Here are the top Rookie of the Year candidates in each league

With Spring Training underway around the league, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo took time on the latest Pipeline Podcast to list their top five candidates for Rookie of the Year in each league for the upcoming season.

Callis took the National League and Mayo made his picks for the American League.

Here are the top Rookie of the Year candidates in each league:

No. 5 : Kodai Senga, RHP, Mets
This a guy who starred in Japan, he starred in the World Baseball Classic, he won a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics, which were held in ’21. This is a guy with mid-90s fastball, he’s got this wicked fork ball, I think they call it the ‘ghost fork’. And nobody else has a ‘ghost fork’ so that alone should earn some Rookie of the Year votes. He’s got a cutter, he’s got a slider, he throws strikes. Even though he signed a $75 million deal, he’s not coming into a situation where he’s gotta be the ace.

No. 4: Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Rockies (MLB No. 25)
He’s already been up a little bit. He played nine games in September with the Rockies last year at age 21. Obviously he’s talented, he can hit, he’s got some power, he can run a little bit. He’s gonna get the Coors Field factor which is going to help. But he’s also one of the best defensive shortstop prospects in the game.

No. 3: Miguel Vargas, INF, Dodgers (MLB No. 35)
I think he’s one of the best pure hitters in baseball. I feel like he’s a little bit underrated. He’s never hit less than .308 in a Minor League season and yet I don’t feel like he gets talked about a lot being among the very best hitters in all the Minor Leagues. He’s just got elite bat to ball skills, he’s one of those guys who grew up around the game. His father, Lázaro Vargas, was the DH for Cuba’s 1992 and 1996 Olympic Champions. Miguel is growing into power, he’s a little better speed wise and defensively than he was when he entered pro ball. And I think he’s such a gifted hitter that he is going to get a lot of at-bats and do well with them.

No. 2: Jordan Walker, OF, Cardinals (MLB No. 4)
He hasn’t played above Double-A and the Cardinals are a loaded team, but I think his combination of hitting ability and power are very hard to ignore. I think he’s also an asset in right field, where he moved from third base late last year because Nolan Arenado is third at St. Louis and isn’t going anywhere. For a guy who is 6-5, 250 pounds, he’s pretty athletic. We all saw him in the Fall League, and I wouldn’t have guessed 250 pounds. It’s like a lean 250, if that makes sense, and he’s just such a physical athlete. And he’s got a big time arm for right field. I just think he’s going to make a very good impression in camp, and even if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster I just don’t think they’ll be able to keep him in Triple-A for too long.

No. 1: Corbin Carroll, OF, D-backs (MLB No. 2)
They traded Daulton Varsho in the offseason to create even more room in the outfield. He came up and…