MLB Awards Predictions: Rising Stars & Bold Moves

0:00On March 25, baseball fans get ready for some early predictions on this year's Major League Awards. In the American League, Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners takes the MVP nod as the 25-year-old outfielder eyes of 40-40 season after two straight, 30-30 campaigns. Over in the National League, Shohei Oltani of the Dodgers is the safe pick for MVP, building on his four awards in the last five years with more time on the mound. Meanwhile, the C-Young races look stacked too. Gare Crochet, now with the Red Sox, led all pictures last year in strikeouts and a key future performance metric. Paul Schienz of the Pirates dominates the NL side with an earned run average, half a run better than anyone else, and he might finally get the run. Support to boost his win total. Rookie honors go to standouts making big leaps. Kazuma Okamoto, the 29-year-old Blue J's third baseman, brings power from Japan with over 30 homers per season there, earning $15 million this.

1:03Year, J.J. Weatherholt, the Cardinal's second baseman and former college batting champ, slots right into the lead-off spot from day one. Managers in the spotlight include Craig Albernaz, the Orioles' first-year leader steering them toward the playoffs after a huge offseason spin. Tony Vitello made history with the Giants as the first to jump straight from college coaching to the majors, and his squad has the pieces for A, postseason run. These picks highlight rising stars in bold moves shaping the season ahead, so keep an eye on how they play out. From around the league, powered by AI, this is MLB News Today. I'm Corey with the story.