MLB predictions: Possible 2019 Rookie of the Year candidates

It’s 2019, which means baseball will be played next month and the MLB Rookies will get a good chance to make an impact in Spring Training and beyond. Time for some MLB predictions on which rookies will have the most impact?

All eyes are already on a few of the MLB Rookies that made splashes in the 2018 season, but there are several underdogs who could turn heads, too. In our MLB predictions, which 2019 rookies could receive awards?

As youth has become a major asset in the MLB, rookies have become more valuable than in recent memory. And, the 2019 season will be loaded with young talent.

It seems as if every team in contention for the playoffs or not, has a potential Rookie of the Year candidate for the 2019 season. These young ballplayers have multiple tools at their disposals.

If they’re pitchers, they have velocity and poise on the mound. If they’re position players, they have speed, power, and agility. But, the big question is who will have the most of “it”? That thing that gets writers’ attention and earns the big award at the end of the season.

With the numerous potential candidates, there is bound to be some disagreement. Possibly on the level of the 2018 season as two-way player Shohei Ohtani won the award over Miguel Andujar of the Yankees. Both were power hitters with outstanding defensive abilities, too. Both were clearly deserving, but Ohtani’s ability to hit home runs and pitch took the cake in the AL. Ronald Acuna, Jr. was clearly the most deserving the the NL.

But, there were other rookies that certainly deserved some recognition. Daniel Palka of the White Sox hit 27 home runs – tying with Andujar. Nico Goodrum of the Tigers played every outfield and infield position (minus catcher and pitcher). Walker Buehler pitched like a seasoned veteran in the World Series. And, David Bote will go down in Cubs history after hitting several walk-off, clutch home runs. This short list isn’t complete without a nod to Juan Soto with the Nationals who hit .292/.406/.517 – yes, .406 OBP in 414 at-bats.

2019 should be just as exciting as an entirely new crop of rookies gets to show off their skills at the plate and between the lines. So, let’s get right into it and take a look at who could be the candidates for this season’s Rookie of the Year award.

If you watched the 2018 playoffs, then you know that Walker Buehler wasn’t the only young pitcher who impressed the crowds. Houston’s Josh James also made an impression.

Josh James pitched 23 innings in 2018 during the regular season with three starts. In those 23 innings, he struck out 29 batters and walked 7, earning an ERA of 2.35 and an ERA+ of 174. Even more impressive was his WHIP of 0.957.

While his numbers weren’t as great in the post-season, he did. He came in when needed and showed poise on the mound.

While 23 innings doesn’t give much of a snapshot, it does show us a little something. According to the MLB Pipeline, James is the fourth best prospect for the Astros, which is saying something about their minor league system. Usually, teams deplete their minor leagues in pursuit of the ring, but the Astros didn’t.

Even though James isn’t the top prospect in the system, he’s got something that the rest of the rookies in 2019 will not have: Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, along with the rest of the starting rotation. With mentors like that, there is no doubt that James has a chance at the Rookie of the Year award – especially if he can continue to pitch like he did in September 2018.

James has a fastball that averages 97 MPH. He also has a slider, curveball, and changeup in his repertoire. While his slider is his second-best pitch, he does have Verlander (who has one of the best sliders in the game) to help him better it.

James is expected to be in the rotation in 2019 after Dallas Keuchel and Charlie Morton were lost to free agency. He should be able to handle the regular grind well, as he did in the minor leagues after 21 starts between Double-A and Triple-A.

Another rookie will get some attention in Houston, but he’s got a veteran outfield standing in his way.

With the Astros signing Michael Brantley who joins George Springer and Josh Reddick, Tucker’s chances to get into the everyday lineup are slim. Of course, Brantley is prone to injury, so Kyle Tucker could get in to the lineup at some point.

