In 2024, NL Rookie of the Year winner Paul Skenes (Pirates) was incredible in his rookie season where he had an 11-3 record over 133 innings with a 1.96 ERA and a 170:38 stikeout-to-walk ratio. He was in the CY Young race until the season's last month when the team started easing up on his innings to save his arm.
His competition for Rookie of the Year, Jackson Merrill, burst onto the scene as a 21-year-old, making his first start in center field at any level on Opening Day and going on to hit .292/.326/.500 with 24 HRs, 90 RBIs, and 16 SBs over the course of the season for the San Diego Padres.
Another NL rookie, Jackson Chourio (Brewers), had high expectations after signing an eight-year, $82 million contract before his MLB debut. He hit .275/.325/.464 with 21 HRs, 79 RBIs, and 22 SBs over the 2024 season.
New York Yankees rookie Luis Gil stunned the junior circuit with his breakout campaign. He had only 29.2 innings pitched between 2022 and 2023 due to undergoing Tommy John surgery, but in 2024, he made the Opening Day roster because of Gerrit Cole's injury. Gil went on to start 29 games, produced a 15-7 record, logged an ERA of 3.52, and struck out 171 batters on his way to claiming the AL Rookie of the Year award.
Many names are being talked about as the top rookies going into 2025, like Dylan Crews (Nationals), Roman Anthony (Red Sox), Jackson Jobe (Tigers), and Jasson Domínguez (Yankees). All except Anthony gained limited MLB experience in 2024, but four rookies are not being talked about enough looking toward 2025.
Four surprise rookies who could impact 2025's MLB season
Kristian Campbell
Before being drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 draft by the Boston Red Sox, Campbell played college baseball at Georgia Tech. There was minimal talk about the 22-year-old after the draft, and he would only play in 22 games between the Rookie and A affiliates in 2023. In 2024, though, Campbell played 115 games between A, AA, and AAA, hitting a combined .330/.439/.558 with 20 HRs, 77 RBIs, and 22 SBs. He was among the top rookies and earned the honors of Baseball America's 2024 Minor Leaguer of the Year.
In the minor leagues, Campbell has logged innings at every position except first base and catcher, so he has plenty of flexibility to fill in holes on the Red Sox roster. The bad thing for the five-tool player is that there are no clear paths to making the Opening Day roster, as the lineup looks pretty set with nearly everyone from 2024 returning.
Depending on injuries or trades, his call-up will likely come in the second half of the season. Whenever he does get the call, Campbell will have a significant impact on helping the team crack the AL East gauntlet and make a playoff push.
Matt Shaw
Shaw is the oldest of these prospects at 23, but the Chicago Cubs drafted him as a polished bat in the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Maryland.
He has logged innings at second base, shortstop, and third base between college and the minors over the last few seasons, giving him some versatility on the infield grass. Over 443 at-bats between AA and AAA in 2024, Shaw hit .284/.379/.488 with 21 HRs, 71 RBIs, and 31 SBs.
He is a five-tool player who could make impactful contributions to the Cubs. The Cubs traded away Isaac Paredes to acquire Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, which means there is a hole open at third base in the 2025 season. Fangraphs has him projected to crack the Opening Day roster. There's little competition at the hot corner as of right now, so Shaw should have ample time to prove himself without looking over his shoulder.
Jac Caglianone
Caglianone was a power phenom at the University of Florida, where he set the career HR record (75) and the single-season record (35) in 2024. Against Jacksonville, he famously hit a mammoth 516 feet HR.
He was selected sixth overall by the Kansas City Royals in last season's draft. He is a dual-threat player who plays first base and pitches from the left side, although he will focus on hitting to begin his major league career because that is how he can quickly impact the Royals organization.
Caglianone got invited to Spring Training, a rare occurrence for the Royals, who tend to take their time while developing their first-round picks. The last time this happened was 2006 (Alex Gordon).
The Royals are projecting Jonathon India to start at DH and Vinnie Pasquantino at first base. Still, an injury to either could lead to the former Gator making his MLB debut sooner rather than later, where his power should find quick success in the Royals lineup.
Jordan Lawlar
Lawlar was drafted sixth overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2021 out of Jesuit Prep school in Dallas, TX. He can play shortstop and third base and has bounced all over the minor leagues, where he has had an up-and-down career.
He got a brief stint in the MLB in 2023 as a September call-up, but he struggled, hitting an abysmal .129 over 31 at-bats. He only played in 23 games in 2024, during a season plagued with injuries. He had a torn ligament in his thumb from fielding a groundball; a week after his return, he suffered a Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, and after a month out, he reinjured the strain on a rehab assignment.
He is currently playing in a winter league in the Dominican Republic, hitting .237 over 93 at-bats. He will start 2025 in AAA, but that could quickly change if Geraldo Perdomo struggles or gets injured. He was not ready in 2023, but he is a five-tool player with immense talent who could finally have the runway (and health) to succeed in 2025.