Kansas City Royals Brad Keller: The best rookie in the American League

In what has been a lost season for the Kansas City Royals, Brad Keller has emerged as a bright spot on the roster. According to bWAR, he is the best rookie in the American League.

As exciting as the National League Rookie of the Year race may be, the same cannot be said for the American League. Angels star Shohei Ohtani was expected to run away with the award, but has not been able to pitch since June. While players like Juan Soto and Ronald Acuna dazzle in the Senior Circuit, the likes of Joey Wendle and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are not as intriguing. The Yankees duo of rookies, Miguel Andujar and Gleybar Torres, have been solid, but not exactly standouts. The AL Rookie of the Year award would seemingly be up for grabs.

In those discussions for the AL Rookie of the Year, there is one player who has put together a solid season, but has been overlooked. Kansas City Royals pitcher Brad Keller, who has been one of the few bright spots during a miserable season, has put himself quietly into the conversation. In fact, according to bWAR, Keller has been the best rookie in the AL this season.

A Rule V draft pick this past year, Keller had spent only one season above A-ball. In 2017, in his first taste of AA, Keller was hit hard, posting a 4.68 ERA and a 1.523 WHiP. Over 130.2 innings, Keller struck out only 111 batters while issuing 57 walks. Yet, despite those pedestrian numbers, the Royals took a chance on Keller, acquiring him the Cincinnati Reds after the draft.

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That move has worked wonders. Despite his mediocre minor league numbers, the 22 year old righty has proven up to the task of pitching in the majors. He has filled a variety of roles for the Royals, working his way from a long reliever into a setup role before transitioning into the rotation. Yet, through each of those stops, Keller has performed well.

Thus far, in his 36 games, including 15 starts, covering 105.1 innings, Keller has been a revelation. he has posted a 6-5 record with a 3.33 ERA. His 1.348 WHiP may not be outstanding, and his 6.2 K/9 rate is 104th out of the 111 pitchers with 100 ore more innings, but he has been effective.

Keller is also giving the Royals hope for the future. Although he may never be a staff ace, Keller has made up for those baserunners by generating ground ball after ground ball. He has gotten 16 double plays this season, and has an impressive 1.24 ground ball to fly ball rate. In time, Keller could develop into a valuable innings eater, especially if he begins to improve his strikeout and walk rates.

Brad Keller may be flying under the radar, but the Kansas City Royals pitcher is the best rookie in the American League, at least according to one metric. He should get more of a look for the AL Rookie of the Year award.