Corbin Carroll (National League) and Gunnar Henderson (American League) were named the 2023 Rookies of the Year after putting together tremendous seasons for the D-backs and Orioles, respectively. But there were several other rookies from last year who showed flashes of what could make them stars in the future.
These rookies may have had strong starts before fading later in the season, or perhaps they excelled in one facet of the game while struggling in another. But they have a chance to take a big step forward during their sophomore campaigns in 2024.
Here’s a look at 10 players entering Year No. 2 with an eye toward doing just that:
But the phenom cooled off considerably after that. From June 24 through the end of the season, he posted a .643 OPS with a 35% strikeout rate. De La Cruz, who just turned 22 earlier this month, has all the makings of a superstar — he had an average arm strength of 95.9 mph in his rookie campaign, and his Sprint Speed was 30.5 feet per second, tied with Bobby Witt Jr. for the best in the Majors.
If De La Cruz can figure things out at the plate, he could become one of the best players in the game.
Hunter Brown, Astros
Brown was fantastic over his first seven Major League appearances in 2022, posting a 0.89 ERA over 20 1/3 innings. He started off strong in his first full big league season, pitching to a 2.37 ERA last April. He showed some inconsistency through the remainder of the season’s first half, but still owned a 3.64 ERA through June.
From there, things started falling apart. Brown began to exhibit command issues and was potentially fatigued as he crossed the 100-inning threshold (he had never thrown more than 126 1/3 innings in a single season as a professional to that point). Over his final 16 appearances (14 starts), his ERA was 6.95.
With a full MLB season behind him, Brown — Houston’s top pitching prospect when he debuted in 2022 — could take a big step forward in 2024, particularly given his arsenal. With a fastball that reaches 99 mph and an assortment of effective secondary offerings, we could see a breakout sophomore campaign.
Jordan Walker, Cardinals
Walker, the Cardinals’ No. 1 prospect heading into last season, was sensational to begin his MLB career in ’23, tying Eddie Murphy’s 1912 record of 12 consecutive games with a hit to start a career by a player 20 years old or younger. But Walker hit just .192 over the next eight games and was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.
Upon Walker’s return in June, he began to heat up again at the plate. He hit .338/.427/.549 that month before posting a .756 OPS the rest of the season. As he heads into the 2024 campaign, he’ll look to have a more consistent sophomore season in which he isn’t bouncing back-and-forth between Memphis and St. Louis. That, in itself, could lead to a much better performance in ’24.
Anthony Volpe, Yankees
Volpe was the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect heading into last season, and while some of his numbers at the plate left a lot to be desired, his stellar defense at shortstop earned him a Gold Glove Award for his rookie campaign.
While he hit only .209 with a .666 OPS, Volpe did launch 21 homers and steal 24 bases in 2023. That bodes well for the 22-year-old going forward. And that .209 batting average involved some bad luck — according to Statcast, Volpe’s expected batting average last year was .230.
Year 2 could bring a significant stride forward for the young shortstop who grew up in New Jersey wanting to be a Yankee someday. After a 3.3-bWAR performance in 2023, ’24 may have some big things in store for Volpe.
Francisco Alvarez, Mets
Alvarez made quite the impression with the Mets in 2023. After smashing a 439-foot home run for his first MLB hit on the penultimate day of the 2022 regular season, he belted 25 more last year. Only three catchers in AL/NL history hit more than 25 homers as a rookie: Mike Piazza (35 in 1993), Matt Nokes (32 in 1997) and Wilin Rosario (28 in 2012).
The…
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