Box-Toppers 2025 All-Rookie team
Here are the Box-Toppers points leaders for 2025 at each position among all players with rookie status. The team includes nine batters and seven pitchers—five starters and two relievers.| Pos |
Player |
Team |
BTP |
Rookie rank |
Overall rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | Nick Kurtz | Athletics | 4.5 | 23* | 235* |
| 2B | Kristian Campbell | Red Sox | 2.5 | 48* | 397* |
| SS | Colson Montgomery | White Sox | 4.5 | 23* | 235* |
| 3B | Matt Shaw | Cubs | 2.5 | 48* | 397* |
| CA | Drake Baldwin | Braves | 6.5 | 10 | 133 |
| OF | Isaac Collins | Brewers | 5.5 | 16 | 179 |
| OF | Jakob Marsee | Marlins | 3.5 | 32* | 297* |
| OF | Cam Smith | Astros | 3.5 | 32* | 297* |
| DH | Agustín Ramírez | Marlins | 6.0 | 12* | 155* |
| SP | Jacob Lopez | Athletics | 11.4 | 1 | 32 |
| SP | Cade Horton | Cubs | 9.7 | 2 | 49 |
| SP | Will Warren | Yankees | 9.4 | 3 | 57 |
| SP | Nolan McLean | Mets | 7.7 | 4 | 87 |
| SP | Cam Schlittler | Yankees | 7.4 | 5 | 93 |
| RP | Justin Wrobleski | Dodgers | 6.0 | 11 | 149 |
| RP | Lake Bachar | Marlins | 4.0 | 26* | 270* |
* Tied. (Box-Toppers point ties are more common among rookie players. Season point ties are generally broken by players’ previous season totals and most rookies do not have previous season totals.)
Rookie of the Year winners for 2025—Braves catcher Drake Baldwin and Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz—are among players on the Box-Toppers 2025 All-Rookie Team.
Baldwin was Box-Toppers’ choice for NL Rookie of the Year. While his 6.5 Box-Toppers points for the season trailed pitchers Cade Horton (9.7) and Nolan McLean (7.7), Box-Toppers doubles batter point totals for award comparisons to ensure they remain competitive with pitchers. This gave Baldwin an adjusted total of 13.0.
In the American League, however, Box-Toppers’ choice deviated from the writers' vote. While Nick Kurtz won the official AL Rookie of the Year, Box-Toppers selected Athletics pitcher Jacob Lopez, who led all rookies with 11.4 Box-Toppers points.
Box-Toppers’ All-Rookie Team consists of the points leaders at each position, regardless of league, featuring nine batters and seven pitchers:
First base
Nick Kurtz, Athletics (4.5 points), 17th among all first basemen, tied for 23rd among all rookies and tied for 235th overall. While he finished first in AL Rookie of the Year voting, his adjusted Box-Toppers point total of 9.0 was fourth among AL rookies.
Second base
Kristian Campbell, Red Sox (2.5 points), 24th among all second basemen, tied for 48th among all rookies and tied for 397th overall.
Shortstop
Colson Montgomery, White Sox (4.5 points), 11th among all shortstops, tied for 23rd among all rookies and tied for 235th overall.
Third base
Matt Shaw, Cubs (2.5 points), 24th among all third basemen, tied for 48th among all rookies and tied for 397th overall.
Catcher
Drake Baldwin, Braves (6.5 points), fifth among all catchers, 10th among all rookies and 133rd overall.
Outfielders
Box-Toppers’ three top rookie outfielders are:
Isaac Collins, Brewers (5.5 points), 23rd among all outfielders, 16th among all rookies and 179th overall.
Jakob Marsee, Marlins and Cam Smith, Astros (3.5 points each), tied for 48th among all outfielders, tied for 32nd among all rookies and tied for 297th overall.
Designated hitter
Agustín Ramírez, Marlins (6.0 points), 13th among all designated hitters, tied for 12th among all rookies and tied for 155th overall.
Starting pitchers
Box-Toppers’ five top rookie starting pitchers are:
Jacob Lopez, Athletics (11.4 points), first among all rookies, 32nd overall, 31st among all pitchers and 18th among AL pitchers. Despite a modest 7-7 record and 4.08 ERA, he was exceptionally impactful on a game-by-game basis, winning Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors in eight of his 21 appearances. By comparison, official AL Rookie of the Year winner Nick Kurtz won the honor just three times.
Cade Horton, Cubs (9.7 points), second among all rookies, first among NL rookies, 46th among all pitchers and 21st among NL pitchers. He ranked 49th overall.
Will Warren, Yankees (9.4 points), third among all rookies, second among AL rookies, 49th among all pitchers and 27th among AL pitchers. He ranked 57th overall.
Nolan McLean, Mets (7.7 points), fourth among all rookies, 69th among all pitchers and 34th among NL pitchers. He ranked 87th overall.
Cam Schlittler, Yankees (7.4 points), fifth among all rookies, 72nd among all pitchers and 38th among AL pitchers. He ranked 93rd overall.
Relief pitchers
Box-Toppers’ two top rookie relief pitchers are:
Justin Wrobleski, Dodgers (6.0 points), second among all middle relievers (behind Eric Lauer of the Blue Jays with 10.0), 11th among all rookies and 149th overall.
Lake Bachar, Marlins (4.0 points), 17th among all middle relief pitchers, tied for 26th among all rookies and tied for 270th overall.
Highest ranking players not on Box-Toppers All-Rookie Team
The highest-ranking rookie pitcher who did not make Box-Toppers All-Rookie Team is White Sox pitcher Shane Smith (7.0 points), sixth among all rookies, sixth among rookie starting pitchers, 46th among AL pitchers and 117th overall.
The highest-ranking rookie batter who did not make Box-Toppers All-Rookie Team is White Sox catcher Kyle Teel (5.0 points), 17th among all rookies, but second among rookie catchers, behind Drake Baldwin of the Braves (6.5). Teel ranked seventh among AL catchers, 34th among AL batters and 208th overall.
Rookies by the numbers in 2025
According to Baseball-Reference.com, 443 players were classified as rookies in 2025. Of those, 160 (36 percent) earned at least one Box-Toppers Player of the Game honor.
Notably, 15 of these players earned Box-Toppers points in previous seasons while maintaining their rookie status. The most “veteran” rookie was Diamondbacks pitcher Elvin Rodriguez, who earned 1.0 point in 2022 with the Tigers (and none since).
Distribution of Point-Earning Rookies:
American League: 82 players
National League: 78 players
Teams with Most All-Rookie Selections
The Miami Marlins led the league with three players on the All-Rookie Team:
Agustín Ramírez (DH)
Jakob Marsee (OF)
Lake Bachar (RP)
The Athletics, Cubs, and Yankees followed closely with two selections each.
Rookies on the Overall All-Star Team
Drake Baldwin (Braves) holds the unique distinction of being the only rookie to make the overall Box-Toppers year-end All-Star teams. As the NL’s top-ranking catcher with 6.5 points, he edged out Carson Kelly of the Cubs (6.0) for the starting spot on the National League squad.
Other all-rookie teams
Here is a look at three other rookie all-star teams for 2025:
About Box-Toppers
Box-Toppers tracks who most helps their team win the most games. Using standard box score statistics, Box-Toppers uses a simple formula to determine a Player of the Game for each Major League Baseball game played. That player is the person who contributed most to his team’s win. In regular season games, players earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being named Player of the Game and can earn bonus points for being Player of the Day or top player or batter in their league for the day. (No Box-Toppers points are awarded in postseason games.)
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