Head's up, baseball fans.
It wasn’t long ago, we were marveling over the rookie numbers of Mike Trout. His production never slowed, but the level of production we are seeing out of young players has reached a crescendo. Just Google “top players under 25”, it’s everybody.
You can go through it by the recent waves of fresh talent. Five years ago, it was Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Matt Olson lighting up the scene, followed immediately by game-changers like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Ronald Acuña Jr, and Walker Buehler.
Right before the pandemic hit and altered sports reality for a season, we got to see the 2019 debuts of now-commonplace names like Vlad Guerrero Jr, Fernando Tatis Jr, Yordan Alvarez, Pete Alonso, and Eloy Jimenez.
2020 was a weird year where we didn't get to see how many young players were developing, if they even got a chance to play. Some notable debuts were Baltimore's Ryan Mountcastle and Chicago's Luis Robert, with Kyle Lewis of Seattle and Devin Williams of Milwaukee taking the ROTY awards.
Last season did not disappoint in the rookie department, highlighted by the Tampa duo of AL ROTY Randy Arozarena and Wander Franco. Cincinnati infielder Jonathan India won the NL rookie honors while pitchers Trevor Rogers (Miami), Alex Manoah (Toronto), Luis Garcia (Houston), and Shane McClanahan (Tampa) headlined the rookies on the mound.
So who will it be this year? If the recent track record is any indication, we can expect fireworks out of several young faces right out of the gate, and these five guys are the top young players to watch as the 2022 season gets underway.
Bobby Witt, Jr
SS/3B, Kansas City Royals
Baseball's #1 prospect has "unofficially" made the opening day roster. Witt showed up to spring training last year with only 37 minor league games to his name, and the club felt he needed a little more time. This year he arrived carrying a little more muscle after a strong 2021 in the minors where he hit .290 with 33 home runs and 97 RBIs in 123 games.
The Royals are playing Adalberto Mondesi at shortstop and Nicky Lopez at second, which led Witt Jr to switch focus from short to third during minor league camp. Once at Royals spring training, he slid into the third base role with the major leaguers, solidifying his roster spot behind a .407 average at the plate with 2 home runs and 3 doubles in 27 at-bats.
Adley Rutschman
Catcher, Baltimore Orioles
Rutschman has been on the radar of MLB fans for a few years, making his MLB debut last season in Baltimore. His career in the minors has been solid behind at the plate, but it is what the catching prospect does behind the plate that has Orioles fans so excited. Rutschman has elite instincts and a Gold Glove level arm that will keep him on All-Star rosters for the next decade at least.
Last year in the minors Rutschman hit .285 with 23 home runs and 25 doubles along with an .899 OPS. He was called up to the majors briefly, where he hit .231 in 26 at-bats, driving in two runs and scoring three himself.
Rutschman ran into the injury bug this spring, suffering a strained right tricep in a minor-league intrasquad matchup last month that will keep him off the diamond for several weeks. He appears to have avoided serious damage, but the organization has expressed understandable patience with getting their star prospect back on the field. He won't be on the Opening Day roster, but Orioles fans can expect to see their new toy throwing out baserunners by mid-May.
Julio Rodriguez
OF, Seattle Mariners
As expected, Julio Rodriguez made the Mariners opening day roster behind a forceful spring training where he is arguably the most electric prospect in anyone's camp. Rodriguez has limited experience at the upper levels of the minors, but he boasts a Double-A line of .331 average with 30 home runs, 58 doubles, and 157 RBIs in 967 plate appearances.
Rodriguez hit .417 in the Tokyo Olympics for the Dominican Republic, and entered the Mariners camp as their top prospect this spring. In 31 at-bats he has hit .419 with 3 home runs and three stolen bases, a welcoming stat line for Seattle as their 2020 Rookie of the Year outfielder Kyle Lewis is rehabbing a knee injury that will keep him out of the opening day lineup. Enter Rodriguez, who is fluid at all three outfield positions and figures to see a lot of starts in 2022 for the Mariners.
Spencer Torkelson
1B, Detroit Tigers
Torkelson was a top prospect entering the Tigers 2021 camp, but managed a meager 1-for-27 stat line highlighted by 16 strikeouts and injuring his thumb trying to open a can with a knife.
2022 has been a different story, with the young man getting named to the opening day roster after a solid spring training where he is hitting .286 with 1 home run, 4 doubles, and 3 RBIs in 28 at-bats. The Tigers brought back future first-ballot hall of famer Miguel Cabrera to the Motor City, but Miggy already said he would move off first base to make room for Detroit's newest star.
CJ Abrams
SS/2B, San Diego Padres
CJ Abrams entered the 2022 Padres training camp with a host of accolades to his name already: he's the first person since 2006 to hit over .400 in the AZ league (where he also stuck out only 14 times in 156 at-bats), he won the 2018 Pan-American Championship with Team USA (alongside Bobby Witt Jr among others) where he was named to the All-Tournament team, and he also sports a blistering 6.29 60-yard dash.
Abrams came to spring training this year after injuries ended his hopes of a debut in 2021. The loss of star infielder Fernando Tatis Jr until June (at least) opened up the possibility of Abrams making the opening day roster, while San Diego juggles the lineup looking for the best fit in his absence.
For his part, Abrams has basically forced his way onto the team through his play this spring. In 31 at-bats, he sports a .355 average with 2 home runs and 2 stolen bases. Abrams is expected to make the big league roster and be a daily part of the infield rotation even after Tatis Jr returns.
We will follow these young talents throughout the 2022 season, as Witt Jr and Rodriguez lead the Vegas line for Rookie of the Year. Stay tuned! Baseball is back this week folks!
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