An All-Time Rookies Dream Team
Which rookie seasons have been the most impressive at each position? What would a dream team roster of those players look like?
Issue #49
About a month ago I wrote an article called “2022 MLB All-Rookie Dream Team,” which included creating a dream team roster of this past season’s best rookies. Since then we’ve seen outfielders Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners and Michael Harris III of the Braves, win the AL and NL Rookie of the Year Awards (and I think rightly so).
Matt Kelly over at MLB.com recently wrote an interesting article titled: Ranking every Rookie of the Year winner ever. He did exactly what the title says, looking first at WAR to get an initial ranking and then using subjective criteria to come up with his final ranking of each Rookie of the Year award winner going back to 1947, the first year of the awards. It is a fun read, and with 152 player seasons to consider, no two fans will have the same list.
In reading Kelly’s article I decided now was a good time to do something I’ve long been planning—creating an All-Time Rookies Dream Team. This article took longer to research and write than my others—I hope you enjoy it! Here are a few notes about my approach:
In contrast to Kelly’s purpose in his article, I will not restrict my analysis to only players who won a Rookie of the Year award. Many times a second or third place finisher in the voting was as good or arguably better than the winner, and of course some of those players in one year had stronger rookie seasons than many winners from other years.
I won’t limit myself to players from 1947 and forward, but rather the entire modern era, starting when the AL was founded in 1901.
Unlike many of my articles where I create dream teams for entire careers, I’m only going to include the AL and NL here, not the various Negro Leagues that have recently been given major league status. I’m doing this to make comparison of player statistics—which is already difficult across eras—somewhat easier. That said, as you will see several former Negro Leagues players will make the Dream Team, and many more the honorable mention lists, as their first season in the AL or NL is what is considered their “rookie” season (ditto for players like Hideo Nomo, Shohei Ohtani, Ichiro Suzuki, etc.)
Like Kelly’s article, I’ll indicate each position player’s rookie WAR value below, but I’m not going to just select the top players according to that one metric. For one thing, WAR isn’t meant to be used to say that a WAR of 7.2 is definitely better than a WAR of 7.1. But even beyond that, I like to use WAR as a starting point for analysis, but then consider other metrics as well such as OPS+ for hitters, ERA+ and FIP for pitchers, and various traditional statistics for both.
I gave myself a little extra room by going with a 40-man roster—25 position players and 15 pitchers. I then also give honorable mention to many, many more.
That last point is important, as in doing this analysis I was amazed at just how many great rookie seasons there have been over time! Almost all of them I had some awareness of, but there were a few surprises and others that I had vaguely known about at some point but had forgotten.
So without further ado, here is my dream team roster for rookie seasons. (In the stats that follow, bold font means the player led his respective league in that category.)
First Base
Jackie Robinson, 1947: 4.1 WAR, .297/.383/.427, 125 Runs, 29 SB, NL ROY, 5th in MVP
Pete Alonso, 2019: 5.5 WAR, .260/.358/.583, 103 Runs, 53 HR, 120 RBI, 147 OPS+, NL ROY
Mark McGwire, 1987: 5.1 WAR, .289/.370/.618, 49 HR, 118 RBI, 164 OPS+, AL ROY
First base was an interesting position in this analysis for several reasons
Arguably the most consequential “rookie” season ever was Jackie Robinson’s in 1947, the year he broke baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. A lot of fans think of Robinson as a 2B, but he was actually quite versatile on the field, finishing his career mostly as a 3B and LF, and starting his NL career in 1947 as a first-baseman. Based on WAR, Robinson’s rookie campaign isn’t anywhere near the top here, but it is hard to deny him a spot on this roster, and arguably the top spot at 1B in particular.
Albert Pujols actually played more at 3B (55) in his rookie season than 1B (42). In fact, he also played the OF quite a bit that year as well, split evenly between RF and LF. So even though it feels a bit odd given the rest of his career, I’ve included him on this roster as a Utility player.
Who has had the highest WAR of all rookies who primarily played 1B? Alvin Davis. His 1984 season produced a WAR of 6.0, edging out Jose Abreu’s 5.8 WAR in 2014.
But in the end, I agree with Kelly’s rankings, which had Pete Alonso and his NL-leading 53 HR season of 2019 and Mark McGwire’s similar AL-leading 49 HR campaign of 1987 ranked much higher than Davis’ 1984 campaign (he listed Alonso 8th, McGwire 9th, and Alvin Davis 38th—again, amongst ROY award winners).
1B Honorable Mentions (in chronological order): Cody Bellinger (2017), Jose Abreu (2014), Mark Trumbo (2011), Joey Votto (2008), Todd Helton (1998), Jeff Bagwell (1991), Wally Joyner (1986), Alvin Davis (1984), Kent Hrbek (1982), Eddie Murray (1977), Mike Hargrove (1974), George Scott (1966), Orlando Cepeda (1958), Walt Dropo (1950), Luke Easter (1950), Ferris Fain (1947), Johnny Mize (1936), Hal Trosky (1934), Zeke Bonura (1934), Dale Alexander (1929), Del Bissonette (1928), Babe Herman (1926), Lou Gehrig (1925), Lu Blue (1921)
Two of these guys aren’t particularly well known, even to fairly serious baseball fans. Del Bissonette took a few years to rise up through the Minor Leagues, but after crushing AA pitching was finally called up to Brooklyn at the age of 28 in 1928. That year he hit 25 HRs with a .320/.396/.543 slash line and 145 OPS+. He had a few more good seasons, but then a tendon injury and illness cut his major league playing career short after only five seasons.
A year after Bissonette’s major league debut, Dale Alexander, a 26 year old rookie for Detroit, put up even more impressive numbers: 215 hits (led AL), 43 doubles, 15 triples, 25 HR, 110 Runs, 137 RBI, .343/.397/.580, .148 OPS+. He had several more good seasons, including pacing the AL with a .367 batting average in 1932. But early in 1933, Alexander suffered a twisted knee and then suffered far more when a relatively new medical treatment went horribly wrong, leaving him with gangrene and third-degree burns. He almost lost the leg entirely, but the injury left him unable to run or field well, so his major league career was over. He could still hit, and went on to have a fine minor-league career.
