In 1959, the Giants’ 1B Willie McCovey won the NL Rookie of the Year Award despite playing in just 52 games. In 2021, Frank Schwindel of the Cubs (rookie-status intact) put up numbers that mirrored those of McCovey in 1959.
Admittedly, there are a few differences. McCovey was just 21-years-old and had not played a game at the MLB level before 1959, while Schwindel was 29-years-old, had come to the Cubs (on waivers) from the A’s in July and had 14 MLB games (American League) under his belt before joining Chicago. Still, the similarities in their performance led me to take a look at the 2021 candidates for AL and NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Awards.
Here are my choices; how I predict the vote will go; and my ratings for the top five rookies in each league.
NATIONAL LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
BBRT Choice: Jonathan India
BBRT Prediction: Jonathan India
- Jonathan India, 2B, Reds – The 24-year-old India played in 150 games this season and went .269-21-69, with 12 steals and 98 runs scored. India really came on after the All Star break, 15 of his 21 home runs. India also led all 2021 rookie in walks with 71 and led MLB with 23 hit-by-pitches – contributing to a .376 on-base percentage. His overall stat line should earn him the top vote totals.
- Frank Schwindel, 1B,Cubs – Okay, I doubt anyone else will have him this high, but the 29-year-old (who came over from the A’s on waivers in July) hit .342, with 13 home runs and 40 RBI for the Cubbies. These numbers (as noted above) are remarkably similar to Willie McCovey’s 1959 line of .354-13-38, when he won the NL Rookie of the Year Award after playing in just 52 games for the Giants.
- Patrick Wisdom, 1B/3B/OF, Cubs – The 29-year-old (who had played 43 MLB games over the previous three seasons) came into his own in 2021, going .231-28-61 in 106 games (that average will cost him some votes, but he deserves to be in the mix). Bonus points for versatility in the field.
- Dylan Carson, OF, Cardinals – The 22-year-old switch-hitting Redbird outfielder should get a few votes based on his .266-18-65, line (with 79 runs scored).
- Trevor Rogers, LHP, Marlins – The 23-year-old went 7-8 in 25 starts for the Marlins (who finished 28 games under .500), but put up a fine 2.64 ERA and fanned 157 batters in 133 innings.
AMERICAN LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Overall, this is one of the toughest Rookie of the Year races in recent years. I could see any of the my top five winning the award: Emmanuel Clase for his 24 saves; Arozarena with a 20 HR / 20 SB season; Adolis Garcia topping all rookies with 90 RBI; Ryan Mountcastle leading all rookies with 33 home runs; or Wander Franco with his 43-game on-base streak.
BBRT Choice: Emmanuel Clase, RHP, Indians
BBRT Prediction: Randy Arozarena, OF, Rays
- Emmanuel Clase, RHP, Indians – Baseball Roundtable is going against the grain here and pick a pitcher (I don’t think the voters will concur). Twenty-three-year-old reliever Emmanuel Clase, went 4-5, with a 1.29 earned run average and 24 saves in 71 games – fanning 74 batters in 69 2/3 innings and putting up a 0.96 WHIP. Clase has an outside chance of capturing ROY if the bevy of rookie hitters who should be in the chase split up the offense-leaning votes.
- Randy Arozarena, Of, Rays – Voters are unlikely to forget Arozarena’s 2020 post-season heroics and his 2021 stat line of .274-20-69 is solid. Baseball Roundtable gives the 26-year-old Arozarena an edge over the remaining hitters in my top five, based on his 20 steals and 94 runs scored – and, of course, name recognition. I believe, he will be the official AL ROY for 2021.
- Adolis Garcia, OF, Rangers – The 28-year-old Rangers’ outfielder went .243-31-90, with 77 runs scored. His strikeout-to-walks ratio (194 strikeouts/32 walks) may hurt him a bit. Still, those 16 steals and his defensive work keep him in the running (pun intended).
- Ryan Mountcastle. 1B/OF, Orioles – The 24-year-old 1B/OF put up a 2021 stat line of .255-33-89 (with 77 runs scored) for the Orioles. Mountcastle put up these solid numbers despite a slow start – he was .198-1-71 in 25 April games and .266-32-82 the rest of the way.
- Wander Franco, SS, Rays – The 20-year-old SS may have the best chance of upsetting Arozarena for this award. (I think the voters will rate France a bit higher than I have.) In his 70 games, he went .288-7-39, with 53 runs scored. He also gained considerable name recognition thanks to his 43-game on-base (via hit, walk or hit-by-pitch) streak (tying Hall of Famer Frank Robinson for the longest such streak by a player 20-year-old or younger). Fewer games and fewer steals (two to Arozarena’s 20) will cost him some votes.
Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference.com
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