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Major League Baseball fans and fantasy owners alike have had the pleasure of seeing some extremely talented rookie hitters either make their debuts this season or continue to make their mark on the league after being called up late last year.
While some rookies have achieved more at the plate than others, that does not mean they haven't been successful in other aspects of the game. Of course, you have players like Corbin Carroll and Elly De La Cruz who have hit the ground running since they debuted for their respective clubs, but other rookies take a bit longer to adjust to MLB - and that's okay. Patience is key in this sport.
I take a look at those "watch and wait" type of hitters as well as the "no doubt about it" guys in the list below. Who's stock is up and who's stock is down? Let's dive in before the elusive second half gets underway.
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The "No Doubt About It" Guys
Corbin Carroll — Arizona Diamondbacks
When Arizona inked Corbin Carroll to an eight-year, $111 million contract extension prior to the start of the 2023 season, many saw it as a risk. Carroll did have just 32 major league games under his belt at that point, after all, but the 22-year-old's first half for the Diamondbacks proved he is worth every penny of the deal.
His speed, power, and pure hitting ability have been a game-changer for the D-backs, who are currently tied for first place in the NL West with the Dodgers heading into the second half. Through 86 games, he's slashing .289/.366/.549 with 18 home runs, 48 RBI, 32 walks, and 26 stolen bases. So far, he's lived up to the hype he received from multiple pundits prior to his debut. He's a perennial NL Rookie of the Year favorite and headed back to his hometown of Seattle to be a part of his first MLB All-Star team.
Elly De La Cruz — Cincinnati Reds
No rookie in recent memory has quite captivated the baseball world like Elly De La Cruz has since his debut on June 6. Like Carroll, De La Cruz possesses speed, power, and an elite hitting tool. He needed only 67 plate appearances to hit for the cycle, and most recently dazzled fans by stealing second, third, and home in the same inning. The 21-year-old is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting players to watch in MLB right now.
In 30 games overall, he's batting .325 with a .887 OPS, four homers, 16 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. The 6-foot-5 infielder is a large reason why the Reds have climbed in the standings in the NL Central and are in first place with a 50-41 record, just a game ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers. If De La Cruz's second half is any bit as electrifying as what we've seen thus far, we're in for a real treat - and Cincinnati could be on its way to a postseason berth.
Matt McLain — Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are stocked with rookie talent, and although De La Cruz is getting much of the attention, Matt McLain is putting together a just as impressive campaign. The UCLA product debuted on May 15 and has slashed .300/.366/.512 along with 27 extra-base hits, seven long balls, and 29 RBI in the 50 games that followed.
He was selected by Cincinnati in the first round in the 2021 draft, and quickly ascended their prospect rankings with an explosive performance in Triple-A prior to receiving his call to the Show. McLain has been a bright spot for the Reds ever since.
Spencer Steer — Cincinnati Reds
The Reds dealt starting pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Twins at last season's trade deadline, and in exchange, received a couple of prospects. Their names were Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Mahle has started just nine games for Minnesota since the deal, while Steer has exceeded expectations during his debut season and Encarnacion-Strand has risen in prospect rankings.
Steer, 25, has compiled a respectable .277/.367/.477 slash line alongside 35 XBH, 14 home runs, 51 RBI, and 42 walks across 88 games for Cincinnati. He ranks 18th in the National League with 24 multi-hit games and has looked like a complete steal for the Reds. He's flown a bit under the radar, but Steer has complemented the rest of Cincinnati's lineup nicely.
Josh Jung — Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers' offense has exploded this season. Their .274 team batting average leads MLB, .801 team OPS ranks second, and 124 home runs ranks sixth. Their offensive output has propelled them to the top of the AL West, two games ahead of the second-place Houston Astros, at 52-39. One of their most consistent hitters has been rookie Josh Jung.
The Texas Tech album made his debut in September of last year and did not make a great first impression in 26 games to conclude the 2022 campaign. Jung has taken a huge step forward this year, though, much to the delight of the Rangers. He's blasted 19 home runs along with 56 RBI, 24 walks, and a .835 OPS in 88 games in 2023. Having another power bat, in addition to Adolis Garcia -- to complement the likes of Marcus Semien and Corey Seager has proved to be a solid formula for Texas thus far.
Masataka Yoshida — Boston Red Sox
In the offseason, Boston made numerous moves that left many wondering, "What are the Red Sox doing?" As they acquired a multitude of veterans (and former Dodgers) including Justin Turner and Kenley Jansen, they also added the next up-and-coming Japanese baseball star, Masataka Yoshida. So far, it has panned out nicely for Boston. Yoshida has made the transition to MLB seamlessly, as exemplified by his .874 OPS along with 10 home runs and 44 RBI. He's helped Boston to a 48-43 record, which is good for last place in the gauntlet that is the AL East.
The "Mixed Results but Still Trending Up" Guys
Jordan Walker — St. Louis Cardinals
The first few weeks of Jordan Walker's rookie year could not have gone better. He was looking like everything outlets were boasting him to be, and a major piece for the Cardinals moving forward. Unfortunately, after a hot start, the 21-year-old tapered off significantly, and St. Louis optioned him to the minor leagues on April 26, where he spent the entirety of May.