Second Base
Jim Gilliam, 1953: 3.9 WAR, .278/.383/.415, 125 Runs, 17 triples, 21 SB, 100 walks, 105 OPS+, NL ROY
Joe Morgan, 1965: 5.7 WAR, .271/.373/.418, 100 Runs, 14 HR, 12 triples, 131 OPS+, 20 SB, 97 walks, 2nd in NL ROY vote.
Jim Gilliam played a few years as a teenager in the Negro Leagues, and then excelled for two seasons for the Dodgers’ AAA affiliate in Montreal. By 1953 he was ready, and so as noted above, Jackie Robinson was shifted from 2B to a combination of 3B and LF. (Gilliam was similarly versatile, playing a mix of 2B, 3B, and LF in his career.) And Gilliam clearly was ready in 1953, as he scored 125 runs and led the NL in triples with 17, taking home NL Rookie of the Year honors.
All-time great 2B Joe Morgan did well in the minors, but then struggled in his brief call-ups to the Houston Colt-45s in 1963 and 1964. Still only 21, in 1965 he gave fans a hint of what was to come with his combination of power (14 HR), speed (20 SB), and keen batting eye (97 walks and .373 OBP). He came in second in the NL ROY of the year voting, losing to another 2B, Jim Lefebvre. In my view, based on the numbers, Morgan should have won the award, as Lefebvre only had 12 HR, 3 SB, and a .250/.337/.369 slash line with 106 OPS+.
Honorable Mentions: Jonathan India (2021), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2021), Gleyber Torres (2018), Dustin Pedroia (2007), Dan Uggla (2006), Quilvio Veras (1995), Chuck Knoblauch (1991), Roberto Alomar (1988), Juan Samuel (1984), Bill Doran (1983), Steve Sax (1982), Ryne Sandberg (1982), Lou Whitaker (1978), Paul Molitor (1978), Bump Wills (1977), Willie Randolph (1976), Pete Rose (1963), Lou Klein (1943), Joe Gordon (1938), Del Pratt (1912), Dots Miller (1909).
Some great names here, including some Hall of Famers, and some should-be Hall of Famers. But none of them had truly epic rookie seasons, so in my view 2B has been a relatively weak position for standout rookies.
In fact, which of the above rookie 2B seasons produced the highest WAR? Can you believe it is Lou Klein, of the 1943 Cardinals? His 6.5 WAR score is partially driven by a rather high 2.9 dWAR, as he was amongst the league leaders in most 2B defensive metrics (and also played a few dozen games at SS). Offensively, he scored 91 runs, batted .287, and posted a 111 OPS+, but only had 7 HR and 9 SB so wasn’t really a major force. Klein joined the military service in 1944, and upon his return to the Cardinals in 1945 struggled for playing time on a loaded St. Louis roster. He jumped to the Mexican League, along with teammates Max Lanier and Fred Martin, and then later came back and excelled for many years in the 1950s as a minor league player.
Third Base
Dick Allen, 1964: 8.8 WAR, .318/.382/.557, 125 Runs, 13 triples, 29 HR, 91 RBI, 352 TB, 162 OPS+, 138 SO, NL ROY
Al Rosen, 1950: 5.9 WAR, .287/.405/.543, 100 Runs, 37 HR, 116 RBI, 145 OPS+
Dick Allen hit well at every level as he rose up through the minors from 1960-63, so it was not a big surprise that at age 22 in 1964 he was able to hit well for the Phillies too. But without going back and reading season previews from that year, I assume no one predicted Allen would lead the NL in runs, triples, and total bases (he did lead the league in strikeouts too, and he continued to strikeout a lot throughout his career). Overall, Allen’s epic rookie season ranks second all-time in WAR for position player rookies, only surpassed by the great Mike Trout in 2012.
Al Rosen had been hitting well at every level of the minors, but had not done well in three brief MLB stints until finally in 1950 when as a 26-year old rookie he paced the AL with 37 HR and added 116 RBI with a 145 OPS+. His 37 HR that year stood as the AL Rookie record until McGwire’s 49 in 1987.
Honorable Mentions: Miguel Andujar (2018), Kris Bryant (2015), Matt Duffy (2015), Evan Longoria (2008), Ryan Braun (2007), Eric Hinske (2002), Scott Rolen (1997), Chipper Jones (1995), Chris Sabo (1988), Kevin Seitzer (1987), Bob Horner (1978), Jim Ray Hart (1964), Max Alvis (1963), Pete Ward (1963), Ed Charles (1962), Rich Rollins (1962), Frank Malzone (1957), Ken Keltner (1938), Willie Kamm (1923), Rogers Hornsby (1916), Eddie Foster (1912), Frank "Home Run" Baker (1909), Art Devlin (1904)
Ryan Braun hit well in his first two years in the minors, and was doing so again through 34 games in 2007 when he was called up to Milwaukee. In only 118 games for the Brewers he slugged 34 HR with 97 RBI, added 15 SB, batted .324 and led the NL with a .634 slugging percentage. What was not good was his defense at 3B, as he committed 26 errors and posted a .895 fielding percentage against a league average of .954. So he was shifted to LF the following year, the position he played for most of the rest of his career.
Another player on this list that might seem out of place is the great Rogers Hornsby. He played more at 3B during his rookie season, then shifted to SS, before settling in at 2B for most of his Hall of Fame career.
Shortstop
Nomar Garciaparra, 1997: 6.6 WAR, .306/.342/.534, 122 Runs, 209 Hits, 44 doubles 11 triples, 30 HR, 98 RBI, 22 SB, 123 OPS+, AL ROY
Hanley Ramirez, 2006: 4.9 WAR, .292/.353/.480, 119 Runs, 46 doubles, 11 triples, 17 HR, 59 RBI, 51 SB, 116 OPS+, NL ROY
Both of these guys have Red Sox roots. Nomar obviously, as he was both drafted by Boston and then had his best seasons there too. His rookie season numbers were very impressive, including leading the AL in both hits and triples. Overall, his 6.6 WAR is tied for 10th amongst all position player rookies.
