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Lauren analyzes top fantasy baseball prospects risers, fallers, sleepers and busts for 2025. Her MLB rookies report for Week 14 and recently promoted prospects.
Welcome to Week 14 of RotoBaller's Rookie Report! We're back to check in on the most exciting young players making a name for themselves in MLB. Last week, we spotlighted Jacob Wilson, Carlos Narvaez, Hyeseong Kim, and Chad Patrick.
This time, we’re turning our attention to a few rookies who’ve jumped into the spotlight. Jacob Misiorowski, Cam Smith, and Nick Kurtz have all been turning heads with their strong performances, clutch moments, and steady production.
We’ll break down what’s fueling their rise, how they’re helping their teams, and what fantasy managers should keep an eye on as the Rookie of the Year race starts to get serious.
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Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
The talk of the MLB world recently has been Misiorowski, 2025's version of Paul Skenes, due to his young age and ability to throw heat. The 23-year-old outdueled the Pittsburgh Pirates ace on Wednesday, tossing five shutout innings and striking out eight batters.
A career-high 8 strikeouts for Jacob Misiorowski!
Batters are now hitting .030 against him 🤯 pic.twitter.com/1O45d0DHfa
— MLB (@MLB) June 25, 2025
It's been an impressive start to his career, with a 1.13 ERA in three starts and 19 strikeouts across 16 innings. His performance has helped put him into the NL Rookie of the Year race and Milwaukee into playoff contention.
Track Record:
The right-hander was a 2022 second-round draft pick of the Brewers, tossing just 1.2 innings in his first two games of pro ball at Low-A. Misiorowski began the 2023 campaign there, dazzling with 46 strikeouts in 26.2 innings.
After nine starts, he was promoted to High-A, where he posted a 1.90 ERA and opponents batted just .176 against his versatile pitching repertoire, which included a 70-grade fastball and slider.
Unsurprisingly, he then found his way to Double-A, where he experienced some command issues but managed 36 punchouts in 21 innings. With unfinished business at Double-A, Misiorowski started the 2024 season there, starting 19 games with 50 walks, 105 strikeouts, and 10 hit-by-pitches. Still struggling with control, he went to Triple-A and pitched to a 2.55 ERA in 17.2 innings as a reliever.
After finding success out of the bullpen, the Brewers decided to convert him back to a starter in 2025, where he was effective in lowering his walk rate and striking out more batters while maintaining his impressive K% in 63.1 innings. Misiorowski was then promoted to the bigs on June 12 for his MLB debut.
Outlook:
In his first major league start against the St. Louis Cardinals, he threw five no-hit innings, fanning five batters and walking four, topping out at 102.3 miles per hour, the fastest pitch thrown by a Brewers pitcher in the Statcast era. Misiorowski followed that up with a six-inning effort vs. the Minnesota Twins, where he struck out six and allowed the first — and only — runs of his MLB career.
This is all to say that he's been incredibly sharp, with an arsenal that includes a four-seam fastball, slider, curveball, and occasionally, a changeup, which translates well to the MLB level. He's allowed just one hit — a single -- against his fastball, generating a 26% whiff. Misiorowski also became the first MLB pitcher since 1901 to allow five hits or fewer across his first three career starts.
Cam Smith, RF, Houston Astros
Flying under the radar for the NL Rookie of the Year is Smith, who's slashed a respectable .271/.343/.402 with 19 extra-base hits, 28 RBI, and 21 walks in 252 plate appearances.
Just as Jeremy Pena stepped in at shortstop following the departure of Carlos Correa, it's nearly been a seamless transition from Kyle Tucker to Smith in right field following the Astros-Cubs trade in December. Of course, Houston misses Tucker's production, but Smith has shown flashes of a bright future in this league.
Track Record:
The 22-year-old was the 14th overall pick of last year's draft out of Florida State. Smith was an absolute force with the Seminoles across two seasons, hitting 28 homers alongside 93 RBI, drawing 65 walks to 114 strikeouts in 117 games to the tune of a .331/.420/.594 batting line. That impressive production is why Chicago made him their first-round draft pick.
He needed just one year in the minors before making his debut in March. Smith started at Low-A for the Cubs last season, where he posted a 1.175 OPS in 15 games. He was quickly promoted to High-A, slashing .333/.421/.500 across 12 games.
That was all Chicago needed to see before seeing what he could do at Double-A, the highest level in the minor leagues he reached. Smith only played five games there, notching two triples, three RBI, and a walk.
A few months later, Cubs GM Jed Hoyer sent Smith, Isaac Paredes, and Hayden Wesneski to the Astros in exchange for Tucker, one of the best lefty bats in the game.
Outlook:
Smith had big shoes to fill in the corner outfield. Tucker was a three-time All-Star, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove Award winner, and World Series champion during his seven seasons in Houston. He accrued 22.8 bWAR, hit 125 home runs, and had an .870 OPS in 633 games with the Astros. As of now, the Cubs "won" the trade, but if they fail to lock up Tucker following the season, that could change.
CAM SMITH COMES THROUGH! #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/Y6dtPpXF9J
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 26, 2025
Smith has been clutch for the 'Stros this season, batting .322 with 21 RBI with runners in scoring position. He seemingly always finds a way to make contact, thus softening the blow of losing Tucker in Houston.
Especially after not playing a single game in Triple-A, he's accepted the challenge with ease. Of course, there's room for improvement, like barreling the ball more or making harder contact, but Smith has been relatively consistent and exceeded expectations this season.
Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics
We checked in on Kurtz in April, only eight games into his MLB career, so it's about time we see how he's doing through the midway point of the 2025 season.
Track Record:
Kurtz, drafted fourth overall out of Wake Forest in 2024, was called up to the majors at just 22 years old after only 32 games in the minors. He played 12 games across Low-A and Double-A in 2024, then opened the 2025 season at Triple-A.
Over 20 games at that level, Kurtz posted an impressive .321/.385/.655 slash line with seven home runs and 24 RBIs. That performance convinced the Athletics to promote him, and he made his MLB debut on April 23 against the Texas Rangers, recording his first career hit and RBI.
Outlook:
To this point, Kurtz has posted an .828 OPS, 127 wRC+, and .350 wOBA with 11 home runs and 28 RBI. He's tied with Lawrence Butler for the third-most homers on the team, and if qualified, his OPS would be second.
At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Kurtz's quick swing allows him to barrel the baseball and make consistent, hard contact. He averages a 92 mph exit velocity, 14.9 barrel percentage, and 47.5 hard-hit percentage, as well as a xSLG of .508.
Nick Kurtz, last 19 games...
81 PA, .306/.370/.764, 10 HR, 22 RBI#Athletics pic.twitter.com/a7qLwoc2iu
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) June 26, 2025
Kurtz has the advantage of his home ballpark being a minor league stadium, so he's able to put the ball over the fence even more. This isn't to say his power isn't legitimate, but he has significantly better offensive statistics — slugging .625 with eight homers at home, compared to a .397 slugging percentage and three home runs.
Overall, the Athletics' youth movement has shown great potential this year, with Kurtz and teammate Jacob Wilson both in the AL Rookie of the Year conversation, with Wilson being the favorite.
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