Don’t expect a repeat of last year’s rookie class any time soon. Not only did the 2012 class of rookies yield a pair of budding superstars, it featured impressive depth beyond headliners Mike Trout and Bryce Harper.
Players such as Yu Darvish, Yoenis Cespedes and Wade Miley also emerged last year only to be overshadowed by historic performances from Trout and Harper.
While there’s no Harper or Trout to be found within the 2013 class of rookies, some first-year players are making an impact early on this year. Here’s a closer look at the rookie class of 2013:
Shelby Miller, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
Miller earned a spot in the Cardinals’ rotation this spring after debuting last year as a reliever. The 22-year-old has pitched well so far in 2013, posting a 2.05 ERA with 33 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 30.2 innings.
Miller, a former top prospect, strikes out 27.1% of the hitters he faces, tied for 12th-best among all qualified starters.
Evan Gattis, C, Atlanta Braves
Gattis took a circuitous path to the major leagues. The 26-year-old was out of baseball for years, working as a janitor and a ski lift operator among other assorted jobs.
He showed power throughout his minor league career, and has provided the Braves with more than adequate production with Brian McCann on the disabled list. After 20 games, Gattis has six homers.
Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
So far, Ryu is living up to his contract. The 26-year-old left-hander has more strikeouts than innings pitched after five starts at the MLB level. Ryu has been the Dodgers’ best starter not named Clayton Kershaw , posting a 3.41 ERA through 31.2 innings.
The South Korea native entered the 2013 season as the 42nd ranked prospect in MLB, according to Baseball America. He signed for $36 million last off-season.
Jose Fernandez, SP, Miami Marlins
The hard-throwing 20-year-old is one of the few bright spots on the 2013 Marlins. He has a 4.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 11 walks in 24 innings with Miami, the worst team in the National League after one month.
Though the Marlins are generally a cost-conscious organization, they called Fernandez up early instead of holding him in the minor leagues for a few weeks to delay his arrival on the free agent market.
Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, Boston Red Sox and Aaron Hicks, OF, Minnesota Twins
As always, some high-profile rookies are struggling to start the season. Jackie Bradley Jr. has been demoted to the minor leagues after a difficult start, and Aaron Hicks has struggled badly on offence in Minnesota.
Both outfielders earned roster spots with impressive spring performances, only to disappoint at the MLB level.
Top rookies often debut midway through the season. From a strategic standpoint it makes sense for teams to delay the debuts of many top prospects until late April, or even until mid-season. For example, Harper and Trout didn’t debut until the end of April a year ago.
Prospects such as Wil Myers of the Tampa Bay Rays and Jurickson Profar of the Texas Rangers could reach the MLB level before long. When they do arrive, they have the potential to make an immediate difference with their respective teams and impact the pennant race.
