Just Baseball’s 2025 All-Rookie Rotation

Every new Major League Baseball season brings us a new crop of rookies who look to make their mark as the next generation of stars. One of the most exciting things each year is seeing that next generation of players arrive and make an impact on the game we all love. The 2025 season didn’t disappoint in that respect.

Some rookies arrive with such wildly high expectations that it’s almost impossible for them to live up to the hype. Others seemingly come out of nowhere, sneaking up on us until it’s impossible to ignore them. Regardless of how a player gets to the big leagues, once they’re here, they all start at zero and have to earn their place.

This year’s crop of rookie starting pitchers was absolutely stacked. But who was the best of the best among first-year starters?

Picking just five players for an all-rookie starting rotation is a challenging task, so first, let’s see who didn’t make the cut.

All-Rookie Starting Rotation Honorable Mentions

Before we get to the main event, here are the other rookie pitchers who caught our eye.

Joey Cantillo put together a strong rookie campaign over four different stints with the Cleveland Guardians, helping with their miraculous climb back into playoff position. On the year, he finished with a 3.21 ERA in 89 2/3 innings, but a 2.93 ERA in 12 starts since joining the rotation on July 3.

Hurston Waldrep was a refreshing success story in an otherwise forgettable season for the Atlanta Braves. Ever since making his season debut on Aug. 2, the right-hander was impressive, posting a 6-1 record with a 2.88 ERA in 10 games (nine starts).

Flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski arrived in Milwaukee with all kinds of fanfare — that happens when you routinely throw over 100 mph. It wasn’t all smooth sailing with the Brewers, however, despite his surprising All-Star nod. He finished with a 4.36 ERA, but also a staggering 87 strikeouts in 66 innings.

Cam Schlittler was a pleasant surprise for the banged-up New York Yankees rotation this season. In 14 starts following his debut on July 9, the 24-year-old righty produced a 2.96 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 73 innings.

Another Guardians starter in the honorable mentions, Parker Messick‘s short time in the majors has been remarkable. The 24-year-old posted a 3-1 record and 2.72 ERA in seven starts, four of those being quality outings, down the stretch for Cleveland.

Now, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s this year’s all-rookie starting rotation, headlined by a standout from the Windy City.

Cade Horton, CHC

The Chicago Cubs made it back to the postseason for the first time since 2020. Rookie right-hander Cade Horton was a big reason why. In 23 games (22 starts), the Cubs’ former No. 2 prospect went 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. His 2.53 ERA as a starter ranked first among rookies (min. 50 IP), while his 2.2 fWAR ranked fourth. He certainly built himself a Rookie of the Year case.

It even looks like there’s room for Horton to improve. He mustered only 97 strikeouts in 118 innings (7.40 K/9). In limited Triple-A sample sizes, he posted 11.00 K/9 in 2024 and 10.24 K/9 in 2025. He navigated this reduced strikeout frequency with pinpoint command, walking only 33 batters (2.52 BB/9) in his debut MLB season.

The funny thing about Horton is that none of his advanced metrics pop off the page. Yet, his overall pitching run value ranked in the 89th percentile, with each of his fastball (78th percentile), breaking (81st percentile), and offspeed (81st percentile) run values rating well above average. He averaged just over 95 mph with both his four-seamer and sinker, keeping hitters off balance with his sweeper, changeup, and curveball.

Noah Cameron, KCR

Ranked as the Kansas City Royals’ No. 6 prospect before the season, Noah Cameron started pitching like he belonged in the majors as soon as he made his MLB debut on April 30. The 26-year-old lefty made 24 starts this season, going 9-7 and boasting a tidy 2.99 ERA and 1.10 WHIP while reaching a professional career-high 138 1/3 innings.

Like Horton, Cameron was unable to replicate his strikeout numbers from the minor leagues but kept opposing hitters off the basepaths by minimizing walks. With 114 strikeouts, he posted just 7.42 K/9 after striking out more than 10 batters per nine innings in the high minors over the last two seasons. He walked just 43, for a 2.80 BB/9.

With 10 quality starts, Cameron led all rookie hurlers, tied with 35-year-old Tomoyuki Sugano of the Baltimore Orioles and another name you’ll see later in this piece. The future looks bright in Kansas City with Cameron penciled into the rotation next season.