But Hanley Ramirez also got his start in the Red Sox organization, as he was signed at the age of 16 out of the Dominican Republic as an amateur free agent in the summer of 2000. From 2002-2005 he rose up their minor league system, generally hitting for a solid batting average and stealing lots of bases, but not hitting many HR yet. A highly regarded prospect, he was critical to the trade with the Marlins that Boston made with the Marlins that brought them SP Josh Beckett and 3B Mike Lowell—both critical to the Red Sox 2007 world championship season.
Regarding Ramirez’ rookie season, it was noteworthy in that he became only the fifth player since 1901 to hit 45+ doubles and steal 50+ bases. The others were Craig Biggio in 1998, Lou Brock in 1968, Tris Speaker in 1912, and Ty Cobb in 1911. Ramirez duplicated the feat in his sophomore year, making him the only player ever to have the combo in a season twice. Since that time, only Jose Altuve has joined this elite group, in 2014. (Even prior to 1901 this D/SB combo was only achieved once, by Walt Wilmot of the then Chicago Colts in the National League, in 1894—a season with infamously inflated offensive numbers.)
Honorable Mentions: Jeremy Peña (2022), Fernando Tatis Jr. (2019), Trevor Story (2016), Corey Seager (2016), Francisco Lindor (2015), Carlos Correa (2015), Mike Aviles (2008), Troy Tulowitzki (2007), Angel Berroa (2003), Jimmy Rollins (2001), Rafael Furcal (2000), Derek Jeter (1996), Pat Listach (1992), Cal Ripken (1982), Ozzie Smith (1978), Sonny Jackson (1966), Tom Tresh (1962), Roy Hansen (1960), Luis Aparicio (1956), Harvey Kuenn (1953), Al Dark (1948), Johnny Pesky (1942), Phil Rizzuto (1941), Glenn Wright (1924), Joe Sewell (1921), Charlie Hollocher (1918), Donie Bush (1909), Freddy Parent (1901)
Lots of talent in that list, including some Hall of Famers, some near Hall of Famers, and I predict some future Hall of Famers. The only one I’ll call out is the player who actually has the highest WAR, at 6.8—even higher than Garciaparra or Ramirez. That would be Troy Tulowitzki who in 2007 not only hit 24 HR with 99 RBI, 104 Runs, and a .291/.359/.557 slash line, but also provided outstanding defense for the Rockies. He led NL shortstops in just about everything defensively, including fielding percentage (.987), range factor, double plays turned, assists, and putouts. He came in a very close second in the NL Rookie of the Year vote, losing to Ryan Braun, who admittedly had even more impressive offensive stats (and in only 113 games vs. 155 for Tulowitzki), but who also played atrocious defense at 3B as noted above.
Catcher
Carlton Fisk, 1972: 7.3 WAR, .293/.370/.538, 9 triples, 22 HR, 61 RBI, 162 OPS+, AL ROY, 4th in AL MVP, Gold Glove Award
Mike Piazza, 1993: 7.0 WAR, .318/.370/.561, 35 HR, 112 RBI, 153 OPS+, NL ROY
Johnny Bench, 1968: 5.0 WAR, .275/.311/.433, 40 doubles, 15 HR, 82 RBI, 117 OPS+, NL ROY
Fisk’s 7.3 WAR is highest amongst rookie catchers, and ranks 6th overall among all rookie seasons (Piazza’s 7.0 WAR is right behind him in 7th place). Fisk led the AL in triples in 1972, provided great defense earning him a Gold Glove Award, and was the first unanimous AL Rookie of the Year award winner.
You could make a case for Piazza’s 1993 rookie season as the top here, based largely on him tying the rookie record for HR (35) by a player who mostly played catcher. More importantly I think is that he set the record for most HR by a rookie while actually playing catcher. Rudy York in 1937 hit an impressive 35 HR in only 104 games played. However, only 17 came during the 54 games he played as a catcher, vs. the rest coming from his games at 3B or as a pinch hitter. Piazza’s 35 HR on the other hand all came while he was actually catching.
I included Johnny Bench as a third catcher on this dream team of rookie seasons in honor of him being the first catcher to win a Rookie of the Year award and the first rookie catcher to win a Gold Glove award too. His power in 1968 was more doubles than HR, something I noted in my article about Adley Rutschman earlier this year. It will be interesting to see if Rutschman develops more HR power in the coming years as Bench obviously did.
Honorable Mentions: Adley Rutschman (2022), Gary Sanchez (2016), Wilin Rosario (2012), Buster Posey (2010), Geovany Soto (2008), Sandy Alomar Jr. (1990), Matt Nokes (1987), Benito Santiago (1987), Darrell Porter (1973), Earl Williams (1971), Thurman Munson (1970), Rudy York (1937), Mickey Cochrane (1925)
Again, some good names here. I already mentioned Rudy York’s big season above, where he hit 35 HR though many came while not playing catcher. More recently Gary Sanchez put on an epic, late season power display as a rookie, hitting 20 HR in just 53 games in 2016, earning him second place in the AL ROY voting. And Benito Santiago in 1987 had an impressive 34-game hitting streak, which set new records for both rookies and catchers overall.
