Front office officials across Major League Baseball have shared their predictions for the 2026 Rookie of the Year awards in a new MLB Pipeline Executive Poll. With no clear consensus in either league, the survey highlights a deep pool of promising prospects. More than 40 executives from general managers to analysts participated in the fourth annual poll.
The MLB Pipeline Executive Poll, now in its fourth year, surveys baseball's front offices on key prospect questions. This edition focuses on anticipated 2026 Rookie of the Year winners, building on past successes like correctly picking Gunnar Henderson and Corbin Carroll in 2023. In 2024, Paul Skenes and Jackson Chourio received votes, though Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Evan Carter led the predictions. Last year, Dylan Crews and Roman Anthony were favored, with Nick Kurtz earning attention in the American League.
In the American League, Trey Yesavage of the Blue Jays (MLB No. 26) and Kevin McGonigle of the Tigers (MLB No. 2) tied for the top spot among 14 vote recipients. Yesavage, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2024 Draft, rose quickly through Toronto's system in 2025, starting at Single-A Dunedin and pitching in three World Series games at age 22. His devastating splitter impressed in the postseason. McGonigle, 21 for most of 2026, boasts a .922 career OPS in the minors and was named Arizona Fall League MVP in 2025 with a .362/.500/.710 slash line, five homers, and 19 RBIs in 19 games. He is viewed as the minors' best pure hitter and offers infield versatility at shortstop, second base, and third.
Other notable AL candidates include Samuel Basallo (Orioles, MLB No. 7), who debuted in August 2025 with four homers in 109 at-bats; Carter Jensen (Royals, MLB No. 39), who posted a .941 OPS in 60 September at-bats; and Red Sox left-handers Payton Tolle (MLB No. 28) and Connelly Early (BOS No. 4). Teams like the Tigers, Guardians, Athletics, and Red Sox had multiple vote-getters. The Athletics swept the top two spots in 2025 AL voting with Jacob Wilson and Nick Kurtz.
The National League saw a clear top three among 10 candidates: JJ Wetherholt (Cardinals, MLB No. 5), Nolan McLean (Mets, MLB No. 11), and Konnor Griffin (Pirates). Wetherholt, the No. 7 pick in 2024, hit .306/.421/.510 with 17 homers and 23 steals across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, playing multiple infield positions. McLean debuted impressively with eight starts, a 2.06 ERA, 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and a .200 opponent average, earning 2025 ROY votes while nearly exhausting rookie eligibility. Griffin, the No. 9 pick in 2024 and MLB's No. 1 prospect, slashed .333/.415/.527 with 21 homers and 65 steals from Single-A to Double-A, winning MLB Pipeline's Hitting Prospect of the Year.
Additional NL standouts are Bubba Chandler (Pirates, MLB No. 14), Sal Stewart (Reds, MLB No. 31), Justin Crawford (Phillies, MLB No. 54), and Zyhir Hope (MLB No. 20). The Pirates, Phillies, and Mets each had multiple prospects mentioned, underscoring the competitive landscape ahead.
