The MLB under-25 championship belt: Can any young star unseat Paul Skenes?

Paul Skenes won NL Cy Young going away in his first full Major League season. It was a singular display of dominance, with the now 23-year-old mystifying hitters every fifth game. He made 32 starts and pitched 187.2 innings to a sterling 1.97 ERA. Not only is Skenes the best young player in baseball: He's a full-blown superstar, both in terms of production and reputation. He is the face of baseball's next generation.

Catching up to Skenes won't be easy, but the league in chock full of talented players who can guide baseball toward a bright and prosperous future. Skenes holds the under-25 belt for now, without any real challenge. But that challenge could come sooner than later. Let's rank the best candidates to claim that belt as of today (with a focus on players who should be in the Majors this season).

Honorable mentions: Bubba Chandler, Jackson Chourio, Jackson Holliday, Jacob Misiorowski, Samuel Basallo

15. Bryce Eldridge, 1B

2025 by the numbers:

On the surface, Bryce Eldridge's late-season promotion to San Francisco was a big ol' nothingburger. Below the hood, however, the seeds of promise were planted. Eldridge generated an impossible 68.8 percent hard-hit rate, with an expected slug (.506) that exceeded his actual slug (.179) by a country mile. He experienced 10 games of rotten luck, with a Triple-A OPS (.836) far more indicative of what Giants fans can expect moving forward.

The main hurdle for Eldridge will be finding a home positionally. Rafael Devers now blocks his path to first base. The Giants are loaded up in the outfield, too, which means Eldridge (who has the arm for right field) probably gets pigeonholed as a DH at 21 years old. That is less than ideal, but Eldridge's 70-grade power should prop up his value, especially if he can refine his approach and take more pitches outside the zone.

14. Trey Yesavage, RHP

2025 by the numbers:

Trey Yesavage made his MLB debut late last season and emerged as a critical component of Toronto's World Series run. He made several gutsy appearances in the postseason, helping guide the Blue Jays to the very precipice of victory. It didn't quite happen, but Yesavage is now lined up for a full season in Toronto.

The tall righty deploys a highly deceptive overhead release, with a gnarly backward slider and a splitter that encourages chase after chase after chase. He still needs to fine-tune his command, and it's hard to imagine a pitcher matching Skenes' level any time soon, but Yesavage has put him name on the map as a potential Cy Young contender down the road.

13. JJ Wetherholt, 2B

2025 by the numbers (Triple-A):

JJ Wetherholt should crack the Opening Day lineup in St. Louis, but the Cardinals might tinker with service time in the middle of a rebuild. Even so, it's hard to imagine Wetherholt staying with Triple-A Memphis for the entire season. He's ready to rumble at 23 years old, with a disciplined plate approach and a well-rounded skill set.

The Cardinals will move Wetherholt from his natural position of shortstop to second base in order to accommodate Gold Glover Masyn Winn (another candidate for this list). That shouldn't hurt Wetherholt's value too much; he still projects as a high-impact defender in his own right, with 20-20 upside and a one of the sharpest hit tools in the sport.

12. James Wood, OF

2025 by the numbers:

James Wood's first full MLB season naturally flew under the radar on a bad Nationals team. He's still an imperfect player, leading the league with 221 strikeouts. But the talent pops: The 6-foot-7, 234-pound lefty possesses some of the most imminent natural power in the sport. Wood's bat flies through the zone — bat speed in the 95th percentile — and he generates cosmic exit velocities on the regular.

Wood's agility in the box and speed on the bases has not translated to left field, where he struggles immensely. He also needs to clean up his approach; to balance his aggression with a necessary patience that maximizes his rate of contact. Wood could end up as a DH sooner than later, but there's MVP-type upside with his bat alone. If Washington can start winning games, that could help more folks catch on to Wood's greatness.

11. Junior Caminero, 3B

2025 by the numbers:

Tampa's temporary stay in a Minor League park no doubt aided Junior Caminero's home run output, but the 22-year-old third baseman still made a resounding impression in his third MLB season. Caminero offers limited utility as a defender or base-runner, but he's not disastrous at the hot corner. He should be able to stick at a position of value for a while, at the very least.

