'27 Rookie of the Year candidates -- one from each team

Sometimes rookies can be seen a mile away and it's clear they will make a big splash once they hit the big leagues full time. Others can sneak up on you, flying under the radar until they're given the opportunity to show what they can do.

A year ago, we picked a 2026 Rookie of the Year candidate for each team. We nailed four of the six finalists when we named Kevin McGonigle and Payton Tolle in the AL along with Sal Stewart and JJ Wetherholt in the NL. And in the case of the other two, Parker Messick and Carson Benge, our selections -- Chase DeLauter and Nolan McLean -- certainly held up.

So pay close attention to the 30 names listed below. Chances are good that there will be some 2027 award winners from this group.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: Nolan Perry, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 90)
A later-round high school pick in 2022 who had Tommy John surgery knock out his 2025 campaign, Perry has made just nine starts above A ball. But they were really good starts (2.32 ERA, .163 BAA, 1.03 WHIP) and he was much sharper overall post-TJ than expected. The gloves could come off and he could vault quickly into Toronto's rotation.

Orioles: Joseph Dzierwa, LHP (No. 3/MLB No. 69)
The Orioles have some serious pitching depth on the way, with a trio of Top 100 arms having thrown very well at Double-A this past season. Dzierwa is the most advanced of that trio, coming off a year in which he posted a 2.27 combined ERA, .186 BAA and 0.90 WHIP to go along with a 149/30 K/BB ratio in 131 innings. He could get a chance to make the big league rotation early, and don't be surprised to see Anthony Eyanson and Caden Hunter join him in Baltimore at some point.

Rays: Caden Bodine, C (No. 3/MLB No. 46)
The presence of Liam Hicks makes this a little tougher to lock down, but Bodine impressed everyone in the organization after coming over from the Orioles in the Shane Baz deal. The 2025 draftee went from Single-A to Triple-A in his first full season of pro ball, finishing with a combined .342/.410/.517 line. The Rays thought so highly of him that he was their emergency catcher on the taxi squad during their run to the World Series.

Red Sox: Franklin Arias, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 2)
Trevor Story may have another year remaining on his $140 million contract, but Arias is a better offensive and defensive option right now. He won the Double-A Eastern League MVP and top prospect awards, climbed to Triple-A at age 20 and batted .323/.400/.557 with 25 homers in 117 games between the two levels. And to think that when he signed for $525,000 out of Venezuela in 2023, his glove was more valued than his bat.

Yankees: Carlos Lagrange, RHP (No. 3)
Elmer Rodriguez might have been the choice if there were openings in New York's rotation, but Lagrange will have an easier time finding a bullpen role if he's fully recovered from a shoulder strain that prevented him from helping the Yankees this summer. He made headlines by striking out Aaron Judge with a 103-mph fastball during live batting practice in Spring Training, and his power secondary pitches (cutter, sweeper and changeup) also can be nasty when they're on. Signed for just $10,000 from the Dominican Republic in 2022, he logged a 4.48 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 64 1/3 Triple-A innings before he was sidelined.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Ralphy Velazquez, 1B/OF (No. 1/MLB No. 29)
A 2023 first-rounder from a California high school who has blossomed into baseball's best first-base prospect, Velazquez can give Cleveland's offense a much-needed jolt with his ability to hit for average and power. He slashed .290/.379/.548 with 29 homers in 117 games between Double-A and Triple-A at age 21, leading the system in slugging.

Royals: Lucas Braun, RHP (No. 16)
Braun's stuff is never going to wow anyone, but he's spent the past three years at the upper levels and is ready for a shot. He scuffled a bit after getting dealt from the Braves to the Royals at the Trade Deadline, but he’s been a very durable starter, topping 140 IP twice in the last two years (over 130 IP this past season) and could be a very solid inning-eating back-end starter in 2027.

Tigers: River Ryan, RHP (No. 3/MLB No. 64)
Because Ryan has missed so much time with injuries, compiling just 69 1/3 combined innings over the past three years, making it exceedingly tricky to rank and project his future. But he finished the 2026 season with a healthy September, including a couple of big league outings, after coming to the Tigers from the Dodgers in Tarik Skubal deal. The stuff is still very real and he should have every chance to make a huge impact on Detroit's big league rotation out of the gate.

Twins: Walker Jenkins, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 13)
Whenever Jenkins has been on the field, he's produced, and 2026 was no different for the 2023 No. 5 overall pick. Though he's yet to play more than 100 games in a season because of a myriad of injuries, he still reached the big leagues this year at age 21 after slashing .323/.417/.559 in 73 Minor League games before getting his feet wet over 26 games with Minnesota. He should be in the lineup from Opening Day on.

