The hottest rookies of the past two weeks

July 7th, 2021

As the calendar flips from June to July, Major League teams are figuring out a lot of equations. Where do they fit in the hunt for contention? Can they rely on the inexperienced players they have in their attempts to punch a ticket to October? Is it time to sell and turn over the club to players in need of experience?

The last two weeks (from June 23 to July 6) have provided answers with some of the game’s best young talents solidifying their places in The Show and others performing to a level deserving of even more playing time down the stretch.

These are the hottest rookies of the last two weeks:

1. Alek Manoah, RHP, Blue Jays (No. 5/MLB No. 90)
The 23-year-old right-hander only made two starts in this period, but they don’t get any more dominant than these. Manoah didn’t allow an earned run in either outing, struck out 16 and walked only three over 13 innings between his home starts against division foes Baltimore and Tampa Bay. The gem of his young Major League career came last Friday when he struck out 10 Rays, including a club record seven in a row at one point. Oh, he also didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning. The 2019 11th overall pick’s 43 K’s this season are a Toronto record for a pitcher in his first seven starts, and he owns a 2.70 ERA as well in that span. Manoah could have a large part to play if the Blue Jays make a run toward the postseason.

2. Eric Haase, C/OF, Tigers (ineligible for Top 30)
Rebuilding teams are filled with opportunities for the taking, and that’s precisely what the 28-year-old rookie Haase is seizing on in Detroit. Haase hit .323/.364/.742 over a nine-game period in this window. His four homers -- two of which came last Saturday in a six-RBI performance against the White Sox -- lead all rookies over the last two weeks. In that span, Haase pushed his OPS from .803 up to .870. It’s reached the point where manager A.J. Hinch has gotten the right-handed slugger some time in left because the Tigers need his bat in the lineup as much as possible.

3. Adolis García, OF, Rangers (ineligible for Top 30)
García was one of two rookies to make an All-Star team this week -- the other is also on this list -- so it was going to be a big period in his career regardless. Still, it didn’t hurt to sew up his candidacy for Denver by hitting .294/.351/.569 with three homers over 13 games in this timeframe. His 29 total bases led all rookies in the last two weeks, and his 146 wRC+ was even better than his 128 mark for the season. Despite some strikeout issues, García remains a bright spot for a last-place Texas team.

4. Tyler Stephenson, C, Reds (graduated from Top 30)
Stephenson is starting to get more and more playing time behind the plate in Cincinnati and continues to prove why he’s worthy of those looks. The 24-year-old backstop hit .353/.371/.529 with a 143 wRC+ over 11 games in this window. Even his lone homer came in a big moment -- a pinch-hit dinger in the eighth inning of a 4-1 win over the Braves on June 26. He provided more heroics with a walk-off single last Thursday against the Padres. Stephenson’s strengths lie in the fact that he rarely chases pitches out of the zone and doesn’t swing and miss often as a result, ranking in the 88th percentile in whiff rate this season. He’s also an above-average framer, and that entire package should help him increase his role down the stretch as the Reds chase the playoffs.

5. Andrew Vaughn, OF/1B, White Sox (graduated from Top 30)
Chicago’s outfield problems have been well-documented, and the AL Central leader will need Vaughn to keep coming through as he did in the last two weeks. The 2019 first-rounder was particularly hot over a seven-game stretch from June 29 to July 5, during which he went 11-for-26 (.423) with two homers, two doubles and only four strikeouts. He produced a .324/.341/.568 line over 12 contests during the entire period, pushing his OPS to .732 on the season after that stat dipped to as low as .688 on June 27. The White Sox got aggressive with Vaughn by opening him in the Majors, and perhaps because of that, he’s only shown his offensive potential in spurts. Wednesday’s news that the club designated Adam Eaton for assignment could be a sign that the Sox are prepared to give Vaughn an even bigger role as he continues to be more consistent offensively.

6. Jonathan India, 2B, Reds (graduated from Top 30)
The 24-year-old infielder certainly didn’t slug his way here, but he did walk. His .431 OBP was the highest by any rookie with at least 30 plate appearances in the last two weeks and actually outpaced his .415 slugging percentage over his last dozen games. India earned seven free passes and three hit-by-pitches in that span and kept things moving with a pair of stolen bases as well. Don’t get it wrong. The right-handed batter didn’t entirely keep his bat on the shoulder. He also went 12-for-41 (.293) with five doubles in 12 games. But the OBP was the primary driver of his 140 wRC+ in this period, and that remains true of his season as a whole, during which he has produced a .267/.385/.404 line in 74 contests.

7. James Kaprielian, RHP, Athletics (graduated from Top 30)
The Oakland starter placed fourth on the hot list on June 23, and it’s saying something about his season that he is a repeat performer here, even if he slipped a few spots. Kaprielian tossed three quality starts in this window, including his best start yet Sunday in which he fanned a career-high 10 and allowed only one run on five hits and a walk in seven innings at home against the Red Sox. He finished with a 2.84 ERA, 20 punchouts and only three walks in 19 innings total and now owns a 2.84 ERA in 10 outings (57 innings) for the entire season. A former UCLA hurler with a long injury history, Kaprielian is developing into one of the A’s most dependable starters in his age-27 season.

8. Trevor Rogers, LHP, Marlins (graduated from Top 30)
Don’t get too distracted by Rogers’ 4.02 ERA over the last two weeks. His 23 strikeouts over only 15 2/3 innings were most among rookie pitchers and tied for fourth-most among all pitchers, regardless of status. It was even more of a promising sign that Rogers fanned eight Dodgers and didn’t walk any over five frames Monday at home. As a result, Rogers’ 2.40 FIP spoke better to his actual performance in these last two weeks than his ERA alone did. The Miami southpaw remains the National League Rookie of the Year favorite with a 2.22 ERA and 118 K’s in 97 1/3 innings this season. His 3.0 fWAR ranks seventh among all pitchers and helped book his own place in next week’s All-Star Game.

9. Chas McCormick, OF, Astros (graduated from Top 30)
If you’re only going to play eight games over two weeks, you’ll have to mash to appear on the Rookie Hot List. Mission accomplished for the Houston outfielder. McCormick went 6-for-19 (.316) with two homers, a double and three walks in the time he was able to get up to bat for the Astros. His 1.076 OPS was third-best among rookies with at least 20 plate appearances since June 23. As if that wasn’t enough, McCormick also provides impressive speed that has helped make him worth 6 Outs Above Average across all three outfield spots this season. McCormick spelled Kyle Tucker for three games in right over the weekend in Cleveland, and Dusty Baker might have to keep finding a spot for his bat and glove in the everyday lineup if this keeps up.

10. Trevor Larnach, OF, Twins (graduated from Top 30)
Things have gone far from planned in Minnesota this season, but both Larnach and fellow rookie Alex Kirilloff have proven to be steady bright spots of late. Larnach gets the nod here for slightly better numbers (particularly when it comes to OBP), but it’s very much a coin flip. The former Oregon State star hit .286/.359/.429 with a homer, two doubles and six RBIs in 10 games since June 23. Proving how consistent Larnach has been in his first taste of the Majors, his 119 wRC+ in these last two weeks equals the same mark over 49 games for the season. Even after a lost Minor League season, the left-handed slugger is comfortably an above-average hitter in the Majors and has the potential to be more than that the rest of the way.