Five Members Of Rookie Team Top 20 Homers

A year ago, the resurgent Cubs and Mets organizations rode a wave of talented rookies—a group that included Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Noah Syndergaard—all the way to the National League Championship Series.

- Matt Eddy

A number of teams this year go to battle in the postseason with rookies playing key roles, most notably the Dodgers with shortstop Corey Seager, the Baseball America Rookie of the Year, and righthander Kenta Maeda, a 28-year-old Japanese import.

The Cubs’ top rookie this year, catcher Willson Contreras, would have made our all-rookie team easily in most seasons, but this year he had to contend with historic performances from Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez and Rockies shortstop Trevor Story. Contreras, an 24-year-old converted third baseman, started 37 games behind the plate and 13 more in left field and hit .282/.357/.488 with 12 home runs in 76 games.

C GARY SANCHEZ - YANKEES

Huge power and incredible arm strength earmarked Sanchez’s prospect case coming into the year, and he certainly made his point this season by blasting 30 home runs between Triple-A and the majors, including 20 in just 53 big league games. He also threw out 40 percent of basestealers at each stop and looks like a perennial all-star catcher. Sanchez needs to shore up his blocking ability, but he frames pitches well and even Yankees veterans respect his game-calling ability.

AB   R   H   2B  3B HR RBI  BB  SO  SB  CS  AVG  OBP  SLG

201  34  60  12   0   20  42    24   57    1     0    .299    .376  .657

1B TOMMY JOSEPH - PHILLIES