Senga starred as one of Japan’s top pitchers for 11 seasons before signing a five-year, $75 million contract with the Mets in December. His elite speed, outstanding glove in center field, premium hitting ability and sneaky power have him ready to take over as a dynamic leadoff hitter atop the D-backs’ lineup on Opening Day.ģ0.7: Carroll’s Statcast sprint speed, in feet per second, fastest of any player in the major leagues last season.

The 5-foot-10 Carroll continued to dismiss questions about his stature as he stormed from Double-A to the majors last year. With a rhythmic, powerful lefthanded swing, impressive speed, smooth hands and a cannon for an arm, Henderson is ready to pair with Adley Rutschman as Orioles cornerstones.ĩ2.4 mph: Henderson’s average exit velocity in 2022, which ranked 16th highest among players with at least 50 batted balls. The 2022 Minor League Player of the Year zipped from Double-A to the majors and never looked overmatched against big league pitching.

Here, we present the top 20 rookies to watch for 2023, taking both talent and opportunity into account. The importance of young talent continues to grow every year, and the number of rookies making significant impacts does too. had 20 homers and 30 stolen bases, and Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan emerged as one of baseball’s best pure contact hitters. Angels lefthander Reid Detmers threw a no-hitter on his way to a breakout season, Royals third baseman Bobby Witt Jr. Mariners righthander George Kirby made his debut during the season and became a fixture in Seattle’s playoff rotation. Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña won a Gold Glove and the ALCS and World Series MVP awards, becoming the first rookie shortstop to do any of those things. Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez, Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, Braves outfielder Michael Harris and Braves righthander Spencer Strider all emerged as instant stars last season and altered the fortunes of their respective franchises. If there is ever any doubt about how much of an impact rookies can have on a team, one need only look to the 2022 rookie class.

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