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Top rookie for every MLB team in 2016

 
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Baltimore Orioles: Mychal Givens, RP

Baltimore Orioles: Mychal Givens, RP
Mitchell Layton / Getty Images

A secret bullpen weapon, Givens won't be much of a secret in 2016. He made 22 appearances with the Orioles last season, with a 1.80 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 30 innings.

 
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Boston Red Sox: Brian Johnson, SP

Boston Red Sox: Brian Johnson, SP
Bob Levey / Getty Images

Johnson was sidelined with an elbow injury after only one Major League start, but he could win a rotation spot in spring training. The lefty was fantastic at Triple-A Pawtucket when he was healthy, going 9-6 with a 2.53 ERA in 18 starts.

 
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New York Yankees: Aaron Judge, OF

New York Yankees: Aaron Judge, OF
Mark Cunningham / Getty Images

The Yankees were hesitant to address their outfield this offseason partially due to Judge's pending arrival. The former first-round pick had a good 2015 season between Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .255-20-72 in 124 games. He'll almost certainly have a spot on the 2017 Opening Day lineup card and should help the Yankees by the All-Star break this season.

 
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Tampa Bay Rays: Blake Snell, SP

Tampa Bay Rays: Blake Snell, SP
Brace Hemmelgarn / Getty Images

Snell gained quite the press for his scoreless innings streak last season, and he could break camp with the Rays. He was incredible between three levels last season, going 15-4 with a 1.41 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 134 innings.

 
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Toronto Blue Jays: Conner Greene, SP

Toronto Blue Jays: Conner Greene, SP
Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images

Toronto doesn't have much in the upper minors that will help it this year after the team's playoff push last season, but Greene isn't far off. He went 12-7 with a 3.54 ERA in 26 starts between three levels last season.

 
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Chicago White Sox: Tim Anderson, SS

Chicago White Sox: Tim Anderson, SS
Ron Vesely / Getty Images

The White Sox let longtime shortstop Alexei Ramirez walk in free agency, knowing that Anderson isn't far away. The speedster and former first-round pick hit .312 with 49 stolen bases in 125 games at Double-A last season. He's unlikely to break camp with the team but could be up soon after Opening Day.

 
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Cleveland Indians: Tyler Naquin, OF

Cleveland Indians: Tyler Naquin, OF
Gregg Forwerck / Getty Images

Cleveland has had a very quiet offseason with a strong farm system ready to help. Naquin is the first of three capable center field prospects, hitting .300 between Double-A and Triple-A last season. He could make the Opening Day roster.

 
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Detroit Tigers: Michael Fulmer, SP

Detroit Tigers: Michael Fulmer, SP
Mark Cunningham / Getty Images

Detroit's farm system is weak, which explains why the Tigers were so active in free agency last season. Fulmer is their best prospect, a former Mets farmhand acquired for Yoenis Cespedes last season. He has only six starts at Double-A but could make an impact if the Tigers are in a midseason playoff push.

 
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Kansas City Royals: Kyle Zimmer, SP

Kansas City Royals: Kyle Zimmer, SP
Christian Peterson / Getty Images

Injuries have hindered Zimmer, but he got back on track in the minors last season. He had a 2.39 ERA between Low-A and Double-A and could compete for the team's fifth starter job.

 
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Minnesota Twins: Jose Berrios, SP

Minnesota Twins: Jose Berrios, SP
Brace Hemmelgarn / Getty Images

The Twins are loaded with young talent, and Berrios is their prized pitching prospect. The former first-round pick had a 2.87 ERA in 27 starts between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

 
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Houston Astros: A.J. Reed, 1B

Houston Astros: A.J. Reed, 1B
Scott Halleran / Getty Images

The Astros haven't addressed first base this offseason with Reed knocking on the door. He was incredible in High-A and Double-A last season, hitting .340-34-127, and will compete for the first base job in spring training.

 
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Los Angeles Angels: Kaleb Cowart, 3B

Los Angeles Angels: Kaleb Cowart, 3B
Jason Miller / Getty Images

A thin Angels farm system became even thinner after trading for Andrelton Simmons this offseason, but Cowart should be able to compete for at-bats at third base. He hit .285 in the minors last season.

 
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Oakland Athletics: Sean Manaea, SP

Oakland Athletics: Sean Manaea, SP
Ron Vesely / Major League Baseball

As usual, the rebuilding A's have plenty for fans to be exciting about in the next couple seasons. Manaea was added from the Royals for Ben Zobrist last season, and the lefty could play a big role this season if he can stay healthy.

 
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Seattle Mariners: Boog Powell, OF

Seattle Mariners: Boog Powell, OF
Brace Hemmelgarn / Getty Images

Acquired from Tampa Bay this offseason, Powell has potential to be an on-base machine for the Mariners. He hit .295 with a .385 on-base percentage between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

 
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Texas Rangers: Lewis Brinson, OF

Texas Rangers: Lewis Brinson, OF
Rick Yeatts / Getty Images

Brinson emerged as an elite outfield prospect last season, hitting .332-20-69 with 18 steals mostly between High-A and Double-A. His performance could force the Rangers to push him up by midseason.

