MLB Players 25 or Younger To Watch Out For
- William Gilhooly
- 50 minutes ago
- 10 min read
by William Gilhooly
Sportz Nation - 6/2/2026
When Commissioner Rob Manfred made some rule changes in the 2023 offseason in order to speed up the pace of play and encourage more athleticism in the game, this is the kind of result he had to have envisioned. Over the past decade, there has been more speed introduced in all aspects with pitching, hitting and baserunning.
With more and more young faces being called up meaning ,ore athleticism in the field than ever before means the youth movement are making an impact like never before.
The result is a game increasingly defined by it's young stars. Across the league, players who haven't even celebrated their 26th birthdays are not only contributing, they're becoming franchise cornerstones. With that in mind, let's take a look at 10 players 25 and under who could become household names by October.
For this list, a household name is defined as someone who has either :
- Won a major including rookie of the year excluding players like Paul Skenes, Nick Kurtz, and Gunnar Henderson
- Made an All-Star Team excluding players like James Wood, Junior Caminero, and Jacob Misiorwoski
- Had memorable Postseason runs excluding players like Cam Schlittler who struck out 12 in a wild-card game, and Jackson Chourio who has had 15 hits, four home runs, and 11 RBI's across 12 playoff games.
Parker Messick
Cleveland Guardians
Photo Credits to Ken Blaze/Imagn Images
For the Cleveland Guardian's, pitching has always been the story of their success. However, it is quickly becoming apparent that Messick isn't going to be just another name on the list. He is going to be the list. When Messick got called up in August of 2025 for a surging Guardians team, he immediately made an impact going 3-1 in seven games started to a 2.72 ERA. In 2026 where Messick has maintained his rookie status, not much has changed. In fact, he's been even more dominant. What's been so impressive about Messick is just how much his mechanics have improved. Messick ranks in the 99th percentile of Fastball Run Value, and is in the 96th percentile of Pitching Run Value. In twelve starts in his 2026 campaign, Messick has pitched to a 6-1 record, a 2.21 ERA, a 1.067 WHIP, and 74 strikeouts in 69 innings pitched. In a tightly contested American League Rookie of the Year Race, Messick is making a convincing case with the second highest WAR amongst AL rookies at 2.8. With the way the Guardians have been playing, October almost looks inevitable again at this point. However, what will separate them from just making October and going to the fall classic is going to be how Messick and the rest of Cleveland's young core develops throughout the season.
JJ Wetherholt
St. Louis Cardinals
When the MLB changed some of the pace of play rules to encourage more small-ball and excitement with ball's in play, this is the type of player they envisioned would take charge. Wetherholt has burst onto the scene as a rookie both and is part of a Cardinals core that is showing they have arrived early. There's no doubt that Wetherholt's offensive numbers are great for a rookie with a .250 batting average, nine home runs, seven stolen bases, and an OPS of .769. However, what's made him special is the defensive maturity he's shown. Wetherholt currently leads the National League in assists with 166, and is fourth in defensive WAR with 1.1. Wetherholt also ranks third in WAR among all NL position players with 2.9 and is on pace to be the first rookie Second Baseman in over a century to past an fWAR season higher than seven. For a Cardinals team that has vastly overperformed expectations and created buzz around one of America's best baseball cities, Wetherholt is going to be someone to watch as St. Louis makes a push for October.
Chase Burns
Cincinnati Reds
With an injury to Hunter Greene and Andrew Abott not getting out of the gate hot, it became apparent quickly that the Red's, who have been such a dominant pitching staff the past couple years would have a bunch of good arms but no true ACE. And then Chase Burns showed everyone why he was a top three prospect in baseball. Following a disappointing 2025 rookie campaign, Burns has been lights out for a Red's pitching staff that has struggled to follow up last years success and would be talked about a lot more in the NL CY Young race if it wasn't for Christopher Sanchez and Jacob Misiorowski having two of the best months of May in the history of baseball. In 11 starts, Burns holds a 1.96 ERA, a 7-1 record, a WHIP of 0.964, 72 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched, and ranks fifth in the National League and third among pitchers with a 2.9 WAR. What's been super impressive about watching Burns is how much better his command has gotten from year one to year two. Last year in 43 innings, Burns walked 16 batters compared to 20 in 64 innings this year. The walk percentage has dropped by almost one and his on-base percentage against has gone down by .65. If the rest of the Red's pitching staff get's back on track and Burn's is still pitching at his CY Young level by the time Hunter Greene comes back in late summer, there's certainly reason to believe the Red's could be back and fighting for a spot in October.
