Every American League Rookie of the Year of the 21st century

That is a type of Rookie of the 12 months winners not everyone is behind. For starters, Sasaki came visiting from Japan when he was 32. So yeah, not your typical rookie. Then, there’s the very fact he was a aid pitcher. Now, he did rack up some saves for the Mariners and made two All-Star Video games. Sasaki additionally pitched all of 4 seasons in MLB.

Okay, here’s a Japanese participant in his prime heading over to MLB we will get behind profitable Rookie of the 12 months. In any case, Ichiro received each AL Rookie of the 12 months AND AL MVP in his first season. The Mariners legend — sure, we’re beginning with back-to-back Mariners — would go on to interrupt the document for hits in a season and develop into an icon of the game. Whereas Ichiro was in his age-27 season when he debuted, he was so good we’ve no complaints.

Properly, Hinske did play 12 seasons in MLB. Nonetheless, his first season, when he was with the Blue Jays, was his greatest. Hinske was by no means an all-star, and his bWAR as a rookie was 4.0. His profession bWAR is simply 7.8, so greater than half his profession worth got here in 2002, his first yr within the majors.

After getting cups of espresso in 2001 and 2002, Berroa caught with the Royals in 2003 and received AL Rookie of the 12 months by the narrowest of margins over Hideki Matsui. This can be a case, although, the place we would have most popular the veteran Japanese participant. Berroa was stable as a rookie, hitting .287 with 17 homers and 21 stolen bases. After that, although, he was a nasty participant, washing out by 2009 with a profession .677 OPS.

Crosby was a very good defender at shortstop, and he hit 22 homers as a rookie, a notable quantity for his place. However, the Athletics hit a mere .239 with a .319 OBP. He would retire after the 2010 season with a profession .304 OBP, and he had bother staying wholesome as nicely. The man who completed fourth in Al Rookie of the 12 months voting had a better bWAR, however his 3.97 ERA could not have been ample for traditionally-minded voters in 2004. His identify? Zack Greinke.

Again-to-back Oakland gamers. Avenue, a aid pitcher, was drafted No. 40 total from the College of Texas with the thought he can be within the majors shortly. Certainly, the very subsequent yr, Avenue spent his age-21 season in MLB, and he was a drive out of the bullpen. It’s not a lot the 23 saves, however the 1.72 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 78.1 innings. Avenue would make a pair All-Star Video games and racked up a pair 40-save seasons. He ended up having a stable, if unremarkable, profession as a aid pitcher.

Alright, after Ichiro, we hit a little bit of a tough patch, however that is the sort of man you wish to see within the historical past books as a Rookie of the 12 months winner. He would go on to win three Cy Youngs, together with one in his age-39 season. Two of these Cys had been received with the Astros, however he received Rookie of the 12 months with the Tigers, in addition to his first Cy Younger and an AL MVP. Sure, Verlander is a pitcher with an MVP award. He’s a future Corridor of Famer. Oh, and he was additionally fairly good as a rookie, for what it’s value.

After accidents introduced his profession to an in depth, Pedroia retired a quintessential “Corridor of Very Good” man. The second baseman isn’t fairly a Corridor of Famer, however he’s a Pink Sox legend, and there’s a good argument for his quantity being retired. There have been a whole lot of good seasons for Pedroia in his time with Boston, however he opened by profitable Rookie of the 12 months in 2007 after which received AL MVP in 2008. For good measure, he received a World Sequence as a rookie.

The 2008 season was massive in Tampa. One, the crew modified its identify from “Satan Rays” to Rays. Getting the “Satan” out, the woebegone franchise made all of it the best way to the World Sequence. It helped that they added Longoria to the lineup, as a result of he was an all-star as a rookie. Rightfully so, as he slashed .272/.343/.531 with 27 homers. On the time, it appeared like Longoria could possibly be Tampa’s first MVP, however he by no means ended up ending increased than sixth within the voting. He’s additionally most likely a “Corridor of Very Good” participant, however what a rookie season.

One other Athletic, and one other aid pitcher. We are going to say this: Bailey was spectacular as a rookie, instantly a prime reliever and an all-star. He picked a whopping 83.1 innings out of the bullpen, putting out over a batter per innings and posting an 1.84 ERA. Bailey made the following All-Star Sport as nicely, however he was a one-innings nearer at this level. By 2012, his profession had come off the rails, and he solely lasted eight seasons in MLB.

Excellent news: That is the final aid pitcher on this record. He received in 2010, however the brand new decade, and the altering of the guard coming to voters, noticed an finish for the affinity for relievers profitable AL Rookie of the 12 months. One quantity received this award for Feliz: He saved 40 video games for the Rangers. Feliz’s rookie season was his solely All-Star marketing campaign, and he was solely a better for yet another yr. A quick peak for the reliever.

