Top 10 MLB Rookie Predictions 2023 Rankings

Ranking the best MLB Rookie Predictions going into the 2023 MLB Season

By admin | April 18, 2023

The next wave of Major League Baseball talent is just around the corner as the 2023 MLB season is slowly starting to take center stage.

While the veterans and stars of the game continue to deliver, the next wave of talent delivers promise while featuring some of the top young stars of the future.

After watching top rookies Bobby Witt Jr of the Kansas City Royals, Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners, and Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles all take flight last season the 2023 MLB rookie class looks to be promising to include the Top 10 rookies landing on the Top 10 MLB Rookie Predictions 2023 rankings list.

One name that is front and center around all Major League Baseball is the Baltimore Orioles top prospect Gunnar Henderson who enters the season splitting time at both third base and designated hitter. As expectations are high on the Orioles infield prospect, he is just one of many that expectations are high on.

Others joining Henderson among the rookies who project to have the best season include Antony Volpe of the New York Mets, Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Miguel Vargas of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Masataka Yoshida of the Boston Red Sox. Here is a look at the Top 10 rookies landing on the Top 10 MLB Rookie Predictions 2023 rankings list.

Honorable Mention

Grayson Rodríguez

Team: Baltimore Orioles

Position: Starting Pitcher

Landing just outside of the Top 10 on the Top 10 rookies landing on the Top 10 MLB Rookie Predictions 2023 rankings list is the Baltimore Orioles top overall pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, who is just 23 years old, has the stuff to anchor the Orioles starting rotation while ranking among the best pitchers in all of baseball.

After a hot start last season Rodriguez was shut down due to an arm injury that kept him out of Baltimore while also limiting him to just 17 stars. The Orioles starter has the stuff to be a 15–20-win pitcher each season after getting his feet wet during the 2023 MLB season.

Hunter Brown

Team: Houston Astros

Position: Starting Pitcher

A name to watch for all MLB seasons is that of Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros. Brown, who was acquired by the Astros during the fifth round of the 2019 MLB Draft finished the 2022 MLB season with a 9-4 record while also earning two stars and seven total appearances for the Astros last season.

Brown has the size and ability to be a strikeout pitcher while ranking among the best young arms in all of baseball. Brown has posted at least 114 strikeouts in three of the past four MLB seasons.

Top 10 MLB Rookie Predictions

10. Triston Casas

Team: Boston Red Sox

Position: First Baseman

Coming in at number 10 on the Top 10 MLB Rookie Predictions 2023 rankings list is the Boston Red Sox talented first baseman Triston Casas.

Casas who is just 23 years old was drafted by the Boston Red Sox within the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft. After hitting 23 doubles and 12 home runs last year in the minors Triston Casas got the call to join the Red Sox while posting 76 total at bats including hitting five home runs.

While Casas has gotten off to a slow start during the 2023 MLB season, look for him to build on his potential while becoming a face of the Red Sox organization.

9. Brett Baty

Team: New York Mets

Position: Third Baseman

Another top caliber future star of Major League Baseball pushing for his callup this season is the New York Mets prospect Brett Baty.

Baty who was called up for 11 games last season is red hot to start the 2023 MILB schedule has five home runs, two doubles and 15 runs batted in during his first nine games of the 2023 Minor League Baseball season.

The Mets minor leaguer is an all-around solid hitter who can hit for power and hit for average while also finding ways to reach base for the Mets minor league affiliates since being drafted in 2019.

8. Kodai Senga

Team: New York Mets

Position: Starting Pitcher

While not as young as many of the other MLB rookies, Kodai Senga arrives in Major League Baseball ranked among the best rookies in all of baseball.

After playing his final season in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, Senga elected to sign a five-year deal with the Mets during December of 2022.

Senga was dominant during his time in the NPB making three All-Star teams, leading his team to five Japan Series Championships, and posting a career 87-44 record to go along with 1,252 strikeouts.

Senga has the potential to be a dark horse NL Rookie of the Year candidate once the Mets have Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander anchoring the rotation.

