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With the start of the season pushed back indefinitely, we're stuck waiting a little longer for the highly anticipated Major League Baseball debut of Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert.
When baseball does return, though, Robert will sit atop the oddsboard for American League Rookie of the Year honors, followed closely behind by teammate Michael Kopech.
| PLAYER | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Luis Robert | +300 |
| Jesus Luzardo | +450 |
| Michael Kopech | +600 |
| Brendan McKay | +800 |
| Casey Mize | +1000 |
| Jo Adell | +1000 |
| Evan White | +1800 |
| A.J. Puk | +2000 |
| Forrest Whitley | +2000 |
| Nate Pearson | +2000 |
| Wander Franco | +2000 |
Odds for players +2000 or shorter.
The favorites
Robert (+300) has nothing left to prove in the minors after crushing three levels of pitching last season, and he'll be penned into an everyday spot in the White Sox outfield. The five-tool stud hit .328 to go along with 32 home runs and 36 steals in 2019. With Robert's combination of talent and expected playing time, it's hard to see any AL rookie having the sort of impact he will this season. Even at the short price of 3-1, it's worth the investment.
The White Sox outfielder's toughest competition will likely come from Oakland Athletics starter Jesus Luzardo (+450). He never made his debut in the rotation last season due to a shoulder injury, but the 22-year-old is slated to kick off this campaign as a starter. Luzardo has dominant stuff, which he flashed during his first taste of MLB action in September. However, he pitched just 55 total innings last season and has topped 100 just once during his professional baseball career. Is he ready for a significantly bigger workload, even in a shortened season?
Kopech (+600) will also hope to challenge his teammate for the award, but I'm staying away from him. There's little doubt he has the stuff to be an elite major-league arm, but he didn't pitch last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and his spot as a full-time starter is less certain than those of his counterparts. The volume just won't be there for him in 2020.
The second tier
From this bunch, it's difficult to imagine Jo Adell (+1000) getting the playing time he needs to truly contend with Robert, but pitchers Brendan McKay (+800) and Casey Mize (+1000) stand out. McKay is likely to begin the season in the Tampa Bay Rays' rotation, with Mize not too far behind for the Detroit Tigers.
McKay doesn't come with the workload concerns of Luzardo or Kopech. He tossed 123 innings last season between Double-A, Triple-A, and the majors, and appears fully capable of handling more than that during his first full season in the bigs. He's the best value bet of this group.
The long shots
A.J. Puk (+2000) is the standout here. The second Athletics starter on this list, Puk was impressive in relief late last season and looked great in spring training. The fact he's pitched fewer than 40 innings total since 2018 is undoubtedly a concern, as he will likely be on a limit this season. But Puk is finally healthy, has a clear path to securing a rotation spot, and is priced criminally low at 20-1.
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.
