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10 MLB Rookie of the Year Candidates For 2015

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Mar 26, 2015; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Kris Bryant (76) at bat during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2015; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Kris Bryant (76) at bat during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports /
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National League Rookie of the Year Candidates

player. 3. <strong>2014 Statistics:</strong> 9-7, 4.60 ERA, 26 G, 26 GS, 145 K, 43 BB, 133 INN with Triple-A Las Vegas. . Right-Handed Pitcher. New York Mets. Noah Syndergaard. 5

If you were to build a prototypical front-line starting pitcher from scratch, he would probably come out looking a lot like Noah Syndergaard. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound, 22 year-old right-hander has a powerful fastball capable of hitting upwards of 98 MPH with a very good 12-to-6 curveball and above-average change-up.

Syndergaard is big and strong enough to eat big chunks of innings and talented enough that he started the Futures Game in 2013 and made the roster again in 2014.

It’s just that Syndergaard isn’t quite ready for the Major Leagues, at least according to New York Mets manager Terry Collins.

"“We like Noah a lot,” Collins said in mid-March. “I like him a lot. He’s going to be a real good pitcher, I’ll tell you. There’s going to be a time where you’re going to look up and we’re going to have a lot of real hard-throwing guys in the middle of that rotation. … When we get toward the end [of Spring Training], there’ll be some discussions we’ll have with Noah about what we think he’s got to do.”"

Syndergaard spent the entire 2014 season with Triple-A Las Vegas where he pitched better than his 4.60 ERA would indicate, especially late in the season. He posted a 3.34 ERA with 44 strikeouts across 38 innings in August and didn’t allow a home run in hitter-friendly Las Vegas in his last six starts after allowing five long balls in his first eight home starts.

This spring, Syndergaard allowed four earned runs on six hits and three walks in 7.1 innings across three outings. Even with Zach Wheeler injured, Syndergaard will have to wait to join Matt Harvey, 2014 NL Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom, Jon Niese, Bartolo Colon and Dillon Gee in the rotation.

In fact, Rafael Montero might get the call first should one of those five falter, but Syndergaard is on the short list for an early big league call-up and he’s likely to pitch at Citi Field well before the All-Star break, with plenty of time to make a case to become the second Mets pitcher to capture the National League Rookie of the Year award. 

Next: Yasmany Tomas

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