Ronald Martinez/Getty Images. Pictured: Randy Arozarena.
Baseball fans who followed last year’s postseason will recognize a few names toward the top of this season’s Rookie of the Year oddsboards.
Rays playoff standout Randy Arozarena is still eligible for the award thanks to a shortened 2020 season, even though this will be the third regular season in which he has taken part. Over in the National League, promising young right-handers Sixto Sánchez and Ian Anderson, both of whom made postseason starts, are the pitchers with the lowest odds.
Here are complete odds with Opening Day on the horizon.
All odds are as of March 29 and via DraftKings.
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American League Rookie of the Year Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Randy Arozarena | +350 |
| Wander Franco | +1000 |
| Jarred Kelenic | +1000 |
| Ryan Mountcastle | +1200 |
| Adley Rutschman | +1200 |
| Andrew Vaughn | +1250 |
| Bobby Dalbec | +1500 |
| Casey Mize | +1500 |
| Nate Pearson | +1500 |
| Garrett Crochet | +1800 |
| Luis Patino | +1800 |
| Alex Kirilloff | +2000 |
| Nick Madrigal | +2000 |
| Brendan McKay | +2000 |
| Triston McKenzie | +2000 |
| Bobby Bradley | +2200 |
| Deivi Garcia | +2200 |
| Nolan Jones | +2500 |
| Michael Kopech | +2500 |
| Julio Rodriguez | +2500 |
| Taylor Trammel | +2500 |
| Bobby Witt Jr. | +2500 |
| Matt Manning | +3000 |
| Dane Dunning | +3500 |
| Josh Jung | +3500 |
| Vidal Brujan | +4000 |
| Jeter Downs | +4000 |
| Luis Garcia | +4000 |
| Logan Gilbert | +5000 |
| Tarik Skubal | +5000 |
There is more depth to the odds in the American League compared to the National. On the Junior Circuit, Randy Arozorena is heavily favored over soon-to-be teammate Wander Franco.
In total, there are 22 players at +2500 or lower. Arozarena’s early success, especially in last year’s postseason, gives him a leg up, but he’s the only position player set to start the season in a top-of-the-order impact role on this list, aside from Ryan Mountcastle, who is lower on the list because he has only played 35 games and is on the Orioles.
Former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize and Blue Jays right-hander Nate Pearson are tied as the highest pitchers on the list. Mize showed off his flashes of potential last season, as did Pearson, who is going to start the 2021 campaign on the injured list due to a lower-body injury.
National League Rookie of the Year Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ke’Bryan Hayes | +350 |
| Sixto Sánchez | +500 |
| Dylan Carlson | +700 |
| Ian Anderson | +750 |
| Nick Lodolo | +1200 |
| Cristian Pache | +1200 |
| Joey Bart | +1500 |
| Spencer Howard | +1800 |
| Tyler Stephenson | +1800 |
| Ha-Seong Kim | +1800 |
| MacKenzie Gore | +2000 |
| Miguel Amaya | +2200 |
| Seth Beer | +2200 |
| Jazz Chisholm | +3000 |
| Adonis Medina | +3000 |
| Seth Romero | +3000 |
| Lewin Diaz | +3300 |
| Josiah Gray | +3300 |
| Pavin Smith | +3300 |
| JJ Bleday | +3500 |
| Luis Campusano | +3500 |
| Adbert Alzolay | +3500 |
| Brailyn Marquez | +4000 |
| Keibert Ruiz | +4000 |
| Jonathan India | +4000 |
| William Contreras | +4500 |
| Oneil Cruz | +5000 |
| Jorge Ona | +5000 |
| Heliot Ramos | +5000 |
| Drew Waters | +6000 |
Unlike the AL, the NL has four players who have clear high-impact roles to start the season.
Ke’Bryan Hayes is probably the best athlete on the list and put up very strong numbers in a brief cameo at the end of last season. Whether the rest of the Pirates’ mediocre lineup holds him down will be a potential concern, but the talent is there.
Sixto Sánchez and Ian Anderson both thrived at the end of last season and will play major roles in the Marlins and Braves’ rotations, respetively in 2021, while Dylan Carlson is poised for an everyday role in the Cardinals’ outfield. Carlson has a fantastic minor-league track record, although he struggled in 2020.
Other players poised for starting roles from the get-go include Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm, Cubs starter Adbert Alzolay and Reds infielder (soon to be a second baseman) Jonathan India.