Right Field
Ichiro Suzuki, 2001: 7.7 WAR, .350/.381/.457, 127 Runs, 242 Hits, 56 SB, 126 OPS+, AL ROY, AL MVP, Gold Glove Award
Aaron Judge, 2017: 8.0 WAR, .284/.422/.627, 128 Runs, 52 HR, 114 RBI, 127 BB, 171 OPS+, AL ROY, 2nd in AL MVP vote
Tony Oliva, 1964: 6.8 WAR, .323/.359/.557, 109 Runs, 217 Hits, 43 doubles, 32 HR, 94 RBI, 374 TB, 150 OPS+, AL ROY, 4th in AL MVP vote
Ted Williams, 1939: 6.6. WAR, .327/.436/.609, 131 Runs, 44 doubles, 31 HR, 145 RBI, 107 BB, 344 TB, 160 OPS+, 4th in AL MVP vote
This position is loaded. You could make a case for any of these four as the top rookie RF season, but I guess I see it as a battle between Ichiro and Judge for the 1-2 spots, and then Oliva and Williams for the 3-4 spots. I gave Suzuki the nod for the top spot just because he had the rare trifecta of winning ROY, MVP, and a Gold Glove. 242 hits is impressive also, but so is 52 HR—though that was topped by Alonso 53 rookie HR only two years later. Both Oliva and Williams came in fourth in their respective AL MVP races, so it really comes down to Oliva leading the league in more categories vs. Williams having the higher OPS+, in part from establishing his great batting eye and ability to draw walks.
Honorable Mentions: Yasiel Puig (2013), Jason Heyward (2010), Tim Salmon (1993), Devon White (1987), Darryl Strawberry (1983), Tom Brunansky (1982), Gary Carter (1975), Greg Gross (1974), Curt Blefary (1965), Charlie Keller (1939), Gene Moore (1936), Ival Goodman (1935), George Watkins (1930), Smead Jolley (1930), Paul Waner (1926), Ike Boone (1924), Tom Long (1915), Harry Lumley (1904), Socks Seybold (1901)
A couple of players are a little out of place on this list, starting with Gary Carter who was of course a Hall of Famer but played most his career as a catcher. In 1975 his major league career began with more games in which he played in RF (92) versus behind the plate (66), in part because the Expos still had Barry Foote as a primary catcher on their roster. Gary Carter, the “Kid” at 21 years old, hit .270 with a .360 OBP and hit 17 HR, earning him second place in the NL ROY vote.
Devon White also started out in RF as a rookie in 1987, but then shifted to CF where he excelled and earned seven Gold Glove awards with countless highlight reel plays. His rookie numbers included 103 Runs, 87 RBI, 24 HR, and 32 SB, demonstrating right away his strong combination of power and speed.
Lastly I’ll note the only other Hall of Famer, besides Carter, listed here is Paul Waner. He burst into Pittsburgh's outfield in 1926 and led the NL with 22 triples, while hitting .336 to set the pace for a career in which he would average .333 overall.
Center Field
Mike Trout, 2012: 10.5 WAR, .326/.399/.564, 129 Runs, 30 HR, 49 SB, 5 CS, 168 OPS+, AL ROY, 2nd in AL MVP vote
Fred Lynn, 1975: 7.4 WAR, .331/.401/.566, 103 Runs, 47 doubles, 21 HR, 105 RBI, 162 OPS+, AL ROY, AL MVP, Gold Glove award
Injuries have kept Mike Trout to more human-like productive levels the past three years—in fact, he’s been outside of the top-4 in AL MVP voting all three years. But going into the 2023 season many would, assuming good health, still rank him as the best player in baseball. And that all began with his rookie season in 2012, when he posted the outstanding numbers above, including an overall WAR of 10.5, by far the highest ever for a rookie position player (Dick Allen’s 8.8 is a distant second.)
Prior to Trout, the 1975 season from Fred Lynn was arguably the greatest rookie campaign by a centerfielder. He led the AL in several important categories (like runs, doubles, slugging), and not only took home AL ROY honors, but also the AL MVP award and a Gold Glove award for his great defense.
Honorable Mentions: Julio Rodriguez (2022), Michael Harris II (2022), Adolis Garcia (2021), Victor Robles (2019), Trea Turner (2016), Bryce Harper (2012), Austin Jackson (2010), Jacoby Ellsbury (2008), Scott Podsednik (2003), Carlos Beltran (1999), Chris Singleton (1999), Kenny Lofton (1992), Ray Lankford (1991), Barry Bonds (1986), Chili Davis (1982), Andre Dawson (1977), Ruppert Jones (1977), Bake McBride (1974), Dusty Baker (1972), Willie Montañez (1971), Larry Hisle (1969), Tommie Agee (1966), Jimmie Hall (1963), Bob Allison (1959), Wally Moon (1954), Willie Mays (1951), Sam Jethroe (1950), Roy Sievers (1949), Richie Ashburn (1948), Larry Doby (1948), Bobby Thomson (1947), Ralph Kiner (1946), Wally Judnich (1940), Earl Averill (1929), Johnny Frederick (1929), Lloyd Waner (1927), Earle Combs (1925), Al Simmons, (1924), Fred Snodgrass (1910)
If you scan this long list you might notice Trea Turner and remember that in his rookie half-season he played mostly CF and 2B, as opposed to SS where he plays today. He hit .342 with 8 triples, 13 HR, and 33 SB in just 73 games in 2016—a sign of more great years to come.
Bryce Harper also mostly played CF in his rookie season, before shifting to LF for a few years, and then finally RF (when healthy enough and not restricted to being a DH). He won the NL ROY award in 2012 after scoring 98 runs with 22 HR and 18 SB—seemingly modest numbers until you remember he was only 19 years old at the time (his 57 extra-base hits and 254 total bases set records for players before their age-20 season).
Some other players of note here include some guys who led their league in key categories, like Kenny Lofton with 66 SB in 1992, and Ralph Kiner with 23 HR in 1946—not a huge total for leading a league in HR, but it was the first of seven consecutive NL HR titles for Kiner, with later season totals ranging from 37-54. (And yes Kiner almost exclusively played LF during his career, but as a rookie played a bit more in CF than in LF.)
Going further back in history, we find Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner, the younger brother and Pirates teammate of Paul “Big Poison” Waner mentioned in the RF section above. In his first season in 1927 he hit .355, led the NL with 133 runs, and started his run of leading the NL in singles for four of his first five seasons in the majors.
