We have seen some incredible rookie performances in 2025. From possibly the greatest single-game performance at the plate of all time to jaw-dropping heat from the mound, several players who have recently gotten the call to the Majors have made indelible first impressions.
In our latest Rookie of the Year poll, in which we asked 33 MLB.com voters to rank their top five choices in each league, we have a swap at the top in the American League rankings and a big shakeup on the National League side.
Our experts voted using a points system on a 5-4-3-2-1 scale (five points for a first-place vote, four points for a second-place vote and so on). Voters were asked to consider what each player has done so far and what they expect to see through the end of the season.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1. Nick Kurtz, A’s (32 1st-place votes)
What happens when you’re second in our Rookie of the Year balloting and then go 6-for-6 with four homers and a double off the top of the wall? Well, you’re nearly a unanimous pick for the top spot in our next ROY poll. Kurtz’s historic night in Houston on July 25 certainly helped, but his overall numbers are worthy of Rookie of the Year honors -- entering play on Tuesday, he had a 1.012 OPS with 23 home runs. And all he’s done since our last poll is post an OPS over 1.300.
2. Jacob Wilson, A's
Kurtz’s teammate and a player who was leading in these rankings the last time they came out, Wilson has fallen on hard times since being hit by a pitch on July 8 against the Braves. Initially, he was diagnosed with a left forearm contusion after X-rays were negative and returned to the lineup. But he hit just .105 over his next nine games before being placed on the injured list with a fractured left forearm on July 29. The hope is that he’ll return prior to the end of the season, but the injury certainly impacts the young shortstop’s chances at a Rookie of the Year Award.
3. Roman Anthony, Red Sox (one 1st-place vote)
It’s been a good couple of months for Anthony, who at 21 years old is demonstrating why he was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the game by MLB Pipeline at the time of his debut with the Red Sox on June 9. He was awarded an eight-year, $130 million contract extension by Boston last week. He’s been particularly hot at the plate of late, slugging his third home run and upping his season OPS to .827 on Monday. It all adds up to a two-spot jump in our rankings.
4. Noah Cameron, Royals
With another strong outing last weekend, Cameron lowered his season ERA to 2.52 and continues to impress for Kansas City. The left-hander began his big league career in historic fashion, turning in five consecutive outings of at least six innings with one or fewer runs given up -- that made him the second pitcher since at least 1901 with five such starts to open his MLB career, joining Fernando Valenzuela (1981). If he continues on his current track, he will definitely get some serious Rookie of the Year consideration.
5. Jasson Domínguez, Yankees
Domínguez got off to a slow start this season, taking a .224/.315/.357 slash line with him into play on May 6. But since then, he’s held his own, slashing .265/.336/.402 with seven homers, including a three-homer outburst on May 9 against the A’s and a two-homer performance on July 4 against the Mets. With a strong finish to the season, he could raise his stock in the AL Rookie of the Year race, though he has stiff competition, as we can see on this list.
Also receiving votes: Carlos Narváez (Red Sox), Chandler Simpson (Rays), Cam Smith (Astros), Will Warren (Yankees), Jacob Lopez (A’s), Colson Montgomery (White Sox), Jack Leiter (Rangers), Braydon Fisher (Blue Jays)
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1. Drake Baldwin, Braves (24 1st-place votes)
Baldwin was second in our previous rankings, and thanks to some big hits in some big moments, he’s now perched at the top of the list. The 24-year-old catcher has been red-hot at the plate this month, with a .364/.417/.545 slash line. He notched his first multi-homer game when he belted two against the Marlins in a comeback victory on Aug. 7, a contest in which he also delivered a game-tying single and drove in five runs. Overall, he owns an .835 OPS with 13 home runs on the season.
2. Agustín Ramírez, Marlins (four 1st-place votes)
Although he’s 2-for-18 over his past four games, Ramírez posted a .785 OPS with six homers over his previous 36. His catching skills leave much to be desired but his bat has been a big boon for Miami, getting him into the lineup as a designated hitter when he’s not behind the plate. He’s been a consistent presence in our rankings, moving up from third in our previous poll.
3. Isaac Collins, Brewers (three 1st-place votes)
Collins crashes the party at No. 3 after not being ranked in our previous poll. The 28-year-old outfielder has had a big month of August so far -- he’s hitting .444 with four doubles, two triples and two homers in nine games and was named the NL Player of the Week on Monday. On Sunday, he launched a walk-off home run off All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to beat the Mets as the Brewers rolled on in what has become a historic run of 25 wins in 29 games.
4. Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers (two 1st-place votes)
“The Miz” took the baseball world by storm when he made his Major League debut for Milwaukee on June 12, and then made the All-Star team after just five starts. The flamethrowing right-hander threw a scoreless inning in the Midsummer Classic, registering nine pitches with a velocity of 100 mph or greater. Unfortunately, the 23-year-old phenom is currently on the IL with a left shin contusion after being hit by a comebacker on Aug. 3 against the Cubs. That, combined with some tremendous performances by others on this list, has dropped him from No. 1 in our last poll to No. 4 this time around.
5. Cade Horton, Cubs
Horton entered his scheduled start against the Blue Jays on Wednesday with a scoreless streak of 23 1/3 innings. Since surrendering a career-high seven runs at Houston on June 27, he has put up zeroes in five of six starts. Over his last four outings, he yielded just 10 hits while holding the opposition scoreless. The right-hander, who turns 24 next week, has been a huge key for Chicago with its rotation hit hard by injuries.
Also receiving votes: Chase Burns (Reds), Chad Patrick (Brewers), Caleb Durbin (Brewers), Matt Shaw (Cubs), Jack Dreyer (Dodgers), Hyeseong Kim (Dodgers), Heriberto Hernández (Marlins), Brad Lord (Nationals), Liam Hicks (Marlins)