Tucker spent all of 2018 in the PCL where he played in 100 games batting an impressive .332/.400/.590. He hit 24 home runs and 93 RBI. He also stole 20 bases. Unfortunately for Tucker, who turns 22 in January, he did not see the same success during his time with the Astros in July, August, and September. In 64 MLB at-bats, he hit .141/.236/.203 with four RBI and one stolen base. He is still waiting on his first major-league home run.

He’s been with the Astros since he was drafted out of high school in 2015. According to the MLB Pipeline, he’s currently the organization’s top prospect and he’s ranked fifth in the entire MLB after a few names that will show up later in this list.

Tucker is a left-handed batter with a right-handed throwing arm. He’s done his best outfield work in the corners, especially right field, despite playing center field for most of his minor league career. While he’s not on the Astros depth chart, he is on the 40-man roster and should see plenty of playing time during spring training in Florida.

Like his teammate Josh James, Tucker does have the benefit of working with players like 2017 World Series MVP Springer and four-time All-Star Brantley. That veteran presence can make a big difference for young players like Tucker who get to not only watch them but also pick their brains in the clubhouse.

After a disastrous 2017 and 2018, Detroit Tigers fans have a few things to look forward to in 2019. One is the return of Miguel Cabrera from the DL. The other is the hope that a young slugger will join the daily lineup.

Christin Stewart has been percolating in the minor leagues since the Tigers drafted him in the first round of 2015. The speedy outfielder, who bats from the left, just turned 25 in December. He made his major league debut in 2018 and fans could not get enough of him.

His strength is at the plate, where he has a career slash of .262/.363/.503 with 93 home runs in four seasons. In 2016, he hit an eye-popping 30 home runs during his time in Single-A and Double-A. He threw in an extra in the Arizona Fall League that season, too.

He got his call up on September 9 and hit his first major league home run on September 20. The second one came on the same day. Along with the two home runs, Stewart also drove in 10 runs, including one sac fly. He also managed a to hit a double at home and a triple against the Twins at Target Field. Once fans got to see what he could do at the plate, it became clear that Stewart had something special.

According to the Tigers depth chart, Stewart is the top choice for left field. He can expect serious competition from Mikie Mahtook and Victor Reyes for the spot, but Stewart’s bat is better than both. However, if the Tigers are able to move Nicholas Castellanos, Mahtook and Reyes could compete for right field instead.

Stewart could also be a regular DH, as the previous full-time DH – Victor Martinez, retired at the end of the 2018 season.

After the Tigers massive sell-off in 2017, the team’s farm system is loaded with talent. However, Stewart was acquired when the team was still in playoff-mode. He’s not the top prospect, but is currently ranked sixth behind five pitchers who won’t be in the majors for at least another season or two or three.

The Tigers are just a few seasons removed from having the AL Rookie of the Year when Michael Fulmer took the honors in 2016. Could they quietly have another one in 2019? Possibly.

No, not that one. Michael Kopech will be on the DL and could win the ROY in 2020. The young White Sox pitcher who could sneak up on the league is Dylan Cease

Dylan Cease is the kid who could truly benefit from Kopech’s Tommy John surgery, but, only if he gets a call up.

Cease has yet to debut in the majors. The 23-year-old righty was acquired by the Sox when they sent Jose Quintana to the cross-town rivals. The trade brought in two potential Rookie of the Year candidates as well as two other minor leaguers.

While the other prospect has a better chance of earning the Rookie of the Year award, Cease could draw attention if he gets to The Show. He’s been pitching in the minor leagues since he was 19 years old and has a career ERA of 2.67. He has a low WHIP, but the most notable was the 0.994 with Double-A Birmingham in 2018. While he has succeeded in all levels, he has yet to pitch in Triple-A.

But, consider the Tigers Michael Fulmer – who won the Rookie of the Year award in 2016. Prior to the 2016 season, he only pitched as high as Double-A. He did see time in Triple-A during his rookie season, but only 15.1 innings. He was 23 that season. Just like Cease.

