Rookies -- and big names at that -- made their impacts felt in 2026. Eighteen of the first 25 players ranked on MLB Pipeline's preseason Top 100 Prospects list appeared in the big leagues, and many of them had seasons worthy of hardware.
There were eye-catching debuts, massive extensions, All-Star appearances and more. While several key rookies are still playing in the postseason, it's time to look back at the best campaigns from the regular season.
To honor the top rookies in this year’s class, here are MLB Pipeline's picks for the 2026 All-Rookie First and Second Teams, with selections based on 2026 performance rather than long-term projections:
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FIRST TEAM
C: Carter Jensen, Royals
Jensen made the Royals' Opening Day roster as MLB's No. 18 overall prospect and immediately showed he was one of the better all-around catchers in the game. He ranked third among all backstops with a 3.7 WAR and fourth among all rookies with 27 homers as he slashed .239/.323/467. The Kansas City native also made great strides on defense, where he showed off above-average framing skills and pop times.
1B: Munetaka Murakami, White Sox
Swing-and-miss concerns led to Murakami signing for two years and $34 million, and that now looks like quite a bargain for Chicago. Although he did have baseball's second-highest K rate (35.4 percent), he more than made up for that by leading all rookies with 35 homers and working a 16.6 percent walk rate. The 26-year-old was especially dangerous in the first half, when he posted a .387 wOBA that ranked 11th among hitters with at least 250 plate appearances.
2B: JJ Wetherholt, Cardinals
Wetherholt led National League rookies with a 4.6 WAR, thanks in large part to top-of-the-line defense at the keystone. The West Virginia product's 25 Outs Above Average were second only to Pete Crow-Armstrong (26) this season and the highest ever recorded for a rookie. Wetherholt, who rose to No. 5 overall prospect status before graduating from eligibility, also proved quite disciplined at the plate with a 101 wRC+ with 17 homers and 14 steals.
3B: Kevin McGonigle, Tigers
A mere 17 games into his rookie season, McGonigle signed an eight-year extension worth at least $150 million, and he quickly rewarded the Tigers by leading the American League in bWAR (per Baseball Reference). The Pennsylvania native has had a reputation for being a sweet swinger since Detroit drafted him 37th overall in 2023 -- he rose to become MLB's No. 2 prospect before the season -- and lived up to the billing as he slashed .278/.376/.430 with nearly as many walks (95) as strikeouts (100).
SS: Konnor Griffin, Pirates
Few players in recent years have had as hyped debuts as Griffin did when he suited up as baseball's top prospect for the Pirates at just 19 years old in early April. Although he missed time with a right elbow strain and a left ring finger injury, Griffin showed flashes of his five-tool skill set across 80 games. The Mississippi high school product particularly stood out on the basepaths, where he stole 23 bases in 27 attempts and ranked 12th in the Majors with a 29.9 ft/sec sprint speed.
OF: Carson Benge, Mets
The Mets' Opening Day right fielder as MLB's No. 16 prospect, Benge got off to a slow start in Queens before becoming one of the club's most consistent hitters. He was particularly hot across the final two months -- .315/.381/.497 with nine homers in 62 games -- which made him a leading candidate to win the NL Rookie of the Year award. The former two-way player possessed the fifth-strongest outfield arm in the league (96.9 mph average on the top 10 percent of his throws) and was dangerous on the bases with 22 steals in 27 attempts.
OF: Chase DeLauter, Guardians
Health has been the biggest question mark for DeLauter, who entered the year as the No. 46 overall prospect despite playing in just 130 Minor League games in the three-plus seasons after Cleveland selected him 16th overall in the 2022 Draft. Well, he surpassed that total in his rookie season by playing in 133 games. DeLauter posted a slash line of .287/.363/.457 with 16 homers and the third-lowest strikeout rate among qualified rookies (14.7 percent). Often batting third, his pure hitting ability was evident as he consistently squared up the ball and showed a key eye at the plate.
OF: Tristan Peters, White Sox
The White Sox acquired Peters from the Rays for cash in December 2025, and after the 2021 seventh-rounder began the season on the bench, he worked his way into the starting lineup and eventually became an All-Star. The 26-year-old memorably went deep in five consecutive games in August, tying a franchise record that teammate Murakami reached earlier in the year. He slashed .265/.337/.437 with solid outfield defense and accumulated a 3.5 WAR, which ranked fifth among 2026 rookies and was the best mark for a White Sox rookie since José Abreu in 2014.
DH: Sal Stewart, Reds
No matter whether he was stationed at first, third, second or serving as designated hitter, Stewart was a staple of the Reds' lineup all season and one of only seven big leaguers to play all 162 games. After entering the season as MLB's No. 22 prospect, he ranked third among all hitters with 111 RBIs and 15th with 32 homers while posting a .263/.330/.457 slash line. And it's not like the right-handed slugger was a product of hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park -- he posted a 113 wRC+ at home and a 111 mark on the road.
SP: Parker Messick, Guardians
Perhaps in a year in which McGonigle wasn't playing, Messick would have been the runaway AL Rookie of the Year. Instead, he'll likely have to settle for a terrific season in which his 4.9 WAR was the highest for a rookie pitcher since Hideo Nomo in 1995 (and highest in the AL since Mark Eichhorn in 1986). The 25-year-old lefty ranked sixth among qualified starters with a 2.56 ERA as he posted a 3.07 FIP with 193 strikeouts across 186 1/3 innings. After entering the season as the No. 96 overall prospect and gaining a tick and a half of velocity, Messick held opponents to a .248 wOBA on the heater.
SP: Payton Tolle, Red Sox
The 6-foot-6 southpaw, who was MLB's No. 19 prospect before the season, entered Boston's rotation in late April and quickly became one of the club's best starters. Among big leaguers with at least 140 innings this season, Tolle ranked 17th in ERA (3.03), 10th in FIP (3.04) and 11th in K/BB rate (21.7 percent). Throwing one of his three fastballs almost 90 percent of the time, Tolle's hard stuff looked even faster thanks to elite extension (7.4 feet), and few pitchers elicited a higher chase rate (36.4 percent).
RP: Didier Fuentes, Braves
After making four starts in The Show last season as a 20-year-old, Fuentes came out of the bullpen this season and was a big-time weapon, often deployed for multiple innings at a time while reaching back and consistently hitting the upper 90s with his fastball. The 6-foot right-hander posted a 23.9 percent K/BB rate that ranked 11th among pitchers with at least 70 innings, and he limited damage with an 83.1 percent strand rate that stood seventh among that group, contributing to his 2.45 ERA.
SECOND TEAM
C: Joe Mack, Marlins
1B: TJ Rumfield, Rockies
2B: Travis Bazzana, Guardians
3B: Kazuma Okamoto, Blue Jays
SS: Cooper Pratt, Brewers
OF: Sam Antonacci, White Sox
OF: Henry Bolte, Athletics
OF: A.J. Ewing, Mets
DH: Bryce Eldridge, Giants
SP: Nolan McLean, Mets
SP: Logan Henderson, Brewers
RP: Bradgley Rodriguez, Padres