Nowadays, we’re used to the Rays churning out high-level pitchers, however Hellickson was early to that. He was AL Rookie of the 12 months in 2011, and in a manner can also be indicative of a altering of perceptions for MLB awards voters. Hellickson received with a 13-10 win-loss document. He pitched 189.0 innings and posted a 2.95 ERA, and he had the highest bWAR of any AL rookie. Ultimately, Hellickson had a middling 10-season profession.

What can we are saying? Trout ought to have adopted in Ichiro’s footsteps and received MVP and AL Rookie of the 12 months. He has three MVPs to his identify now, however ought to have extra. Trout has been named an All-Star each season of his profession, and is the very best participant of his era. The long run Corridor of Famer has had harm points since hitting his late twenties, and we will solely hope he can string collectively just a few wholesome seasons and safe his spot as an inner-circle baseball legend.

It’s arduous to comply with up Trout, however Myers did hit nicely. In his first season with the Rays, Myers slashed .293/.354/.478. The one knock? Myers performed in a mere 88 video games as a rookie. It was not a lot of a slate of competitors, although. All in all, Myers has had a…nice profession? Staying wholesome has been an issue, and his bat has not been as sturdy in recent times.

On the one hand, the Cuban slugger was in his age-27 season as a rookie. However, he completely raked. We known as him a slugger, and as a rookie he led the majors with a .581 slugging share. He completed fourth within the MVP voting with the White Sox as a rookie, and would certainly take house an MVP within the truncated 2020 marketing campaign.

Drafting Correa first total was a key turning level within the Astros going from intense rebuild to championship contender. The shortstop was solely 20 when he debuted, and he racked up 22 homers and 14 stolen bases en path to an easily-justified Rookie of the 12 months choose. Correa peaked in 2021, profitable a Gold Glove and ending fifth within the MVP race, which he become a cope with the Twins that has been hampered by harm. Nonetheless, he’s not even 30 years previous. Hopefully he can get wholesome.

Pitching prospects will break your coronary heart. Fulmer ran away with the AL Rookie of the 12 months in 2016 with the Tigers, even ending tenth within the Cy Younger vote. The following yr, he made his first — and solely — All-Star Sport. That may seemingly all the time be the case. Accidents in 2018 led to 2019 Tommy John, which led to him now pitching out of the bullpen for the Cubs. Nonetheless, that rookie season was spectacular, top-of-the-line ever for a pitcher.

Given his large dimension, together with a 6’7’’ top, some questioned how Choose would do in MLB. Hmm…let’s see. As a rookie he hit 52 homers. In 2022 he received MVP by hitting 62 house runs, a brand new American League document. Choose is a five-time all-star who has by no means did not slug over .500 in a full season. So, it seems being 6’7’’ wasn’t an issue.

Essentially the most thrilling participant to return over from Japan since Ichiro, Ohtani’s burgeoning aura has subsumed his profession arc. As such, allow us to notice he was actually good, however not nice, as a rookie. He posted a .925 OPS with 22 homers and 10 stolen bases in 104 video games, and he posted a 3.31 ERA in 10 begins. Ohtani was clearly the very best rookie, however he was no MVP kind. Then, in 2021, he broke by, profitable the MVP with a never-before-seen mixture of elite hitting and above-average pitching. The following yr he was solely second within the MVP vote, however fourth within the Cy Younger vote. Extra awards are coming for Ohtani. A particular participant. A once-in-a-lifetime expertise.

Alvarez came visiting from Cuba, however owing to the modifications in diplomatic relations between his house nation and Cuba, he was in a position to debut at 22 within the majors. This Rookie of the 12 months award threaded the needle between rewarding his season and acknowledging his upside as a future star. Alvarez solely performed in 87 video games, however he posted an 1.067 OPS with 27 homers. Since then, he’s established himself as one of many prime energy hitters in baseball, a throwback to the times when designated hitters might, you recognize, truly hit.

The 2020 MLB season — and 2020 usually — was bizarre, so a bizarre AL Rookie of the 12 months is sensible. After a run of future stars profitable, Lewis is just not prone to be a type of guys. The 2020 season with the Mariners is the one season wherein he has been an MLB common. As an alternative, he’s spent a whole lot of time down within the minors, and the Mariners have given up on him. What’s wild is that Lewis was a unanimous selection. Luis Robert was proper there!

Talking of 2020, Arozarena was a star for the Rays within the playoffs. The factor is, he nonetheless had rookie eligibility. In 2021, already a famous star due to his postseason play, Arozarena received Rookie of the 12 months due to a 20/20 marketing campaign. He’s constructed on it for the Rays, and made the All-Star Sport for the primary time in 2023.

There was pleasure for Rodriguez when he debuted for the Mariners (Seattle has a knack for locating future rookie stars), and he lived as much as the hype. The 2022 season was a formidable one for rookies, however Rodriguez was nonetheless the clear selection. A deserving all-star, Rodriguez hit .284 with 28 homers and 25 stolen bases. Already a worthy all-star in 2023 as nicely, it looks as if this one will work out, because the Mariner is primed to develop into the most recent star for the squad.