And around the same time, in 1929, there were two very strong CF rookies in Hall of Famer Earl Averill of the Cleveland Indians and the less well-remembered Johnny Frederick of the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers). Averill scored 110 runs while driving in 96, hit 18 HR, and posted a .332/.398/.538 slash line and 136 OPS+. Frederick, who had toiled for many years in the minors as a poor-fielding, good-hitting OF, finally got his chance in 1929 and responded by leading the NL with 52 doubles, along with 127 runs, 24 HR, a .328/.372/.545 slash line, and 126 OPS+. He was outstanding again the following year, but then started to decline and by 1935 Brooklyn decided to trade him off to the minors where his hitting numbers were able to rebound enough to keep him on the field for several more years.
Left Field
Frank Robinson, 1956: 6.5 WAR, .290/.379/.558, 122 Runs, 38 HR, 83 RBI, 20 HBP, 143 OPS+, NL ROY
Wally Berger, 1930: 4.0 WAR, .310/.375/.614, 98 Runs, 14 triples, 38 HR, 137 OPS+
Joe DiMaggio, 1936: 4.8 WAR, .323/.352/.576, 132 Runs, 44 doubles, 15 triples, 29 HR, 125 RBI, 128 OPS+
Wally Berger set a new rookie record with 38 HR for the Boston Braves in 1930 (third best in the NL). He had a great season, though it must be noted that 1930 was a notoriously high-offense season, with the overall NL batting average coming in at a lofty .303. Still, the 24-year old Berger was a standout slugger for the Braves, as his 38 HR were over half of the entire team’s total of 66. That is not a typo—no one else on the entire Braves team had more than 5 HR in the high-offense season of 1930.
Frank Robinson came to the majors in 1956 and tied Berger’s rookie record with 38 HR of his own. Unlike Berger, Robinson was joining a lineup with a lot of power hitters, including Gus Bell, Wally Post, Ted Kluszewski, and Ed Bailey, all of whom hit 25+ HR in 1956. Robinson mostly batted second in the Redlegs lineup that year, helping him score 122 times to lead the NL. He also wasn’t afraid to get plunked, pacing the NL with 20 HBPs. Overall, I rate his rookie season ahead of Berger’s—in fact, Robinson’s 6.5 WAR in 1956 ranks 14th all-time for rookie position players.
After destroying Pacific Coast League pitching for three years, Joe DiMaggio joined the Yankees as a 21-year old rookie in 1936 and began his epic 13-year major league career (interrupted for three years by World War II). That year he played a bit more in LF than CF, and led the AL with 15 triples, added 44 doubles and 29 HR, scored 132 runs with 124 RBI, while posting a .323/.352/.576 slash line and 128 OPS+. His 39 strikeouts that year, in 668 plate appearances, would be the most of his career.
Honorable Mentions: Steven Kwan (2022), Randy Arozarena (2021), Eloy Jimenez (2019), Bryan Reynolds (2019), Juan Soto (2018), Ronald Acuña Jr. (2018), Andrew Benintendi (2017), Yoenis Céspedes (2012), Jason Bay (2004), Lew Ford (2004), Hideki Matsui (2003), Mike Greenwell (1987), José Canseco (1986), Vince Coleman (1985), Ron Kittle (1983), Tim Raines (1981), Joe Charboneau (1980), Mitchell Page (1977), Gene Richards (1977), Jim Rice (1975), Al Bumbry (1973), Gary Matthews (1973), Bernie Carbo (1970), Rico Carty (1964), Billy Williams (1961), Del Ennis (1946), Dick Wakefield (1943), Stan Musial (1942), Chet Ross (1940), Johnny Rizzo (1938), Bob Johnson (1933), Roy Johnson (1929), Kiki Cuyler (1924), George Stone (1905)
Wow, once again a lot of great names here, from current superstars like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Juan Soto, to Hall-of-Famers Tim Raines, Jim Rice, Billy Williams, Stan Musial, and Kiki Cuyler.
Tim Raines’ rookie season in particular deserves mention. After tearing up the basepaths in the minors for three years, he did so again in 1980 while also hitting .354 for AAA Denver. Clearly he was ready for the majors in his age 21 season, but unfortunately that season was strike-shortened 1981. In just 88 games, Raines batted .305 and stole an NL-leading 71 bases (and was only caught 11 times).
On the other hand, there are at least two players that I think most readers won’t be very familiar with.
Chet Ross was a rookie for the Boston Bees (Braves franchise) in 1940 and slashed .281/.352/.460 with 23 doubles, 14 triples, 17 HR, and 129 OPS+. But that was it for Ross, as in four partial seasons that followed he hit only .206 with 17 HR in 253 games.
Johnny Rizzo, two years earlier in 1938, was a rookie for the Pittsburgh Pirates, slashing .301/.368/.514, with 31 doubles, 9 triples, 23 HR, 111 RBI, and 140 OPS+. He came in 6th in the NL MVP vote that year, but never approached those numbers again in four more seasons before joining the Navy in late 1942. Upon returning from the war, Rizzo had two productive minor-league seasons, but never returned to the majors.
Designated Hitter
Shohei Ohtani, 2018: 4.0 WAR, .285/.361/.564, 22 HR, 151 OPS+ and as a pitcher, 3.31 ERA and 1.161 WHIP over 10 starts, with 63 K in 51.2 IP, AL ROY
Yordan Alvarez, 2019: 3.7 WAR, .313/.412/.655, 27 HR, 78 RBI in only 87 games, 173 OPS+, AL ROY
Shohei Ohtani of course needs to be on this roster, given just how unique his abilities and accomplishments have been, including during his 2018 rookie season. Both his hitting and pitching were impressive as a MLB freshman, with his pitching getting even better in the years since.
Although he didn’t join the Astros in 2019 until June, Yordan Álvarez put up eye-popping numbers the rest of the year and so I think deserved a spot on this All-Time Rookies Dream Team.
