series of injuries. His ailments have included a broken left foot, a sports hernia and a broken hamate and have limited him to 138 games in three pro seasons. The 2022 first-rounder from James Madison batted .278/.383/.476 with five homers in 34 Triple-A games and continues to display one of the best combinations of size, athleticism, hitting ability, power and plate discipline in the Minors.
Kansas City has already expressed that Salvador Perez will return in 2026, and that might complicate Jensen’s chances of being a No. 1 catcher out of the gate next spring. All the same, he certainly looked capable of winning the job outright eventually with a .300/.391/.550 line and three homers in his 20 MLB games in September. Jensen has been building up his power over his five years in pro ball, and while his blocking still needs work, he could be at least a 25-homer threat behind the plate and put together a Drake Baldwin-esque season for the Royals.
McGonigle doesn’t have Triple-A experience yet, not that that will quiet some of the calls for him to make Detroit’s Major League team out of the spring. That’s because his combination of approach, discipline and bat speed have made him the owner of the Minors’ best hit tool, one that slashed .305/.408/.583 with 19 homers and a 46/59 K/BB ratio in 88 games across three levels in 2025. He’s played mostly shortstop and third base in the Arizona Fall League, but many believe he’s destined for second. With Gleyber Torres hitting free agency, the clearest path might be at the keystone, but Detroit could certainly make room for McGonigle’s high ceiling early enough in 2026.
Rolling the dice a little bit because Jenkins has yet to play a full season or even accumulate more than 400 plate appearances in one year, with an ankle issue slowing him in 2025. But the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 Draft did reach Triple-A this past season at age 20 and he has posted a career .863 OPS when he’s been on the field healthy. He had a 136 wRC+ this past year and could get a long look in Spring Training.
The White Sox already have promoted three pieces of the Garrett Crochet trade with the Red Sox (Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, Wikelman González) to Chicago and the best may be yet to come. Montgomery fits the classic right-field profile with well above-average raw power and arm strength and hit .270/.360/.444 with 12 homers and 14 steals in 121 games while reaching Double-A in his pro debut.
Angels: Nelson Rada, OF (No. 7)
The Angels pushed Rada aggressively to Double-A in 2024 at age 18, then sent him back to Rocket City to repeat the level this season. He performed better (.713 OPS vs. .600 in 2024) over 93 games and he really responded to the challenge of heading to Triple-A. There’s not a ton of impact, but he did post an OPS of .849 over 42 games with Triple-A and he finished the year with a combined 122 wRC+ and 54 steals.
A suburban Houston product who blossomed into a 2023 first-round pick after starring at Nebraska, Matthews offers more offensive ceiling than most second basemen with at least plus raw power and similar speed. He slashed .260/.371/.458 with 17 homers and 41 steals in 112 Triple-A games and batted .167 with four homers in 13 big league contests.
After the success Nick Kurtz had in 2025 coming out of the 2024 Draft, it was tempting to pick the A’s first-rounder in 2025, lefty Jamie Arnold, but we’ll go with the “other” southpaw in Jump, who spent most of his first full season in Double-A. He led the organization in xFIP, WHIP, K-BB%, K/9 and K% and has the advanced pitchability that could land him in the A’s rotation early.
The Mariners have some questions to answer about their infield moving forward and they could use an offensive lift. Emerson finished off a very solid 2025 season in Triple-A, finishing with an .842 OPS and 130 wRC+. It remains to be seen how the Mariners line up their infield, with former prospect Cole Young and current Top 100 guy Michael Arroyo potentially in play, but Emerson’s feel to hit looks just about ready for the big stage.
Walcott won’t turn 20 until March and has yet to play above Double-A, but he batted .255/.355/.386 with 13 homers and 32 steals in 124 games and injuries keep cropping up on the left side of the Rangers’ infield. Signed for $3.2 million out of the Bahamas in 2023, he features some of the best raw power and arm strength in the Minors.
Ritchie returned from Tommy John surgery in 2024, then really took a huge step forward this past season, starting the Futures Game and pitching across three levels. His stuff ticked up and he missed more bats (9.0 K/9) while showing durability (140 IP) and being tough to hit (.175 BAA), looking more and more like a solid rotation choice while starting the 2026 season at age 22.
After scuffling at the plate earlier in his pro career, Mack has developed average power while also emerging as one of the better defensive catchers in the Minors. A 2021 supplemental first-rounder from a New York high school, he was part of International League and Triple-A National Championship titles this year while hitting .257/.338/.475 with 21 homers in 112 games between Double-A and Triple-A.
With New York facing serious rotation issues down the stretch, McLean became the club’s ace with a 2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 57 strikeouts over eight starts (48 innings). He worked with six different pitch types in the Majors, favoring his mid-90s sinker and high-spin sweeper while also mixing in his curveball (perhaps the spinniest pitch in the bigs), four-seamer, changeup and cutter. Once a two-way player, McLean continues to grow into his role as a full-time starter, proving development never stops. With his combination of whiffs and ground balls, he heads into ‘26 as an NL ROY favorite.