White Sox: Caleb Bonemer, 3B/SS (No. 2/MLB No. 27)
Bonemer is on the verge of slugging his way into Chicago's lineup, and the White Sox had him play the outfield in the Arizona Fall League to give them more options to make that happen. A 2024 second-rounder from a Michigan high school, he topped the Minors with 69 extra-base hits and ranked fifth with 37 homers while hitting .251/.380/.550 with 17 steals in 132 games between High-A and Double-A at age 20. Besides his prowess at the plate, he also offers the ability to play shortstop, third base, the outfield corners and perhaps center field.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

Angels: Tyler Bremner, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 42)
Outfielder Nelson Rada is on the cusp, and after seeing shortstop Arjun Nimmala in the Fall League, he could be an interesting candidate. But Bremner's stuff is so advanced and he was only slowed by illness and the ensuing fatigue during his first full season. He reached Double-A anyway, and a full offseason to work on strength could have him ready to jump into the Angels' rotation in a hurry.

Astros: Bryce Mayer, RHP (No. 8)
A 16th-round pick out of Missouri in 2024, Mayer has won the Astros' Minor League pitcher of the year award in both of his two full seasons. He compiled a 3.53 ERA, .201 average-against and 140 strikeouts in 102 innings between Double-A and Triple-A in 2026, thanks mainly to 92-96 mph fastball with nifty carry and a low-80s slider with plenty of horizontal action.

A's: Leo De Vries, SS/3B (No. 1/MLB No. 3)
Surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder makes this a bit of a gamble, but it's hard to look past the talent and the fact the A's don't shy away from pushing guys to the big leagues. He'll be age 20 for all of 2027 after posting an OPS of .836 with 13 homers and 34 steals in 93 Double-A games in his first full season with the A's organization. If the A's are worried about his arm, they can slide him to second base and can even keep veteran Jeff McNeil as a super-utility type.

Mariners: Kade Anderson, LHP (No. 1/MLB No. 5)
It might be tougher to predict pitchers as ROY candidates, but Anderson is entering 2027 as a front-runner for the award. All the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 Draft did was turn in one of the best Minor League performances in recent memory this season, earning Pitching Prospect of the Year honors in the process. He jumped from Double-A to the big leagues and made seven starts that showed he's more than ready for the assignment, capping things off with 10 1/3 scoreless innings over his last two outings.

Rangers: Sebastian Walcott, SS/3B (No. 1/MLB No. 8)
Labeled the best Bahamian prospect ever when he signed for $3.2 million in 2023, Walcott was on course to claim a starting job in Texas this year before he had internal brace surgery on his throwing elbow in February. His prodigious power returned when he was able to DH in mid-July and he batted .325/.401/.590 with 10 homers in 41 games (mostly at Double-A). He's back to playing the field again in the Arizona Fall League and showing off his trademark arm strength.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Patrick Clohisy, OF (No. 16)
As a college senior taken in Round 11 of the 2024 Draft, Clohisy has largely flown under the radar, but that hasn't stopped him from loudly knocking on the big league door. The speedster has stolen 141 bags in his last two seasons and he hit .340/.420/.483 in 42 Triple-A games in 2026 to show he's ready to keep defying expectations.

Marlins: Cam Cannarella, OF (No. 5/MLB No. 77)
Though Cannarella featured one of the best combinations of bat-to-ball skills, speed and center-field defense in the 2025 Draft, the Clemson star fell to pick No. 43 because of concerns about his offensive impact and his price tag. He has eased those by overcoming a non-displaced fracture of his right wrist to slash .324/.422/.512 with 15 homers and 21 steals in 98 games while rising from High-A to Triple-A. He may be Miami's best option for a leadoff man and center fielder next season.

Mets: Jonathan Santucci, LHP (No. 2)
Top prospect Jefferson Rojas would be a good choice if the Mets' infield wasn't so crowded, so we'll look to the mound after Nolan McLean earned votes in 2026. Santucci led the Minors with 163 K's over 125 IP in his second full season after being the Mets' second-round pick in 2024. His eight Triple-A starts weren't great this past season, but he's the type of savvy lefty who will learn from that and carry those lessons to the big league rotation.

Nationals: Seaver King, SS/2B (No. 3/MLB No. 51)
After the Nationals drafted King 10th overall out of Wake Forest in 2024, he struggled in his first full pro season because he mitigated his advanced bat-to-ball skills by chasing too many pitches. A more selective approach led to a .303/.382/.516 line with 21 homers and 15 steals in 112 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year. He also comes with well-above-average speed and looks to push CJ Abrams to second base on a full-time basis.