Honorable Mention: Bob Hamelin (1994)
After six seasons climbing the minor league ranks, Royals slugger Bob Hamelin was having a great rookie campaign in 1994, slashing .282/.388/.599 with 25 doubles and 24 HR in 101 games—good for a 147 OPS+. But the strike ended that season early, and he never hit that well again.
Utility
Albert Pujols, 2001: 6.6 WAR, .329/.403/.610, 112 Runs, 130 RBI, 47 doubles, 37 HR, 157 OPS+, NL ROY, 4th in NL MVP vote
Minnie Miñoso, 1951: 5.4 WAR, .326/.422/.500, 112 Runs, 14 triples, 10 HR, 31 SB, 16 HBP, 151 OPS+
As I noted in the 1B section above, Albert Pujols’ rookie season in 2001 saw him play several different positions. He got into games at 3B (55), 1B (42), RF (39), LF (39), DH (2), and as a pinch hitter twice also. His offensive numbers were outstanding, the first of 11 great years to lead off his career for the Cardinals. His overall WAR (6.6) for rookie position players is tied for 10th all-time, and Kelly ranked his season as the 6th best ROY campaign behind only J.Robinson, Ichiro, Trout, Lynn, and Judge.
Minnie Miñoso had already established himself in the Negro Leagues from 1946-1948, before signing with the Cleveland Indians and doing well in one year in their minor league system. Early in the 1951 season he was part of a three team trade that sent him to the Chicago White Sox, and there he completed an outstanding rookie AL campaign by leading the league in triples, stolen bases, and like Frank Robinson would in the NL a few years later, hit-by-pitches too. I list him here under Utility because he got into 68 games at 3B, 43 in RF, 42 in LF, 2 in CF, 1 at SS, 1 as a pinch hitter. Overall, his season earned him 2nd place in the AL ROY vote, and 4th place in the AL MVP vote. Gil McDougald (see below), won the ROY, but only came in 9th in the MVP race as fellow Yankees Yogi Berra (MVP winner), Allie Reynolds, and Vic Raschi got more votes there.
Honorable Mentions: Brendan Donovan, 2B/3B/RF/LF/DH/1B/SS (2022), Joey Wendle 2B/3B/LF/SS (2018), David Justice 1B/RF (1990), Wade Boggs 1B/3B (1982), Billy Grabarkewitz (1970), Tony Kubek SS/3B/LF/CF (1957), Gil McDougald 3B/2B (1951)
In 2022 Brendan Donovan came in third place in the NL ROY voting, after posting a .281 average and impressive .394 OBP, though with only 5 HR in 126 games. It was his defensive versatility that was his best quality, and it earned him the new Gold Glove Award for utility players. He got into games at every position other than P, C, and CF, as follows: 2B (38), 3B (31), RF (20), LF (19), DH (16), 1B (16), SS (7), pinch-hitter (7), and even pinch-runner (5).
As noted above, Gil McDougald was an AL rookie the same year as Miñoso, and played an important utility role for the World Series champion New York Yankees. He had 14 HR and 14 SB, with a .306/.396/.488 slash line and 142 OPS+, while getting into games at both 3B (83) and 2B (54), plus 8 games as a pinch-hitter and 6 as a pinch-runner.
But if I were going to include a third utility player on my All-Time Rookies Dream Team roster, it might be Billy Grabarkewitz, who after ascending the minors over four seasons joined the Dodgers in 1970. He provided 17 HR, 19 SB, 92 Runs, 84 RBI, a .289/.399/.454 slash line, and 134 OPS+. That adds up 6.5 WAR, tied for 14th best for all rookie position players. Unfortunately, that All-Star season was his only good one in the majors, as various injuries kept him from performing at that level again for the Dodgers and four other teams over a seven-year career.
Starting Pitchers
Dwight Gooden, 1984: 17-9 in 31 GS, 2.60 ERA, 1.69 FIP, 137 ERA+, 1.073 WHIP, 276 K in 218 IP, 16 CG, 8 shutouts, NL ROY, 2nd in NL CYA vote
Fernando Valenzuela, 1981: 13-7 in 25 GS, 2.48 ERA, 2.44 FIP, 135 ERA+, 1.045 WHIP, 180 K in 192.1 IP, 11 CG, 8 shutouts, NL ROY, NY CYA
Mark Fidrych, 1976: 19-9 in 29 GS, 2.34 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 159 ERA+, 1.079 WHIP, 97 K in 250.1 IP, 24 CG, 4 shutouts, AL ROY, 2nd in AL CYA vote
José Fernández, 2013: 12-6 in 28 GS, 2.19 ERA, 2.73 FIP, 176 ERA+, 0.979 WHIP, 187 K in 172.2 IP, NL ROY
Gary Peters, 1963: 19-8 in 30 GS (41 G), 2.33 ERA, 2.34 FIP, 150 ERA+, 1.070 WHIP, 189 K in 243 IP, 13 CG, 4 shutouts, AL ROY
Hideo Nomo, 1995: 13-6 in 28 GS, 2.54 ERA, 2.89 FIP, 149 ERA+, 236 K in 191.1 IP, 4 CG, 3 shutouts, NL ROY, 4th in NL CYA vote
Ed Reulbach, 1905: 18-14 in 29 GS (34 G), 1.42 ERA, 2.46 FIP, 209 ERA+, 0.963 WHIP, 152 K in 291.2 IP, 28 CG, 5 shutouts.
Russ Ford, 1910: 26-6 in 33 GS (36 G), 1.65 ERA, 1.87 FIP, 160 ERA+, 0.881 WHIP, 209 K in 299.2 IP., 29 CG, 8 shutouts.