7. Josh Jung

Team: Texas Rangers

Position: Third Baseman

All signs point to the Texas Rangers third baseman to be a contender for the AL Rookie of the Year race while starting off the 2023 MLB season solid.

Jung, who made his debut during the 2022 MLB Season will be the focus point of the Rangers lineup while allowing time for his team to analyze how good Jung is in the field and at the plate.

While Jung has not shown a ton of power in the Minors his breakout season of 19 home runs during the 2021 MILB season landed him on the radar of many MLB teams around the game.

6. Miguel Vargas

Los Angeles Dodgers

Position: Third Baseman, First Baseman, Second Baseman

Ranking among the best prospects in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, Miguel Vargas has officially made the jump to the majors during the 2023 MLB Season.

After getting a shot with the team for 18 games last season, Vargas opened the 2023 MLB Season on the active roster while starting 11 games to start the season.

The Dodgers minor leaguer posted at least 27 doubles in each of the last three MILB seasons while also adding at least 27 home runs in each of the past two minor league seasons Vargas has appeared in. In addition, Vargas adds a speed element that also has the potential to swipe a bae any team he reaches base this season.

5. Masataka Yoshida

Team: Boston Red Sox

Position: Left Fielder

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 MLB Rookie Predictions 2023 rankings list is the Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida.

Yoshida who was one of the biggest offseason acquisitions after electing to join Major League Baseball while leaving the NPB.

The Mets talented star put together a strong career in the NPB finishing with 133 home runs to go along with a career .327 batting average while also leading the league in hitting in two different seasons.

Yoshida has the potential to be a .300 plus hitter while also adding 15-25 home runs and 50-75 runs batted in as his rookie season wraps up in October of 2023.

4. Jordan Walker

Team: St. Louis Cardinals

Position: Right Fielder

If Jordan Walker was not on your radar entering the 2023 MLB Season, he should be now after starting the season with hits in 12 straight games for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Walker who was drafted by the Cardinals during the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft is just 20 years old while making his MLB debut during the 2023 MLB Season.

Walker finished up the 2022 MILB season with 31 doubles, 19 home runs, 68 runs batted in to go along with 22 stolen bases. The future looks promising for Walker as he looks to compete for the NL Rookie of the Year Award.

3. Anthony Volpe

Team: New York Yankees

Position: Shortstop

When you play for the New York Yankees, all eyes will be on you from the earliest days in the minors to the day you get called up to the big-league roster and every day after that.

That is the case with Anthony Volpe who not only got the call up to the big-league roster but also landed the starting spot at shortstop for the Yankees in 2023.

Volpe has posted at least 35 doubles and 21 home runs in each of the past two MILB seasons while building his resume to land him on the Yankees roster in 2023.

Volpe has the potential to hit 20 home runs and drive in 60 runs in his first season in Major League Baseball while playing strong defense for the Yankees.

2. Corbin Carroll

Team: Arizona Diamondbacks

Position: Left Fielder

After starting the season down in the minors, it was nearly impossible to hold back Corbin Carroll any longer after picking up 12 hits including three home runs over his first 47 at bats in the minor leagues this season.

Carroll entered the 2023 MLB Season ranked among the best players in all Minor League Baseball while ranking among the best prospects in all of baseball.

Carroll posted 24 home runs to go along with 22 doubles and 62 runs batted in last season while also stealing 31 bases. The speedy left fielder for the Diamondbacks has the potential to post a 25/25 season.

1. Gunnar Henderson

Team: Baltimore Orioles

Position: Third Baseman, Designated Hitter

In at number one on the Top 10 MLB Rookie Predictions 2023 rankings list is the Baltimore Orioles top prospect and current third baseman/designated hitter Gunnar Henderson.

Henderson, who got a late season call up last season joins another talented former prospect Adley Rutschman in a very young Orioles lineup.

After picking up 121 hits last season in 407 at bats in the Minor Leagues, Henderson got the callup to the Majors while showcasing his true abilities while hitting seven doubles, one triple, four home runs and driving in 18 runs in just 34 games played for the Orioles.

With expectations set high in 2023, Henderson made the opening day roster with the hopes of a 20-home run, 20 double, and 75 run batted in first season takes place in 2023.