National League Rookie of the Year: Juan Soto – Washington Nationals
The NL Rookie of the Year race may have been the closest of all the 2018 MLB awards to pick, but one can never go wrong by siding with a truly historical performance.
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That was exactly what Juan Soto produced with the Washington Nationals. Despite just eight games above A-ball, Soto was brought up to the majors due to a rash of injuries in the Nationals outfield. Once he reached the majors, all he did was hit, forcing Washington’s hand and cementing his place as a key building block for the future.
His 2018 campaign was impressive for a rookie regardless of age. He produced a stellar .292/.406/.517 batting line, hitting 22 homers and 25 doubles. Soto even chipped in five steals, even though he is never going to be confused for a speedster.
However, Soto had quite an impressive, and historic, season. His 22 homers tied Bryce Harper for the second highest total in a single season by a teenager. Soto also became the first teenager to steal three bases in a game, something that even Ty Cobb did not accomplish. That production, at such a young age, certainly makes him worthy of the NL Rookie of the Year award.
Also considered: Ronald Acuna, Walker Buehler