2026 MLB Rookies Ready to Shake Up the Game: Who Will Become the Next Superstar?
Leo De Vries, Athletics
Position: SS/2B/3B; Age: 21; B/T: L/R; Highest 2025 Level: Double-A
If McLean doesnât run away with the NLâs Rookie of the Year award in 2026, it could very well go to the sweet-swinging Wetherholt.
Basallo tends to chase too much at times at the plate, but he has a knack for finding the barrel as evidenced by some of the eye-popping exit velocities he posted in the minors, including 23 homers in 76 games at Triple-A Norfolk in 2025. If the sweet-swinging lefty can replicate that early in 2026, he might just unseat Rutschman as the Oâs best backstop.
Still, his arsenal is unquestioned. He had a 30.8% whiff rate with his blazing four-seam fastball, and his changeup (39.6% whiff rate) was even more devastating because hitters must gear up for the hard stuff.
Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles
Think the future belongs to prospects just warming up in the minors? Think again. These young guns—armed, agile, and packing every tool in the book—aren’t just the stars of tomorrow; they’re the headliners ready to shake up the MLB in 2026. Take JJ Wetherholt, for instance—this St. Louis Cardinals phenom doesn’t waste time basking in hype or glowing reviews. Nah, he calls that noise “poison,” a playful nod to the pressures swirling around him since his college days. But beneath that cool exterior is a fierce competitor who knows that talk is cheap, and only results carve a legacy. So, which rookie will grab the spotlight? The one with the blazing fastball? The one who owns the batter’s box like a maestro? Or maybe the all-around phenom who’s secretly been drawing up their Hall of Fame blueprint? Let’s dive into the 10 MLB rookies that 2026 has been waiting for—because these kids aren’t just breaking in, they’re breaking out.
Like Griffin with the Pirates, McGonigle has blown scouts and front office types away with just how advanced he is at a young age, and he just might force his way onto the Tigersâ Opening Day roster with his exceptional bat-to-ball skills.
Wetherholt, who grew up in Mars, Pennsylvania, and idolizing Pittsburgh Pirates star Andrew McCutchen, is at his best when heâs hitting to all fields, often resembling a savant in the batterâs box because he is seemingly never fooled by a pitch. He showed that in 2025 when he slashed .306/.421/.510/.931 and swatted 28 doubles and 17 home runs, including four leadoff long balls.
Their arms, athleticism and five-tool talent suggest theyâre no longer just the stars of tomorrow. Here are 10 MLB rookie candidates who are headliners of the 2026 class.
Carson Benge, New York Mets
The Cards purposefully brought Wetherholt along slowly in 2025, having him split time at Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis, but heâll likely get all the reps he can handle this year with Donovan gone to the Seattle Mariners and the club in its first full-on rebuild in more than three decades.
Position: RHP; Age on Opening Day: 24; Highest 2025 Level: MLB
How confident are the Cardinals that Wetherholt will be a fixture in their lineup for years to come? They traded away their best all-around player and their lone 2025 All-Star, Brendan Donovan, to clear space for Wetherholtâs arrival at the big-league level.
Looking at times like a Mike Trout style of power hitter, Griffin is MLBâs top-ranked prospect and one who could be staring at Pittsburghâs PNC Park midway through the 2026 season.
Justin Crawford, Philadelphia Phillies
Fast forward to last season and McLean showed just how dominant he could be athletically late in the season with the Mets. In just eight starts, he racked up five wins, a sterling 2.06 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched. His elite athleticism showed itself in how he could spin the ball effectively enough to get hitters to corkscrew themselves into the ground. The opposition batted just .071 against his curveball and none of the 117 batters who ended his at-bat facing a curve had an extra-base hit off McLean.
Sure, Wetherholt is the most highly touted prospect in the Cardinals organization in more than a decade and he seemingly has all the tools to carve out a long and successful career in the middle infield. But until he proves heâs worthy of all the hype, he would prefer to push the praise aside. In fact, he already has attached a very descriptive label to the talk that he could soon become the Cardinals’ next great superstar: Poison.
Position: SS; Age: 19; B/T: R/R; Highest 2025 Level: Double-A
The Skenes shadow could prove to be beneficial for Chandler, who in the last year has taken longer than expected to develop, and was rocked in his first spring training start in 2026.
He has seemingly been penciled in as the Metsâ left fielder on opening day since the club traded Brandon Nimmo in the offseason. He opened eyes in spring training by delivering a three-hit game â all three of the knocks coming on two-strike pitches.
In about any other organization in baseball, Chandlerâs fastball â one that regularly sits in triple digits and averaged a sizzling 98.9 mph in 2025 â would be the most eye-popping weapon on a staff. However, Pittsburgh is Paul Skenesâ town, and all other pitchers must take a back seat to the reigning NL Cy Young award winner.
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