There’s little argument that the Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks have the best MLB prospects at the start of spring training. Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson and Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll are the top candidates to be named the 2023 Rookies of the Year.
Henderson tops MLB Pipeline’s 2023 prospect rankings. Carroll is right behind him at No. 2 overall. In an MLB.com poll of front-office officials around the league, 73% of those surveyed picked the Orioles’ infielder to win the AL Rookie of the Year award. The budding Diamondbacks’ star received two-thirds of the votes for NL Rookie of the Year.
The prospects are both clear favorites for Rookie of the Year at online sportsbooks.
Although he can also play shortstop, Henderson is expected to be the Orioles’ starting third baseman on Opening Day 2023. A second-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, Henderson made his major-league debut last season. In 34 games, the 21-year-old hit .259/.349/.440 with four home runs.
The combination of power and speed could make Henderson one of the best young players in baseball. In just 65 games at Triple-A last season, Henderson hit 11 home runs and stole 10 bases in 11 tries.
Henderson was named the MLB Pipeline Hitting Prospect of the Year.
Corbin Carroll had a similar 2022 campaign and didn’t get enough playing time to qualify as a rookie. In 32 games, the Diamondbacks’ outfielder hit .260/.330/.500. Caroll hit four home runs and 15 extra-base hits in just 104 at-bats.
In 91 combined games across Double-A and Triple-A, Carroll had 23 home runs and 31 stolen bases last season. Selected 26 picks ahead of Henderson at No. 16 overall in the 2019 draft, the 21-year-old quickly made his way to the majors despite undergoing shoulder surgery in 2021.
Carroll could be given plenty of chances to fail and work through any growing pains he might have as a rookie. The Diamondbacks are coming off a 74-88 campaign and are long shots to contend in the NL.
Expectations are a little higher for the Orioles. Baltimore hopes it’s finally done rebuilding and ready to compete for a playoff spot after going 83-79 last season. The Orioles had lost at least 108 games in each of the last three 162-game seasons.
New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez and St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker are top prospects and are expected to push Carroll for the award. New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe is considered to be one of the AL’s two best prospects.
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