It's hard to put up the numbers Caminero did last season, even in the most hitter-friendly of ballparks. Caminero turns on pitches in a hurry and generates top-tier exit velos. He's a more disciplined hitter than he gets credit for, too, able to keep his strikeout rate below 20 percent last season despite an aggressive, power-forward approach.

10. Wyatt Langford, OF

2025 by the numbers:

Wyatt Langford has put two sensational seasons together in Arlington, emerging quite rapidly as a foundational piece of the Rangers lineup next to Corey Seager. While Langford lacks the raw power of others in this range, he makes up for it with speed and skill. He could sneak into the 30-30 club with further development, all while supplying Gold Glove-caliber defense in left field.

Langford's patience at the plate can still get him into sticky situations, but he draws walks and finds his way on-base, where his speed and aggression apply immense pressure on the opposing pitcher. He keeps his swings in the zone and generates lofty exit velocities, trading contact quantity for contact quality as often as he can. With four above-average tools at his command, Langford's MLB future feels quite bright.

9. Kevin McGonigle, SS

2025 by the numbers (Double-A):

It's unclear if 21-year-old Kevin McGonigle can break camp as Detroit's starting shortstop without any experience above Double-A, but he probably should if the Tigers are serious about maximizing their World Series odds in Tarik Skubal's final season. McGonigle's ceiling stretches so far beyond any player currently in the Tigers lineup. He will need additional seasoning, perhaps a bit of patience, but there's no way he last through 2026 without a Major League call-up.

McGonigle can look unassuming at 5-foot-10, but he turns on pitches with a textbook swing that generates immense pull-side power. He can also work deep into counts and calibrate his approach based on the situation. He will need to prove his mettle at shortstop, but even if McGonigle ends up at third base, there just aren't many superior hitters in his age bracket.

8. Elly De La Cruz, SS

Elly De La Cruz was an immediate phenomenon in Cincinnati upon his debut in 2023. He's a one-of-one athlete at shortstop, standing 6-foot-5 with 91st percentile sprint speed and a shotgun arm. He needs to clean up his technique defensively, as he led the Majors in errors last season, but there's a world in which De La Cruz flips the script and wins a Gold Glove down the road.

His value, for now, comes primarily on offense. De La Cruz is far too aggressive for his own good, but he generates easy power, with 30-plus home run upside and enough speed to steal 70 bases if he wants to. The idea holds more weight than the actual product right now, but De La Cruz is damn good already, with the potential to rocket up this list if he puts all the pieces together in year four.

7. Nolan McLean, RHP

2025 by the numbers:

Nolan McLean couldn't save a doomed season in Queens, but his first taste of MLB was nothing short of spectacular. He immediately took on the role of Mets ace, and should carry that baton moving forward — even with Freddy Peralta now in the mix. The 24-year-old commands six quality pitches, with his hard-biting sinker used primarily to set up a curveball and slider combo that puts hitters in The Bad Place.

McLean recently pitched four scoreless innings of one-hit ball in his first Spring Training start. Skenes has set the bar impossibly high for pitchers, and he's still a year younger than McLean. That said, if any under-25 arm has a chance to catch up and give Skenes a run for his money in the NL Cy Young race, it's probably McLean. He exhibits such advanced poise and command despite his relative inexperience.

6. Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF

2025 by the numbers:

Pete Crow-Armstrong spent the first half of last season climbing MVP ladders, only to fall apart down the stretch (.533 OPS in August and September). His late cold spell was a bummer, to be clear, but it's easy to miss the forest for the trees with a 23-year-old. PCA joined the 30-30 club in just his second MLB campaign. He's arguably the best defensive center fielder in the sport, too — a premium asset at a premium position.

