10 MLB Rookie of the Year Award Favorites for 2025

Andersen Pickard takes a look at 10 MLB prospects who have a good chance to be Rookie of the Year Award finalists in the 2025 baseball season.

Fans of some MLB teams have plenty of optimism for the 2025 season. Others are bracing for another year at the bottom of the standings. However, there's one thing that fans of all 30 teams can get excited about together: the upcoming crop of rookie talent.

Every year, rookies across the league steal the show, establishing themselves as franchise cornerstones while emerging as perennial All-Star or MVP candidates.

Here's our early look at the favorites for 2025 Rookie of the Year in the American League and National League.

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AL Rookie of the Year Favorites for 2025

Roman Anthony, Boston Red Sox

Anthony was Baseball America's No. 1 prospect until Roki Sasaki signed with the Dodgers. Still No. 2 on the list, Anthony comes with a very high ceiling. He's an intelligent hitter with a terrific baseball IQ both at the plate and in the field.

He moves around well enough to play any outfield position, and his strong arm should position him in right field long-term. With the bat in his hands, he's capable of hitting for both average and power.

The timeline for Anthony remains a bit murky as he's not a lock to make Boston's Opening Day roster. However, even if he doesn't grace the field for the Red Sox's March series against the Rangers, he should make his way to the majors within the first couple months of the season. As long as he's up by early June, Anthony is a top candidate to win Rookie of the Year.

Jackson Jobe, Detroit Tigers

Jobe got a small taste of MLB action last year with four innings out of the bullpen. During that window, he allowed zero runs, one hit, and one walk while striking out two batters. These results are consistent with what we saw from Jobe as a rotation staple in the minors. Through 16 starts at Double-A last year, he posted a 1.95 ERA, 9.90 K/9, 0.24 HR/9, and .227 BABIP.

We've seen reports that Jobe added a sinker registering north of 100 mph, and he's also working on a curveball that gets immense spin and induced vertical break. These developments solidify his case for an Opening Day roster spot, though he's technically not a lock to make the MLB club.

With that said, even if he does start the year in Triple-A, he'll be one of the first guys called up when injuries strike. Plus, we'd imagine the Tigers prefer to keep Jobe out of a bullpen role, so a couple of extra weeks in the Toledo rotation isn't the worst thing.

We have some final Jackson Jobe bullpen footage before spring training courtesy of pitchingwrx in Oklahoma.

Yes that says 100.8 mph. pic.twitter.com/G1cBZ7XPYe

— Tigers Torkmoil (@bythewaybro) February 11, 2025

Coby Mayo, Baltimore Orioles

Mayo saw a taste of MLB action last season, going 4-for-41 through 17 games in Baltimore. These results varied drastically from his .287/.364/.562 at the Triple-A level. He also added 22 homers and 67 RBI in the Norfolk lineup while notching a 10.3 percent walk rate and 24.9 percent strikeout rate.

Although Mayo didn't have his way against MLB pitching last year, we can probably chalk that up to being promoted in early August, then shuttled back and forth between Baltimore and Norfolk twice more. Making the big league roster out of camp would inject more consistency into Mayo's season and should be enough to keep him in the Rookie of the Year mix.

Jasson Dominguez, New York Yankees

Dominguez debuted in 2023 and was called up again in August last year, but most of his MLB action came in September 2024. He didn't exactly get off to a hot start, going 10-for-56 in the final weeks of the regular season. Still, that's no reason to ignore the incredible prospect profile that Dominguez possessed throughout his development in the minor leagues.

Known for his power and speed, Dominguez turned heads with a .309/.368/.480 slash line at the Triple-A level last year. He also swiped 41 bags in 2023. The 22-year-old doesn't have the best defensive tools, but his arm strength should allow him to stick in right field long-term.

Let’s go be that guy , Jasson

pic.twitter.com/58jqJHOdvC

— Jason (@Dominguez2HOF) February 11, 2025

Jacob Wilson, Athletics

Wilson is a former first-round pick, and of all the names in the AL section of this list, he has the best MLB track record. The 22-year-old got a taste of big league action last season and impressed right away, slashing .250/.314/.315.

What we like best about Wilson are his bat-to-ball skills. Even in abbreviated MLB opportunities last year, Wilson walked at a 7.8 percent clip while keeping his strikeout rate down to just 9.7 percent.

This falls in line with what we saw from Wilson in the Athletics pipeline. Through 53 minor league games last year, he slashed .433/.473/.668 with seven homers and 39 RBI. He added a 200 wRC+, 6.2 percent walk rate, and 6.6 percent strikeout rate.

