MLB Rookie requirements
Position Players – Not more than 130 at bats in previous season
Pitchers – Fewer than 50 innings pitched in the previous season
All Players – fewer than 45 days on the active roster in the previous season
The unfairness of Sasaki
Dodgers’ Japanese righthander Roki Sasaki is the favourite for rookie of the year. He’s had a head start, While he qualifies under the MLB rookie rules, he pitched four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan’s top league.
Sasaki also pitched against some of the best in the 2023 World Baseball classic. In his first start he threw twenty six of twenty pitches over 100 MPH. He’ll go in game two when the season opens in Tokyo March 18-19 against vs the Cubs.
79 seconds of Roki Sasaki's 100mph Fastballs (or higher). ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/VGHphmJTIt
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 21, 2023
Big 3 Position Players
Dylan Crews – Washington Nationals – His teammate James Wood exceeded rookie status last season or he would top the list but Crews is next. The soon to be twenty-three year old was the 2nd overall pick in the 2023 draft. He hit and ran in the minors.
Matt Shaw – Cubs – Shaw was thirteenth in the same draft. He’s hit everywhere he’s been. When Isaac Paredes went in the Kyle Tucker deal Shaw waited through weeks of Cub trade rumours. With Alex Bregman signing elsewhere third base is Shaw’s to lose.
Jordan Lawlar – D-Backs -Lawlar was a six overall (2021). He actually had a better shot last year when everything went wrong. Thumb surgery, a left hamstring injury that he then aggravated during a rehab outing. He will be this team’s shortstop but only a huge spring will get him there opening day.
The Rest
Caleb Durbin – Brewers – Came over in the Devin Williams trade with the Yankees. He might have been the Yanks opening day second baseman. He’s played second, short and third in the minors. There are openings in Milwaukee. He gets on base and can run.
Griffin Conine – Marlins – He’ll be twenty-eight in July. Drafted in 2018. It’s taken six decent minor league seasons to be given a shot. Did not look out of place in a small sample (82 at bats) last season.
Nick Yorke – Pirates – Got a taste after coming over from Boston for Quinn Priester. There’s plenty of competition but there is an opening at second in Pittsburgh.
Starting Pitchers
Bubba Chandler – Pirates – Chandler has everything to be a number one starter but he won’t have to. The Pirates already have Paul Skenes. He’s a not a sure thing to make it out of camp but he is going to start in the majors pretty early.
Grant Holmes – Braves – He was a top hundred prospect ten years ago. Almost twenty-nine he looked good at Triple-A and the majors last season. The Braves never looked to fill his rotation spot, looks like he’s in.
Chase Dollander – Rockies – It will never be easy to pitch in Denver. Dollander went ninth in 2023. He owned both A and Double-A last season. Hopefully Coors won’t beat him down, it has most everyone else.
