MLB: The 2017 All Rookie Team – Hitters
By Kyle Cardoza
Catcher: Manny Pina
Pina was essentially the only rookie that qualified for this spot, except for a few no-named players. That doesn’t mean the catcher is undeserving of the accomplishment, as he did string together a very successful rookie campaign.
The Brewers’ platoon player behind the plate was reliable for a team that was in the playoff picture until the final week of the regular season. If he had enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title, he would technically be the Brewers’ best hitter in terms of average at .279.
Pina isn’t known for his tremendous power, as he had just nine homers and 30 extra-base hits in total. Nevertheless, he was productive and overall solid, ranking 9th in WAR among all catchers.
He doesn’t have an aura of greatness around him – he’s not Gary Sanchez – but still has the capability to be a serviceable player behind the plate. Of the Brewers’ four catchers, he received the most playing time. And he should continue to do so in the coming years.
Designated Hitter: Trey Mancini
I had to maneuver some players’ preferred positions around to ensure I gave nods to all of the best and deserving rookies. Twas the case with Mancini.
He played some first base, left field and occasionally hit in the DH spot. Yet, had he been put into the outfield category, he would not have competed with the likes of Rookie of the Year hopefuls Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge. Still, Mancini should be recognized.
The right-handed slugger ranked seventh among qualifying left fielders in OPS at .826. He does have some discipline issues, accruing just 33 walks compared to 139 strikeouts.
But his powerful swing made up for it in Baltimore.
Mancini was one of six Orioles that eclipsed the 20-home run mark, and based on offensive WAR, he was essentially the team’s second-best hitter behind Johnathan Schoop. He ultimately had a better season than fellow Baltimore outfielder Mark Trumbo, which is a promising sign.
Lastly, the only other contender in this category was the White Sox’s Matt Davidson. Davidson did blast 26 home runs – more than Mancini – and collected 68 RBIs, but his .220 batting average and .260 on-base percentage were atrocious.
Mancini finished the year at .293 and .338 in those categories, respectively. It will be interesting to see if he can produce an encore next season.