2026 MLB Awards (Rookie of the Year)

As usual, Baseball's award season starts with the Rookies of the Year.  This year, the competition for the award doesn't seem to be particularly close in either league.  I wouldn't be surprised if they're both unanimous, in fact.  What I question is the third finalist in each league.  I know it's just who finished third in the voting, but still, I think it should've been somebody else.

Let's start in the American League.  How did Munetaka Murakami not finish in the top three?  The Japanese import was a sensation in Chicago, and he was a huge reason why the White Sox had that turnaround from 100 losses to a playoff team.  He had an injury, which limited to just 127 games, so maybe that came into play.  And he played in Nippon Professional Baseball before coming over, which is held against some players, but not others.  Still, though, Murakami had more home runs (35) than any other rookie in either league.

Or, how about another Japanese import, the Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto?  He played 156 games, so limited action wasn't an issue.  He hit 33 home runs and had 92 RBIs.  Sure, Toronto struggled the year after a World Series appearance.  Okamoto was one of the bright spots, though. 

For that matter, what about Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen.  He's right there among the AL rookie leaders in every major category.  Because of Jensen, Salvador Perez turned into a full-time DH.  He led AL rookies in doubles and was third in both homers and RBIs.  Frankly, I would've put any of those three over Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle.

Which isn't to say Tolle didn't have a fine rookie season.  He made 26 starts for a playoff team and got the ball in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium.  Tolle ended up second behind Parker Messick in most pitching categories.  But was his season better than those three hitters?  I'm not sure it was.

Parker Messick, on the other hand, absolutely belongs in the Rookie of the Year conversation.  It's one of two awards for which he's a finalist (but likely won't win).  He wasn't just the best rookie pitcher in the AL by a wide margin, he was one of the best pitchers in the AL period.  Messick went 12-9 and finished third in the AL with a 2.56 ERA while making 32 starts.  He was a big reason why Cleveland won the AL Central.

However, the AL Rookie of the Year is Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle.  McGonigle even figures to get a good number of MVP votes.  As he should.  This guy bypassed Triple A entirely and ended up putting numbers not seen by an AL rookie since Ted Williams in 1939.  There's also a whole bunch of other stats where he was in historical company.  McGonigle was also a stud defensively.  That's why, as solid as Messick's season was, this vote shouldn't be close.  McGongile will continue the trend of a Tiger winning Rookie of the Year every 10 years (Justin Verlander in 2006, Michael Fulmer in 2016).

In the National League, I have less of an issue with the third-place finisher than I do in the American League.  But that doesn't mean I don't think there were plenty of other viable candidates.  Starting with Brewers pitcher Logan Henderson.  This dude started Game 2 of the World Series!  I know that shouldn't factor into anything, but his 11-3 record, 2.47 ERA, .183 batting average against and sub-1.00 WHIP should be.  Although, Henderson only threw 98.1 regular season innings, which, granted, isn't a lot for a starting pitcher.

If you want a starting pitcher who put in a truly full season instead, how about the Mets' Nolan McLean?  He made 31 starts and pitched 179.2 innings.  Sure, he was just 12-10.  But he finished over .500 for the Mets!  And McLean recorded almost 200 strikeouts while holding opponents to just a .214 batting average.  Just imagine how much worse the Mets would've been without Nolan McLean!

Another name worth mentioning is Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield.  He plays for a really bad team.  Which is actually a perfect situation for a rookie since it means a lot of playing time.  And he made the most of it.  Rumfield hit .300, the only qualified rookie to do so.  He had 49 extra base hits and drove in 73 runs.  Rumfield also led NL rookies in on base percentage.  One bright spot in another bad season for Colorado.

The Mets' Carson Benge was the third finalist over Rumfield and his teammate, McLean.  And I actually can see why.  He was right up there in every major offensive category.  He also played elite defense in right field (the Mets moved Juan Soto to left so that they could make Benge their everyday right fielder).  Benge had 10 outfield assists, the most among all NL right fielders, and was ridiculous in September!  So, while he wouldn't have taken my No. 3 slot, I don't have as many complaints about Benge finishing third as I do Tolle.

I'm actually less confident about the NL being unanimous as I am about the AL.  Because there's a very strong argument for the Cardinals' J.J. Wetherholt.  Wetherholt was elite defensively at second base.  That's, by far, his biggest attribute, but he was also elite on the basepaths.  He stole 14 bases in 15 attempts and was really hard to strike out (just 104 in 139 games).  Is it a conventional Rookie of the Year case?  No.  But it's a viable one nonetheless.

Ultimately, though, there's a clear frontrunner for NL Rookie of the Year.  The Reds' Sal Stewart.  His power numbers were impressive (32 home runs, 112 RBIs, 87 runs scored).  So was the fact that he played in all 162 games.  That's something that simply doesn't happen anymore.  Stewart made the All*Star team and was just the 15th rookie ever to have a 30/100 season.  Sounds like a pretty open and shut Rookie of the Year case to me!

So, there you have it.  My Rookies of the Year are Kevin McGonigle in the American League and Sal Stewart in the National League.  As for my full vote, in the AL it's 1. McGonigle, 2. Messick, 3. Jensen.  In the NL, I've got Wetherholt and McLean in the second and third spots behind Stewart, who stands to become the ninth Rookie of the Year in Reds history.