2026 Rookie of the Year Odds: Konnor Griffin’s Stay in Triple-A Was Brief

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The Konnor Griffin era is upon us.

The Pittsburgh Pirates promoted the 19-year-old uber-prospect ahead of their home opener, and he immediately shot back up to favorite status to win NL Rookie of the Year.

Below, we’ll explore the markets and MLB odds for AL and NL Rookie of the Year as the season progresses into April.

Odds to win 2026 AL Rookie of the Year

Odds from DraftKings, one of our best betting sites. Sign up with our DraftKings promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

Odds as of 4-7. 

Odds to win 2026 NL Rookie of the Year

Odds as of 4-7.

MLB Rookie of the Year futures bets

Konnor Griffin didn’t spend enough time in Triple-A for his Rookie of the Year odds to crater, and so I didn’t get a bet in on him. He dropped to +600 and shortened to +260 after being called up.

While he has just one hit in 16 plate appearances, it’s too early to pull the plug on expectations, and books know this. You’re not going to suddenly get a sweetheart deal just because a 19-year-old hasn’t racked up a bunch of production in four games.

I am feeling pretty good about my stable of picks so far, as only Bubba Chandler has moved in the opposite direction (+2200). However, Andrew Painter had a bit of a stumbling block in his second start, surrendering nine hits while notching just one strikeout over four innings vs. the Giants.

Still, Chase DeLauter is looking like the real deal, slashing .286/.333/.714, with an MLB-leading five home runs in 10 games. At +320, the spring line of +2000 is looking like a fabulous value.

Previous ROY picks thread

3/24: Painter

I can’t shake the value of Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Andrew Painter at +3000, so I put .25 units on him, bringing my spring futures tally to one full unit for Rookie of the Year markets. So much can go wrong that I play it fairly conservatively before Opening Day. But Painter had similar hype to Paul Skenes before he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023. Now, with a full season in the minors under his belt following the surgery, he’s opening the season in the Phillies’ rotation. And unless things go unfathomably sideways, I like him to stick around instead of Taijuan Walker when Zack Wheeler is healthy. Regardless, I expected the number to move off +3000, and when it didn’t, I decided I’d take the plunge.

3/11: Benge

Carson Benge screamed through the minors in 2025, slashing .281/.385/.472 with 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 116 games across three levels. Even with a hiccup in Triple-A, I’m not deterred. He struck out just 17.7% of the time compared to a 13.1% walk rate while boasting a 150 wRC+. He basically looks like the next Kyle Tucker.

2/25: Chandler + DeLauter

Bubba Chandler wasn’t as highly touted as Skenes, but he wasn’t super far off, either. He posted a 1.83 ERA over his first 39 1/3 innings at Triple-A in 2024. Those numbers took a bit of a dive last season, but his first taste of MLB hitting went pretty well. The 4.02 ERA wasn’t amazing, but he had a low walk rate, didn’t surrender home runs, and had a 2.66 FIP that suggests at least some positive regression. With Griffin taking all the headlines at Pittsburgh Pirates camp, it’s perhaps easy to forget that Chandler likely has a rotation spot on Opening Day unless things go all the way sideways this spring. His ace upside is enough to take a flier here.

Chase DeLauter is currently projected to open the season in the Cleveland Guardians outfield. Injuries have slowed his progression a bit, but he is a dangerous hitter, which is exactly what Cleveland needs. He doesn’t strike out (15.8% K-rate in 42 minor-league games last year) and has major home run potential from the left side.

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Past Rookie of the Year winners

Previous AL RoY winners

Although all players have an equal chance of winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award, the honor has been claimed disproportionately by outfielders since its inception in 1949. Outfielders have 24 victories compared to 17 for pitchers and 17 for shortstops. Catchers are bringing up the rear with just two ROY victories over the past 73 years.

Popular MLB futures markets

Previous NL RoY winners

No franchise has won more Rookie of the Year awards than the Dodgers. “The Blue Crew” have claimed 18 RoY trophies dating back to the club’s early days in Brooklyn.

However, unlike the AL — where the West has been the recent home of the top rookies — the NL East has housed six of the last 13 RoYs, with a mix of outfielders, infielders, starting pitchers, a catcher, and even a reliever.

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