Here's an early look at the top 2025 Rookie of the Year candidates
With Paul Skenes and Luis Gil taking home their leagues' respective 2024 Rookie of the Year Awards, it's time to turn our attention to 2025.
With Paul Skenes and Luis Gil taking home their leagues' respective 2024 Rookie of the Year Awards, it's time to turn our attention to 2025.
On the latest edition of the MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo filled out their hypothetical ballots for the year ahead, selecting the players they believe could take home the hardware next season. In the 2022 version of this exercise, the experts correctly predicted Gunnar Henderson and Corbin Carroll, then the game's top two prospects, would take the honors the following year. But last year, in a mock draft format, Skenes wasn't selected until Round 4 and nobody tabbed Gil as a serious American League contender.
Here's how they picked this time around:
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1. Mayo: Dylan Crews, OF (WSH No. 1/MLB No.1)
The equation when we're contemplating these things is ability plus opportunity. He got called up. He has a place in the Nationals' outfield. He got a good amount of reps so he knows what he needs to work on. To me, Dylan Crews manning the outfield for the Nationals every day, is as good a choice as any in the National League.
Callis: Crews
I concur. I also have Crews as my top National League choice ... until Roki Sasaki signs with the Dodgers, Padres or Mets.
2. Callis: Matt Shaw, INF (CHC No. 1/MLB No. 22)
I don't think he'll make the Opening Day roster because the Cubs have a crowded roster of veterans. But he just kept getting better in his first pro season, and he played really well with Premier12. I think he can really, really hit and he's going to rise quickly.
Mayo: Bubba Chandler, RHP (PIT No. 1/MLB No. 15)
The Pirates are going to rinse and repeat. I don't think he'll be up on Opening Day, but the way he finished the year has me thinking he'll be pounding down that door early on from Triple-A Indianapolis, and he'll join Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller in the Pirates rotation sometime around May.
3. Callis: Andrew Painter, RHP (PHI No. 2/MLB No. 32)
I picked Andrew Painter over Dalton Rushing for my third spot. I think Andrew Painter is going to make a difference for the Phillies. I don’t think we’ll see him on the Opening Day roster. I think they’ll break him in. But he’s spectacular in shorter bursts than the other guys.
Mayo: Shaw
Everything you said about Shaw holds true. He’s going to hit his way into that lineup and make a big impact in Chicago.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
1. Callis: Coby Mayo, 3B/1B (BAL No. 1/MLB No. 8)
He's going to need opportunity. The Orioles are going to have to make some decisions because they have more guys than position spots. But I do think Cody Mayo is going to hit 26 home runs as the American League Rookie of the Year. That's my prediction, 26 home runs.
Mayo: Mayo
I think they're going to need to find a way to get that bat in the lineup. There is no reason for him to be in Triple-A, and I'm taking the over on the home run total.
2. Mayo: Jackson Jobe, RHP (DET No. 1/MLB No. 5)
I think he is ready to make a full-season impact on the Detroit Tigers' pitching staff, help them continue on after a surprisingly succesful year where they made the postseason in 2024. I think he becomes a mainstay in the rotation behind Tarik Skubal.
Callis: Jasson Domínguez, OF (NYY No. 1/MLB No. 14)
I think the Yankees will find a way to get him regular at-bats. He's been very impressive in short bursts here and there. He's still very young.
3. Callis: Jacob Wilson, SS (ATH No. 1/MLB No. 24)
We saw him this year, he was banged up a little bit, so he didn't lose his rookie eligibility. We know he can hit, right? I don't know how much power there will be necessarily. But I'll assume he's going to hit .280 or higher. The guy hits everywhere he goes and plays a steady shortstop. I don't know why that made Jonathan chuckle.
Mayo: Wilson
I chuckled because you knew who my No. 3 guy was. You stole my pick.
Joe Trezza is an contributor for MiLB.com.
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