Several Milwaukee Brewers players have emerged as potential contenders for the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year. Early in the season, right-hander Chad Patrick showed promise and briefly found himself in the conversation, though he’s since been optioned to Triple-A and surpassed by others making a stronger case.
Jacob Misiorowski quickly became a standout candidate, showcasing his talent with a dominant start that turned heads around the league. However, between his late MLB promotion, current placement on the injured list, and being on a pitch count, may impact his odds to ultimately win the award.
Yet one name flying under the radar is outfielder Isaac Collins, who has been with the team since Opening Day but hasn’t received the recognition he may deserve.
3 numbers that show Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Isaac Collins is a front runner for Rookie of the Year
1) A 2.3 fWAR is the best among all NL rookies
The current NL rookie leader in wins above replacement, according to Fangraph’s, is Isaac Collins. With a 2.3 fWAR, he is edging out Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin by 0.3 and teammates Caleb Durbin by 0.5. Of note, Chad Patrick has a 2.0 fWAR as well.
2) Seven outs above average is the best among all left fielders in baseball
Utilizing Baseball Savant’s defensive metric outs above average, Collins is the left field leader in all of baseball with seven. Wyatt Langford of the Texas Rangers has a share of first place with Collins at seven. For reference, Harrison Bader is the next closest left fielder at five outs above average. In right field, Sal Frelick is graded at six outs above average.
3) 89 games played are the most among other rookies
According to ESPN’s rookie of the year odds, Drake Baldwin, Jacob Misiorowski, Agustin Ramirez, and Hyeseong Kim all currently have the highest odds of winning NL Rookie of the Year. Of this group, Ramirez, of the Miami Marlins, has appeared in the most games (86) and Baldwin second (79). If we insert Collins, his 89 games are the most. Teammate Caleb Durbin is right behind Collins with 87 games played.
As the season progresses, the Rookie of the Year race remains up for grabs. Isaac Collins, who consistently contributes without much fanfare, should emerge as a dark horse candidate.
