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Kevin McGonigle Leads Top Rookie Performances From MLB Opening Day

Rookies are ruling Opening Day.
Ryan Phillips|
Detroit Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle had four hits in his MLB debut.
Detroit Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle had four hits in his MLB debut. | David Frerker-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia PhilliesDetroit TigersSt. Louis CardinalsNew York MetsChicago White Sox

The 2026 MLB rookie class came to play.

On Thursday, several rookies made big contributions to their team, showing they’re more than ready to contribute at the big league level. They even made a bit of history. Mets outfielder Carson Benge, White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami and Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt all hit home runs in their debuts. According to ESPN Insights, that marked the first time in MLB history that three players playing in their first career game have homered on Opening Day.

Here are all of the top rookie performances from the day.

Kevin McGonigle, Tigers

McGonigle showed why he’s baseball’s top hitting prospect in his first MLB game. He took the first pitch he saw from Padres righty Nick Pivetta and looped it into right field for a two-run double. He followed that two innings later with another double to right that came off the bat at 105.9 mph. In his third at bat, he sent a soft grounder to short but reached with an infield single. He was finally retired by San Diego reliever Bradgley Rodriguez with a pop-out to third. With the Tigers dominating the Padres, he got another at-bat in the top of the ninth and lined a single to right for his fourth hit of the day.

He made a bit of history by becoming the youngest Tiger since Shannon Penn in 1995 to have three hits in his debut. McGonigle is also the first Tigers player in the last 80 seasons to get an extra-base hit in each of his first two plate appearances.

McGonigle: 4-for-5, 2 doubles, 2 singles, 2 RBIs

JJ Wetherholt, Cardinals

Wetherholt is just behind McGonigle as one of the best prospect bats, and he started his MLB career in style. After flying out softly in his first at bat, Wetherholt launched a 425-foot home run to center field off Rays’ starter Drew Rasmussen. The lefty later grounded out to third before lifting a sac fly to right as part of the Cardinals’ eight-run eighth innings. He struck out looking in his final at-bat.

Wetherholt: 1-for-4, home run, 2 RBIs.

Carson Benge, Mets

Benge’s first MLB hit was memorable. After striking out on three pitches against Pirates ace Paul Skenes in the first inning, he struck out again in the second against Yohan Ramirez. Mason Montgomery walked him in the fifth and he later scored on a Juan Soto single. In the sixth he faced Justin Lawrence and took the first pitch out of the park on a line drive to right field. He was fired up about it. He added another walk in the eigth.

Benge: 1-for-3, home run, 2 walks, 2 runs, RBI.

Munetaka Murakami, White Sox

The White Sox had an awful day in a 14-2 loss to the Brewers, but Murakami looked great in his MLB debut. The 26-year-old first baseman walked in his first two plate appearances before grounding out in the seventh inning. He led off the top of the ninth inning against Jake Woodford and took a 91 mph cutter and hammered it into the right field bleachers at 103 mph off the bat. That swing showed the kind of power that produced 56 home runs in the NPB back in 2022.

Murakami: 1-for-2, home run, 2 walks, RBI

Sal Stewart, Reds

While the rest of his team was busy being baffled by Garrett Crochet, first baseman Sal Stewart had an excellent day. He singled and doubled off the 2025 AL Cy Young runner-up, then doubled again off of Red Sox setup man Garrett Whitlock. Stewart’s second-inning double to center off of Crochet came off the bat at 109 mph, while his sixth-inning single to right registered at 99.3 mph. He looped a ground rule double to right off of Whitlock at only 74 mph, but the 22-year-old produced hard contact in the rest of his at-bats.

Stewart: 3-for-4, 2 doubles, single

Justin Crawford, Phillies

Rookie center fielder Justin Crawford got off to a fast start in his first big league game, as he knocked the first pitch he saw from Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi back up the middle for his first big league hit. His second at-bat was more of the same as he grounded a ball into center for his second hit, then later scored on Alec Bohm’s three-run home run. He lined out to center and popped out ot third in his final two at-bats as the Phillies secured a 5-3 Opening Day win.

Crawford: 2-for-4, 2 singles, run

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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