It's way too early to start fading PCA. He needs to work deeper into counts and fully earn the trust of Craig Counsell, but the talent level — the five-tool repertoire, with plus-plus speed and power — should lead to a long and fruitful career. There's a world in which PCA wins MVP next season and cements Chicago as the Dodgers' greatest challenger in the National League.

5. Nick Kurtz, 1B

2025 by the numbers:

Nick Kurtz arrived in Sacramento with the Major League squad midseason and never looked back, delivering one of the most dominant rookie seasons in recent history. Kurtz would've been a viable MVP candidate, up there with Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, had he spent a whole season with the A's. There's no telling if he can live up to such impossible standards in year two, but Kurtz has a chance to lead his team to unexpected heights.

There are inherent limitations on Kurtz's value as a mediocre first baseman who can't book it around the bases. He will need to maintain his extraordinary production in the batter's box to eclipse others on this list. That said, even with a lofty strikeout rate, Kurtz was on base a ton last season. Pitchers already dance carefully around him, because it feels like every knock from the 6-foot-5 lefty has a chance to break the sound barrier.

4. Roman Anthony, OF

2025 by the numbers:

An injury cut Roman Anthony's rookie season short and probably ended Boston's World Series dreams, even if Red Sox fans were foolish enough to maintain hope at the time. The former No. 1 prospect lived up to his billing in every way: He hit for average and for power, generating exit velocities fit for the Autobahn and consistently working deep into counts, despite an aggressive approach that can yield strikeouts.

Anthony looked Gold Glove-caliber in right field for long stretches, and he's fast enough to work on multiple levels as Boston's leadoff hitter, even if he's not a prolific base-stealer. Under the hood, Anthony looked like a burgeoning MVP candidate. If he can put together a full season and fine-tune his approach even more, the 21-year-old's potential is limitless.

3. Gunnar Henderson, SS

Gunnar Henderson played through a shoulder impingement last season, which is why his numbers dipped after a fourth-place MVP finish in 2024. Discounting the Orioles shortstop would be extremely unwise, as he could vault back to superstar status with a healthier 2026 campaign.

Henderson is still elite across the board, with a five-tool repertoire at baseball's most coveted position. He's smart in his approach, able to generate substantial power to all fields, with 30-30 upside thanks to his speed. At full strength, Henderson was quite the stopper in the field, too. There are so few holes in his game, and even last season — with his shoulder out of whack and his confidence rattled — Henderson was comfortably better than most of his peers. It's easy to trust the 24-year-old.

2. Konnor Griffin, SS

2025 by the numbers (Double-A):

Konnor Griffin has a chance to break camp as Pittsburgh's starting shortstop, becoming the first teenager to start on Opening Day since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989. The Pirates could decide to manipulate service time, but this is a win-now type of season for the Buccos and Griffin has done nothing to dissuade them from a call-up. He ripped two home runs off the Red Sox in their recent Spring Training game, including one off of $130 million signee Ranger Suárez.

In his first season with the Pirates program, Griffin climbed all the way to Double-A, stacking 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases across three levels of Minor League competition. He's a former wide receiver with effortless athleticism, burning out of the box with plus speed and impressively adept at covering ground in the field (he's a shortstop first and foremost, but has also spent time out in center). Griffin will require patience, even with such high expectations, but there's no reason to think he won't be in the 30-60 club within a few years. There are so few weaknesses; Griffin is probably the best bet to topple his own teammate in these rankings.

1. Paul Skenes, RHP

2025 by the numbers:

What else is there to say? Skenes put together the best individual pitching season in MLB at 22 years old. He cleared the competition in the National League by a healthy margin, with Detroit's Tarik Skubal standing as the only real point of comparison in the Majors. Skenes can touch 100 easy, with enough offspeed variety to keep opposing hitters off the scent. He exhibits elite command, with last season serving as an impressive testament to his durability.

Skenes has the stuff to match his star persona, and the Pirates are going above and beyond all normal measures this offseason to deliver a winning roster. It takes a special 23-year-old to apply blatant pressure on the front office and see results. There is competition for the under-25 belt, no doubt, but Skenes won't relinquish it easily.