Cease’s ERA and WHIP are not the only stats that excite fans. In Double-A, he had a K/9 rate of 13.41 and batters only hit .167 against him. Of course, MLB hitters are significantly better than those in Double-A, but Cease has a fastball that was rated 70/70 by Fangraphs.

He’s the number three prospect in the White Sox organization and the second-best pitching prospect behind Kopech. He’s the currently 25th in the MLB Pipeline (Kopech is 19th).

If Cease is going to be noticed as a potential Rookie of the Year candidate, he’s going to have to do it this season. Once Kopech returns, all eyes will be on him. But, Cease will have to outperform the next player on the list.

While Dylan Cease has a chance, this guy is the one who has White Sox fans drooling over his possibilities.

Eloy Jimenez is one who will give every other Rookie of the Year candidate a run for the money. The White Sox acquired Jimenez in the same trade that brought Cease to the organization. Jimenez is currently the top prospect for the Sox and the number three prospect for MLB Pipeline. He’s there for a very good reason: during the 2018 Triple-A season he hit .355/.399/.597 with 12 home runs and 23 RBI.

On MLB Pipeline, Jimenez is rated 70 for power and an overall 65. He’s 6’4 and 205 pounds, and many have compared him to Giancarlo Stanton when it comes to his pop at the plate. While his hitting draws attention, his fielding is average at best and could hold him back from winning the ROY award.

Like Cease, the White Sox have held Jimenez back from entering the MLB too soon. He’s played at all levels and done well. His best numbers were in the Dominican Fall League where he hit .448/.500/.759 in 29 at bats. Unfortunately, he was shut down before the season ended with a quad injury.

Jimenez is not yet on the White Sox depth chart, but he is a member of the 40-man roster with other outstanding young players. Expect to see Jimenez get extensive playing time in Spring Training, but he probably will not make the trip north in late March. But, he will play in the MLB in 2019.

The children of Cuban five-tool player Victor Mesa, Sr. have arrived in the United States and one of them is primed to be a Rookie of the Year candidate. Victor Victor Mesa is the number one prospect in the Miami Marlins organization.

Victor Victor Mesa is the older of the two brothers. He’s a 22-year-old outfielder and is easily confused with his younger brother – another outfielder – who is named Victor Mesa, Jr. According to Cut4, Victor Victor played six seasons in Cuba where he:

“[H]it .275, though Sanchez says his best tools are probably his speed and defense. He played for Cuba in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and collected three hits in seven at-bats.”

The only issue with Victor Victor becoming a Rookie of the Year candidate is whether or not he gets playing time in the MLB. He has yet to play outside of Cuba, but he was a professional in his homeland at age 60, according to the MLB Pipeline. The Marlins signed both Mesa brothers, the eldest receiving $5.25 million and the youngest receiving $1 million at age 17.

Victor Victor stands 5’9 and weighs in at 165. While Victor Victor can hit, he is better known for his speed and defensive abilities. Because of his experience in Cuba, he should be able to play in Miami relatively quickly. His only issue is that he plays in Miami, which is not a place where the national media spends much time. But, if he performs as expected, the national media won’t be able to stay away.

He’s assigned to the Double-A Jacksonville Jumbo, but don’t expect him to stay there very long.

The Atlanta Braves could have the second consecutive Rookie of the Year if Touki Toussaint comes through for them.

The young pitcher was originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks, but was sent to Atlanta with Bronson Arroyo in a 2015 trade. Arroyo never pitched for the Braves, but Toussaint pitched 29 innings for the Braves.

In those 29 innings, he started five games and finished one, ending the season with an ERA Of 4.03 and a WHIP of 1.345. He also pitched three innings in two games in the NLDS. He faced 13 batters and did not give up any runs and only gave up one hit.

In the minor leagues, Touissant put together a career ERA of 4.08, with an impressive 1.43 ERA in Triple-A in 2018. His numbers are a bit skewed due to a few poor performances in the Arizona Fall League and in the Diamondbacks rookie league.

