Fansided

MLB Awards Watch: Hello, Corey Kluber

By Brad Rowland

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) is congratulated in the dugout after leaving the game during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) is congratulated in the dugout after leaving the game during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Turner Field. The Mets defeated the Braves 10-2. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Turner Field. The Mets defeated the Braves 10-2. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

Rookie of the Year National League

  1. Jacob deGrom, SP New York Mets – It’s time. deGrom has been running in second place for the majority of the season, but New York’s young right-hander has been consistent enough (and pitched enough innings at this point) to deserve the honor, and he has been incredibly effective. deGrom leads all NL rookie in bWAR while placing second in fWAR, and for the year, he has pitched 140.1 innings with a spotless 2.63 ERA. It has largely been a lost season for the Mets, but with deGrom and Matt Harvey back for 2015, the future is bright.
  2. Billy Hamilton, OF Cincinnati Reds – Billy Hamilton just hasn’t hit enough. The Reds outfielder has incredible defensive metrics in center field with 56 stolen bases, but his .292 on-base percentage leaves a lot to be desired, and that is the chief reason he slipped from the top spot. There is a school of thought that he will learn to utilize his speed in an attempt to generate more opportunities on the basepaths, but until then, he has a ceiling.
  3. Kolten Wong, 2B St. Louis Cardinals – Kolten Wong is one of a small group of players to produce more than 10 home runs and 20 stolen bases (Wong has 12 HR and 20 SB), and because he has done that over less than a full season, it is all the more impressive. Wong has limitations, as evidenced by a .292 on-base percentage, and because of that, there is a large gap between the second and third spots on this list, but Wong’s upside is high from a power perspective at second base.

American League

  1. Jose Abreu, 1B Chicago White Sox – This race has been over for months, and Jose Abreu’s rookie campaign has been something special. At 27 years old, Abreu is a rookie in name only, but since he qualifies, Chicago’s power-hitting first baseman is the clear choice based on 35 home runs, a .576 slugging percentage (1st in AL) and a sparkling 162 wRC+. There is a school of thought surrounding Abreu’s “lucky” batting average (.315 after a .354 BABIP), but even if it was in the .280 range, he would be the runaway choice.
  2. Collin McHugh, SP Houston Astros – Collin McHugh has been one of the best 10 pitchers in the American League, regardless of any “rookie” distinction. The Astros have potentially unearthed a legitimate ace in McHugh, and his 2.73 ERA over 154.2 innings is supported by more than a strikeout per inning and “luck” numbers that are certainly within the margin of error. In a normal season (or if he was in the National League), he would be the front-runner, but McHugh will settle for second place.
  3. Masahiro Tanaka, SP New York Yankees – It is incredibly encouraging to see Tanaka back on the mound, as he was on his way to a neck-and-neck battle with Abreu before suffering an elbow injury. He had fallen out of the top three during the hiatus, but his season-long numbers (134.2 innings, 2.47 ERA, 9.29 K/9, 1.27 BB/9) are in line with the best rookies in the league, and if we were extract those numbers over a full season, he would be in the midst of the Cy Young race.
Home/Chicago White Sox