The Most Outstanding MLB Rookies of 2022
The road to Cooperstown begins in year one. Every year in MLB, we’re treated to sensational rookie performances. This year was no exception, as we have a long list of rookies that shined in 2022.
While some are still currently chasing a ring, it doesn’t hurt to look at their regular season performance. With the MLB awards set to be announced in November, it’ll be good to dive into these rookies before one is crowned Rookie of the Year in each league.
1. OF Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners
J-Rod is an easy choice for not only No. 1 on this list, but a clear favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year. Rodriguez is leading just about every stat among rookies, along with his .284/.345/.509 slash line. 28 home runs, 25 doubles/stolen bases, and an incredible 6.0 WAR. Rodriguez was a big factor in ending the Mariners’ 21-year playoff drought, and I’m sure he’ll earn a few MVP votes this year.
2. OF Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves
As if the Braves couldn’t get any better, their 21-year-old center fielder made a big impact in 114 games. Harris has it all, the speed, the hitting, and the defense. His 5.3 WAR and .297 batting average helped Harris sign an eight-year extension with the Braves. Similar to Rodriguez, Harris is leading the Rookie of the Year votes, just on the NL side. Because of his rookie surge, the Braves are looking to be the team to beat over the next several years. They made the right choice making him an untouchable in trade-talks over the offseason.
3. C Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
If it wasn’t for some injuries, Rutschman could’ve been ahead of Rodriguez for the AL Rookie of the Year. The former No. 1 prospect finally made his debut, showing a great display of offense and defense. He belted 13 homers with a 128 OPS+ in 113 games. On the defensive side, he produced 18 defensive runs saved with 670 putouts and 35 assists. For a year that ended just short of playoff baseball in Baltimore, Rutschman has a good team built around him to compete next season.
4. SS Jeremy Peña, Houston Astros
Similar to Rutschman, Peña was looking like the clear Rookie of the Year favorite to begin the year. With the J-Rod surge and a Peña cool down, that quickly went out the window. Nevertheless, Peña had an amazing rookie season, filling in for a position once owned by Carlos Correa in Houston. He hit 22 homers, 63 RBIs, stole 11 bases, and had a 4.8 WAR. It’s almost like Correa never left, and there’s just a younger version of him with the Astros. Peña will most likely finish 2nd in ROY voting, but it was still an incredible season.
5. SP Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves
Harris wasn’t the only rookie to make headlines in Atlanta. Strider led all rookies in strikeouts (202) and WHIP (0.99.) He also did it in only 132.2 innings, only allowing seven home runs all season. Opposing hitters only hit .180 against Strider, as he also induced a 40.3 ground ball percentage. Along with the strikeouts, Strider was a dominant factor for the defending champs rotation. Oh yeah, and they also locked up Strider for the next seven years.
6. SS Bobby Witt, Jr., Kansas City Royals
Witt didn’t exactly stand out among the other rookies, but he still deserves credit for having a pretty good first season. He hit 20 homers, 80 RBIs, and stole 30 bases. His defense was a bit under expectations, being in the negatives of defensive runs saved with -4. Again, it’s only the rookie season for Witt. We’ve heard his name all throughout the minors, and he’s a future of the franchise for this Royals team.
7. OF Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
The story of Kwan is a rollercoaster. A sensational April, followed by a cool down until finding a middle ground. Regardless, Kwan is one of the rookies in the postseason, and his regular season was a big part of that. He was an on-base machine, with a .373 OBP, 168 hits, and 62 walks. He scored 89 runs and stole 19 bases in 147 games for the Guardians. He’s not gonna hit a lot of homers, but he’s a perfect contact guy to have at the top of the lineup.
8. SP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
He wasn’t a big strikeout guy, but Ryan provided quality starts all season long. He struggled in the summer months, but a strong beginning and end of the season led to him ending with a 3.55 ERA and 151 strikeouts. Ryan flirted with no history in September when he threw seven no-hit innings against the Royals until he was pulled from the game. For what seems to be a mediocre Twins team, Ryan will be the first of many young studs to help pull the Twins up.
9. OF Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs
Despite the Cubs being in the middle of a rebuild/retool, Suzuki had himself a solid rookie season. 2.0 WAR isn’t insane but it’s good productivity from a first-year player. Batted .262 with 14 homers and hit a good amount of hard contact. His hard-hit percentage was at 41.6%, higher than some sluggers such as Josh Bell, Anthony Rizzo, and Randy Arozarena. Could’ve always been better, but the windy city is sure to see more production from Suzuki next year.
10. INF/OF Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals
Donovan is your classic utility man who does nothing but gets on base. He posted a .394 OBP while playing every position except for catcher, pitcher, and center field this season. What’s crazy about Donovan is he doesn’t swing a lot, but is able to produce a high OBP. He only swung at 38.1% of pitches, which helps keeps his strikeout numbers down as well. While the Cardinals were a one-and-done team this postseason, you can never underestimate the value of a utility man.
SHOP for Vendetta Merch!
SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube!
