Rising Stars: The 2025 MLB Rookies Poised for Breakout Seasons

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As the crack of the bat echoes through spring training fields, there’s an electric buzz in the air. Who’s the next legend in the making? Could it be Roki Sasaki, throwing fastballs that challenge the radar gun, or maybe Dylan Crews, LSU’s golden boy, poised to steal the limelight? The 2025 class of Major League Baseball rookies promises excitement, and not just because of their skills on the field. There’s, in the murky waters of 'machete raven , a thrilling process of nacity where franchises gamble big, signing prospects and anticipating the payoff year after year. This season’s promising newcomers are set to challenge the benchmark set by the likes of Paul Skenes and Jackson Merrill.

Can these rookies follow in the storied footsteps of their predecessors, or will the bright lights of MLB prove too dazzling? These young athletes, some straight out of the Arizona Fall League, carry the dreams, investments, and hopes of their teams. Will they make a difference, or just fill up the roster with promise?

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Quite simply, baseball fans want to see whoâs going to advance from the Arizona Fall League to the majors’ breakout prospect of the year.

Notable: The son of former major leaguer Jack Wilson soared to a late July call-up after hitting a minor league-best .433 (minimum 200 plate appearances) across three levels. Naturally, he singled on the second pitch of his first at-bat, but he suffered a hamstring strain later in the game and was sidelined for more than five weeks. While short on power, he puts the ball in play. His contact+ of 115 in 103 plate appearances with the Aâs and defensive skills are strong.

Notable: Roman Anthony of the Red Sox doesn’t necessarily have a spot on the opening day roster, but his all-around ability will have them thinking twice about when he will move into the lineup. Ranked as the No. 2 prospect by ESPN and MLB Pipeline, Anthony hit for average and power with plate discipline in the minors. It includes only 35 games at Triple-A Worcester, so a little more seasoning there is perhaps warranted.

Position: 3B/1B; Bats/Throws: R/R; Age: 23; Highest 2024 Level: MLB

The 2025 rookie class, led by the likes of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki and Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews, will be challenged if itâs going to match last yearâs deep crop.

Notable: Having come up short in an attempt sign free agent Alex Bregman, the Cubs hope their answer at third base was there all along in Shaw. While heâs undersized (5-9, 190) for the hot corner, he handles pitching well (.303 batting average across two minor league seasons), hits to all fields and steals bases. That variety could make him a fan favorite at Wrigley Field.

Position: OF; Bats/Throws: L/R; Age: 20; Highest 2024 Level: Triple-A

(Graphic by Robbie Dunne. Research by Stats Performâs Jake Coyne.)

2025 MLB Rookies to Know

Roki Sasaki, Los Angeles Dodgers

Notable: Dylan Crews of the Nationals received the Golden Spikes Award as national player of the year on LSUâs 2023 College World Series-winning squad, which also featured Skenes. Now the fourth-rated player on MLB’s list of the top 100 prospects will seek to follow him as NL Rookie of the Year, having already tasted the top level in a late-season call-up last year. His athleticism and bat speed project to well-rounded production, and heâs already an excellent baserunner (37 stolen bases across three levels last season) and defender.

Notable: The stuff is all there â a 97-mph four-seamer and plus-slider along with an effective cutter and change-up â so the keys for Jobe are to be healthier and go deeper into starts than in the minors (91.2 innings across 21 starts last season). The Tigers elevated him late last season so he could pitch in the postseason, but he had rough results in relief.

Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals

The post Top MLB Rookies 2025: Players Who Will Come of Age in Their First Full Season appeared first on Opta Analyst.

Pittsburgh Pirates starÂ Paul SkenesÂ wasnât just the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year; he finished third in the NL Cy Young voting. In other years, the likes of runner-up Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres and fellow outfielder Jackson Chourio or even Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga and St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Wynn may have claimed top rookie honors.

Jackson Jobe, Detroit Tigers

Position: RHP; Age: 25; Highest 2024 Level: MLB

Notable: Among the most prized international signings in MLB history, Sasaki figures to far exceed his .5 million signing bonus. His fastball was clocked at 102.5 mph in a 2023 game and MLB Pipeline says his 88-90 mph splitter âmay be the best pitch in the world,â generating a 57% swing-and-miss rate last season. In four seasons in Japanâs top division, he had a 5.76-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also pitched on Team Japanâs 2023 World Baseball Classic-winning team with new Dodgers teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Jasson Dominguez, New York Yankees

Position: SS; Bats/Throws: R/R; Age: 22 (23 on March 30); Highest 2024 Level: MLB

Notable: Having been a member of the Diamondbacksâ 2023 World Series runner-up, much of Lawlarâs 2024 campaign was lost to a torn ligament in his right thumb and hamstring issues. When fully healthy, he hits for extra bases, producing a .294/.392/.501 career minor league slash line. He also has outstanding speed, collecting 39 stolen bases in 2022 and 37 in â23.

Jacob Wilson, Athletics

Major League Baseball franchises can get a boost from free agent signings and trades, but time is on their side when prospects turn into proven players. Hereâs a breakdown of rookie candidates who seek to make an impact in the 2025 season.

Position: SS/2B; Bats/Throws: R/R; Age: 22; Highest 2024 Level: Triple-A (MLB in 2023)

Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati Reds

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Notable: The 6-foot-5, 230-pound size already screams major league power, but the 196 extra-base hits, .541 slugging percentage and .922 OPS across 390 minor league games also should turn heads. He struggled in two short stints with the Oâs last season, but thatâs happened with some of the organizationâs other top prospects in recent years.

Jordan Lawlar, Arizona Diamondbacks

Position: RF/CF; Bats/Throws: R/R; Age: 23; Highest 2024 Level: MLB

Position: 3B/2B; Bats/Throws: R/R; Age: 23; Highest 2024 Level: Triple-A

Coby Mayo, Baltimore Orioles

Notable: Hype has followed Dominguez since his .1 million international signing at age 16 in 2019, with scouts nicknaming him âThe Martianâ due to what they perceived as otherworldly talent. While the switch hitter has never reached 20 home runs in four different pro seasons, heâs eyed for surpassing that level annually long term. Heâs over the service time limit for MLB rookies, but is eligible for AL Rookie of the Year because much of it has been accrued while on the injured list.

Position: OF; Bats/Throws: S/R; Age: 22; Highest 2024 Level: MLB

Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs

New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil edged Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser for AL Rookie of the Year. Yankees catcher Austin Wells, Athletics closer Mason Miller and Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford also were part of the MLB rookie class.

Spring training puts a spotlight on MLB rookies.

Kumar Rocker, Texas Rangers

Notable: A tender pitching elbow at the start of spring training figures to keep Lowder off the opening day roster. The Reds want to get him back there, however, following his outstanding pro debut last year, which ended with six starts in the major leagues with a 2-2 record and 1.17 ERA. His mechanics and control exceed any one particular pitch.

Getting those on the top MLB prospect list to the big leagues quicker coincides with large financial investments in them. Plus, a measure in the 2022 collective bargaining agreement has eased some manipulating of player service time by organizations.

Roman Anthony, Boston Red Sox

Position: RHP; Age on Opening Day: 23; Highest 2024 Level: Nippon Professional Baseball

Notable: Having returned from Tommy John surgery in 2023, Kumarâs dominance was evident again while being brought along slowly (55 strikeouts against five walks with a 0.79 WHIP that was the best in the minors for any pitcher with his 36.2 innings). It led to three starts with the Rangers, and his small-sample raw value of minus-68 whet the appetite. He throws a mid-80s slider to back a fastball that tops out at 100 mph.