It didn't take long for a strong group of NL ROY candidates to emerge in 2024. The season is not even two months old and we can already tell the race for the NL Rookie of the Year award is going to be good.
A few pitchers have stepped up early, but there are also some National League hitters worth watching.
Rankings of NL Rookie of the Year contenders in 2024
The NFL's rookies have been so impressive that we can't rule out one or more of them putting together one of the greatest rookie seasons ever. This may seem like lofty praise, but this set is good.
Even though it's early in the year, let's take a closer look at the top candidates for NL ROY in 2024.
5. Andy Pages
It's no surprise that the Dodgers have another homegrown player making an impact and earning Rookie of the Year honors. Andy Pages is only 23 years old but has already become a key figure in the Los Angeles squad.
The Cuban outfielder is batting .287 with nine extra-base hits over his first 23 games in the major leagues. He will clearly be overshadowed by the heavy hitters at the top of the order. But Pages gives the Dodgers quality depth in the bottom half of their lineup, which should help make them a dominant team again.
4. Michael Bush
The Cubs appear to be the early winners of the overlooked January trade that brought them Michael Bush. The former first-round pick added a lot of power to his lineup with 15 extra-base hits in his first 39 games.
He put himself on the Rookie of the Year radar when he hit a home run in five straight games in mid-April. Of course, the hard part is being able to maintain that kind of productivity throughout the entire season. However, Bush has at least shown that he is one of the best young hitters in baseball, giving him a chance to win ROY honors if he can keep it up.
3. Jared Jones
There's a lot of buzz around Pittsburgh prospect Paul Skines, but Jared Jones is already starting to make his mark with the Buccaneers and has announced himself as this year's rookie contender. Jones is a flamethrower who struck out 56 batters over his first 47 innings while posting a 2.68 ERA.
Furthermore, Jones has a 0.87 WHIP, which is among the best in baseball among starters. He throws plenty of heat but doesn't walk many batters or allow a lot of traffic on the base paths. That's no small feat, which is why Jones is considered a future player and a serious candidate for Rookie of the Year.
2. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Before the season, Yoshinobu Yamamoto looked like a safe bet to earn ROY honors. Frankly, some thought he could win the Cy Young right away.
The $325 million big man had a few rough starts early in his MLB career, but he also threw some gems that showed his upside. Yamamoto is starting to adapt and play more consistently. If he can maintain this form for the rest of the season, he will be difficult to ignore in the Rookie of the Year discussion.
1. Shota Imanaga
If Yamamoto doesn't win Rookie of the Year, it will likely be at the hands of another Japanese player. Shota Imanaga didn't come to the major leagues with the same amount of hype as Yamamoto, but he's outperformed him so far.
Through seven starts, the lefty has a 1.08 ERA and 0.82 WHIP while helping the Cubs win all seven of his starts. Even if his stuff isn't as good as Yamamoto's, Imanaga has proven to be a smart, polished pitcher who keeps hitters off balance. Of course, it would be crazy to maintain a 1.08 ERA all season. However, there is no denying that he took an early lead in the Rookie of the Year competition.
