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The MLB regular season ended last Wednesday, and now we can look at the top AL Rookie of the Year candidates. We were treated to some exciting rookie campaigns, and below we'll go through the odds of each candidate, courtesy of Bet MGM.
AL Rookie of the Year Odds
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Favorite: Julio Rodriguez, CF, Seattle Mariners (-3000)
Julio Rodriguez burst onto the scene this year and was a massive reason as to why the Mariners finished at 90-72. Rodriguez is just 21 years old, but he's probably the best Mariners hitter now and one of the better center fielders in the entire league.
He ended the year with an average of .284 runs, 28 homers, 75 RBIs, 84 runs, and 25 stolen bases. He led or was near the top five out of all AL rookies in these categories and he slashed .284/.345/.509. Defensively, he was well above average and had some highlight reel plays throughout the season. Rodriguez was named an All-Star this season, which could be the first of many trips to the Midsummer Classic for Seattle's young star. He should come away with Rookie of the Year honors as he's a pretty big favorite, but crazier things have happened.
Dark Horses
Adley Rutschman, C, Baltimore Orioles (+1100)
Adley Rutschman, the former #1 overall pick, made his long awaited debut back in late May, and since then he hasn't looked back. The 24-year old backstop may not have a ton of MLB experience, but he already has the poise of a veteran. He ended the year with a .254 batting average, 13 homers, and 42 RBIs, as well as a .362 OBP and .807 OPS. Rutschman's discipline at the plate helped the Orioles finish at 83 wins, which no one could have foreseen before the season started. Rutschman was also excellent defensively, and he looks destined for a long, productive career. He's a longshot to win this award, but the value is pretty decent if you want to take a stab that voters will highly value his defense from one of the most important positions on the field.
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Third-Place Possibilites
George Kirby, SP, Seattle Mariners (+6600), Steven Kwan, OF, Cleveland Guardians (+25000), Jose Miranda, Minnesota Twins (+25000)
These players will likely be in the top five mix behind Rodriguez and Rustchman. Kirby was the best AL Rookie pitcher and was also one of the best pitchers in the AL overall during the second half. Kwan was an excellent leadoff hitter for Cleveland and his .298 batting average was good for top 10 in the AL. Miranda led the Twins in RBIs, and he showed some pop too with 15 dingers. Look for all these players to be key parts of their team's success in the playoffs and for next season.
The Rest
Jeremy Pena, Brock Burke, Felix Bautista, Joe Ryan, Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Riley Greene
These first-year players had solid campaigns, but they'll most likely receive just a handful of votes if they're lucky to even get that. Julio Rodriguez's consistency and all-around contributions should net him AL Rookie of the Year honors. Rutschman played great too, but the fact that he got called up almost two months into the season hurts his case.
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