After reviewing a deep group of American League rookies last week, it’s time to turn our attention to the Senior Circuit. The NL group isn’t quite as deep as their AL counterparts, but there is still plenty to like about this half of a memorable rookie class.
Sal Stewart, 1B/2B/3B, Reds
Although his stock has started to fade, Stewart remains a strong sell-high candidate. The slugger got off to a terrific start and was hitting .281 with nine homers, 29 RBI and seven steals in 31 games at the end of April. But since the calendar flipped to May, the slugger has hit .222 with four homers, 14 RBI and four steals over 40 contests. Stewart’s BABIP has not dipped during his recent struggles, which is a bad sign that he is responsible for his decline. The 22-year-old is no longer a must-start player in shallow leagues but is the third-ranked second baseman in full-season production and therefore can fetch a significant trade return.
JJ Wetherholt, 2B/3B/SS, Cardinals
Although his decline has been less dramatic, Wetherholt has some similarities to Stewart as someone who has tailed off after a hot start. After all, the infielder produced an .856 OPS prior to May 1 but a .659 mark since that date. The good news for Wetherholt is that he continues to reach base often and has a secure role as the leadoff hitter in a Cardinals lineup that has been better than expected. I wouldn’t make a point of trading Wetherholt and would instead ride out his hot and cold streaks unless an excellent offer came my way.
Carson Benge, OF, Mets
Benge is a rapidly rising rookie who could take another step forward by bringing a little bit more category juice to the table. And frankly, a Mets organization that is often mocked around baseball deserves credit for being patient with their best prospect when he was hitting .189 with a .525 OPS at the end of April. Amid his struggles, Benge was promoted to batting leadoff, which seemed to spark his bat, and he has hit .294 with a .802 OPS since May 1. He could tumble down the lineup when Francisco Lindor returns around the end of June, but those are problems for another day. For now, managers should be happy to start Benge, who is scoring plenty of runs while quietly working his way toward a possible 20-20 season.
A.J. Ewing, OF, Mets
Thanks to his 95th percentile sprint speed, Ewing garnered more attention than Benge until the latter really took off at the plate. To his credit, Ewing has mostly met expectations while hitting .259 with seven steals in 32 games. The speedster is far from a balanced contributor, as he has just one homer. Those in points leagues can leave Ewing on waivers, while managers in category formats can grab him if they need steals. He is most useful late in each week in head-to-head leagues, as managers who are in a tight steals race can grab the rookie in an effort to push ahead in the category. However, it’s important to ensure that the Mets are scheduled to face a few righties, as the left-handed hitter has had virtually no success against same-sided hurlers.
Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants
Eldridge is the fastest rising rookie right now. The 21-year-old started his MLB career slowly and had logged a career .518 OPS as of May 28. Fortunately, he has caught fire since that date, batting .439 with 4 HR, 12 RBI and a 1.287 OPS over his past 16 games. Eldridge hits the ball hard (92.0 mph average exit velocity), keeps his strikeout rate in check (20.7%) and collects plenty of walks (13.2%). There are many reasons to believe in the youngster, who should see his roster rate (41%) rise by 20% this week.
TJ Rumfield, 1B, Rockies
Rumfield is one of the most under-rostered players (16%) in Yahoo leagues. That being said, I understand why the 26-year-old has stayed on waivers. While managers chase the next big thing, Rumfield has quietly and consistently plodded his way to a respectable season that includes a solid .275 average and paces for roughly 20 homers, 70 RBI and 70 runs. His skills back up his strong play, especially his 27:41 BB:K ratio. Managers in deeper formats should give Rumfield more attention, but those in head-to-head leagues will always aim higher.
Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Diamondbacks
After a hot start, Waldschmidt has faded badly. The speedster was batting .353 with five steals over 15 games when he walked into the clubhouse on May 25, but since that date he has hit .180 with nary a steal to his credit. Waldschmidt is striking out at an alarming rate (32.8%) and doesn’t hit the ball especially hard (86.8 mph average exit velocity). He was optioned to Triple-A on Monday and can be dropped in all mixed leagues.
Nolan McLean, SP, Mets
Although he entered the season with significant MLB success under his belt, McLean still meets the threshold to be treated as a rookie. He was one of the most polarizing players of draft season, as some managers lauded his outstanding 2025 stats (2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP) while others cautioned that the numbers were produced over just eight starts.
After 14 starts in the current campaign, it’s fair to say that both sides had a point. McLean has had his ups and downs, especially a two-start stretch in late May where he allowed 13 earned runs over nine innings. He has also had a couple outings where he failed to make it past the fourth inning, but he has also had some terrific starts and has strong marks in WHIP (1.14) and K/9 rate (10.4). Once McLean solves his recent control issues (5.5 BB/9 rate over his past six starts), he will return to being a No. 2 fantasy starter.
Foster Griffin, SP, Nationals
Despite having starred during three seasons in Japan, Griffin was an afterthought in 2026 drafts. After all, the 30-year-old had thrown just eight innings in the majors and was entering the rotation of one of baseball’s worst teams. Fast forward nearly three months, and things are looking up for Griffin and the Nats. The oldest rookie in this article has logged solid ratios (3.46 ERA, 1.09 WHIP), and he has won seven games while being supported by the highest scoring team in baseball. Griffin is prone to allowing homers (1.7 HR/9 rate), which elevates his long-term risk. But he remains a solid option in 12-team leagues and some 10-team formats.
Bubba Chandler, SP, Pirates
There’s no way to sugarcoat that Chandler has been a disappointment. The 23-year-old has finished the sixth inning in just one of his 13 starts, as persistent control issues (5.4 BB/9 rate) have made him one of baseball’s most erratic starters from one inning to the next. The inconsistency is reflected in his overall ratios (4.76 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) and 2-7 record. Although his roster rate has fallen in recent weeks, his current mark (62%) should be cut in half.
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