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The Amazingly Awesome rookie class of 2015: Hitters

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By John Sickels
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Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

What an amazingly good year for major league baseball rookies, 2015. And the really special thing is that most of this does not look like a fluke to me.

The Top 20 MLB Rookie Hitters ranked by Fangraphs WAR:

Kris Bryant Cubs 151 650 26 87 99 13 11.80% 30.60% 0.213 0.378 0.275 0.369 0.488 0.371 136 7.1 34.3 7.1 6.5
Matt Duffy Giants 149 612 12 77 77 12 4.90% 15.70% 0.133 0.336 0.295 0.334 0.428 0.331 116 4.4 16 11.5 4.9
Francisco Lindor Indians 99 438 12 50 51 12 6.20% 15.80% 0.169 0.348 0.313 0.353 0.482 0.358 128 -0.6 13.8 14.9 4.6
Jung-ho Kang Pirates 126 467 15 60 58 5 6.00% 21.20% 0.173 0.344 0.287 0.355 0.461 0.356 130 3.4 19.5 2.9 3.9
Odubel Herrera Phillies 147 537 8 64 41 16 5.20% 24.00% 0.121 0.387 0.297 0.344 0.418 0.333 110 2.1 8.3 11.7 3.9
Carlos Correa Astros 99 432 22 52 68 14 9.30% 18.10% 0.233 0.296 0.279 0.345 0.512 0.365 133 2 18.3 -1.6 3.3
Randal Grichuk Cardinals 103 350 17 49 47 4 6.30% 31.40% 0.272 0.365 0.276 0.329 0.548 0.37 137 1.9 17.1 1.1 3.1
Addison Russell Cubs 142 523 13 60 54 4 8.00% 28.50% 0.147 0.324 0.242 0.307 0.389 0.304 90 0.4 -5.7 17.1 2.9
Joc Pederson Dodgers 151 585 26 67 54 4 15.70% 29.10% 0.206 0.262 0.21 0.346 0.417 0.335 115 -0.1 10.3 -1.8 2.8
Billy Burns Athletics 125 555 5 70 42 26 4.70% 14.60% 0.098 0.339 0.294 0.334 0.392 0.317 102 5.6 7.1 -3.4 2.3
Devon Travis Blue Jays 62 238 8 38 35 3 7.60% 18.10% 0.194 0.347 0.304 0.361 0.498 0.37 135 1.2 10.8 3 2.3
Eddie Rosario Twins 122 474 13 60 50 11 3.20% 24.90% 0.192 0.332 0.267 0.289 0.459 0.316 98 4.7 3.5 2.3 2.3
Michael Conforto Mets 56 194 9 30 26 0 8.80% 20.10% 0.236 0.297 0.27 0.335 0.506 0.359 134 0.6 8.2 5.5 2.1
Cory Spangenberg Padres 108 345 4 38 21 9 8.10% 21.70% 0.129 0.344 0.271 0.333 0.399 0.319 105 3.4 5.6 3.1 2.1
Miguel Sano Twins 80 335 18 46 52 1 15.80% 35.50% 0.262 0.396 0.269 0.385 0.53 0.392 151 -4.8 14.8 -6.6 2
Jake Lamb Diamondbacks 107 390 6 38 34 3 9.20% 24.90% 0.123 0.344 0.263 0.331 0.386 0.312 92 1.1 -2.7 9.2 2
Kyle Schwarber Cubs 69 273 16 52 43 3 13.20% 28.20% 0.241 0.293 0.246 0.355 0.487 0.364 131 2.5 12.5 -3.4 1.9
J.T. Realmuto Marlins 126 467 10 49 47 8 4.10% 15.00% 0.147 0.285 0.259 0.29 0.406 0.298 86 1 -6.5 8.8 1.8
Ketel Marte Mariners 57 247 2 25 17 8 9.70% 17.40% 0.119 0.341 0.283 0.351 0.402 0.33 112 0.6 4.2 4.1 1.7

Think about it. Who is over his head here?

Kris Bryant: Seems legit to me.
Matt Duffy: Maybe over his head a little, but even if he settles in as a .280ish hitter he should do enough other stuff to remain a regular.
Francisco Lindor: I do NOT think this is over his head. The power spike came sooner than expected but even if the bat slips some, the glove will make him a very long-term regular.
Carlos Correa? Not a fluke.
Miguel Sano? Monster bat.
Kang. . .Herrera. . .Devon Travis. . even Billy Burns, perhaps these guys were at the upper end of expectation but don't seem out of bounds within the broader context.
Guys like Addison Russell and Joc Pederson should be expected to improve in my view.

Heck let's look at the next 10.

Roberto Perez Indians 70 226 7 30 21 0 14.60% 28.30% 0.174 0.304 0.228 0.348 0.402 0.331 110 -1.2 1.4 7.5 1.7
Enrique Hernandez Dodgers 76 218 7 24 22 0 5.00% 21.10% 0.183 0.364 0.307 0.346 0.49 0.359 132 -1.2 6.9 2.5 1.7
Nick Ahmed Diamondbacks 134 459 9 49 34 4 6.30% 17.60% 0.133 0.257 0.226 0.275 0.359 0.276 67 2.4 -15.4 16.7 1.7
Travis Shaw Red Sox 65 248 13 31 36 0 7.30% 23.00% 0.217 0.31 0.274 0.331 0.491 0.352 119 0.9 6.3 0.6 1.6
Tommy Pham Cardinals 52 173 5 28 18 2 11.00% 23.70% 0.209 0.333 0.268 0.347 0.477 0.352 125 3.3 8.4 0.8 1.5
Steven Souza Rays 110 426 16 59 40 12 10.80% 33.80% 0.174 0.318 0.225 0.318 0.399 0.316 103 4.3 5.7 -5.3 1.5
Maikel Franco Phillies 80 335 14 45 50 1 7.80% 15.50% 0.217 0.297 0.28 0.343 0.497 0.36 128 -0.7 10.2 -6.3 1.5
Blake Swihart Red Sox 84 309 5 47 31 4 5.80% 24.90% 0.118 0.359 0.274 0.319 0.392 0.312 91 0.8 -2.3 5.9 1.5
Mark Canha Athletics 124 485 16 61 70 7 6.80% 19.80% 0.172 0.289 0.254 0.315 0.426 0.323 106 2.2 5.7 -8.2 1.4
Delino Deshields Rangers 121 492 2 83 37 25 10.80% 20.50% 0.113 0.334 0.261 0.344 0.374 0.317 94 7.4 3.8 -8.2 1.3

Maikel Franco and Blake Swihart are just getting started. The other guys, including Nick Ahmed due to his defense, seem like solid role players. I will take a closer look at Travis Shaw soon.

This is really an outstanding group. The future of Major League Baseball is bright indeed.

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