Top 10 MLB Rookies 2022 Rankings

Ranking the best rookies in baseball right now for the 2022 MLB Season as Julio Rodriguez leads the way

By admin | October 17, 2022

The next wave of talent has arrived within Major League Baseball as the 2022 MLB rookie crop is as good as we have seen over the past few seasons.

While the start of their careers have just begun, the future looks promising for each of the MLB rookies landing on the Top 10 MLB Rookies 2022 MLB end of season rankings list.

Headlining the list of the top MLB rookies during the 2022 MLB schedule is AL Rookie of the Year candidate Julio Rodriguez.

As Rodriguez put together a stellar individual performance, his performance helped transform a Seattle Mariners into a playoff caliber team. With Rodriguez as one part of their lineup, the Mariners ended a 20-year playoff drought.

However, Rodriguez is just one of the many rookies who put together strong campaigns across the 2022 MLB schedule.

Joining Rodriguez on the list of the top MLB rookies includes the former top overall prospect Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles, Bobby Witt Jr of the Kansas City Royals, and potential NL Rookies of the Years Spencer Strider and Michael Harris II of the Atlanta Braves. Here is a look at the Top 10 MLB Rookies 2022 MLB end of season rankings list.

Honorable Mention

Oneil Cruz

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Landing just outside of the 10 MLB Rookies 2022 MLB end of season rankings list is the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Oneil Cruz.

Cruz, who is one of the tallest players in all of Major League Baseball at six foot seven inches, put together a strong rookie season.

The Pirates middle infielder finished the year with 17 home runs, 54 runs batted in to go along with a .233 batting average.

As Cruz develops, his potential to be a top tier shortstop in baseball will also increase with size, speed, and power to back up his performance.

Brock Burke

Team: Texas Rangers

Relievers around Major League Baseball often get overshadowed outside of the dominant closers around the game.

With that said, the Texas Rangers rookie Brock Burke was as good as nearly any reliever in baseball outside of some of the top tier MLB closers.

Among rookie pitchers with at least 70 innings of work, Burke finished with the top earned run average with a 1.97 mark.

In addition to the strong earned run average, Burke posted a 7-5 overall record, a 1.06 WHIP, and 90 strikeouts over 82.1 innings of work.

Top 10 MLB Rookies

10. Joe Ryan

Team: Minnesota Twins

Coming in at number 10 on the 10 MLB Rookies 2022 MLB end of season rankings list is the Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan. Ryan led all rookie pitchers in wins (13), innings pitched (147) and games started (27).

As Ryan developed into one of the team’s more reliable starters, the Twins starter finished with a strong 3.55 earned run average to go along with a 1.10 WHIP and an overall .211 batting average against mark.

9. MJ Melendez

Team: Kansas City Royals

As all eyes were on his rookie teammate Bobby Witt Jr, MJ Melendez turned in his own strong performance while ranking among the top rookie catchers in all of baseball.

The Royals catcher finished the season with 100 hits, 57 runs scored, 18 home runs, and 62 runs batted. In addition, with his strong play at the plate, Melendez was a solid defensive catcher among all MLB catchers.

Melendez, who was just 24 years old during the season has a ton of room to mature after posting 460 at bats this season.

8. Jose Miranda

Team: Minnesota Twins

While Jose Miranda rookie teammate Joe Ryan was strong on the mound, The Minnesota Twins rookie first baseman put together a strong season at the plate.

Miranda, who the Twins drafted in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft, took home the AL Rookie of the Month award for July after hitting five home runs and driving in 19 runs across 20 games played.

Overall, Miranda finished the season with 15 home runs, 25 doubles, 66 runs batted in and a .268 batting average across 125 games played. Miranda ranked 3rd in runs batted in, 9th in home runs, and tied for 5th in doubles among all MLB rookies.

7. Steven Kwan

Team: Cleveland Guardians

If you are looking for another young and talented team the Cleveland Guardians are loaded with a ton of young talent including Steven Kwan.

Kwan, who turned 25 in early September is one of the key parts of the Guardians roster that helped the team win the AL Central Division and a spot in the MLB Playoffs.

Over the course of the season Overall on the year Kwan ranked 12th in all of baseball with a .298 batting average and 16th in total hits with 168 on the year over just 147 games played. Kwan picked up six home runs and drove in 52 runs

6. Jeremy Pena

Team: Houston Astros

With the departure of All-Star shortstop to free agency the Houston Astros were looking for their future replacement.

Luckily for the club, that replacement was Jeremy Pena who the team selected during the 2018 MLB draft. Pena, who is just 25 years old, is also joining Steven Kwan and Julio Rodriguez during the postseason.

The Astros shortstop finished the season batting .253 on the year with 22 home runs and 63 runs batted in. Despite struggles at various times during the season, Pena has been one of the more consistent rookies in all of baseball.

5. Spencer Strider

Team: Atlanta Braves

At number five on the Top 10 MLB Rookies 2022 MLB end of season rankings list is one of the many young stars of the Atlanta Braves roster Spencer Strider.

Strider, who also joins fellow rookie Michael Harris II as one of the top National League rookies over the course of the 2022 MLB season, is coming off a strong campaign on the mound.

The Braves starter ranked among the tops in starting pitching among all active rookies during the MLB schedule 2022.

The 23-year-old finished the season with an 11-5 overall record to go along with a 2.67 earned run average, and 202 strikeouts.

4. Bobby Witt Jr

Team: Kansas City Royals

Entering the 2022 MLB season Bobby Witt Jr was one of the top prospects in all of baseball and one that was expected to be one of the top contenders for the AL Rookie of the Year award.

The Kansas City Royals shortstop did just that, finishing the season with a .254 batting average to go along with 20 home runs, 80 runs batted in and a .722 OPS mark.

Witt Jr finished the 2022 MLB season ranked 2nd in hits (150), 2nd in doubles (31), 3rd in home runs (20), and first in runs batted in (80) among all qualified MLB rookies.

3. Adley Rutschman

Team: Baltimore Orioles

After posting 100 plus losses in multiple seasons over the past few years, the Baltimore Orioles bounced back during the 2022 MLB schedule to post an 83-79 record.

Much of that success came with the strong play behind the plate with a very young pitching staff including former top overall prospect Adley Rutschman who was called up from the club’s minor league club.

Over 113 games down the stretch, the Orioles catcher posted a .254 batting average to go along with a .362 on base percentage, 13 home runs, 42 runs batted in and 35 doubles. The 35 doubles broke an Orioles record for doubles while helping him lead all rookies.

2. Michael Harris II

Team: Atlanta Braves

It is hard to imagine how great of a season Michael Harris II could have had if he would have played the entire season in the Majors.

The Atlanta Braves center appeared in 114 games after getting called up on May 28th, 2022, to make his MLB debut.

After his debut it was no looking back as Harris II continued to impress both at the plate and in the field as one of the top defensive center fielders in all of baseball.

The Braves talented rookie finished the season with a .297 batting average to go along with 64 runs batted in and 19 home runs.

1. Julio Rodriguez

Team: Seattle Mariners

In the end it is hard to look past the season the Seattle Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez had and his impact on a club that had failed to make the playoffs in the previous 20 MLB seasons.

Rodriguez, who was just 21 years old during the 2022 MLB schedule, made the 2022 MLB All-Star team, nearly won the MLB Home Run Derby, and ranked near the tops in every offensive category among MLB rookies.

Rodriguez finished the season with 28 home runs, 25 doubles, 25 stolen bases, a .284 batting average, and 145 hits.

How would you rank these MLB rookies so far this season? Rank below to be added in the MLB Power Rankings