On a recent edition of the MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo filled out their hypothetical ballots for the year ahead, selecting the players they believe could take home the hardware next season. In the 2022 version of this exercise, the experts correctly predicted Gunnar Henderson and Corbin Carroll, then the game’s top two prospects, would take the honors the following year. But the next year in a mock draft format, Paul Skenes wasn’t selected until Round 4 and nobody tabbed Luis Gil as a serious American League contender.
In 2024, neither predicted this year’s two winners, Kurtz and Baldwin, would claim the awards.
Here’s how they picked this time around:
1. Callis: JJ Wetherholt, SS (STL No. 1/MLB No. 5)
He’s not going to move Masyn Winn off shortstop. But I don’t think Nolan Arenado is necessarily going to be back in St. Louis. I can see Wetherholt at third, like a Matt Shaw-type of deal. I can see Wetherholt at second, with Brendan Donovan, who’s played all over the place, finding another primary position. JJ Wetherholt is ranked fifth on our prospects list, but do you think he got as much hype as he should’ve? In his first full year of pro ball, the guy gets to Triple-A, hits .306 with 17 homers and 23 steals. He was exactly who we thought he was, and looked like the guy that, we said a million times, would’ve been the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 if he didn’t have a hamstring injury at West Virginia.
Mayo: Bubba Chandler, RHP (PIT No. 2/MLB No. 14)
I picked Bubba Chandler last year also. He didn’t get the opportunity we thought. He’s going to be in the rotation from the get-go. One of the most encouraging things was what he did during his last three starts. Small sample size, but boy, was it good: he gave up two runs on seven hits over 16 2/3 innings, with zero walks and 19 strikeouts. The thing that slowed him was his command in Triple-A, and that will be something that has to be watched. But he’s also still learning. I think another offseason working out with Paul Skenes is going to help him, and he’s going to hit the ground running.
2. Callis: Owen Caissie, OF (CHC No. 1/MLB No. 47)
I’ve always been a big Owen Caissie fan. I pound the table for him whenever we’re doing rankings. He’s always been very young for his league. He’s always produced. He repeated Triple-A — which I don’t see as a negative because he was 22 years old when he repeated it — and hit 41 homers at Triple-A over the past two seasons. He’s not a Gold Glover, not a 30/30 guy. But I think he’s more athletic than he gets credit for. I don’t think Kyle Tucker is going to re-sign with the Cubs, and I think Owen Caissie is going to beat out Kevin Alcántara for the right-field job.
Mayo: Nolan McLean, RHP (NYM No. 1/MLB No. 11)
This guy was swinging the bat in 2024, so there is still ceiling here for him (as a pitcher). He couldn’t have been much better than he was during the eight-start stretch in New York. But I think there is more for him, ceiling-wise, because he’s still learning how to be a full-time pitcher, and the opportunity will be there. So let’s see what he does.
3. Mayo: Sal Stewart, 3B/2B (CIN No. 1/MLB No. 31)
This is my one bat. Stewart ended up on the postseason roster for the Reds. I like picking a guy like this because I feel there is certainty that he’s going to hit. This is a guy who had a .907 OPS in the Minors last year, hit over .300. He just hits, and the power is continuing to come. Even if he moves around (defensively), I think he’s going to play enough to put up some very good counting stats that will help make a case for him.
Callis: McLean
I don’t like picking pitchers for ROY because I think it’s harder for them to win the award. I’m going with “Cowboy Ohtani,” Nolan McLean. He was very dominant down the stretch for the Mets … you can say the Mets handled it perfectly, because they kept him rookie-eligible so they can get a first-round pick. In retrospect, maybe they wish they’d called him up a little earlier and made the playoffs. We’ve talked about McLean going back to 2019 when he was in high school … I honestly thought he was a reliever. It’s a really good arm, but he’s also better than I thought he was going to be.
1. Callis: Samuel Basallo, C (BAL No. 1/MLB No. 7)
The offensive combination is hard to beat in terms of power, average and age. He tore up Triple-A last year at age 20. He came up and only hit .165 in 31 games, but he also hit four homers. Is it a timeshare with Adley Rutschman? Is first base involved? I don’t know. But I think he’s such a gifted offensive player that they are not going to be able to keep his bat out of the lineup.
Mayo: Basallo
We are in agreement. He can just really, really hit. They’re going to figure out how to get him the at-bats that he needs. It wouldn’t surprise me if he plays a little first, DH’s a little and serves as Rutschman’s backup. Then they’ll sort of play it by ear. If there comes a point in time where the catching is not working, I think by then he’ll have established himself as such a force in the lineup, that they’ll be able to make it work. The hit-plus-power there is pretty impressive.
2. Callis: Kevin McGonigle, SS (DET No. 1/MLB No. 2)
He’s only played 46 games above High-A. Detroit’s infield is definitely in flux … I just really believe in the bat. He’s the best pure hitter in the Minor Leagues. Maybe he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster. But maybe he does, because they’re trying to win. My belief in McGonigle and my hedging on pitchers is why I have McGonigle here.
Mayo: Trey Yesavage, RHP (TOR No. 1/MLB No. 26)
He’s obviously going to be part of their rotation and they have a chance to compete. I think there is a danger with guys who come out of nowhere in the postseason … I fully believe Trey Yesavage is going to be a very good big league starter for a long time. But I think we’ve seen guys come out of nowhere before — not like this — and have big postseasons who are not necessarily All-Stars right away. But I think his stuff plays.
3. Mayo: McGonigle
You can make the argument to put him higher. We all believe in the bat. The only reason I don’t have him higher is he’s spent half a year above A-ball. For some players, that doesn’t matter. Then there is the question of where he’s going to play. I think the Tigers had him play third base in the Fall League specifically to provide more options for whenever that bat is ready. I’m just not sure if it’s going to be right out of the gate or later in the season.
Callis: Yesavage
The guy had one of the best postseasons ever by a rookie pitcher, almost helped the Blue Jays win the World Series for the first time in 32 years. I still can’t believe I interviewed him at the Draft Combine in 2024, and 16 months later, he’s almost winning a World Series championship. I think he’s a lock to be in the rotation to begin the year. We all saw the stuff and the competitiveness. I think he’s going to have a very good rookie season.