Toussaint may not be the first name that NL fans expect to see in the running for the Rookie of the Year, but America’s Team has been known to develop some outstanding pitchers. He’s the fourth best prospect in the Braves organization, behind three other right-handed pitchers. He’s number 40 in the top 100 list.

Touissant has a handful of pitches, including a four-seam fastball that averages around 93 MPH. He also has a split-finger fastball, a sinker, and a curve ball. According to Fangraphs, his top pitch is the sinker.

His listed as the fifth starter in the Braves rotation, which also includes other young pitchers like 27-year-olds Mike Foltynewicz, Kevin Gausman, and Julio Teheran. At age 25, Sean Newcomb is also in the rotation. Touissant is 22.

Whether he wins a Rookie of the Year award, the kid with the cool name could become something special in Atlanta.

Even though his name sounds like he’s the son of an All-Star, Justus Sheffield is making his own name in the MLB. (He’s not related to Gary Sheffield.)

The left-handed pitcher has already been traded a couple of times and is currently in the Mariners system, where he is the number one prospect.

Justus Sheffield was originally drafted out of high school by the Indians in 2014, but was traded to the Yankees in 2016 in exchange for Andrew Miller. He was then sent to the Mariners in the James Paxton trade.

Sheffield debuted with the Yankees and pitched 2.2 innings for an ERA of 10.13. But, in the minors, his performance was a different story. His 2.2 innings are the only blemish on his record and his career ERA in five seasons in the minor leagues is 3.08 with a WHIP of 1.292 in nearly 500 innings of work.

He’s expected to be a starter and is on the Mariners depth chart, along with seven other pitchers. He will have to earn a spot and will have to compete against pitchers like the newly acquired Yusei Kikuchi and veterans like Wade LeBlanc and Felix Hernandez.

Sheffield has three pitches, a fastball that averages around 94 MPH, a slider, and a changeup. In the minor leagues, he had a K/9 rate of 8.03 and a BABIP of .304.

He is not the tallest pitcher in the MLB at only 5’10 and 200 pounds. But, if Marcus Stroman and Jose Altuve have already proved – size is not everything in the MLB. Stroman is 5’8 and Altuve is 5’6.

Even though King Felix is not the pitcher he was when he won the Cy Young, he could certainly serve as a mentor to the young Sheffield. The six-time All-Star and two-time ERA leader could help Sheffield make his way to the Rookie of the Year award.

The Washington Nationals may not have Bryce Harper anymore, but they have right-handed Victor Robles instead.

Victor Robles will be 22-years-old in May and should be an everyday player by that time. He’s already had two callups with the Nats and both times he’s been more than impressive – especially in 2018. In 2017, he hit .250/.308/.458 with a double, two triples, and four RBI in 24 at-bats. In 2018, he hit .288/.348/.525 with three doubles, a triple, and three home runs. He knocked in 10 runs and stole three bases.

In both call-ups, he played all three outfield positions with perfect fielding percentages. His range factor in all three spots was also better than average, especially in the corners where he had 3.00 RF/9 to the league average 1.85 and 2.10 in left and right accordingly.

Even with his short time in the MLB, he’s already on one leaderboard. IN 2017, he was the youngest player in the NL and in 2018, he was the seventh youngest. The Nats signed him in 2013 when he was only 16 years old, but didn’t debut until 2014. In his five seasons in the minors he earned a career slash of .300/.392/.457 with 28 home runs and 129 stolen bases.

He’s the top prospect in the Nationals organization and the number four prospect in the MLB Pipeline. He’s expected to start at center field, according to the Nationals depth chart. Now that Harper is no longer in right field, Adam Eaton will play there and Juan Soto will man left.

With Robles and Soto (who’s even younger than Robles) in the outfield, it shouldn’t be long before Nats fans forget that Harper was once on their team. Especially since Robles has a Harper-sized personality. These two along with speedy Trea Turner are the future of team.