MLB Rookie Rankings: Both races wide open early on

Welcome to the first 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. Kristian Campbell, Red Sox

Campbell has slowed down considerably after a hot start to the campaign, but his early-season surge keeps him on this list. His job appears safe for now, with the Red Sox severely lacking infield depth and testing him out at first base. Still, the 22-year-old needs to rediscover his April form to climb up these rankings in the coming weeks.

4. Shane Smith, White Sox

Smith has been a pleasant surprise for a White Sox team desperate for positives. While his xERA (3.44) and xFIP (4.05) imply some regression could be looming, Smith has been the most consistent rookie pitcher in the AL this season without question.

3. Carlos Narváez, Red Sox

Campbell has gotten all the headlines, but Narváez has been the most productive rookie for the Red Sox thus far. He appears to be Boston's long-awaited answer at catcher, combining above-average offense (127 OPS+) with strong defensive numbers. Narváez ranks in the 93rd percentile in framing and 92nd percentile in caught stealing above average.

2. Jasson Domínguez, Yankees

Yankees fans have been waiting for "The Martian" to land for a long time, and it seems he's finally arrived. Although Domínguez's counting stats are inflated thanks to his epic three-homer, seven-RBI game, he's still been making strides at the plate. The 22-year-old is growing into a polished hitter, but his dreadful defense in the outfield is holding back his overall value.

1. Jacob Wilson, Athletics

Wilson has emerged as one of baseball's most unique hitters. He's a contact machine who doesn't strike out (5.1% K rate) or walk (5.1% BB rate) yet owns a 148 wRC+. His successfully aggressive approach, paired with positive defensive grades at shortstop, has him leading all AL rookies in fWAR by a healthy margin.

National League

5. Liam Hicks, Marlins

Hicks has formed one half of an exciting young catching duo in Miami with Agustín Ramírez, who narrowly missed cracking this list. Hicks has shown advanced control of the strike zone as a hitter with excellent K, chase, and whiff rates. He's struggled to throw out runners on defense but grades in the 97th percentile for blocks above average.

4. Chad Patrick, Brewers

Patrick has been a quietly effective member of the Brewers' starting rotation this season. While he's hardly overpowering hitters, he's managed to eat innings and record a solid 3.35 ERA. The numbers under the hood suggest this level of success may not be sustainable, but he deserves his place on this list given how well he's pitched in the early going.

3. Ben Casparius, Dodgers

Casparius has provided the Dodgers some seriously high-quality innings out of their bullpen. His Baseball Savant page is bright red as he's done everything a good pitcher should do: keep opponents off the board, limit baserunners, and generate swings and misses. All the signs point to a breakout campaign for the 26-year-old.

2. AJ Smith-Shawver, Braves

Smith-Shawver appears to be putting it all together since being recalled in late April. The right-hander has legitimate strikeout stuff, as evidenced by his 9.3 K/9. However, he's giving up a lot of hard contact, and his expected ERA (4.90) is much higher than his actual ERA (2.33). Smith-Shawver nonetheless has the look of an effective starting pitcher.

1. Drake Baldwin, Braves

Baldwin seized his opportunity when starting catcher Sean Murphy was sidelined early in the season, and he's continued to impress when called upon. His .357/.400/.583 slash line and 172 wRC+ would be impressive for anyone, let alone a catcher. The Braves must find a way to get his bat in the lineup as often as possible.