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MLB Rookie Rankings: Can anyone catch Corbin Carroll?

MLB, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets

We're past the unofficial start of summer, which gives us more than enough of a sample size to take our first group look at the state of MLB's 2023 rookie class.

We've combined the American League and National League into one list -- headlined by (surprise!) Arizona Diamondbacks phenom Corbin Carroll, a unanimous pick. But who else rounds out the 10 best rookies in baseball so far? And can anyone catch Carroll at the top as the summer heats up?

We asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle and Kiley McDaniel to rank their top 10 rookies. They've also detailed how each one has performed this season to date, what to watch for throughout the rest of 2023 and their long-term outlooks.


1. Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks

How he's performed so far: Kiley's No. 2 overall prospect entering the season, Carroll has been exactly as advertised, flashing his plus-plus speed both on the bases (17 steals) and in the field (93rd percentile in outs above average, including several highlight-reel catches) with a solid approach at the plate and surprising power for a smaller guy (15 doubles, 10 home runs). He improved his strikeout-to-walk ratio from 24/8 in April to 18/15 in May, a great sign for a young hitter. He's hitting .287/.378/.520 and has a great chance of making the All-Star team. -- Schoenfield

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