Nationals: Jake Bennett, LHP (No. 10)
The 2022 second-rounder has been building back up from Tommy John surgery with 75 ⅓ innings across three levels in the summer and more work in the Arizona Fall League ahead of his Rule 5 eligibility this offseason. He’s likely to be added with a pair of 92-95 mph fastballs, a decent low-80s slider and a plus mid-80s changeup, all of which come from around seven feet of extension. In this time of turnover in DC, a healthy Bennett could factor into Washington’s pitching plans with a higher ceiling than Brad Lord had in ‘25.
The Phillies have some serious talent pooling at the upper levels and there’s a good chance that Andrew Painter will bounce back and land in the rotation early. And Aidan Miller also finished in Triple-A. But Crawford is coming off a .334/.411/.452 season with 46 steals in Triple-A and has now hit .322 in his Minor League career. He’ll play all year at age 22 and while people might want to see him drive the ball more and hit it on the ground less, at a certain point, it’s clear that how he does it works.
Brewers: Logan Henderson, RHP (No. 5)
There were flashes when Henderson looked like he would graduate before the 2025 season ended, as he finished with a 1.78 ERA, 33 strikeouts and eight walks in five starts (25 ⅓ innings). But he dealt with elbow issues in the second half and didn’t pitch for the Crew after Aug. 3. He was deemed “fully recovered” at the end of the season, however, and that’s good news for a pitcher whose career high for innings is 103. His fastball-changeup combo, along with health, will be the driver of any potential rotation spot and later an awards campaign.
Wetherholt never got a late-season callup during his impressive first full year in which he slashed .306/.421/.510 with 17 homers and 23 steals in 109 games at Double-A and Triple-A. The Cardinals will also have to find a spot for him on the infield with Brendan Donovan, Masyn Winn, Nolan Arenado and Nolan Gorman still on the roster for now. Even so, Wetherholt’s all-around above-average offensive game will be too good to go without a place somewhere on the dirt, and it’ll keep him in award conversations so long as he gets the playing time.
Acquired from the Padres in the Yu Darvish trade in December 2020, Caissie looks like the Cubs’ leading candidate to take over in right field if Kyle Tucker departs as expected via free agency. One of the best power prospects in the game, he slashed .286/.386/.551 with 22 homers in 99 Triple-A games at age 22, finishing third in the International League in OPS (.937) and sixth in slugging and extra-base hits (52). He also smacked his first big league home run in mid-August.
It’s tempting to go big and put No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin in this spot, but while we’re hoping he gets the chance to make the team in Spring Training, that’s far from a sure thing. Chandler will most certainly be in the Opening Day rotation and showed especially in his last three outings (16 ⅔ IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 19 K) what he’s capable of with a legitimate four-pitch mix.
Stewart began the year in Double-A and finished it in the big leagues, landing on the Reds’ postseason roster to cap things off. He can really hit, posting a combined .907 OPS with 20 homers in the Minors last year. He’s played a lot of third base in the Minors, along with some second, then slid over to first base with Cincinnati, giving the Reds options to get that bat into the lineup.
The 2024 31st overall pick certainly seems ready for Triple-A at least after slashing .289/.419/.473 with 18 homers, 29 steals and 96 walks in 134 games at High-A and Double-A in his first full season. Reno is a notorious launching pad too, so it wouldn’t shock if he moves quickly past the Pacific Coast League and forces a debut in the first half of 2026, especially with the Arizona outfield situation open beyond Corbin Carroll. Waldschmidt’s combo of power, speed and discipline is rare and would play fine in left field, his most likely destination.
Dodgers: River Ryan, RHP (No. 9)
Ryan posted a 1.33 ERA in his first four big league starts in 2024 before blowing out his elbow and requiring Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for all of this season. Acquired from the Padres in a 2022 trade for Matt Beaty, he should be back to full health next year and could make an impact with a six-pitch repertoire that includes a 95-100 mph four-seam fastball with huge carry, a mid-90s two-seamer, an upper-80s slider, a low-90s cutter, an 82-85 mph curveball and an upper-80s changeup — all of which grade as solid or better when they’re on.
The 16th overall pick in the 2023 Draft as a Virginia high schooler, Eldridge creates fearsome power with his quick left-handed stroke and the strength and leverage in his 6-foot-7 frame. He batted .260/.333/.510 with 25 homers in 102 games between Double-A, Triple-A and a brief rehab stint in Rookie ball before making his big league debut in mid-September at age 20.
Padres: Bradgley Rodriguez, RHP (No. 6)
Devin Williams (2020) was the most recent reliever to win Rookie of the Year in either league, and Craig Kimbrel (2011) was the closest before him, so the odds might be stacked against Rodriguez here a bit. But the Padres proved their faith in the 21-year-old right-hander already by adding him to their Wild Card Series bullpen this fall, and he’s performed well in the bigs already with one earned run and nine strikeouts across 7 ⅔ innings. His upper-90s four-seamer and sinker come in hot while his upper-80s changeup is his best weapon at generating whiffs.
Rockies: Gabriel Hughes, RHP (No. 14)
It might seem like conventional wisdom to go with a bat in Colorado, but there isn’t one we’re convinced is going to jump to the fore. But the lone Rookie of the Year in Rockies history was a pitcher (Jason Jennings) and Hughes could take another leap forward as he puts the Tommy John surgery that cost him his 2024 season further in his rearview mirror.
