Every year, a new crop of young players makes its debut on the MLB stage, and this year’s rookie class is off to a phenomenal start.
Many of this year’s rookies are making a huge impact early, but not all of them came up through the minor leagues. Here are some of the great rookie performances to start the season:
Munetaka Murakami (Chicago White Sox)
.206/.333/.559, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 7 BB
The biggest concerns for Murakami coming from Nippon Professional Baseball were whether his power would translate and the high strikeout numbers. The strikeouts are currently proving to be an issue, but he is making up for it with the pop in his bat. He hit a home run in each of his first three games and is already up to four on the season.
He hit a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays, helping the White Sox sweep the reigning American League champions. His OPS is near .900, and the White Sox may be okay with some of the strikeouts if he can continue hitting balls out of the ballpark. There are players like Kyle Schwarber who have enjoyed long, successful MLB careers by hitting for consistent power while striking out a ton.
Sal Stewart (Cincinnati Reds)
.353/.476/.618, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 SB, 8 BB
Stewart made his debut last season, but only played 18 games. He came into the season as the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect and has been a very tough out so far. The 22-year-old infielder leads the Reds in walks, hits, extra-base hits and OPS. He has looked like a star in the making so far, and is a huge reason the Reds are 8-3.
Chase DeLauter (Cleveland Guardians)
.286/.333/.714, 5 HR, 9 RBI
DeLauter could not have scripted a better start to his career. He is the Guardians’ No. 2 prospect and half of his hits in the big leagues have gone for home runs. He had a 60-grade power tool as a prospect and it’s showing at the big league level.
The 24-year-old has been one of the better hitters in all of baseball so far. If he can keep it up, he could be looking at some major accolades in just his first season.
Kazuma Okamoto (Toronto Blue Jays)
.263/.349/.421, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 5 BB
Okamoto signed with the reigning AL champions and has already made a big impact. He has played solid defense in the hot corner and has already delivered some clutch hits for the Blue Jays. He went 2-for-3 on opening day. In that game against the Athletics, he hit a single with two outs in the ninth inning and came around to score the game-winning run.
Kevin McGonigle (Detroit Tigers)
.289/.386/.447, 5 XBH, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 6 BB
The 21-year-old infielder has been collecting hits since he made his debut on opening day this year. He had a four-hit game to start his career. He has cooled down a little since then, but he is still producing. Five of his 11 hits have gone for extra bases and he has five runs batted in. He is third on the team in RBIs right now.
The 70-grade hit tool has been on display early, and he is making his mark on a team that has World Series aspirations.
Photo: Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami (5) plays during a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