Still, this doesn't mean Walker's talent has suddenly disappeared. He was recalled on June 2 and is still slashing a respectable .283/.347/.457 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. He's hitting the ball hard as well, ranking in the 90th percentile in Avg Exit Velocity and Hard Hit % and 93rd in Max Exit Velocity. Not all hope is lost for the 21st overall pick in the 2020 draft.
Gunnar Henderson — Baltimore Orioles
Highly touted Orioles prospect Gunnar Henderson's first half was a bit of a mixed bag. He was fairly invisible in Baltimore's lineup during April and May, but the 22-year-old kicked it into gear in June, slashing .320/.354/.640 while adding six home runs and 16 RBI.
Prior to the All-Star break, Henderson got off to a hot start, and it's quite possible he's due for an electric second half as the Orioles look to claim the AL East.
Francisco Alvarez – New York Mets
Once boasted as the top prospect in all of baseball, Alvarez isn't quite the next Mike Piazza, but he's definitely not James McCann either. While the power stroke is certainly present, he's struggled against left-handers but also provided the Mets with some thrilling moments since his debut on Sept. 30 of last year. Alvarez began to heat up in July, and overall, posted a .809 OPS with 17 home runs and 35 RBI in the first half.
Patrick Bailey — San Francisco Giants
Patrick Bailey, the Giants' No. 1 overall prospect entering this year, has perhaps performed even better than expected for San Francisco. Although he's since cooled off, Bailey got out to a hot start to his MLB career after making his debut on May 15. The switch hitter has slashed .293/.324/.493 with five home runs and 26 RBI overall and has particularly found success against lefties, with a 1.082 OPS in 39 at-bats.
The Other Guys: Waiver Wire Fodder and Late-Round Fliers
Brett Baty — New York Mets
Baty hasn't quite found his groove since getting the call to the bigs in August 2022. Across 65 games this season, he has just a .669 OPS with 13 XBH, five homers, 21 RBI, and 20 walks, along with 62 strikeouts. Still, Baty, the No. 2 overall prospect in the Mets system before graduating this season, has tremendous upside, and only 76 MLB games under his belt.
Ezequiel Tovar — Colorado Rockies
The Rockies No. 1 overall prospect made his debut at the end of last season and has been a bright spot in a lowly Colorado lineup that's dealt with an abundance of injuries in 2023. Since June 1, Tovar has slashed .289/.310/.496 with six homers and 22 RBI. Unfortunately, he's struck out 85 times in 321 plate appearances and walked just 13.
Esteury Ruiz — Oakland Athletics
Esteury Ruiz became a known name around fantasy leagues this year due to his propensity to swipe bags. Ruiz hit the injured list on July 7, but still holds the lead for stolen bases with 43 on the year, just two ahead of Ronald Acuna Jr. While he dominates on the base paths, the same can't be said for his performance at the plate. He has just .640 OPS across 85 games for the A's.
Triston Casas – Boston Red Sox
One word to describe Triston Cases' MLB career thus far? Average. He doesn't quite hit for average or power, but he gets on base. He's walked 40 times in 2023 and has paired that with 24 XBH, nine home runs, and 27 RBI. His best month so far was June, when he posted a .851 OPS in 25 games.
Will Brennan — Cleveland Guardians
Will Brennan has flown a bit under the radar for the Guardians, but he's been decent at the plate for Cleveland this season. He's experienced some trouble against left-handers, hitting just .156 against them, but has performed much better vs. righties with a .295 average. Overall, the 25-year-old has batted .269 along with five home runs and 26 RBI. He's struck out 36 times across 250 plate appearances in 2023 but walked just eight times, so his OBP needs some work.
Zach Neto — Los Angeles Angels
The Angels selected Zach Neto's contract in mid-April, and before landing on the injured list on June 15, was red-hot. The 22-year-old was slugging 1.000 with three home runs in the seven games leading up to his IL stint. With Mike Trout presumably out for an extended period of time, Los Angeles needs all the help they can get as they have slowly begun to fade out of the playoff picture. Luckily, Neto is expected to return after the All-Star break.
Joey Wiemer — Milwaukee Brewers
A quick glance at Joey Wiemer's stats will show that they're particularly underwhelming, but the former fourth-round pick has had some promising stretches in 2023. Across 89 games, he's slashed an uninspiring .212/.294/.398 and struck out a whopping 87 times, but displayed some power with 12 home runs, while also driving in 33 runs and walking 28 times.
Watch and Wait
All of the hitters listed below have either debuted or exceeded rookie limits during the 2023 season, but have dealt with injuries that have kept them sidelined, were just recently called up to the bigs, or have simply underperformed.
- James Outman — Los Angeles Dodgers
- Miguel Vargas — Los Angeles Dodgers
- Luis Matos — San Francisco Giants
- Casey Schmitt — San Francisco Giants
- Royce Lewis — Minnesota Twins
- Colton Cowser — Baltimore Orioles
- Jordan Westburg — Baltimore Orioles
- Anthony Volpe — New York Yankees
- Oswald Peraza — New York Yankees
- Logan O'Hoppe — Los Angeles Angels
- Oscar Colas — Chicago White Sox
- Brice Turang — Milwaukee Brewers
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