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In recent years, the MLB rookie class has not disappointed. Two seasons ago, we saw Julio Rodriguez, Adley Rutschman, Spencer Strider, and Bobby Witt Jr. all make their debuts. Now, those four players are superstars in the league. Rodriguez, Rutschman, and Witt also all finished top 10 in American League MVP voting in 2023.
Last year, we saw Corbin Carroll, Gunnar Henderson, and Elly De La Cruz all make an impact right away. Those three players are set for a big sophomore surge after showing potential in their first year. Carroll and Henderson both won Rookie of the Year in their respective leagues, while De La Cruz has such a high ceiling in 2024.
Every year, rookies come in and make an immediate impact. This season should be no different. So, let's take a look at which rookies from the American League will be a bright spot in Year 1.
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Honorable Mention: Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday falls just outside this list because he didn't make the Opening Day roster. However, the expectation is that he will be up with the team at some point this year, and when he does, he will be a player who will make an immediate impact in Baltimore.
Holliday is the former No. 1 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft and has excelled in his short time in the minors. He batted .323 with 12 home runs, 75 RBI, 30 doubles, nine triples, and 24 stolen bases across four levels (Single-A, High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A) last season. The 20-year-old infielder also hit the ball well in spring training this year, where he hit .311 with two HRs, six RBI, three doubles, and two triples.
Round trip Holliday 👏 pic.twitter.com/e5n2OyT8w9
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) March 19, 2024
Holliday did everything he could to make the Orioles' Opening Day roster. Nonetheless, Baltimore decided to give him a few extra reps in Triple-A to begin the season.
Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox
There were a lot of players who could have gone in this spot, but Ceddanne Rafaela is destined to make an immediate impact with the Boston Red Sox. With injuries to Vaughn Grissom and Rob Refsnyder to begin the season, Rafaela is in a prime spot to get playing time right off the bat.
Despite not showing much in the final 28 games of the 2023 season, Rafaela has already shown adjustments at the plate this spring. He has a .281 batting average with three HRs, eight RBI, six doubles, and four stolen bases in 21 spring training games. Those stats are all up from his 2023 season, where he had a .241 average with two HRs, five RBI, six doubles, and three stolen bases to end last year.
Looking forward to Ceddanne Rafaela being a defensive freak all season.
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) March 23, 2024
Of course, you should take spring training stats with a grain of salt, but there's a reason why the Red Sox decided to make him a part of their Opening Day roster. Rafaela also has the versatility to play multiple positions (second base, shortstop, and center field), which will allow him to get plenty of plate appearances in 2024. That will certainly help with the 23-year-old's development in the majors.
Evan Carter, Texas Rangers
Evan Carter will enter the 2024 season with some MLB experience after being a key part of the Texas Rangers' postseason run. Carter hit .306 with five HRs and 12 RBI in 23 regular-season games to end his 2023 campaign before continuing his strong play in the playoffs. The outfielder hit .300 in 17 postseason games.
However, Carter is still technically a rookie because he didn't exceed more than 130 at-bats in 2023. That will put him in the running for the AL Rookie of the Year award, which he should have a chance to win this season. The lefty slugger has the second-best odds (+310 on DraftKings) to win it in 2024.
.@Crawford_MILB thinks Evan Carter has all the tools to become a fantasy superstar.
More bold predictions for the 2024 MLB season: https://t.co/1uWyHzeeN7 pic.twitter.com/F5D4b4izC8
— Rotoworld Baseball (@rotoworld_bb) March 26, 2024
Carter might have little experience in the majors, but in just 40 games (regular season and postseason combined), he has shown he can be a reliable bat in Texas's lineup. He has also been hitting the ball hard this spring, totaling two HRs and 10 RBI behind a .277 average. The 21-year-old will get everyday plate appearances with the Rangers in 2024.
Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers
When the Rangers selected Wyatt Langford with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the expectation was that Langford didn't need many minor league reps. He was already an established hitter who was going to make his professional debut faster than anyone in that draft class. Not even one full year later, and the Florida product already made the team's Opening Day roster.
Langford received the news only a couple of days ago after a phenomenal spring. The 22-year-old outfielder hit .375 with six HRs, 20 RBI, and two doubles across 63 plate appearances. That ultimately earned him a spot on the Rangers roster -- where he should see a role from the start.
Langford is the clear favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year, and he should be after his strong minor league season in 2023. He hit .360 with 10 HRs, 30 RBI, and 17 doubles in 44 games across three levels (High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A). He'll be a big part of Texas's offense this season.
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