MLB ROY rankings: Skenes debuts on list, Yamamoto drops due to injury

Welcome to the second edition of theScore's 2024 Rookie of the Year rankings, where we look at the top five rookies in each league. Let's run through some of the best performances throughout the season thus far. Odds courtesy theScore Bet.

American League

5. David Hamilton, Red Sox

Hamilton has been a blessing for the scorching-hot Red Sox, posting a .282/.333/.449 slash line with 15 extra-base hits in 168 plate appearances. He's been a menace on the bases, swiping 21 bags, including four in a game against the New York Yankees on June 16.

4. Wilyer Abreu, Red Sox

Abreu hasn't played much in June while recovering from a sprained ankle, but his overall body of work has him fourth on our list. The 24-year-old has looked good at the dish for the Red Sox, slashing .260/.328/.464 while playing terrific defense in right field, where he's amassed six defensive runs saved in 393 1/3 innings.

3. Colton Cowser, Orioles

Cowser's numbers have dropped off after a sizzling start to the campaign, but he still leads all qualified AL rookies in fWAR thanks to solid all-around play. The Orioles outfielder ranks 99th percentile in fielding run value, 91st percentile in baserunning value, 98th percentile or better in range and arm strength, and 95th percentile in barrel percentage.

2. Mason Miller, Athletics

Miller hasn't put up the same godlike numbers he did through the first month-and-a-half of the season, but he's still been pretty good this far into the campaign. The 25-year-old's 15.6 K/9 and 101.2 mph average fastball velocity leads all big-league hurlers with at least 30 innings pitched, according to FanGraphs, while his 1.94 FIP ranks fifth in the majors.

1. Luis Gil, Yankees

Gil continues to impress and might be the biggest surprise of the season. Not only is the 26-year-old a front-runner for AL Rookie of the Year, but he's also making a strong case for AL Cy Young consideration thanks to his strong K/9 and ERA, which rank fifth and eighth among AL hurlers, respectively.

National League

5. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers

Yamamoto's chances of winning NL Rookie of the Year took a big hit after he sustained a strained rotator cuff that'll cause him to miss substantial time. He was still terrific before the injury, logging the highest fWAR, second-lowest FIP, and fourth-highest K/9 among qualified NL rookie starters.

4. Michael Busch, Cubs

Busch has been one of the highlights for an underperforming Cubs offense. The 26-year-old first baseman ranks second in home runs and wRC+ and third in fWAR among qualified NL rookie position players.

3. Paul Skenes, Pirates

Give it a little more time, and Skenes will likely be higher on this list. The pitching phenom has been spectacular since debuting, posting the second-highest K/9 (11.8) among qualified rookie starters. He also hasn't lost a game or allowed more than three earned runs in a single outing.

2. Joey Ortiz, Brewers

The Brewers knew what they were doing when they acquired Ortiz as part of the trade package for Corbin Burnes. The 25-year-old leads all big-league rookies in fWAR and has provided a jolt to a Milwaukee offense that's one of baseball's best. Ortiz has also been brilliant in the field, ranking 87th percentile in fielding run value and 94th percentile in range.

1. Shota Imanaga, Cubs

A couple of rough outings aside, Imanaga has been unbelievable. The southpaw has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 12 of his 14 starts and blanked the opposition in six outings. A knack for locating the strike zone has been a big weapon for Imanaga. He's allowed a league-low 1.4 walks per nine while relying mostly on a four-seam fastball that's produced a .214 opponents' batting average.