MLB Pipeline's 2021 All-Rookie Team
There are plenty of rookies adding to their resumes this postseason, with players like Randy Arozarena and Ian Anderson already having playoff success a year ago. But most are done for the year. So after our final Rookie Power Rankings and a look at this year’s rookie class' long-term value, it seemed like the right time to unveil our all-rookie team for 2021.
We’ve got a first and second team for you to peruse, based on performance in the big leagues this season.
FIRST TEAM
C: Tyler Stephenson, Reds
.286/.366/.431, 132 G, 10 HR, 56 R, 45 RBIs
Stephenson showed he’s ready to be Cincy’s No. 1 guy by leading all rookie catchers with his .797 OPS thanks to his 21 doubles and 10 homers.
1B: Bobby Dalbec, Red Sox
.240/.298/.494, 133 G, 25 HR, 50 R, 78 RBIs, 2 SB
Dalbec’s 25 homers was third-best among rookies and he really came on strong in the second half, with a .955 OPS and 15 of those home runs after the All-Star break.
2B: Jonathan India, Reds
.269/.376/.459, 150 G, 21 HR, 98 R, 69 RBIs, 12 SB
India served as the Reds’ leadoff hitter for much of the year and led all rookies with that .376 OBP and 98 runs scored. He was second in OPS (.835) and third in total bases (244).
3B: Patrick Wisdom, Cubs
.231/.305/.518, 106 G, 28 HR, 54 R, 61 RBIs, 4 SB
Sure, he may have been older for a rookie (He turned 30 in August), but he also was second among qualified rookies in SLG and third in home runs.
SS: Wander Franco, Rays
.288/.347/.463, 70 G, 7 HR, 53 R, 39 RBIs, 2 SB
Had he come up earlier or not gotten hurt, Franco could have made an even stronger Rookie of the Year case, one that could already be argued thanks to his 43-game on-base streak and his .810 OPS, fifth among qualified rookies.
OF: Randy Arozarena, Rays
.274/.356/.459, 141 G, 20 HR, 94 R, 69 RBIs, 20 SB
The clear frontrunner for AL Rookie of the Year heading into the 2021 season, Arozarena’s .935 second-half OPS allowed him to finish with a 20-20 season and likely put him high up on all of those ROY ballots.
OF: Adolis García, Rangers
.243/.286/.454, 139G, 31 HR, 77 R, 90 RBIs, 16 SB
While he definitely slumped in the second half, García still led all rookies with 264 total bases and 90 RBIs and was second with 31 homers while playing elite-level defense in the outfield.
OF: Dylan Carlson, Cardinals
.266/343/.437, 149 G, 18 HR, 79 R, 65 RBIs, 2 SB
Carlson got better as the year went on, with an OPS of .847 in the second half to help him finish fifth among all rookies in total bases (237) and extra-base hits (53).
DH: Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles
.255/.309/.487, 144 G, 33 HR, 77 R, 89 RBIs, 4 SB
Mountcastle’s 33 home runs led all rookies and he finished just behind García with his 89 RBIs and 260 total bases.
SP: Trevor Rogers, Marlins
7-8, 2.64 ERA, 133 IP, 157 K, 1.15 WHIP, .218 BAA
The only thing that might keep the left-hander from winning NL ROY honors was the time he missed with back spasms and due to a family emergency, but he still led all qualifying rookie pitchers in ERA and strikeouts per nine (10.62).
SP: Luis Garcia, Astros
11-8, 3.30 ERA, 155 1/3 IP, 167 K, 1.17 WHIP, .230 BAA
No rookie hurler threw more innings than Garcia did for the Astros and the right-hander also topped rookies with his strikeout total, while finishing third in ERA.
SP: Alek Manoah, Blue Jays
9-2, 3.22 ERA, 111 2/3 IP, 127 K, 1.05 WHIP, .192 BAA
He didn’t make as many starts as other rookies, but he might have been as dominant as any other starter in the starts he did make, topping rookies in both WHIP and BAA, while placing second in ERA and third in K/9 (10.24).
SP: Shane McClanahan, Rays
10-6, 3.43 ERA, 123 1/3 IP, 141 K, 1.27 WHIP, .252 BAA
The Rays lefty finished in the top five among qualified Major League rookies in ERA, strikeouts and strikeouts per nine (10.29), and was very strong in the second half, with a 2.84 ERA after the break.
SP: Ian Anderson, Braves
9-5, 3.58 ERA, 128 1/3 IP, 124 K, 1.23 WHIP, .221 BAA
Maybe he wasn’t quite as dominant as some thought he might be based on his big league debut last year, but he still was top five among rookies in ERA and BAA.
RP: Garrett Whitlock, Red Sox
8-4, 2 SV, 1.96 ERA, 73 1/3 IP, 81 K, 1.10 WHIP, .233 BAA
Still pitching extremely high-leverage innings this postseason, Whitlock became a key Boston setup man during the regular season with 14 holds and robust 9.94 K/9 and 4.76 K/BB rates.
RP: Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland
4-5, 24 SV, 1.29 ERA, 69 2/3 IP, 74 K, 0.96 WHIP, .195 BAA
Clase finished tied for fifth among ALL AL relievers with 24 saves, while proving to be very tough to hit and striking out 9.56 per nine. It’s the most saves for a rookie since Jim Henderson racked up 28 for the Brewers back in 2013.
SECOND TEAM
C: Eric Haase, Tigers
.231/.286/.459, 98 G, 22 HR, 48 R, 61 RBIs, 2 SB
1B: Frank Schwindel, Cubs/A's
.326/.371/.591, 64 G, 14 HR, 44 R, 43 RBIs, 2 SB
2B: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Marlins
.248/.303/.425, 124 G, 18 HR, 70 R, 53 RBIs, 23 SB
3B: Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pirates
.257/.316/.373, 96 G, 6 HR, 49 R, 38 RBIs, 9 SB
SS: Edmundo Sosa, Cardinals
.271/.346/.389, 113 G, 6 HR, 39 R, 27 RBIs, 4 SB
OF: Akil Baddoo, Tigers
.259/.330/.436, 124 G, 14 HR, 44 R, 43 RBIs, 18 SB
OF: Jesús Sánchez, Marlins
.251/.319/.489, 64 G, 14 HR, 27 R, 36 RBIs
OF: Chas McCormick, Astros
.257/.319/.447, 108 G, 14 HR, 47 R, 50 RBIs, 4 SB
DH: Seth Brown, A’s
.214/.274/.480, 111 G, 20 HR, 43 R, 48 RBIs, 4 SB
SP: Casey Mize, Tigers
7-9, 3.71 ERA, 150 1/3 IP, 118 K, 1.14 WHIP, .234 BAA
SP: Tarik Skubal, Tigers
8-12, 4.34 ERA, 149 1/3 IP, 164 K, 1.26 WHIP, .245 BAA
SP: James Kaprielian, A’s
8-5, 4.07 ERA, 119 1/3 IP, 123 K, 1.22 WHIP, .233 BAA
SP: Tanner Houck, Red Sox
1-5, 1 SV, 3.52 ERA, 69 IP, 87 K, 1.13 WHIP, .223 BAA
SP: Triston McKenzie, Cleveland
5-9, 4.95 ERA, 120 IP, 136 K, 1.18 WHIP, .194 BAA
RP: Michael Kopech, White Sox
4-3, 3.50 ERA, 69 1/3 IP, 103 K, 1.13 WHIP, .210 BAA
RP: David Bednar, Pirates
3-1, 3 SV, 2.23 ERA, 60 2/3 IP, 77 K, 0.97 WHIP, .185 BAA