MLB Rookie Rankings: Wilson, Baldwin early front-runners

Welcome to the second edition of theScore's 2025 Rookie of the Year rankings, where we look at the top five rookies in each league. Odds courtesy of theScore Bet and ESPN Bet.

American League

5. Noah Cameron, Royals

Outside of one rough outing against the New York Yankees, Cameron has been incredible. He hasn't allowed more than a single earned run in any of his other six starts, five of which have lasted at least six innings. His FIP and underlying metrics suggest this level of success likely isn't sustainable, but Cameron undoubtedly deserves a place on this list.

4. Shane Smith, White Sox

The right-hander has deployed a five-pitch mix, headlined by a fastball that averages 95.2 mph, to impressive results. Smith has struggled to get batters to chase consistently, yet still has found success by limiting their quality of contact. He has only allowed more than three earned runs in one of his 14 starts and has only failed to complete five innings three times.

3. Chase Meidroth, White Sox

Meidroth is putting together a strong rookie campaign after being dealt to Chicago in the Garrett Crochet trade. His counting stats don't jump off the page, but he's managed a .358 on-base percentage and the fourth-most fWAR among AL rookie position players. He's also displayed great range at shortstop, ranking in the 89th percentile for outs above average.

2. Carlos Narváez, Red Sox

With more playing time, Narváez has continued to impress - his 2.5 fWAR, .814 OPS, and 127 wRC+ rank second among AL rookies. He's also solidified himself as an elite defensive catcher since the last edition of these rankings, scoring well above average in every metric. He's someone to watch amid the youth movement in Boston.

1. Jacob Wilson, Athletics

Wilson is putting together an all-time great rookie season. The 23-year-old ranks second in the league in total hits (98) and batting average (.360) behind only Aaron Judge. He isn't just hitting for contact either, as his eight home runs are also tops among AL rookies. Wilson has the look of a franchise cornerstone for the Athletics, and the award is his to lose, barring a massive slump or injury.

National League

5. Liam Hicks, Marlins

The Canadian catcher's game doesn't jump off the page, but he does a few things very well. One of them is putting the ball in play: Hicks' 19 strikeouts are the fewest among NL rookies with at least 120 at-bats, and he's done so while racking up a respectable 12 extra-base hits. Hicks is also second among NL rookies with 25 RBIs.

4. Hyeseong Kim, Dodgers

Kim has only played in 30 games this season, but he's already accrued the third-most fWAR (0.9) among all rookie position players in the NL. While he's not likely to maintain a 175 wRC+ the rest of the way, his expected batting average (.293) suggests the hits are for real. He's also already stolen six bases thanks to his legitimate speed. Clearly, Kim is in a great situation as a productive, versatile player in a loaded lineup.

3. Chad Patrick, Brewers

Patrick has delivered both quality and quantity: his 79 2/3 innings and 1.6 fWAR are both tops among NL rookie pitchers. He's delivered five quality starts and only allowed more than three earned runs in a game twice all year. The young pitcher has been a great story for the Brewers and looks capable of keeping this up despite pedestrian strikeout numbers.

2. Ben Casparius, Dodgers

The 26-year-old has been a stabilizing arm amid the Dodgers' seemingly never-ending rash of pitching injuries. Casparius has limited free passes and hard contact exceptionally well - his 5.2% walk rate and 31.3 hard-hit% both rank in the 89th percentile or better - and his 2.23 FIP suggests he's been somewhat unlucky and could improve on his already good 3.02 ERA. His recent move to the starting rotation should only boost his stock.

1. Drake Baldwin, Braves

Even if Baldwin has fallen back to earth a bit, he's still putting up great numbers. His fWAR (1.5) leads all qualified NL rookie position players, his seven home runs are tied for second, and his wRC+ (123) and OPS (.800) rank top three. The underlying metrics are also encouraging, as he's hitting the ball hard without striking out very much. Defensively, Baldwin has thrown out runners at an above-average clip while grading in the 77th percentile for framing. He's the complete package and the NL's most valuable rookie.