 
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Atlanta Braves: Aaron Blair, SP

Atlanta Braves: Aaron Blair, SP
Ron Vesely / Major League Baseball

Atlanta's farm system is one of the deepest in baseball after its great offseason trades. Blair was acquired from the Diamondbacks in the Shelby Miller trade during the offseason and could help early in the season. He had a 2.92 ERA in 160.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

 
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Miami Marlins: Kendry Flores, SP

Miami Marlins: Kendry Flores, SP
Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery / Getty Images

The Marlins have a deep pitching staff, and Flores is one of their more promising young arms. He threw 12.2 innings in the Majors last season and had a 2.29 ERA in 21 minor league starts.

 
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New York Mets: Brandon Nimmo, OF

New York Mets: Brandon Nimmo, OF
Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

The Mets outfield is in good shape after re-signing Yoenis Cespedes, but Nimmo could add a midseason jolt. He hit .269 mostly between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

 
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Philadelphia Phillies: J.P. Crawford, SS

Philadelphia Phillies: J.P. Crawford, SS
Mark Cunningham / Getty Images

The Phillies probably won't win many games in 2016, but they'll feature plenty of exciting, young talent. Crawford is arguably the best shortstop prospect in baseball and should be up near midseason. He hit .288 between High-A and Double-A last season.

 
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Washington Nationals: Lucas Giolito, SP

Washington Nationals: Lucas Giolito, SP
Mark Cunningham / Getty Images

The Nationals have a strong farm system led by Giolito, one of the top pitching prospects in the game. He could really help down the stretch after posting a 3.15 ERA between High-A and Double-A last season.

 
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Chicago Cubs: Willson Contreras, C

Chicago Cubs: Willson Contreras, C
Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images

No team got more help from its farm system than the Cubs did last season, and Contreras could help them even more. He's emerged as their catcher of the future, likely moving Kyle Schwarber permanently to the outfield. Contreras hit .333 at Double-A last season.

 
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Cincinnati Reds: Cody Reed, SP

Cincinnati Reds: Cody Reed, SP
Joe Robbins / Getty Images

The Reds are building in 2016, and Reed is a big part of that rebuild. Arguably their best pitching prospect, he had a 2.41 ERA in 145.2 innings between High-A and Double-A in 2015. The Reds could allow him to make their Opening Day rotation.

 
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Milwaukee Brewers: Orlando Arcia, SS

Milwaukee Brewers: Orlando Arcia, SS
Mark Cunningham / Getty Images

Milwaukee has plenty of exciting youngsters for its rebuild, led by Arcia. He became the Brewers' top prospect last year after hitting .307 with 25 stolen bases in 129 games.

 
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Pittsburgh Pirates: Tyler Glasnow, SP

Pittsburgh Pirates: Tyler Glasnow, SP
Rob Carr / Getty Images

The Pirates have the talent to compete again in 2016, as well as the reinforcements in the minors. Glasnow is their best pitching prospect and had a 2.39 ERA between three levels last season. He should be able to help by the All-Star break.

 
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St. Louis Cardinals: Tim Cooney, SP

St. Louis Cardinals: Tim Cooney, SP
Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images

St. Louis had a quiet offseason, hoping that rebounds from Adam Wainwright and Matt Holliday, as well as a full year of Stephen Piscotty and Brandon Moss, will make up for losing Jason Heyward. Cooney enters the season as the team's likely sixth starter and looked great in six starts with the Cards last season.

 
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Arizona Diamondbacks: Brandon Drury, 3B

Arizona Diamondbacks: Brandon Drury, 3B
Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Even after overpaying in trades this offseason, the Diamondbacks have talent left in their farm system. Drury could compete for the third base job with Jake Lamb, hitting .303 between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

 
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Colorado Rockies: Trevor Story, SS

Colorado Rockies: Trevor Story, SS
Rich Pilling / Getty Images

The Rockies continue to rebuild and have a shortstop of the future in Trevor Story. He could be needed sooner than anticipated with Jose Reyes facing trial for domestic violence.

 
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Los Angeles Dodgers: Corey Seager, SS

Los Angeles Dodgers: Corey Seager, SS
Harry How / Getty Images

The likely favorite for NL Rookie of the Year, Seager played great in 27 games in the regular season in 2015. He's the team's long-term answer at shortstop, hitting .293-18-76 between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

 
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San Diego Padres: Travis Jankowski, OF

San Diego Padres: Travis Jankowski, OF
Denis Poroy / Getty Images

San Diego has plenty of jobs open in a rebuilding year, and Jankowski could be an important piece of the outfield. The leadoff prospect played 34 games in the Majors last season and hit .335 with 32 steals in the minors.

 
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San Francisco Giants: Clayton Blackburn, SP

San Francisco Giants: Clayton Blackburn, SP
Christian Peterson / Getty Images

The Giants have terrific pitching depth after adding Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija for big bucks in free agency, but Blackburn is waiting in the minors. The control artist had a 2.85 ERA in 123 innings last season at Triple-A.

Seth Trachtman

Seth Trachtman is a sportswriter, digital marketer, and fantasy sports expert based in St. Louis, Missouri. He’s a two-time winner of the Tout Wars Fantasy Baseball Expert’s League, and his work has appeared in hundreds of fantasy baseball and fantasy football newsstand and online publications

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