Certainly there can be arguments about both who to choose here, and how to rank them. For me, the top three seemed to be Gooden, Valenzuela, and Fidrych, and I went with them in that ranking order for a few reasons. I like Gooden’s extremely good FIP of 1.69, his dominance in setting a new rookie record for strikeouts (surpassing Herb Score’s old mark of 245), and his leading his league in WHIP. I remember as an eight-year old experiencing Fernando-mania in 1981, but I was too young to remember Fidrych’s equally entertaining rookie season. He was a very different type of pitcher of course, as his paltry 97 strikeouts indicates—amazing the level of success he had that year.
While I had a bias towards more modern pitchers, I did want to include a couple representatives of old-timers. Russ Ford was outstanding for the 1910 New York Highlanders (Yankees) going 26-6 with a 1.65 ERA, 1.87 FIP, 160 ERA+, and 0.881 WHIP. And Ed Reulbach’s rookie season for the Cubs in 1905 seemed like another good choice, as his 209 ERA+ is the highest amongst any rookie pitchers with 20 or more starts.
Honorable Mentions: Spencer Strider (2022), Walker Buehler (2018), Jacob deGrom (2014), Shelby Miller (2013), Yu Darvish (2012), Josh Johnson (2006), Justin Verlander (2006), Brandon Webb (2003), Dontrelle Willis (2003), Roy Oswalt (2001), Rick Ankiel (2000), Freddy Garcia (1999), Kerry Wood (1998), Tom Browning (1985), Mark Langston (1984), Mike Boddicker (1983), Britt Burns (1980), Ron Guidry (1977), Pat Zachry (1976), Dennis Eckersley (1975), John Montefusco (1975), Jon Matlack (1972), Jerry Koosman (1968), Stan Bahnsen (1968), Gary Nolan (1967), Dick Hughes (1967), Tom Seaver (1967), Don Sutton (1966), Wally Bunker (1964), Jack Sanford (1957), Herb Score (1955), Harvey Haddix (1953), Mike Garcia (1949), Don Newcombe (1949), Gene Bearden (1948), Larry Jansen (1947), Ken Burkhart (1945), Ted Wilks (1944), Bill Voiselle (1944), Johnny Beazley (1942), Elmer Riddle (1941), Ernie White (1941), Jim Turner (1937), Cliff Melton (1937), Lou Fette (1937), Cy Blanton (1935), Curt Davis (1934), Paul Dean (1934), Dizzy Dean (1932), Wes Ferrell (1929), Pat Malone (1928), Ray Kremer (1924), Herman Pillette (1922), Scott Perry (1918), Babe Ruth (1915), Jeff Pfeffer (1914), Reb Russell (1913), Jeff Tesreau (1912), Vean Gregg (1911), Pete Alexander (1911), King Cole (1910), Hippo Vaughn (1910), Harry Krause (1909), George McQuillan (1908), Ed Summers (1908), Jack Pfiester (1906), Jack Weimer (1903), Addie Joss (1902), Roscoe Miller (1901), Christy Mathewson (1901)
Out of all these guys, there are a few that I really looked at closely and considered including on this dream team roster. Some at top of that list were three rookie New York Mets hurlers from within a six year period:
Tom Seaver, 1967: 16-13 in 34 GS, 2.76 ERA, 3.16 FIP, 122 ERA+, 1.203 WHIP, 170 K in 251 IP, 18 CG, 2 shutouts, NL ROY
Jerry Koosman, 1968: 19-12 in 34 GS, 2.08 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 145 ERA+, 1.100 WHIP, 178 K in 263.2 IP, 17 CG, 7 shutouts, 2nd in NL ROY vote
Jon Matlack, 1972: 15-10 in 32 GS, 2.34 ERA, 2.66 FIP, 145 ERA+, 1.172 WHIP, 169 K in 244 IP, 8 CG, 4 shutouts, NL ROY
Additional top Rookie of the Year award winning seasons include Stan Bahnsen, Kerry Wood, John Montefusco, Herb Score, and Don Newcombe, amongst others. And for pre-ROY award pitchers, some of the best seasons include Cy Blanton, Vean Gregg, Pete Alexander, Jack Pfiester, and yes, Babe Ruth, amongst many others.
Relief Pitchers
Craig Kimbrel, 2011: 46 SV, 79 G, 2.10 ERA, 1.52 FIP, 183 ERA+, 1.039 WHIP, 127 K in 77 IP, NL ROY
Jonathan Papelbon, 2006: 36 SV, 59 G, 0.92 ERA, 2.14 FIP, 517 ERA+, 0.776 WHIP, 75K in 68.1 IP, 2nd in AL ROY vote
Joe Black, 1952: 15-4 W-L, 15 SV, 56 G, 2.15 ERA, 2.90 FIP, 171 ERA+, 1.005 WHIP, 85 K in 142.1 IP, NL ROY, 3rd in NL MVP vote
Hoyt Wilhelm, 1952: 15-3 W-L, 11 SV, 71 G, 2.43 ERA, 3.18 FIP, 152 ERA+, 1.155 WHIP, 108 K in 159.1 IP, 2nd in NL ROY vote, 4th in NL MVP vote
Dick Radatz, 1962: 24 SV, 2.24 ERA, 2.30 FIP, 185 FIP, 185 ERA+, 1.083 WHIP, 144 K in 124.2 IP, 3rd in AL ROY vote
Dellin Betances, 2014: 1 SV, 1.40 ERA, 1.64 FIP, 274 ERA+, 0.778 WHIP, 135 K in 90 IP, 3rd in AL ROY vote
Wilcy Moore, 1927: 13 SV, 2.28 ERA, 2.83 FIP, 171 ERA+, 1.146 WHIP, 75 K in 213 IP
As with starting pitchers, there were plenty of great rookie seasons for relief pitchers to consider. For me the top spot came down to two guys—Craig Kimbrel who has the record for most saves by a rookie and was dominating with 14.8 K/9 (127 K in 77 IP), and Jonathan Papelbon whose 35 saves is sixth all-time for a rookie season but had a microscopic 0.92 ERA (7 ER in 68.1 IP) and an insane 517 ERA+. Not surprising given the strikeout number for Kimbrel, his FIP of 1.52 was actually better than Papelbon’s 2.14.
