MLB: The 2017 All Rookie Team

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A multitude of players qualified to be on this list based on the amount of at-bats they had. But only a select few deserve the recognition as the best of the best in their first professional season.

Every season, there is a new corps of players that steal the show in the MLB. Last year, fans received a taste of how impactful rookies can be when Gary Sanchez crushed home run after home run in New York.

Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger will both be remembered for the campaigns they strung together this season, but that’s just two players from a very talented field of potential future All-Stars.

Several players opened their careers with stellar seasons at the dish. Some played full seasons while others only contributed for a month or two.

Most of the players that endured a full campaign received notice. But there are still a few standouts that could not be ignored, despite playing less than half a season.

But this was a curious year, as two players became MVP candidates, and others put together torrid stretches of long shots and round-trippers that gathered fans’ attention from across the league.

If an All-Rookie Team were to assemble to play in a full nine-inning game, these would be the players that qualified, based on the amount of games played in the big leagues, along with how they performed throughout the year.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 17: Trey Mancini /

Catcher: Manny Pina

Pina was essentially the only rookie that qualified for this spot, except for a few no-named players. That doesn’t mean the catcher is undeserving of the accomplishment, as he did string together a very successful rookie campaign.

The Brewers’ platoon player behind the plate was reliable for a team that was in the playoff picture until the final week of the regular season. If he had enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title, he would technically be the Brewers’ best hitter in terms of average at .279.

Pina isn’t known for his tremendous power, as he had just nine homers and 30 extra-base hits in total. Nevertheless, he was productive and overall solid, ranking 9th in WAR among all catchers.

He doesn’t have an aura of greatness around him – he’s not Gary Sanchez – but still has the capability to be a serviceable player behind the plate. Of the Brewers’ four catchers, he received the most playing time. And he should continue to do so in the coming years.

Designated Hitter: Trey Mancini

I had to maneuver some players’ preferred positions around to ensure I gave nods to all of the best and deserving rookies. Twas the case with Mancini.

He played some first base, left field and occasionally hit in the DH spot. Yet, had he been put into the outfield category, he would not have competed with the likes of Rookie of the Year hopefuls Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge. Still, Mancini should be recognized.

The right-handed slugger ranked seventh among qualifying left fielders in OPS at .826. He does have some discipline issues, accruing just 33 walks compared to 139 strikeouts.

But his powerful swing made up for it in Baltimore.

Mancini was one of six Orioles that eclipsed the 20-home run mark, and based on offensive WAR, he was essentially the team’s second-best hitter behind Johnathan Schoop. He ultimately had a better season than fellow Baltimore outfielder Mark Trumbo, which is a promising sign.

Lastly, the only other contender in this category was the White Sox’s Matt Davidson. Davidson did blast 26 home runs – more than Mancini – and collected 68 RBIs, but his .220 batting average and .260 on-base percentage were atrocious.

Mancini finished the year at .293 and .338 in those categories, respectively. It will be interesting to see if he can produce an encore next season.

First Baseman: Yuli Gurriel

Many can argue that Cody Bellinger deserves this spot, but to ensure Gurriel earned his recognition, Bellinger was moved to the outfield crew.

As baseball fans have seen the past few days, Houston is a dangerous team for several reasons, one being its intimidating lineup. The Cuban first baseman fits right in, as he exceeded expectations this year for the Astros.

Gurriel isn’t as elite as the household names on the corner – Joey Votto, Freddie Freeman, Anthony Rizzo – and his numbers aren’t stacked in the upper echelon. But he was still a critical piece in Houston’s 101-win season.

His WAR is not too impressive, a modest 3.2, but he did hit nearly .300 with an .817 OPS. He gets the nod over Josh Bell mostly because he played on a more successful team, and because his numbers edged Bell’s by a slight margin.

Gurriel also led all first basemen in doubles, which propelled his slugging percentage to a solid .486. He beat out a handful of renowned hitters in that category, including Matt Carpenter and Wil Myers.