These numbers border on elite, and we've already seen a glimpse of what Wilson can do in the majors. He'll have to compete for attention in a smaller market, but Wilson has the offensive makeup needed to make a strong campaign for Rookie of the Year.

NL Rookie of the Year Favorites for 2025

Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals

Crews showed steady development through two years in the minors, adapting to higher-quality pitching as he rose through the ranks of affiliated ball. The former LSU outfielder debuted in the majors last year, slashing .218/.288/.353 with three homers, an 8.3 percent walk rate, and a 19.7 percent strikeout rate.

Although he didn't mash big league pitching right away, he showed flashes of potential and was also a major threat on the basepaths with a dozen stolen bases through 31 games.

The soon-to-be 23-year-old isn't just expected to make the Opening Day roster, but he should be a starter in the top half of the batting order, too. Crews figures to start in right field for the Nationals, forming a young, star-studded outfield with James Wood and Jacob Young.

Washington isn't viewed as a playoff contender, but Crews could do enough to turn heads, especially with Wood and Young attracting plenty of attention to the organization.

Roki Sasaki, Los Angeles Dodgers

Sasaki is a seasoned pro at this point, possessing four years of experience in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization. He was dominant in Japan, compiling a 2.02 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Along the way, he racked up 10.5 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, and 0.2 HR/9.

The right-hander touches triple digits with ease when throwing his fastball, but his splitter is his best pitch, generating an elite number of swings and misses during his final NPB season.

As dominant as Sasaki has been and should continue to be, he won't be a top-of-the-rotation option for Los Angeles. Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto headline the unit while Tyler Glasnow projects to be the Dodgers' No. 3 starter.

That likely puts Sasaki in the No. 4 role pending Shohei Ohtani's return to the bump, where the rookie will presumably have less buzz around him but could also thrive with reduced pressure. Sasaki is widely viewed as the best prospect in baseball, which naturally makes him the early favorite for National League Rookie of the Year.

Roki Sasaki looking comfortable throwing for the first time in Dodgers gear at spring training 👀

Via @hochi_andoh
pic.twitter.com/WMY1sF4GEt

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) February 11, 2025

Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh Pirates

Chandler was a third-round pick in 2021 and has quickly blossomed into one of the best prospects in baseball. He topped out at Triple-A last year, but only because the season came to an end before Pittsburgh could promote him.

He has found success at every level, posting 11.18 K/9, 3.08 BB/9, and a 3.10 FIP through 26 outings in the minors last year. The right-hander headlines his repertoire with a fastball touching 99 mph, but there's also a lot of promise in his secondary offerings, including an effective upper-80s slider.

The Pirates' future is quite bright with a potential trio of Chandler, Paul Skenes, and Jared Jones anchoring their rotation. Skenes and Jones have already made their debuts, and Chandler won't be far behind them.

Even if he doesn't make the MLB club out of camp, he should debut sometime during the first half of the season. If he, Skenes, and Jones can give the Pirates one of the best rotations in baseball, he'll get plenty of attention for Rookie of the Year honors.

Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs

The Cubs spent a 2023 first-round pick on Shaw, who was a standout at the University of Maryland and dominated in the Cape Cod Baseball League.

His ceiling was already high when the Cubs selected him, and he has only solidified his prospect profile while developing in the Cubs system. He slashed .284/.379/.488 through 121 minor league games last season, adding 21 homers and 31 stolen bases while walking at an 11.9 percent clip.

Shaw was promoted to Triple-A during the back half of last season and only played 35 games with Iowa. As a result, he might not make the Opening Day roster and could instead be sent back to Triple-A for a little more development.

However, he's going to force his way to the majors sooner rather than later. If that happens by the end of May and he continues to hit at a high level when facing MLB pitching, he'll make a push for Rookie of the Year.

Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati Reds

Lowder dazzled through six MLB starts last year, allowing just four earned runs over 30.2 innings of work. He struggled with control (1.57 K/BB), but it came during a small sample size. Since control had never been an issue for Lowder previously -- he amassed 9.36 K/9 and 1.99 BB/9 in the minors last year -- this isn't a major concern moving forward.

What is a concern, however, is Lowder's health. The former first-round pick showed up to spring training on a delayed program after experiencing elbow soreness in early January.

The good news is that Lowder downplayed his soreness, said he has no structural damage, and expects to start his throwing program this week. Still, any sort of injury before camp even begins is going to turn heads. Fantasy managers and bettors will want to keep an eye on his status.

Reds rookie Rhett Lowder (1.17 ERA in 6-start debut last year) is "delayed" entering camp because of ELBOW soreness that came up early January. No structural damage. Lowder calls it "nothing crazy," expects to start throwing program this week. (Corrects earlier post)

— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubMLB) February 11, 2025

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