Matt Johnson
Ahead of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, there was a lot of talk about this year’s rookie class being historic. Through the first month of the season, that’s proven to be the case with a deep class of emerging stars around MLB.
Let’s dive into our rankings of the best MLB rookies this season as May approaches.
1. Kevin McGonigle, 3B, Detroit Tigers
Entering play on April 28, Detroit Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle leads all position players in Baseball Reference’s Wins Above Replacement (2.0) and he ranks third in FanGraphs’ WAR (1.4). He’s been phenomenal at the plate, leading all rookies (100-plus plate appearances) in batting average (.330) and wRC+ this month. What also needs to be highlighted is the value he brings on the basepaths, demonstrated by a 100th percentile Baserunning Run Value (3). McGonigle is performing like an American League MVP candidate right now, so he’s the obvious pick to win AL Rookie of the Year.
2. Sal Stewart, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
One reason Sal Stewart is the top choice for National League Rookie of the Year this season is because of what he’s done for the Cincinnati Reds lineup. Entering MLB games on Tuesday, Cincinnati ranked 23rd in runs scored (118) with the lowest batting average (.213) in baseball. Stewart is the only everyday Reds player with a BA of .275-plus; the majority of the Reds lineup is hitting .230 or worse. He’s also contributed 26.9 percent of the team’s RBI and 17.8 percent of their total bases. Sporting a .987 OPS with 9 home runs and 30 hits through 103 at-bats, Stewart is a massive reason why Cincinnati is first in the NL Central and well above .500.
3. Nolan McLean, SP, New York Mets
While everyone reasonably expected that Freddy Peralta would establish himself as the ace of the New York Mets rotation this season, it’s been rookie Nolan McLean who is carrying that mantle. The 24-year-old righty has made six starts this season and his season-high in earned runs allowed is 3, a game in which he also recorded double-digit strikeouts. McLean holds the third-highest strikeout rate among starters (33.3 percent) with the sixth-best WHIP (0.85) and the sixth-lowest batting average allowed (.161). He is everything New York hoped for and more, and it certainly looks like an NL Cy Young is in his future down the line.
Related: Insider Reveals Timeline for Francisco Lindor Injury Return
4. Munetaka Murakami, 1B, Chicago White Sox
We’re having flashbacks to Joey Gallo and Adam Dunn. In their respective peak years, Adam Dunn averaged 40-plus home runs per season, struck out 28 percent of the time and boasted a walk rate around 17 percent. A decade later, Joey Gallo averaged 40 homers per season with a 36 percent strikeout rate and a walk rate hovering around 14 percent (2017-18).
Now let’s compare that to what Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami is doing in his first taste of the majors. He boasts the ninth-highest walk rate (17.5 percent) and leads MLB in home runs (12) through 29 games. Murakami is also striking out in 32.5 percent of his plate appearances. When he’s making contact, it’s breathtaking to watch. When he isn’t, Murakami swings like it generates wind power.
5. Parker Messick, SP, Cleveland Guardians
Not only is Parker Messick one of the five best MLB rookies this season, he’s also underrated. There’s not a ton of attention being paid to the Cleveland Guardians nationally, which is par for the course, but Messick is quickly establishing himself as a front-line starter.
He threw 8 hitless innings on April 16 against the Baltimore Orioles and it’s just one of his pitching gems in April. Cleveland’s southpaw also recorded 9 punchouts with just 3 hits and 1 earned run allowed in Monday’s start against the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s allowed the 11th-lowest batting average (.177) on the season, registering the eighth-lowest WHIP (0.88) and it’s all come with just 7 earned runs allowed in 36.1 innings of work.
6. JJ Wetherholt, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt homered in his MLB debut and posted a .300 batting average through his first five games. He then encountered an early slump, going 6-for-36 in his next 45 plate appearances with a .167 batting average. However, during that span, he walked (eight) nearly as much as he struck out (nine) and his patience at the plate paid off.
From April 14–27, Wetherholt has put up a 1.036 OPS with five of his 12 hits leaving the yard. He’s collected 9 RBI in that span, added a stolen base and still has a reasonable 10-5 K-BB line. Oh, we should also mention that Wetherholt ranks in the 98th percentile for Outs Above Average (four) this season. In a down year, he’d be a great pick for NL Rookie of the Year.
Just Missed: Chase DeLauter, OF, Cleveland Guardians; Moises Ballesteros, DH, Chicago Cubs; Konnor Griffin, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates
