While two young stars continue to anchor the AL Rookie of the Year race, the NL race remains wide open. Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes is the early front-runner, but young hurlers Sixto Sanchez and Ian Anderson will surely give him a run for his money during the season.
Here are the odds to win the NL Rookie of the Year and what to know about the favorites and a few potential sleepers:
| PLAYER | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Ke'Bryan Hayes | +300 |
| Sixto Sanchez | +450 |
| Ian Anderson | +600 |
| Dylan Carlson | +850 |
| MacKenzie Gore | +1000 |
| Cristian Pache | +1200 |
| Spencer Howard | +1200 |
| Joey Bart | +2500 |
| Adonis Medina | +3000 |
| Jazz Chisholm | +3000 |
| Tyler Stephenson | +3000 |
| Brailyn Marquez | +4000 |
| Josiah Gray | +4000 |
| Lewin Diaz | +4000 |
| Luis Campusano | +4000 |
| Nick Lodolo | +4000 |
| Oneil Cruz | +4000 |
| Pavin Smith | +4000 |
| Seth Beer | +4000 |
| Seth Romero | +4000 |
| Drew Waters | +5000 |
| Heliot Ramos | +5000 |
| J.J. Bleday | +5000 |
| Jorge Ona | +500 |
| Keibert Ruiz | +5000 |
| Miguel Amaya | +5000 |
| William Contreras | +5000 |
Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pirates (+300)
Lost in the brilliance of Randy Arozarena's postseason run was Hayes' ridiculous finish to his 2020 season. The Pirates rookie hit .376 with a 1.124 OPS in 24 games in September, and he's following that up with a .432/.475/.784 slash line in spring training.
But like with Arozarena in the AL market, it's hard to recommend anyone at such a short price for an award so volatile. Devin Williams came out of nowhere to win the NL Rookie of the Year in 2020, and that could easily happen again. The value isn't quite there with Hayes, but don't be surprised if he cashes anyway.
Sixto Sanchez, SP, Marlins (+450)
What else is there to say about Sanchez, the Marlins' dynamic young pitcher with a name to match? The 22-year-old posted a 1.69 ERA with a 68% strike rate in his first five starts before a rough end to the regular season - only to post five shutout innings in his postseason debut.
Sanchez was already in the 98th percentile of average fastball velocity (98.5 MPH) in his first year, and you'd best expect the whiff rate on his offspeed offerings to improve as he learns how to play off his heater. The price is short, sure, but the talent here is immense.
Joey Bart, C, Giants (+2500)
Remember when Bart was going to be the next big thing at catcher for the Giants? That excitement died down after he hit .233 in 33 games as a rookie, but he's hitting .429 in 11 games in spring training and is a quintessential bounce-back candidate to win this award.
Bart won't be rushed into the big leagues this time around, but he should still get plenty of run after using up much of his first year of service time in 2020. The former No. 2 pick still has the power and pedigree to justify a bet at these odds.
Tyler Stephenson, C, Reds (+3000)
When Stephenson turned on the second pitch of his MLB career for a 415-foot blast, it looked like the first of many for the young Reds backstop. The homer turned out to be just one of two on the year, as he saw just 20 plate appearances in total.
Stephenson still managed a 1.047 OPS in his eight games and should get a chance to lock down the catcher role in Cincinnati, meaning he'll plenty of opportunities to showcase power like he did in that short sample in 2020. It's a risky play, but at 30-1, it's one worth making.
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.
