It’s been more than 2 months since the 2024 season started. In the 2024 season, there are several rookies who have played well and become everyday players. So, now, let’s take a look at some rookies that have a great start in 2024.
Firstly, let’s look at position players. Joey Ortiz made his MLB debut in 2023. He played 15 games for the Orioles last season, hitting .212/.206/.242 with 4 RBI. He was traded to the Brewers in February 2024. Acquiring Ortiz seems to be a great decision for the Brewers. He now hits .286/.385/.487 with 5 home runs and 21 RBI over 54 games. His OPS of .872 is now the highest among qualified rookies. Ortiz was just named the NL Rookie of the Month for May.
Moreover, Wilyer Abreu made it into the big leagues last August. In 2023, he played 28 games for the Red Sox, slashing .316/.388/.474 with 2 home runs and 14 RBI. By far this season, Abreu is hitting .272/.344/.485 with 6 home runs and 22 RBI over 53 games. His OPS of .829 is now the highest among qualified rookies in the AL.
Furthermore, Masyn Winn only hit .172/.230/.238 with 2 home runs and 12 RBI over 37 games in 2023. This season, he has been hitting very well for the Cardinals. So far, he slashes .309/.359/.446 with 3 home runs and 21 RBI.
At the same time, Blaze Alexander, Michael Busch, Colton Cowser and Otto Lopez each have an OPS over .750 so far this season. Michael Busch now leads the rookies with 8 home runs.
In addition, let’s look at pitchers. Bryan Hudson made his MLB debut last June and made 6 relief appearances for the Dodgers in 2023. He owned an ERA over 7 in 2023 and was traded to the Brewers. By far this season, he made 22 relief appearances for the Brewers, posting a 1.07 ERA and a 0.74 WHIP over 33.2 innings. Opponents only batted .149 against him. He certainly has become an important reliever for the Brewers this season.
Meanwhile, Luis Gil made his MLB debut in 2021. He made 6 starts in 2021 and tossed only 4 innings in 2022. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022 and didn’t pitch any games in the majors last season. Gil wasn’t expected to be in the Yankees rotation in March. However, Gerrit Cole’s elbow injury has changed things dramatically. Gil has pitched excellently so far this season. He made 12 starts, posting a 1.82 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP over 69.1 innings. Gil was awarded the AL Pitcher of the month for May and the AL Rookie of the month.
Finally, Shota Imanaga has drawn a lot of attention in America and in Asia. Imanaga was the ace of Yokohama DeNA BayStars. He was posted last November and in January 2024, he and the Cubs agreed to a 4-year deal. Imanaga has been fantastic in his first season in the majors. He now posts a 1.88 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP over 62.1 innings. At the same time, 2 other rookie pitchers each own an ERA below 3 thus far.
Looking at the performances among qualified rookies, it seems that the Brewers front office did a great job. The team acquired Joey Ortiz from the Orioles and got Bryan Hudson from the Dodgers. They have played well for the team so far this season. In the meantime, Shota Imanaga has been pitching excellently for the Cubs. And Masyn Winn has hit well for the Cardinals. Well, it will be interesting to see whether the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year winner will come from a team in the NL Central. In the AL, perhaps, we should focus on the AL East to see if Wilyer Abreu or Luis Gil could consistently play well in the rest of the season.
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