1. Francisco Lindor
Sep 25, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) gets set to make a throw to first against the Kansas City Royals during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
The AL Central had its share of talented rookies this season, with Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor headlining the group. He showed precisely why the Tribe drafted him eighth overall in 2011.
Since his debut on June 14, Lindor sports a .313/.353/.482 slash line, 12 homers and 51 RBI in 99 games. He has also added 12 steals in 14 attempts. His 4.6 WAR is tops among AL rookies. Lindor has also flashed some serious leather at shortstop, showing impressive range and a strong arm at one of the most important defensive positions on the diamond.
The vote between Lindor and Correa will likely be neck-and-neck, and the latter might actually be the safer bet to win the award. Power numbers and being on a playoff team often seem to sway voters at this time of year. However, for my money, Lindor had the all-around superior first ~100 games in the majors. His lofty batting average, speed and plus defense (Lindor boasts a 9.6 UZR compared to Correa’s -5.2) make him the complete package at a premium position.
Regardless of who brings home the hardware, Major League Baseball appears to be on the verge of another shortstop renaissance the likes of which it hasn’t seen since Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Nomar Garciaparra were in their primes.
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