2022-mlb-opening-odds-rookie-of-the-year-witt
Bobby Witt

Vegas oddsmakers have made Bobby Witt the favorite to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award and placed Oneil Cruz and Keibert Ruiz as joint frontrunners in the National League.

Get insights and the latest odds for top ROY contenders and longshots for both MLB league awards.


2022 AL Rookie of the Year Betting Odds

All odds provided by Bovada are correct at the time of publication and subject to change
Player Odds
Bobby Witt Jr. +300
Spencer Torkelson +450
Adley Rutschman +600
Julio Rodriguez +600
Shane Baz +700
Jeremy Pena +1000
Riley Greene +1400
Joe Ryan +1800

Why Witt Is the AL Rookie of the Year Favorite

This top-three prospect has shown that he has all the tools needed to bring home the AL ROY Award.

The 21-year-old hit .285 with a stellar walk rate…

In Triple-A last year, Witt had an incredible season. The 21-year-old hit .285 with a stellar walk rate, swatted 17 homers in just 250 at-bats, and stole 15 bases.

If he keeps injury-free, this young star could cruise to winning the Jackie Robinson award in November.



Could Joe Ryan Upset the Odds?

Further down the American League Rookie of the Year odds table sits a player that has proven he can perform. Last year, Joe Ryan joined the Twins from the Rays in the Nelson Cruz trade and got a five-start sample in the big leagues, posting a 4.05 ERA and 3.43 FIP.

He represents decent futures betting value because in 26.2 innings in the majors last year, he fanned 30 batters and demonstrated elite strikeout potential in the minors in 2021. Therefore, he looks like an attractive long-shot option to win the Rookie of the Year Award in the American League.



2022 NL Rookie of the Year Betting Odds

All odds provided by Bovada are correct at the time of publication and subject to change
Player Odds
Oneil Cruz +400
Keibert Ruiz +400
Bryson Stott +800
Hunter Greene +900
Sixto Sanchez +900
Joey Bart +1000
Edward Cabrera +2000
Alek Thomas +2000
Matt Vierling +2000

Cruz or Ruiz?

At 220 pounds and 6ft-7, Oneil Cruz is not your typical MLB shortstop. Yet, if the defense can hold firm, Cruz could become the best young hitter in the league this year.

…Cruz could become the best young hitter in the league this year

The sight of the Dominican dominating pitchers in the upper minors in 2021 led the Pirates to start him in the minors. Therefore, he might not represent the best value option at betting sites.

As Keibert Ruiz is the opening joint favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year and will be the Nationals No. 1 catcher this season, he’s arguably the better option.

In 29 games last season with the Dodgers and Nats, Ruiz posted a .742 OPS. He’s been riding a hype train ever since.



Is Joey Bart the Dark Horse in the NL?

While Ruiz is a safe bet, Joey Bart is a tempting option for bettors wanting longer odds.

Although Bart only played two games last year, he had a chance to learn from Buster Posey before the Giants star retired.

So, could the 25-year-old fill the hole left by Posey in the San Francisco batting order? Maybe.
In 67 Triple-A games last year, Bart hit 10 homers with a .360 OBP.

Reaching these numbers in the big leagues could see him soothe the pain of saying goodbye to Posey and bag him the NL Rookie of the Year Award.


View the latest betting lines for all MLB games.


Ben Perks
Writer

Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.