Kyle Harrison
Milwaukee Brewers
When Kyle Harrison arrived in Milwaukee following his third straight year of posting an ERA of four or higher and getting traded by the Boston Red Sox, he only made one real mechanical change. Harrison shifted from throwing on the right-side of the mound to the left-side to allow for a better angle on his slider and slurve making it harder for batters to track. Now what results has that change produced? Just the fifth highest WAR amongst NL pitchers with a 2.4. Harrison has completely broken out this year and is continued evidence that people should never doubt the Brewers scouting department. Harrison has improved drastically from his 4.04 ERA last year dropping it to 1.57 this year in 10 starts, along with a 6-1 record, a 1.026 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts in 51 innings. While the Brewers pitching staff has struggled with health this year with Brandon Woodruff, and Quinn Priester on the IL, the Brewers pitching staff still ranks third in ERA and Harrison's emergence has been a huge reason why. Harrison and Jacob Misiorwoski have been the most dominant duo in baseball and while there's no denying Misiorowski's dominance, if the Brewers are looking to make another deep run in October, it's going to just as much on Harrison to continue his success.
Chandler Simpson
Tampa Bay Rays
When you see someone hitting .284 and holding a .656 OPS, excitement and energy probably aren't the first words that come to your mind. However, with Chandler Simpson, those are the only words you can use to describe his game. Simpson embodies everything of a Ray's team that has been the definition of baseball's youth movement with dugout celebrations, flashy fielding, and chaos on the basepath's. That last part really speaks to Simpson's value. In his 2025 rookie campaign, Simpson stole 44 bases in 109 games which was third in the AL and currently ranks sixth this year with 14. Simpson led the league last year in caught stealing and is currently leading it again this year. While some people see this as a reckless play-style, this is what makes Simpson so special. He plays the game in such an aggressive way that it's always keeping teams on their feet and often less focused on the batter at the plate than they should be. However, it's not just the base-running that Simpson has excelled at. He is currently ninth in hits with 63 and has shown great plate discipline and contact holding the second best ab's per strikeout with 8.9. Simpson has also played a great glove in Left-Field with the second most putouts at the position. With a Ray's team that has it's identity based around scrappy and exciting play, Simpson is the kind of player Ray's fans are going to fall in love with come October.
Jordan Walker
St.Louis Cardinals
2026 was the make or break year for Jordan Walker. After tying the record for longest hitting streak by someone 20 or younger to start a career, Walker was sent back down to Triple-A and once he came back up, it was clear that something was off. Since then, Walker has been constantly up and down from Triple-A and had a lifetime WAR of -2.6 coming into this season. However, with the season Walker's had so far, it's been very easy to forget about all the struggles of the years prior. Walker got off to a hot start in 2026 becoming one of only four Cardinals players ever to hit seven home runs in the teams first 15 games of the season. Walker has put up numbers that have entered him as a darkhorse MVP candidate with a .284 batting average, 15 home runs, 43 RBI's, an OPS of .893, seven stolen bases and a WAR of 2.9 which ranks second among NL position players. Walker is also evidence to the athleticism movement taking over baseball. At 6'6 and 250 pounds, Walker has posted the highest average bat speed in baseball at 79 MPH, and is in the 99th percentile of arm strength at 95.7 MPH. While tarps-off has completely taken off in St. Louis, Walker is evidence to this core also starting to take pressence. If Walker continues his excellent season and the rest of the Cardinals young core continues their starts, the Cardinals could be one of the most interesting teams to watch come October.
