Finding value in the MLB Rookie of the Year market is a tricky game.
Teams are incentivized to start their best rookies on the Opening Day roster (bonus draft pick if that player wins the award after spending the whole season in MLB), but that hasn't had a 100% success rate.
The most highly-touted rookies, such as Trey Yesavage and Konnor Griffin, have seen their price tags shorten, and they aren't as appealing.
I'm looking further down the MLB odds board for my AL and NL Rookie of the Year predictions as spring training continues.
Odds to win 2026 AL Rookie of the Year
| Player |  |
 Trey Yesavage |
+370 |
 Munetaka Murakami |
+600 |
| Kazuma Okamoto |
+600 |
 Carter Jensen |
+600 |
 Tatsuya Imai |
+850 |
 Kevin McGonigle |
+900 |
 Samuel Basallo |
+1000 |
| Dylan Beavers |
+1300 |
 Connelly Early |
+1400 |
 Chase DeLauter |
+2000 |
 Colt Emerson |
+2200 |
| Payton Tolle |
+2200 |
| Travis Bazzana |
+2200 |
 Walker Jenkins |
+2500 |
 Carson Williams |
+4500 |
 Spencer Jones |
+5000 |
| Brice Matthews |
+5000 |
Odds from DraftKings, one of our best betting sites. Sign up with our DraftKings promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.
Odds as of 2-25.
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Odds to win 2026 NL Rookie of the Year
| Player | |
 Konnor Griffin |
+280 |
 JJ Wetherholt |
+425 |
 Nolan McLean |
+500 |
 Sal Stewart |
+1100 |
 Moises Ballesteros |
+1300 |
| Bubba Chandler |
+1400 |
 Justin Crawford |
+1600 |
 Bryce Eldridge |
+1800 |
 Logan Henderson |
+2000 |
 Owen Caissie |
+2000 |
| Carson Benge |
+2200 |
| Rhett Lowder |
+2500 |
| Jonah Tong |
+3000 |
| Andrew Painter |
+3000 |
| Quinn Mathews |
+3500 |
| Joe Mack |
+3500 |
| Jhostnyxon Garcia |
+4000 |
 Charlie Condon |
+4500 |
| Robby Snelling |
+4500 |
| Thomas White |
+5000 |
| Aidan Miller |
+5000 |
Odds as of 2-25.
MLB Rookie of the Year futures bets
Projecting Rookie of the Year is the most daunting of the MLB awards. And for that reason, I tend to shy away from it during preseason except for some speculative long-shot wagers. When Paul Skenes won in 2024, I waited until after his first start. His odds got longer because he only went four innings, and perhaps some doubt emerged. He put that to rest pretty quickly.
Obviously, there's risk here, too. If Skenes shoved in his first start, then I would never have gotten that value boost. It's why I'm holding off on pulling the trigger on Konnor Griffin. He smoked two home runs in a spring game this week, which may explain why he's now the betting favorite in the NL, but there is still some risk that he gets sent to the minors to start the season. I would rather risk it and grab him at better odds or not bet him at all.
Your inclination may be to target players who are locks or almost locks to make their team's Opening Day roster. But sportsbooks aren't offering great numbers there. For as good as Trey Yesavage was in the postseason, I don't want to bet on him at +370 after he pitched more innings than he ever had before. So, for now, I try to make educated long-shot dart throws.
| Bet | Odds | Bet date | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bubba Chandler |
+1400 | February 25 | 0.25 |
| Chase DeLauter |
+2000 | February 25 | 0.25 |
Bubba Chandler wasn't as highly touted as Skenes, but he wasn't super far off, either. He posted a 1.83 ERA over his first 39 1/3 innings at Triple-A in 2024. Those numbers took a bit of a dive last season, but his first taste of MLB hitting went pretty well. The 4.02 ERA wasn't amazing, but he had a low walk rate, didn't surrender home runs, and had a 2.66 FIP that suggests at least some positive regression.
With Griffin taking all the headlines at Pittsburgh Pirates camp, it's perhaps easy to forget that Chandler likely has a rotation spot on Opening Day unless things go all the way sideways this spring. His ace upside is enough to take a flier here.
Chase DeLauter is currently projected to open the season in the Cleveland Guardians outfield. Injuries have slowed his progression a bit, but he is a dangerous hitter, which is exactly what Cleveland needs. He doesn't strike out (15.8% K-rate in 42 minor-league games last year) and has major home run potential from the left side.
Players I'm keeping an eye on throughout spring training: Carson Benge (Mets), Andrew Painter (Phillies), Joe Mack (Marlins), Robby Snelling (Marlins).
Benge and Painter could crack their respective Opening Day rosters, which makes their current prices pretty appealing. Painter isn't far removed from Tommy John surgery, though, and the Phillies may take it slowly with him, meaning we could get a better number if we wait.
Covers MLB betting tools
Past Rookie of the Year winners
Previous AL RoY winners
Although all players have an equal chance of winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award, the honor has been claimed disproportionately by outfielders since its inception in 1949. Outfielders have 24 victories compared to 17 for pitchers and 17 for shortstops. Catchers are bringing up the rear with just two ROY victories over the past 73 years.
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2025 |  Nick Kurtz (1B) |
| 2024 |  Luis Gil (SP) |
| 2023 | Gunnar Henderson (3B/SS) |
| 2022 | Julio Rodriguez (OF) |
| 2021 | Randy Arozarena (OF) |
| 2020 | Kyle Lewis (OF) |
| 2019 | Yordan Alvarez (OF) |
| 2018 |  Shohei Ohtani (P/OF) |
| 2017 |  Aaron Judge (OF) |
| 2016 | Michael Fulmer (SP) |
| 2015 | Carlos Correa (SS) |
| 2014 |  Jose Abreau (1B) |
| 2013 | Wil Myers (OF) |
Popular MLB futures markets
Previous NL RoY winners
No franchise has won more Rookie of the Year awards than the Dodgers. "The Blue Crew" have claimed 18 RoY trophies dating back to the club's early days in Brooklyn.
However, unlike the AL — where the West has been the recent home of the top rookies — the NL East has housed six of the last 13 RoYs, with a mix of outfielders, infielders, starting pitchers, a catcher, and even a reliever.
| Year | Player (Team) |
|---|---|
| 2025 |  Drake Baldwin (C) |
| 2024 |  Paul Skenes (SP) |
| 2023 |  Corbin Carroll (OF) |
| 2022 | Michael Harris (OF) |
| 2021 | Jonathan India (2B) |
| 2020 | Devin Williams (RP) |
| 2019 | Pete Alonso (1B) |
| 2018 | Ronald Acuna Jr. (OF) |
| 2017 |  Cody Bellinger (1B/OF) |
| 2016 | Cory Seager (SS) |
| 2015 |  Kris Bryant (3B) |
| 2014 | Jacob deGrom (SP) |
| 2013 |  Jose Fernandez (SP) |
MLB Rookie of the Year Awards FAQ
Fresh off his remarkable playoff run, Blue Jays RHP Trey Yesavage is the early favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year in 2026.
New York Mets SP Nolan McLean is the favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year.
Athletics 1B Nick Kurtz won the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year while Atlanta Braves C Drake Baldwin earned the NL honors.
MLB rules state a player is considered a rookie unless he has 130 at-bats, 50 innings pitched, or 45 total days on an active MLB roster prior to September 1.
