Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger headline Rookie of the Year Finalists
After sitting atop the rookie class in home runs, New York Yankees’ slugger Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers’ outfielder Cody Bellinger are finalists for their respective league’s Rookie of the Year Award. Winners will be revealed on MLB Network on November 13 at 6 p.m.
The Baseball Writers Association of America announced its finalists for American League and National League Rookie of the Year on Monday. For the AL, Baltimore’s Trey Mancini, Boston’s Andrew Benintendi and New York’s Aaron Judge are up for the award while Pittsburgh’s Josh Bell, St. Louis’ Paul DeJong and Los Angeles’ Cody Bellinger are nominees in the NL.
Out of the American League candidates, Yankees’ slugger Aaron Judge leads the trio in two of the three major statistical categories. The Fresno State product hit 56 home runs, which led the AL, and drove in 114 RBIs with a .284 average for the Bronx Bombers this season. Judge also led all American League hitters in runs (128). New York’s last ROY winner was Derek Jeter in 1996.
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Trey Mancini possesses the best batting average of the AL finalists. The Orioles’ first baseman maintained a .293 average with 24 home runs and 78 RBIs. Boston’s Andrew Benintendi finished his rookie season as a 20-home run, 20-stolen base player. He also drove in 90 RBIs.
In the National League, Cody Bellinger of the reigning NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers was the only finalist to play in MLB’s postseason. The Arizona native holds the advantage in home runs (39) and RBIs (97) and completed his first year with a .267 batting average. Bellinger’s teammate Corey Seager won the award last season.
Like Bellinger, the Cardinals’ Paul DeJong made his Major League debut in 2017. The Illinois State product posted a statistical line of a .285 batting average, 25 home runs, and 65 RBIs. Pirates’ first baseman Josh Bell, who maintained his rookie status despite playing in 45 games last year, batted .255 with 26 home runs and 90 RBIs in his first full season in Pittsburgh.
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MLB Network will reveal the 2017 AL and NL Rookie of the Year Award winners on November 13 at 6 p.m. EST.