MLB Awards Watch: Top 5 AL Rookie of the Year candidates through April

4. Nathan Karns – 5 GS, 1-1, 4.76 ERA, 25 K

Apr 22, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nathan Karns (51) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard not to feel at least a bit bullish about a rookie pitcher on the Tampa Bay Rays, considering their impressive track record in developing young hurlers. Nathan Karns has been inconsistent thus far but has shown he belongs at the big league level in decided fashion. His early numbers are a bit skewed by two poor starts in which he surrendered 11 earned runs over 11.2 total innings. His other three starts were markedly better, highlighted by a seven inning performance against the Marlins on April 12 in which he gave up just two hits and one earned run. He’ll need to provide longer outings as the season continues, having tossed six or more innings in only two of five starts thus far.

Karns has been allowing six hits and striking out eight batters per nine innings, rates which should serve him well moving forward. In order to improve, however, he really needs to limit the walks. He’s handed out 16 of them (most in the AL) over 28.1 innings for a less-than-savory 5.1 BB/9 ratio. If he can work on that and throw a bit more consistently, the ingredients are there to put together a solid rookie season.

Next: Daniel Norris