Travis Bazzana
Cleveland Guardians
As the number one overall pick in the 2024 draft, has shown why the years of hype was well deserved. Bazzana has broken out quickly during his first month in the big leagues and has quickly put the world on notice with Australian baseball. This years AL Rookie of the Year race has already had the makings of the being one of the most competitive in years and Bazzana just made this race a whole lot harder to decide. In 126 at-bats, Bazzana has hit to the tune of a .294 average, 3 home runs, 8 stolen bases, an OPS of .838, and a 0.9 WAR in just 30 games! Bazanna's plate discipline has stood out the most in his young career where in an era where poeple swing harder and strikeout more than ever, Bazanna has already walked 15 times and holds an on base percentage of .394. The Guardians have always been a team that is filled with enough talent to make the postseason and win the AL Central but never enough to make a serious run at a World Series title. But now, with more exciting young talent than ever and perenial MVP candidate Jose Ramirez quickly heating up, Bazzana may just be the spark that finally get's Cleveland back to the fall classic.
Colson Montgomery
Chicago White Sox
The Dallas Cowboys have been coined in football as "America's Team". In baseball, if you had to choose one this year, chances are it would probably be the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox reached 30 wins this year on May 29th, something that it took them till July 5th in 2025, and August 16th in 2024 to do, and have found themselves in the thick of an AL Central title race. A big reason for success on the Southside has been the emergence of the teams young offensive core led by Colson Montgomery. Montgomery broke out huge in his short rookie campaign in 2025 posting a 3.1 WAR in just 71 games and has continued his success into his 26 campaign. Montgomery is another freak of an athlete at 6'3 and 230 pounds and is in the 99th percentile of Fielding Run Value, and Fielding Range, and is in the 93rd percentile of Bat Speed. Montgomery has posted an impressive slash-line at a Batting average of .229, 15 home runs, 36 RBI's, an OPS of .809 and a 1.9 WAR. Montgomery who got off to a slow start has quickly been heating up hitting seven home run's and anchoring the White Sox to 18 wins in the month of May, the second most in the league. Montgomery also embodies what Manager Will Venables has been trying to change about the culture with a fun and energetic team. With a weaker AL this year and an exciting young group, there is no ceiling for Montgomery and the White Sox and this may be a group to watch for quite some time.
Kevin McGonigle
Detroit Tigers
When you look at the way Kevin McGonigle plays the game, it almost looks like he belongs in another era. He's the opposite of the athletic revolution the game has undergone sitting at just 5^9, 187 pounds. McGonigle doesn't hit the ball very hard and also the best barrell percentage well. But the way he does the fine skills makes him one of the most exciting players to watch. McGonigle ranks first in the league in baserunning value, hes in the 97th percentile of chase rate, and 95th percentile of chase rate. So basically to sum it up, he doesn't get out. In 259 plate-appearances, McGonigle holds a .285 batting average, three home runs, 21 RBI's, nine stolen bases, an on-base percentage of .390, and an ops. of .797. McGonigle ranks third amongst all AL position players in WAR with a 3.2 also leading all rookies. McGonigle also plays a great glove ranking top 12 in all of baseball in defensive WAR. McGonigle has been one of the most under the radar picks for rookie of the year this year and because of the style of ball he plays could also be the most sustainable long-term. While the Tigers haven't had the start to the season they were hoping to have, with the season McGonigle's been having, at least there's still some slivers of hope in the motor city.
Payton Tolle
Boston Red Sox
Maybe the biggest darkhorse in a crowded AL Rookie of the Year race, Payton Tolle has quickly become arguably the most impressive rookie pitcher in baseball. Tolle has a physically dominant presence at 6^6 250 pounds and has incredible extension making it very hard for batters to pick up his pitches. Tolle has made seven starts so far going 2-2 with a 2.61 ERA, a 0.895 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts in 41 innings. Tolle also ranks in the 99th percentile of xERA and in the 95th percentile of xBA meaning he hardly ever gives up hard contact that leads to runs. As the Red Sox number one prospect, Tolle and fellow rookie Connelly Early have anchored a Red Sox pitching staff that has been very lackluster to start the year. However, with how poor the American League has been so far, the Red Sox, who have had a very dissapointing year so far are only three games out of the Wild-Card despite all that's gone wrong. If Boston is able to flip the switch and get hot, and Tolle continues this success, this could go down as one of the best rookie seasons in the storied franchise's history if all goes right.
-Will Gilhooly