Compared to his teammates, Gurriel may not be a shining star. But he’s still an everyday player for arguably the best team in the American League.

One last point: had A’s first baseman Matt Olson played more games, he would have easily earned this spot. He boasted a 3.0 WAR, 1.003 OPS and rocketed 24 home runs in just 189 at-bats.

Third Baseman: Rafael Devers

The Pablo Sandoval experiment failed. Travis Shaw was long gone. Devin Marrero and Josh Rutledge weren’t answers.

Rafael Devers was the solution.

While the Dominican played in just 58 games, he finished with an impressive .284 average, smacking 10 home runs and garnering 30 RBIs. He had a better on-base percentage and slugging percentage than every other Red Sox third baseman, with the exception of Eduardo Nunez, who played four games in the hot corner.

In that time span, Devers managed to accumulate a higher WAR than some other promising up-and-comers at third, including Maikel Franco and Ryan Schimpf. Had he completed a full season at Fenway, he may have even passed up Comeback Player of the Year candidate Mike Moustakas and solid slugger Kyle Seager.

Devers put up similar numbers to one other young player – not a rookie – that has been deemed a top prospect before: Alex Bregman.

The Houston hot corner specialist finished his season with a .284/.352/.475 triple slash with 19 bombs and 71 RBIs. Both should be considered as part of the future at third base for their respective organizations.

Who will take the big leap into elite status next season?

Second Baseman: Ozzie Albies

Few rookies this season established themselves as second basemen, allowing Albies to showcase himself as a big fish in a little pond. He also had Braves’ fans waiting on the edge of their seats for his anticipated debut.

Once he was up in the big leagues, he ran with his position, proving why he was deemed one of the organization’s most valuable prospects. Compared to Atlanta’s previous second basemen in Jace Peterson – remember him? – and Brandon Phillips, Albies was ultimately more productive.

In her first season, the Netherlands product hit for a stable .286 average with an acceptable .354 on-base percentage. Unlike most rookies, Albies didn’t get set down on strikes too often, whiffing just 36 times in 217 at-bats. He countered that with 21 walks, showing that he possesses some discipline at the dish.

The young gun owned an .810 OPS, the best by any Braves second basemen since 2010, when Martin Prado posted an .840 OPS. Even Dan Uggla, who crushed 20-plus home runs nearly every season in Atlanta, never boasted an OPS that high.

Manager Brian Snitker should be happy with his young duo up the middle with shortstop Dansby Swanson and Albies. But thus far, it looks like Albies will be the more promising prospect.

Shortstop: Paul De Jong

De Jong practically didn’t exist prior to his MLB debut May 28.

With Jhonny Peralta injured and ineffective and Aledmys Diaz in a brutal slump, the Cardinals took a chance with De Jong, who was essentially unknown to most baseball fans.

But it didn’t stay that way for long.

He made some noise throughout June, scraping together quality at-bats and compiling a moderate .267 average heading into July. Then he broke out.

De Jong flourished as he became accustomed to starting every day. Early in July, the shortstop knocked three home runs in three straight games. He then blasted four homers in five games later in the month. By the end of July, De Jong raised his average to .287 and his OPS from .787 to .883.

Among several standouts in the Cardinals lineup, De Jong was one of the biggest surprises. He did not contribute gaudy numbers like Tommy Pham, but he became a respected shortstop.

And it’s his job to lose next season, after posting a .285 average with 25 dingers and 65 RBIs. Now he has to work on his plate discipline, as his strikeout-to-walk ratio was an abhorrent 124-to-21.

Outfielder 1: Cody Bellinger

Adrian Gonzalez who?

The revered first baseman injured himself early in the year, allowing the Dodgers to promote their most valuable prospect in Bellinger earlier than expected. Not only did he become a valuable first baseman for the National League’s best team.

He became a star.

Without reaching 500 at-bats in his first campaign, the southpaw slugger led Los Angeles in home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage. The only Dodger with a higher OPS and OWAR was Justin Turner, who shelled opposing pitchers and compiled more walks than strikeouts.