Phillies: Aidan Miller, SS/3B (No. 2/MLB No. 59)
If Miller had been healthy in 2026, he might have graduated already. But he missed nearly all of the regular season with back issues, returning for just a handful of regular-season and playoff games in the Minors. He was sent to the Arizona Fall League for more reps, and to play third, and he looked very good doing both, hitting .320 with a .547 OBP and looking very healthy on both sides of the ball. He could very well be the Phillies' Opening Day third baseman in 2027.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers: Jesús Made, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 1)
On one hand, the Brewers just won the World Series and have a deep, young lineup. On the other, Made is the game's top prospect and could shift from shortstop to third base, one of the weakest positions on Milwaukee's big league roster. A five-tool player signed for $950,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2024, he hit .271/.344/.430 with 14 homers and 37 steals in 122 Double-A games at age 19, earning top prospect accolades in the Texas League.

Cardinals: Joshua Baéz, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 57)
Fellow Top 100 Prospects Rainiel Rodriguez and Liam Doyle also have designs on winning jobs in St. Louis next season, but Baéz will have a more immediate opportunity. The first player ever to homer in his first three big league plate appearances, he fits the classic right-field profile with his plus power and arm strength, and he also runs well for a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder. Between Triple-A and the Majors, the 2021 second-rounder from a Massachusetts high school batted .251/.318/.561 with 41 homers and 23 steals in 132 games.

Cubs: Owen Ayers, C/1B (No. 2/MLB No. 88)
Ayers' right-handed pop and strong arm make him an obvious replacement if Carson Kelly departs via free agency, and his ability to also play first base and maybe the outfield corners could help him find a role in Chicago even if Kelly returns. He went from 19th-rounder out of Marshall in 2024 to Top 100 prospect in two years, hitting .289/.403/.526 with 25 homers and 13 steals while advancing from High-A to Triple-A.

Pirates: Murf Gray, 3B (No. 4/MLB No. 89)
Gray's path to a big league gig might be connected to whether the Pirates can bring Brandon Lowe back to play second base. If he leaves, Nick Gonzales could slide over to the keystone and Gray could get a long look, even though he's played just 45 games at Double-A in his career. If they really want to get the bat that slugged a combined .567 with 32 homers in his first full season to the big leagues faster, they could tell him to try out a first baseman's glove.

Reds: Carlos Jorge, OF (No. 15)
He's not arriving with the fanfare of Sal Stewart, but Jorge shouldn't be overlooked. Originally a shortstop, Jorge has turned into one of the best defensive outfielders in the system, one who hit a combined .308/.376/.427 with 33 steals between Double-A and Triple-A before getting a late 18-game taste of big league life in September. He could have a path to becoming the Opening Day center fielder in Cincy.

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

Diamondbacks: Demetrio Crisantes, 2B (No. 1/MLB No. 84)
Crisantes' advanced bat-to-ball skills and big league readiness will factor into whether or not Arizona decides to trade Ketel Marte this offseason. Drafted in 2022's seventh round from an Arizona high school, he slashed .292/.377/.477 with 10 homers in 92 games this year between four levels, seeing most of his action in Triple-A.

Dodgers: Josue De Paula, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 4)
Los Angeles doesn't have an obvious spot in its lineup for De Paula, but he's the best offensive prospect in the game and did crack its postseason roster at age 21 after hitting .323/.500/.581 with a 416-foot homer in 31 big league at-bats. Signed for $397,500 out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, he won Texas League MVP honors after slashing .303/.401/.547 and topping the Double-A circuit in hits (152), doubles (37), runs (106) and RBIs (104).

Giants: Bo Davidson, OF (No. 8)
San Francisco needs outfield help and Davidson can provide with the one best power/speed combinations in the system and a track record of production. Signed for $50,000 as a nondrafted free agent out of Caldwell (N.C.) CC in 2023, he batted .290/.361/.527 with 29 homers and 20 steals in 125 games between Double-A and Triple-A, then went 7-for-20 (.350) during a big league callup.

Padres: Ethan Salas, C (No. 1/MLB No. 21)
The top prospect in the 2023 international class, Salas signed for $5.6 million and reached Double-A as a 17-year-old in his pro debut, then struggled with injuries and getting rushed the next two seasons. The athletic backstop rebounded in 2026, displaying offensive upside by slashing .296/.374/.448 with 10 homers and 17 steals in 96 games between Double-A and Triple-A, then going 10-for-39 (.256) with two homers as the youngest player (age 20) in the Majors this season. He also won the Minor League Defensive Player of the Year award and started two of San Diego's first three Division Series games.

Rockies: Charlie Condon, 1B/OF (No. 3/MLB No. 56)
The Rockies' top pick (No. 3 overall) in 2024, Condon looked like he could be poised to make his big league debut during a bounceback season in 2026, though a dip in production in August might have given the club pause before he finished with a strong September in Triple-A. Overall, his .904 OPS and 27 homers show he has nothing left to prove and should get to show just how much his power will play in Coors Field in 2027, though it might have to come in the outfield with TJ Rumfield establishing himself at first base.