After those two, I think there are a couple of dozen candidates that you could make a good case for one of the five remaining spots I had on the roster. It comes down to do you prefer high save totals? or low ERA / good ERA+? or dominance in terms of a lot of K/9 or low WHIP? Or what about being pretty good at all of the above and pitching more innings than other candidates? And what about non-closer relievers who had dominating rookie seasons?
I went with a grab-bag of great rookie relief seasons, including two from 1952. That year Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm, who had served in WWII and then pitched mostly as a starter for four years in the minors, finally got his break with the Giants in his age-29 season. He pitched in 71 games and had enough innings to qualify so his 2.43 ERA earned him the NL title. His 15-3 W-L record also looked good to voters, so he came in fourth in the NL MVP vote, and second in the NL ROY vote. The winner of the NL ROY was actually another relief pitcher, Joe Black of the Dodgers. He was in his age-28 season, due to segregation forcing him to pitch in the Negro Leagues, and then spending one season for Brooklyn’s AAA team in 1951 before joining the Dodgers. His ERA in 1952 was even lower than Wilhelm’s at 2.15, but he didn’t pitch quite enough innings (142.1) to qualify for the title. He had a similar 15-4 record though, and so came in a close third in the NL MVP vote, behind only Hank Sauer of the Cubs and Robin Roberts of the Phillies.
Both Dick Radatz and Dellin Betances had dominating rookie seasons, and then Wilcy Moore from the 1927 Yankees was an interesting final pick. He pitched in 50 games, starting 12 and finishing 30. Overall he pitched 213 innings and had a 2.28 ERA, which led the American League. He had a 19-7 W-L record, and although saves weren’t a statistic yet, Baseball Reference credits him with 13 which would have led the AL also. He even pitched a complete game in game 4 of the World Series, giving the famous Yankees club a 4-0 sweep over the Pirates. He would go on to pitch in the majors for five more seasons, but none were as great as his rookie year.
Honorable Mentions: Alexis Diaz (2022), Jhoan Durán (2022), Félix Bautista (2022), Emmanuel Clase (2021), David Bednar (2021), Devin Williams (2020), Giovanny Gallegos (2019), Nick Anderson (2019), Edwin Diaz (2016), Seunghwan Oh (2016), Kyle Barraclough (2016), Roberto Osuna (2015), Trevor Rosenthal (2013), Kelvin Herrera (2012), Kenley Jansen (2011), Jordan Walden (2011), Neftali Feliz (2010), John Axford (2010), Andrew Bailey (2009), José Arredondo (2008), Joakim Soria (2007), Manny Corpas (2007), Bobby Jenks (2006), Chris Ray (2006), Takashi Saito (2006), Joel Zumaya (2006), Jonathan Broxton (2006), Huston Street (2005), Akinori Otsuka (2004), Shingo Takatsu (2004), Brendan Donnelly (2003), Francisco Rodriguez (2003), José Valverde (2003), Jorge Julio (2002), Kazuhiro Sasaki (2000), Billy Koch (1999), Scott Williamson (1999), Kerry Ligtenberg (1998), Rich Loiselle (1997), Troy Percival (1995), Dave Veres (1995), Pedro Martínez (1993), Greg McMichael (1993), Chuck McElroy (1991), Greg Harris (1989), Gregg Olson (1989), Mike Schooler (1989), Bryan Harvey (1988), Bobby Thigpen (1987), Mark Eichhorn (1986), Dan Plesac (1986), Todd Worrell (1986), Brian Fisher (1985), Ernie Camacho (1984), Pete Ladd (1983), Frank DiPino (1983), Steve Bedrosian (1982), Ed Vande Berg (1982), Luis DeLeon (1982), Doug Corbett (1980), Al Holland (1980), Steve Howe (1980), Dave Smith (1980), Dan Quisenberry (1980), Jeff Reardon (1980), Bruce Sutter (1976), Rawly Eastwick (1975), Doug Bird (1973), Cy Acosta (1973), Terry Forster (1972), Steve Mingori (1971), Ken Tatum (1969), Wayne Granger (1969), Dave Baldwin (1967), Joe Hoerner (1966), Frank Linzy (1965), Bob Lee (1964), Sammy Ellis (1964), Ryne Duren (1958), Turk Farrell (1957), Joe Black (1952), Joe Berry (1944)
After Kimbrel, the next highest save total for a rookie season is Bobby Jenks with 41 in 2006. But he had a 4.00 ERA and only 119 ERA+, so he wasn’t a top candidate for this all-time dream team. Next comes Neftali Feliz with 40 saves in 2010, which earned him AL Rookie of the Year honors. He had a 2.73 ERA, 165 ERA+, and 0.880 WHIP, so a case could be made for him.
Amongst rookie relievers who appeared in 50 or more games, after Papelbon the second highest ERA+ is 340 by Emmanuel Clase in 2021. He posted 24 saves with a 1.29 ERA and 0.962 WHIP.
If I had one more spot I might have given it to Mark Eichhorn, who in 1986 had an incredible rookie season as a setup man for closer Tom Henke. He posted a 14-6 W-L record, with 10 saves and a 1.72 ERA, 2.31 FIP, 246 ERA+, 0.955 WHIP, and 166 K in 157 IP.
I noticed two seasons that had an abundance of good rookie relievers, with 2006 being the more recent: Jonathan Papelbon, Bobby Jenks, Chris Ray, Takashi Saito, Joel Zumaya, and Jonathan Broxton. Then 1980 was solid too, with Dan Quisenberry, Jeff Reardon, Dave Smith, Doug Corbett, Steve Howe, and Al Holland.
And lastly, if you scanned the lengthy honorable mentions list you might have noticed Pedro Martinez. The Hall of Famer started with the Dodgers, and his first full season in the majors was as a reliever in 1993 when he posted a 10-5 record with 2 saves in 65 games, with 119 K in 107 IP, a 2.61 ERA and 146 ERA+.
Al Kaline in right