Much of the talk surrounding rookies this season has been about Masataka Yoshida, Gunnar Henderson, Josh Jung, Corbin Carroll, and Kodai Senga. While each possesses strong cases to win Rookie of the Year in their respective leagues, 2023 has seen many rookie talents. We might have a rookie put up a 25-40 season. The first ever 20-20 season by a Yankees rookie. A rookie pitcher with a 1.82 ERA since the start of July. There are 12 MLB rookies with a 120 wRC+ or higher, 17 with 110 or higher, and 22 with 100 or higher. This is just one example of how great the 2023 crop of rookies has been. With the young talent in Major League Baseball being better than ever, now feels like a good time to highlight some of baseball’s best rookies who have gone under the radar in both the AL and NL.
Tanner Bibee
Tanner Bibee has a perfect shot to finish as one of the AL Rookie of the Year finalists. However, it still seems like he needs to be talked about more. It could be because he is just another starter in the Cleveland pitching factory to come up and have immediate success. This noting may have become boring, or the Cleveland Guardians are not a good team. Whatever the reason, Bibee is having an excellent season, even if he won’t win Rookie of the Year.
Through 19 starts and 108 2/3 innings, Bibee has thrown the fourth-most innings among all rookie starters this year. His 2.3 fWAR places second behind Kodai Senga of the New York Mets. He has a 2.90 ERA, 1.206 WHIP, 3.62 FIP, and a 0.83 HR/9 figure, the second-best among rookies. Bibee’s season looks even better because of how well he’s pitched since the calendar flipped to July. Since July 1st, Bibee’s 1.82 ERA has ranked 3rd in all baseball and 1st in the American League. His 49 1/3 innings in that span are just four shy of the leader, meaning he is pitching deeper into games too. Even if some of the expected stats don’t look as good as the results, Bibee has established himself as a vital member of the Guardians’ pitching rotation.
James Outman
What an exciting season this has been for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have dealt with countless injuries and an underperforming rotation, yet are still running away with the NL West. What has helped is their superstars performing at MVP levels and surprising seasons from players like rookie outfielder James Outman. Like the Cleveland pitching factory, Los Angeles has a strong track record of turning relatively unknown players and helping them perform like all-stars. Outman may not have been an all-star this year, yet he looks well on his way to a great career.
His season started with a bang as he posted seven home runs, 20 runs batted in, and a .292/.376/.615 batting line. This was good for a .991 OPS, one of the league’s best figures. He slowed down, following up with OPS figures of .552 and .551 in May and June, respectively. However, he bounced back in July and August, with a .904 OPS and 1.045 OPS in August. On the whole, Outman is batting .257/.360/.436, good for a .797 OPS and 121 wRC+. His 2.3 fWAR ranks second among all rookie position players in baseball and is fourth on the Dodgers. It also ranks as the 12th-most among all outfielders in baseball. Overall, Outman has a shot to put up a 20-20 season, a 4+ WAR season, which would make for a solid rookie season.
Matt McLain
While Elly De La Cruz has received the most attention of all Cincinnati Reds rookies, Matt McLain has been even better. Through 77 career games, McLain is batting .297/.361/.505 with a .866 OPS that ranks as the second-best figure among all shortstops in the league (min. 300 PA). He has split time between shortstop and second base and might be one of the best middle infielders in baseball for years to come. Among all rookies, his 128 wRC+ ranks eighth, .372 wOBA ranks second, .297 average ranks third, .316 OBP ranks fifth, and .505 SLG ranks seventh. Lastly, his 2.9 fWAR ranks third behind Outman (3.2) and Corbin Carroll (4.0).
The Reds have been one of the more surprising teams in baseball this year. With a 62-58 record, they are only 3.5 games back of first place in the NL Central and one game behind the third wild card spot. The team’s youth movement has been a big story this season, and McLain has undoubtedly been a significant factor. Despite playing fewer games, he has been the best player on the Reds, as his 2.9 fWAR outpaces any other player on his team. Additionally, even if McLain’s offense might not be this good moving forward, his 91st percentile sprint speed and 86th percentile in outs above average (OAA) reflect an excellent player with both a high floor and a high ceiling.
Also, Rookies Worth Mentioning
Other rookies’ worth mentioning that have gone under the radar are right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton, who has a 1.87 ERA and 3.09 FIP in 43 1/3 innings. Hamilton has been a bright spot for the New York Yankees, who boast the best bullpen ERA in baseball. Francisco Alvarez has 21 home runs and a .474 SLG for the New York Mets, posting some of the best power numbers for a rookie this season. Twins’ second baseman Edouard Julien has a 140 wRC+ and ranks in the 61st percentile or better in hard-hit, xwOBA, xSLG, walk, and barrel rates. Hunter Brown and J.P France have pitched over 100 innings for the Houston Astros at league-average or better production, proving to be critical team rotation members moving forward.
None of these players will win Rookie of the Year or get many votes. However, they are all valuable contributors to their teams and will continue to be so moving forward. Players like Tanner Bibee, James Outman, and Matt McLain have gone underrated for the most part this season. They likely won’t win the honor of best rookie in their league, but each look poised to have great careers.
Main Photo Credits: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
