The Cleveland Guardians have multiple of the top rookies in the American League.
The Cleveland Guardians' plan to play their young core and give prospects opportunities has seemingly paid off so far, as they currently sit atop the American League Central.
With the Guardians turning to so many young players, while also being one of the best teams in MLB, they unspuriously have a few names in the early AL Rookie of the Year conversation.
MLB.com conducted a recent poll of its analysts to get an idea about where the Rookie of the Year race currently stands, and a duo of Guardians players appeared in their top five.
No. 3 Parker Messick
Parker Messick has been sensational this season, not just as a rookie, but as one of the top pitchers in baseball.
He received 66 total vote points by MLB.com's staff, including six first-place votes.
Jason Foster noted that Messick "entered the week leading AL rookies in wins (six), innings (75) and strikeouts (78), and was second in ERA (2.40) and WHIP (1.07)."
Messick hasn't been as sharp over his last few outings, getting deeper into counts, which has led to higher pitch counts and shorter outings. That said, he's clearly still been one of the top pitchers in baseball and one of the best players in his rookie class.
May 30, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Parker Messick (77) celebrates after a ground out by Boston Red Sox second baseman Nick Sogard (20) during the third inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn ImagesNo. 4 Travis Bazzana
Travis Bazzana has only been in the big leagues for a little over a month, but his impact has already been noticeable. He owns a .781 OPS, including 14 extra base hits, since debuting on April 28.
Cleveland's rookie received 62 total vote points and one first-place vote. If Bazzana continues on the pace he's on, there's no reason to think that he won't rise on this poll, and could even see himself as a finalist by the time the year is over.
Where Is Chase DeLauter?
After the first two weeks of the season, Chase DeLauter looked like a runaway favorite to lead the Rookie of the Year race. However, the outfielder has hit a real rough patch and is looking to get back on track.
DeLauter owns a .207/.262/.259 slash line over his last 30 games, and his season OPS has dropped to .728.
It's still June, so DeLauter can get back into the ROY conversation, and he'll continue to get the opportunities to do so. However, right now, looking at the numbers, he hasn't been a top-five rookie in the American League for the entire season.
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