Baseball America’s final rookie update for 2025 rounds up the season’s top newcomers, naming three favorites for Rookie of the Year in each league and presenting an overall top-20 list that reflects five months of play and what’s expected to unfold in September.
American League Rookie of the Year
– Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics: The standout rookie has produced a 1.000 OPS at the 350-plate-appearance threshold and even logged a four-homer game. He’s one of the season’s most impressive power values for a first baseman, with a slugging pattern that shows strong pull-side performance for a hitter who has adapted well to the big leagues. His early-career arc draws comparisons to a youthful Yordan Álvarez.
– Roman Anthony, OF, Red Sox: In the second half, Anthony has taken his game to another level, belting four of his six home runs after the break and posting a wRC+ well north of 150. His groundball rate has declined while his pull rate has risen, and he’s hitting .300 with a .400-plus on-base percentage in the month stretch, making him a dangerous offensive contributor.
– Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics: Wilson’s season faced a hiccup when he was hit by a pitch on July 8, causing a hand contusion and a July slump. He’s back and healthy as of late August, returning to his high-contact, all-fields approach and contributing at the top of the lineup.
National League Rookie of the Year
– Drake Baldwin, C, Braves (PPI Eligible): Baldwin stands as the lone NL rookie with a realistic path to a Rookie of the Year award tied to a Potential Payoff Incentive (PPI) draft pick. He’s viewed as a solid, defensive-minded catcher who continues to learn the position, and his expected weighted on-base average trails only Kurtz and Anthony among the rookie group.
– Cade Horton, RHP, Cubs: Since being called up on May 10, Horton has held a rotation spot and shown a late-season uptick. In July and August, he’s gone 5-2 with a 1.11 ERA, striking out 44 and walking 15 in 48.2 innings. His swinging-strike rate ranks among the elite for rookie starters this year.
– Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers: Misiorowski’s sky-high upside as a power arm is evident, but the NL ROY race remains fluid. He’s the hardest-throwing rookie starter with elite fastball and breaking-pitch quality, though he’s posted an 8.16 ERA over his last four starts.
Other notable contenders: Brewers outfielder Isaac Collins has surged after a Rule 5 kind of path, Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw has rebounded to become a regular with continued power, and Marlins catcher Agustín Ramírez remains a strong contributor with notable slugging but some defensive and on-base gaps. Also in play are Cubs outfielder Matt Shaw and Marlins catcher Agustín Ramírez, who has shown power but uneven defense.
Top 20 Rookies
1. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics (AL ROY winner)
2. Roman Anthony, RF, Red Sox (AL ROY finalist)
3. Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics (AL ROY finalist)
4. Drake Baldwin, C, Braves (NL ROY winner)
5. Cade Horton, RHP, Cubs (NL ROY finalist)
6. Will Warren, RHP, Yankees
– Steadiest rookie arm this season; back from a July dip, he posted a 3.54 ERA in August across 20.1 innings. Leads rookies in strikeouts (146), is tied for first in fWAR (2.1), and second in innings (131).
7. Jasson Domínguez, LF, Yankees
– Roughly league-average at the plate for a 22-year-old, but a daily contributor as the Yankees’ everyday left fielder with big power, speed, and arm strength; continues to improve his consistency.
8. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers (NL ROY finalist)
9. Kyle Teel, C, White Sox
– Impressive debut run; through 53 games he’s produced 1.6 fWAR and has surged in August (.319/.388/.444 with two homers in 21 games). Third among qualified rookies with a 127 wRC+ through Aug. 28.
10. Isaac Collins, OF, Brewers
– A contributor who emerged from a Rule 5 background to become a legitimate NL rookie impact player, slashing .270/.368/.421 with eight homers and 15 steals in 109 games, while playing solid defense in the corners.
11. Colson Montgomery, SS, White Sox
– A prospect who transformed into a productive big-league hitter, with 14 homers in his first 165 plate appearances since July 22. He’s been hotter than most in a late-season surge.
12. Matt Shaw, 3B, Cubs
– Rebounded after an earlier demotion; since May 19 he’s slashed .240/.293/.407 with 10 homers in 81 games and a role in Chicago’s playoff push.
13. Cam Smith, RF, Astros
– A strong spring and Opening Day start gave way to a tougher August, but he’s still in the mix as a young outfielder with potential.
14. Agustín Ramírez, C, Marlins
– A white-hot April gave way to a cooler stretch, yet his 18 home runs remain among rookie leaders with several defensive positives behind the plate.
15. Carlos Narváez, C, Red Sox
– A durable, defensive-minded catcher who’s taken hold of Boston’s starting job, slashing .187/.241/.336 since July 1 but contributing behind the plate and guiding a young pitching staff.
16. Cole Young, 2B, Mariners
– A bat-to-ball profile with good plate discipline (roughly a 10.6% walk rate) and everyday exposure at second, though some defensive metrics lag.
17. Chad Patrick, RHP, Brewers
– A frequent flyer between Nashville and Milwaukee; tied for the rookie lead in fWAR among pitchers (2.1) with a 3.60 ERA and strong strikeout rate, though rotation opportunities are competitive.
18. Caleb Durbin, 3B, Brewers
– Regular at third with speed and contact skills; low strikeout rate (9.5%) and solid contact, but power and patience remain middling.
19. Shane Smith, RHP, White Sox
– Rule 5 pick who became an All-Star candidate early, then faced a tougher stretch; back on an upward arc with a mid-90s fastball and quality changeup.
20. Noah Cameron, LHP, Royals
– A tradition of effectiveness with minimal damage; among rookies, he leads in opponent average (.215) through 100+ innings, using a deep, varied arsenal to suppress offenses.
What this means going into September
– The rookie class remains exceptionally deep on both sides of the league, with a blend of power-hitting adjacencies, contact hitters, and pitching depth that could shape late-season races and future rosters.
– AL stands out with Kurtz and Anthony delivering sustained impact at the top of lineups, while the NL features a most-open race with Baldwin and Horton showing high ceilings amid a crowded field.
– Teams should watch for continued development from catchers and right-handed starters who have shown both ceiling and durability, as well as young hitters who can translate flashes of power and patience into consistent production.
Summary and outlook
– Baseball America’s final 2025 rookie rankings underscore a robust cohort of first-year players who have already left a mark across both leagues. With September’s stretch run ahead, several of these rookies could swing postseason races and, in some cases, set the stage for breakout seasons in 2026. The year’s rookie class looks poised to help several teams both in the standings and in long-term development trajectories, offering hopeful signs for fans of many franchises.