Overall, the phenom finished 13th in the league in OPS, eighth in slugging percentage and in the top 30 in WAR. Aaron Judge was the only rookie that finished ranked higher in those categories.

Maybe the most valuable thing about Bellinger is his versatility, as he can play in the outfield or at first base. With the arrival of Chris Taylor, Bellinger was slotted mostly in the corner of the infield, but he still tallied some games in the outfield.

However, it’s clear Bellinger’s presence is mostly known at the plate, rather than in the field, although he did boast a shiny .993 fielding percentage this season as well. Only Yasiel Puig and Yasmani Grandal were the only everyday players with a better percentage.

Clayton Kershaw is the face of the franchise. But Bellinger is the face of the future in Los Angeles.

Outfielder 2: Aaron Judge

If the Yankees based Judge’s potential on his numbers from 2016, the slugging right fielder might not have made the Opening Day roster. New York fans everywhere thank the organization for giving him another chance.

Not only did the 25-year-old post one of the most historic seasons in Yankees history. It may be one of the best regular seasons throughout the past decade, despite Judge’s struggles in the middle of the season.

His OPS of 1.049 is the highest of any Yankees player with more than 400 at-bats since Alex Rodriguez in 2007. And everyone knows how prestigious of a career Rodriguez had, despite the steroid phenomenon.

Opposing pitchers almost found the right-hander’s kryptonite toward the middle of the season. After claiming the Home Run Derby title, Judge was mired in a slump for nearly two months.

He hit .206 with 80 strikeouts across July and August. He also broke the record for recording a strikeout in 37 consecutive games. That rough stretch helped Judge become the leader in strikeouts with 208.

Still, after a pithy showing last September, Judge’s dominant season means the future of the New York club is promising.

Outfielder 3: Andrew Benintendi

Every season, a new Red Sox rookie seems to garner much attention based on their minor league numbers and overall potential.

Prior to the promotion of Rafael Devers, Benintendi had all eyes on him. And he didn’t disappoint.

The outfielder was inconsistent across the entire year, posting a horrid average one month, then roping everything the following month. Overall, he owned a .271 average with a sturdy .352 on-base percentage.

He showcased his pop at the plate as well, cracking the 20-homer mark and producing 90 RBIs. The young gun was arguably the team’s second-best hitter behind fellow phenom Mookie Betts. And Boston was a top-tier offense, finishing the season ranked fourth in runs scored.

Benintendi possesses similar qualities to Betts, and will likely continue to improve throughout the next few seasons.

With the pair of outfielders, there’s no reason why the Red Sox can’t boast the best outfield crew in the league next season.

Bench Crew: Josh Bell/Rhys Hoskins

It’s difficult to place these two above the three talented outfielders, as two are Rookie of the Year winners and one is a productive outfielder for a team that made it to the playoffs.

That doesn’t mean that both shouldn’t be coined as talented rookies. Many will likely argue that Bell and Hoskins are actually better than the player in their position – Yuli Gurriel won the outright first base spot.

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Yes, Bell did finish the regular season with a higher WAR than Gurriel. But his offensive numbers do were not as impressive as Gurriel’s. He also didn’t contribute to a team that made the postseason, which counts.

Look at the comparison between the two (BA/OBP/SLG/OPS):

Bell: .255/.334/.466/.800 with 26 doubles, 26 home runs and 90 RBIs in 549 at-bats

Gurriel: .299/.332/.486/.817 with 43 doubles, 18 home runs and 75 RBIs in 529 at-bats

Hoskins could make a much better argument than Bell because he was arguably the most dominant rookie based on the amount of plate appearances.

Just three players with more than 150 at-bats posted an OPS higher than 1.000: Hoskins, Matt Olson and Judge. Hoskins’ skill set goes beyond his power though, as his plate discipline is also above-average. He compiled 37 walks compared to 46 strikeouts.

The Phillies first baseman also generated more runs than any of his teammates during August and September.

Next: Where will Sabathia land in the offseason?

Expect these two players to only get better moving forward.

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