NL Rookie of the Year odds, best bets: Pirates' Cruz favored in top-heavy field

For the second straight year, the Pittsburgh Pirates boast the preseason favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year. Will this time turn out any differently?

Ke'Bryan Hayes entered 2021 as the front-runner, but injuries doomed him from the start, and he never built a consistent rhythm at the plate when he finally returned to the field. Instead, Reds second baseman Jonathan India seized the award as a long shot, as he wasn't even on the preseason betting board when we broke down the market before the campaign.

Oneil Cruz (+375) is the betting favorite this time around, but we've already seen that a long shot can blow up this market, which is among the most volatile in all of sports, given the uncertain nature of baseball prospects. Here are the preseason odds to win NL Rookie of the Year at Barstool Sportsbook, along with a few of our favorites to cash in this market:

Oneil Cruz, Pirates (+375)

It's usually not the best play to bet the preseason favorite in a market like this (see: 2021), but it's hard to ignore the noise around Cruz heading into 2022. The No. 14 prospect per Baseball America has posted elite power numbers at every stop along the way to the majors, where he's hitting .625 with two homers in eight at-bats entering Friday.

At 6-foot-7, Cruz has the frame and the pop to put up gaudy numbers for the Pirates, who seem likely to clear a starting spot for him early in the year, if not by Opening Day. Cruz has shown a desire to play shortstop, but Pittsburgh could use him all around the field - which would not only help his ROY case but would also clear more playing time should his bat prove worthy of it.

Really, the question is less about whether Cruz will translate to the bigs and more about whether he's worth this price. If you can get him at longer odds, great. If not, you may be kicking yourself in November if you let him pass by.

Brennen Davis, Cubs (+2000)

Seiya Suzuki is the Cubs rookie drawing all of the attention in this market, and rightfully so. But I'd much rather bet Davis at this price given what we've already seen from Chicago's top prospect.

Davis is a late-blooming outfielder who was raw as a second-round pick out of high school in 2018, but he's shown true five-tool potential on his path to the majors. He broke out in Double-A last year and boasted an impressive 16.2% walk rate with a .933 OPS in 16 games at the Triple-A level.

There's room in the Cubs outfield for Davis to make an impact in 2022, even with Suzuki signing with Chicago. Given how quickly he's put things together at the minor-league level, Davis has long-shot appeal in this market if he gets the opportunity.

Nick Lodolo, Reds (+4000)

The Reds have fully committed to a roster teardown in 2022, shipping off key pieces - including former starters Sonny Gray and Wade Miley - to clear room for their next wave of young prospects. That includes Lodolo, a former top-10 pick whose rare command gives him a high floor in this market.

The crafty lefty tore up Double-A in 2021, boasting a 1.84 ERA with 68 strikeouts in just 44 innings. He hit a snag in Triple-A before a minor shoulder strain prompted Cincinnati to shut him down for the season, but everything indicates that he's healthy and in the mix for a starting spot in the Reds' rotation.

Lodolo's sure looked ready for one in spring training, allowing one run with six punchouts in 4 1/3 frames. His ability to locate strikes in any count will serve him well immediately in the pros - don't be shocked if he posts a stat line too sharp to ignore in the ROY race.

Other notable bets: Cade Cavalli (+1800), CJ Abrams (+2900), JJ Bleday (+5000)

C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.