CHICAGO (AP) — Nick Kurtz and Drake Baldwin made a smooth transition to the major leagues last season. Kurtz was rewarded with the AL Rookie of the Year award, and Baldwin took home the NL honor.

Here is a closer look at a group of rookies looking to have a similar impact this year:

Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Konnor Griffin

Widely regarded as the majors' top prospect, Griffin could make a push for Pittsburgh's second NL Rookie of the Year award in three seasons after Paul Skenes won in 2024. Griffin, a Mississippi native who turns 20 on April 24, hit .333 with 21 homers, 94 RBIs and 65 steals over three minor league stops last year. The shortstop was taken by the Pirates with the No. 9 pick in the 2024 amateur draft.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage

Yesavage, a 6-foot-4 right-hander with an unusual arm slot, helped Toronto reach the World Series in 2025. He went 3-1 with a 3.58 ERA in six postseason appearances, striking out 39 and walking 11 in 27 2/3 innings. Yesavage began last season at Class A Dunedin and posted a 5-1 record with a 3.12 ERA over four minor league stops before making his Blue Jays debut on Sept. 15.

St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt

St. Louis is working on a rare rebuild for the franchise, and Wetherholt's development is worth watching in terms of how long it might last. The 23-year-old infielder played college ball for West Virginia before he was selected by the Cardinals with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 amateur draft. He batted .306 with 17 homers, 59 RBIs and 23 steals over two minor league stops last year, finishing the season with Triple-A Memphis.

Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle

The 21-year-old McGonigle was taken by Detroit with the No. 37 pick in the 2023 amateur draft. The shortstop batted .305 with 19 homers, 80 RBIs and 10 steals in 88 games over three minor league stops last year. He could play a major role for a Tigers team looking to contend for the AL Central title.

New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean

McLean was terrific in his first stint with New York last year, going 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA in eight starts. The 6-foot-2 right-hander, a third-round pick in the 2023 amateur draft out of Oklahoma State University, also struck out 57 in 48 innings. He is expected to be a key member of New York's rotation this season as the Mets try to rebound from a tough finish last year.

Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo

Baltimore has quite the catching tandem with Adley Rutschman and Basallo, who made his major league debut in August. Basallo batted just .165 with four homers in 31 games with the Orioles, but he hit .270 with 23 homers and 67 RBIs in 76 games with Triple-A Norfolk. Rutschman remains the No. 1 catcher, but the 21-year-old Basallo also will see time at first base and designated hitter.

Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart

Stewart, 22, made his major league debut on Sept. 1 after hitting .315 with 10 homers and 36 RBIs in 38 games with Triple-A Louisville. The sweet-swinging Miami native batted .255 with five homers and eight RBIs in 18 games with the Reds. He can play second and third base, but first base and DH figure to be his primary spots this year with Cincy.

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter

DeLauter has been one of Cleveland's top prospects since he was the 16th overall pick in the 2022 amateur draft. But he was slowed by injuries the past two seasons, including core muscle and right wrist surgeries last year. He made his major league debut in Game 2 of the Guardians' AL Wild Card Series against Detroit on Oct. 1.

Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai

The Japanese right-hander agreed to a $54 million, three-year contract with the Astros in January. He moves into Houston's rotation after going 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA last season for the Pacific League’s Seibu Lions, striking out 178 in 163 2/3 innings. The three-time All-Star in Japan was 58-45 with a 3.15 ERA in eight seasons with Seibu.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford

Crawford, 22, takes over in center field for Philadelphia in his first big league opportunity. The speedy Crawford, a first-round pick in the 2022 amateur draft, hit .334 with seven homers and 47 RBIs in 112 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year. He also had 46 steals and a .411 on-base percentage.

Chicago White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami

The rebuilding project on Chicago's South Side got an unexpected boost when Murakami signed a $34 million, two-year contract with the White Sox in December. The 26-year-old slugger was the MVP of Japan's Central League in 2021 and ’22. He batted .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs last season, when he was limited to 56 games because of an oblique injury.

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CHICAGO (AP) — RJ Barrett scored 23 points, Brandon Ingram had 18 and the Toronto Raptors pounded the Chicago Bulls 139-109 on Wednesday night for their third consecutive win.

Toronto shot 57% (48 for 84) from the field and put seven players in double figures in the opener of a five-game trip. Scottie Barnes had 18 points and seven rebounds, and Ja’Kobe Walter also scored 18.

The Raptors led by as many as 38 while completing a sweep of their three-game season series against the Bulls.

Matas Buzelis scored 19 points for Chicago, which lost for the third time in four games. Collin Sexton had 14 in his return from a left leg injury.

Bulls guard Josh Giddey was held to nine points, three assists and no rebounds. The 23-year-old Giddey had been on a tear, posting five triple-doubles while averaging 19 points, 12 assists and 11.7 rebounds over his previous seven games.

Toronto put together a fast start, shooting 60% on its way to a 72-45 lead at the break. Barrett scored 14 points in the first half, and Ingram had 13 on 6-for-6 shooting.

Chicago closed to 53-41 on Sexton's three-point play with 5:20 left in the second quarter, but Toronto responded with a 17-2 run. Barrett's reverse layup made it 70-43 with 1:08 left.

The sluggish Bulls shot 38.5% in the first half and committed 11 turnovers, leading to 20 points for the Raptors.

Jakob Poeltl finished with 17 points and a team-high eight rebounds for Toronto. Sandro Mamukelashvili also scored 17.

Up next

Raptors: At the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.

Bulls: Host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night.

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CHICAGO (AP) — Mats Zuccarello scored 3:09 into overtime, and the Minnesota Wild stopped a three-game slide by topping the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on Tuesday night.

Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists as Minnesota improved to 3-0 against Chicago this season. Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan Hartman also scored, and Brock Faber had three assists.

Filip Gustavsson made 21 saves for the Wild, and Jesper Wallstedt stopped two shots. Gustavsson departed for 3:27 in the third period because of an equipment issue.

The Wild had a long stint in their offensive zone before Johansson found Zuccarello for his 13th goal.

Minnesota forward Nick Foligno received a warm welcome in his first game against Chicago since he was acquired in a March 6 trade with the Blackhawks. Foligno held his stick in the air and waved to the cheering crowd after he was saluted with a tribute video during a timeout in the opening period.

Louis Crevier had a goal and an assist for last-place Chicago, which dropped its second straight game. Frank Nazar and Ryan Greene also scored.

The Blackhawks trailed 3-2 before Nazar finished a 2-on-1 with Connor Bedard with 1:40 left in regulation. Nazar has four goals and six assists in his last seven games.

The Wild got off to a fast start, outshooting the Blackhawks 16-7 while scoring three times in the first period.

Kirill Kaprizov set up Hartman's 16th goal at 6:17, and Johansson added his 14th at 7:58. Tarasenko made it 3-1 when he whistled a wrist shot past Spencer Knight for a power-play goal with 1:30 left in the first.

Greene got one back for Chicago when he knocked in a loose puck from the low slot at 14:35 of the second. Bedard picked up his team-high 36th assist on Greene's ninth goal of the year.

Minnesota played without Joel Eriksson Ek, who is day to day with a lower-body injury. He was replaced in the lineup by Robby Fabbri.

Up next

The Wild and Blackhawks face each other again Thursday night in Minnesota.

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