Intriguing rookies looking to make a name in 2024
Baltimore infielder Gunnar Henderson and Arizona outfielder Corbin Carroll starred on playoff teams last season and were rewarded with the rookie of the year honours. One of the following prospects might follow in their footsteps. Here is a closer look at some of the most intriguing rookies as the MLB season begins:
Jackson Holliday
The 20-year-old son of former major-league outfielder Matt Holliday batted .323 with 12 homers, 75 RBIs and 24 steals over four minorleague stops last year, shooting through Baltimore’s system after he was selected No. 1 in the 2022 amateur draft. Where the infielder plays whenever he joins the loaded Orioles remains a question, but it sure looks as if he will fit right in at the plate. He’ll start the season in the minors.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
The 25-year-old left-hander had a shaky Dodgers debut after agreeing to a record 12-year, $325-million (U.S.) contract over the winter. But he went 16-6 with a 1.21 ERA last season for Orix in Japan’s Pacific League. His repertoire includes a fastball that runs into the mid-90s, a nasty splitter and a looping curve. The Dodgers are expected to contend for their eighth World Series championship, so Yamamoto’s transition to the majors will be closely watched this summer.
Jackson Chourio
The 20-year-old outfielder finalized an eight-year, $82-million deal with Milwaukee — before his bigleague debut. It’s the most money ever guaranteed to a player with no major-league experience, and there is a lot to like about the Venezuela native. He batted .282 with 22 homers, 91 RBIs and 44 steals in 128 combined games with Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A Nashville last year.
Wyatt Langford
The 22-year-old outfielder made the World Series champion Texas Rangers out of spring training after he went No. 4 in last year’s draft out of the University of Florida. He rocketed through the Texas minorleague system last summer, batting .360 with 10 homers and 30 RBIs in 44 games over four stops. He had more walks (36) than strikeouts (34), and also swiped 12 bags in 15 attempts.
Colt Keith
Like Chourio, Keith got paid before his major-league debut, agreeing to a six-year contract with the Detroit Tigers in January with $28,642,500 guaranteed. The 22-year-old infielder was a fifth-round pick in 2020 and played for Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo last season, hitting .306 with 27 homers and 101 RBIs in 126 games.
Nolan Schanuel
The Los Angeles Angels first baseman was the first player from last year’s draft to make it to the majors, on Aug. 18. He hit .275 with a .402 on-base percentage in 29 games. Schanuel was the 2023 Conference USA player of the year at Florida Atlantic University, batting .447 with 19 homers and 64 RBIs in his last season with the Owls.
Junior Caminero
The Tampa Bay Rays fielder is coming off a breakout season with 31 homers and 94 RBIs in the minors. The 20-year-old slugger made his big-league debut in September, then appeared in two playoff games. He’ll begin this year at Triple-A Durham after he skipped over that level last year, but he could be a middle-of-order hitter for the Rays for a long time.
James Wood
The six-foot-six infielder was acquired from San Diego in the Juan Soto trade in 2022. Wood went deep in the Nationals’ first two spring training games this year. The 2021 second-round pick batted .262 with 26 homers and 91 RBIs in 129 games over two minor-league stops in 2023, finishing the season with Double-A Harrisburg.
Jackson Merrill
The 20-year-old Merrill was a shortstop when he was drafted No. 27 in 2021, but made his big-league debut in centre field when the San Diego Padres opened this season against the Dodgers in South Korea. The lefty swinger hit .277 with 15 homers and 64 RBIs in 114 games in the minors last year.
Shota Imanaga
Nicknamed the Throwing Philosopher, Imanaga went 7-4 with a 2.80 ERA in 22 starts last season with Yokohama in Japan’s Central League, with 174 strikeouts and 24 walks in 148 innings. Now with the Chicago Cubs on a four-year, $53million deal, the left-hander has a unique four-seam fastball with an unusual amount of vertical movement, along with a splitter and a slider.