This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Bets: Reliever of the Year, AL Rookie of the Year, NL Rookie of the Year and more
Let's finish up awards season with the other three honors that DraftKings lets you bet on.
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings
Stay up to date on all MLB player futures markets all season at RotoWire, including AL Rookie of the Year odds and NL Rookie of the Year odds.
Reliever of the Year Award
AL Reliever of the Year Favorites:
- Emmanuel Clase +300
- Mason Miller +400
- Josh Hader +500
- Devin Williams +500
My Pick: Devin Williams +500
The former Brewer and now Yankee closer has actually won this award twice before, including in 2020 when he did not actually close. When we last saw Willliams, he yielded this epic series-deciding blast to Pete Alonso in last year's NL Wild Card round. But that overshadowed his terrific partial season as he returned from a knee injury in late July and pitched 21.2 IP of 1.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP ball with 1 43.2% K% and 14 saves.
His famous Air Bender has a whopping 39.2% career K% and 18.1% SwStr. The only question mark is really can he handle the pressure cooker of pitching in New York in front of the Yankees' uh patient fan base. There's no reason to think he can't, especially now that the Yankees have relaxed their kind of outdated facial hair policy and he can re-grow his beard.
NL Favorites:
- Edwin Diaz +400
- Ryan Helsley +450
- Raisel Iglesias +500
- Tanner Scott +550
My Pick: Ryan Walker +1100
I will go a little out of the box here. The now Giants closer emerged from a little-known "opener" and middle reliever in 2023 to surge to the top of the bullpen depth chart by mid-season 2024 partly thanks to Camilo Doval's implosion.
But it was also thanks to Walker emerging as an ace reliever as he notched 10 wins and 10 saves with a 1.91 ERA, and .85 WHIP in 80 innings. He doesn't have big fastball velo for closer, but has an excellent sinker-slider combo that produced a 32.1% K% and very low 5.8% BB% and 98th percentile Breaking (ball) run value as per Statcast.
The NL field is a little softer than the AL one. As a fan, I hope Diaz can get back to his 2022 form, but in 2024 he had major command issues at times. As to other favorites, Helsley is very good but really just won the save opportunity lottery (and the 2024 NL Reliever of the Year Award). In fact I see some parallels to Walker in 2025; excellent closer on a middling team that could play a high quantity of close games.
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Rookie of the Year Award
AL Rookie of the Year Favorites
- Jasson Dominguez +380
- Roman Anthony +550
- Kristian Campbell +800
- Jacob Wilson +800
- Jackson Jobe +900
- Christian Moore +1000
My Pick: Kristian Campbell +800
My prospect expertise consists mostly of reading our own James Anderson, so take my pick with a grain of salt and a dollop of narrative. Dominguez has the surest playing time opportunity here, but also the shortest odds. Both Red Sox will likely make The Show this season, and there's decent reason to think at least one makes the Opening Day roster as the Sox stand to get a bonus draft pick if they nail a top-two slot in ROY voting as a top 100 consensus prospect.
I will go with Campbell as he has the defensive versatility to stick in either MI or OF and a Steemer600 projection of a 15-15 season with a .265 Avg and 2.9 WAR. That will not blow anyone's doors off, but it's a relatively meh rookie crop here.
NL Rookie of the Year Favorites
- Roki Sasaki +220
- Dylan Crews +350
- Matt Shaw +425
- Bubba Chandler +900
- Jordan Lawlar +1100
- Drake Baldwin +1600
My pick: Dylan Crews +350
How about some near chalk here? I tend to think Japanese players coming over after starring in the NPB face a higher burden to win ROY. Yes, they are eligible and should get the same consideration, but they have already played professionally in a high-quality league. Plus the Dodgers plan to only pitch Sasaki once per week and the franchise is known for trying to preserve its arms down the stretch, which could lead to some skipped turns in the rotation.
I get that Chandler could follow the Paul Skenes trajectory, but he does not quite have Skenes talent (no one does). Lawlar is interesting, but I will pay up for Crews here. He got 132 PA's with the big club last season and showed some encouraging signs. He commanded the strike zone decently well for a first go around with an 8.3% BB% vs. 19.7% K% and 10% SwStr%, and he hit with some authority (44.7% HardHit% and 89 EV). On the minus side, he only batted .217, though with an XBA of .255. He will start the season at or near the top of the Nats batting order and a 20-homer, 30-steal, .250-ish season with a nice Runs total is a nice upside target.
Manager of the Year
AL Manager of the Year Favorites
- Dan Wilson +350
- Rocco Baldelli +600
- Kevin Cash +600
- John Schneider +700
- Alex Cora +750
- AJ Hinch +900
My Pick: Alex Cora +750
I really only like this as a play on the Red Sox winning the AL East at better odds as that lists at +425. Yes, the Sox taking the AL East does not guarantee Cora winning this award, but it gives him a huge leg up on it. He could win even with a strong Wild Card team.
NL Manager of the Year Favorites
- Craig Counsell +500
- Terry Francona +550
- Derek Shelton +600
- Dave Roberts +700
- Bob Melvin +800
- Dave Martinez +850
My Pick: Terry Francona +550
We get a guy with a great managerial history here taking over a talented team in a winnable division that almost can't help but bounce back after an injury-wracked 2024. Francona won two World Series in Boston and 3 Manager of the Year awards in Cleveland.
