Top 10 Rookie of the Year performances in the 2000s
There have been some outstanding Rookie of the Year performances in the MLB since 2000, but there are 10 particular performances that stand out.
Since the 2000s, we have witnessed some outstanding rookies perform and go on to win the Rookie of the Year Award. But which rookie seasons were the best of the best? Here is the top 10 Rookie of the Year Award-winning performances starting with the top of the top.
No. 1: Ichiro Suzuki – 2001 Seattle Mariners
Although I may be a little biased here as a Mariners fan, there is no denying that Ichiro’s rookie season is at least in the top three. Ichiro Suzuki joined the Seattle Mariners in 2001, and he remains one of two MLB players to win the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Award in the same season. During his AL Rookie of the Year season, Ichiro also won his first of many Gold Glove Awards, Silver Slugger Awards, and All-Star selections. If these stats do not speak for themselves, let’s look at his stats.
In 2001, Ichiro had an offensive WAR of 6.2, and a defensive WAR of 1.0. The Mariners outfielder led the league with 56 stolen bases, a .350 batting average, and 242 hits. As the Mariners leadoff hitter, he also helped the Mariners win 116 games during the regular season. This remains the most wins in a 162 game season.
Ichiro also posted a 126 OPS+, .457 slugging, eight home runs, and drove in 69 runs. Ichiro is one of the best Seattle Mariners players ever to play and one of the greatest outfielders in MLB history. With his historic rookie season, he continued to produce year after year compiling 10 All-Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, MVP, Rookie of the Year, a two-time batting title, and All-Star MVP. He might be another unanimous Hall of Fame inductee soon enough.
No. 2: Mike Trout – 2012 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Trust me, I was really debating on whether Mike Trout or Ichiro Suzuki deserves to be my number one Rookie of the Year performance. Trout was pretty darn good in his rookie season just like Ichiro, but a big differentiator was the number of awards Ichiro received in 2001. Trout finished second in MVP voting which is outstanding, but could not clinch it as Ichiro did. Trout also did not win a Gold Glove in his rookie season, and actually has not won one yet to my amazement.
In 2012, Trout led the league with 49 stolen bases, and a 168 OPS+. During his Rookie of the Year campaign, he also hit 30 home runs and drove in 83 runs. Trout had a .326 batting average, and .564 slugging percentage. His wins above average was a whopping 10.5. Besides Trout, no ROY Award winner posted a double-digit WAR.
As mentioned earlier, Trout finished second in MVP voting behind Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers. Trout was also an All-Star selection and took home a Silver Slugger trophy. There is no doubt that Trout is one of the best players, if not the best, in the MLB right now. It is amazing that Trout is only 29-years-old. He won his ROY Award before he was legally allowed to drink alcohol in the U.S.
No. 3: Aaron Judge – 2017 New York Yankees
For me, Aaron Judge has one of the prettiest follow-throughs in the league and he showed it off in his first full MLB season in 2017. After struggling in 2016 (played 27 games), he bounced back in a huge way for the Yankees which led him to be my third best ROY performance. Judge propelled the Yankees to the ALCS in 2017, where they ended up losing to the Houston Astros in seven games. What warrants him to be right behind Mike Trout?
For starters, Judge set the rookie home run record in 2017 after hitting 52 during the regular season (the record would later be broken by Pete Alonso in 2019). Not only did Judge hit 50+ dingers, but he also drove in 114 runs, batted .284, and a slugging percentage of .627. While leading the league in home runs, he was also able to steal nine bases and post a 171 OPS+. Trout had a 168+ OPS in his rookie season.
Judge finished with a 7.2 offensive WAR and 0.2 defensive WAR during his rookie campaign. Like Trout, Judge was an All-Star, won the Silver Slugger, and finished second in MVP voting. Judge finished behind Jose Altuve that season who led the team to a controversial World Series win. Judge is 28-years-old and has not had Mike Trout-like success but is still an important part of the Yankees team. Judge will enter his sixth season in the MLB next spring.
No. 4: Albert Pujols – 2001 St. Louis Cardinals
2001 had the best duo of ROY winners because Albert Pujols won the National League ROY, while Ichiro won for the American League. Pujols is another player with a very distinct and iconic swing that will go down in history. “The Machine” put up some incredible stats in 2001 which earned him a spot on the All-Star team, a Silver Slugger Award, and finishing fourth in MVP voting.
As a 21-year-old, Pujols posted an amazing .329 average, .610 slugging, 157 OPS+, 37 home runs, and 130 RBIs. What is also surprising was his 130 RBIs did not lead the league, because Sammy Sosa drove in 160 runs that season. Pujols’ wins above replacements in 2001 was 6.6 and he helped the Cardinals finish with a 93-69 record. Pujols was also a utility player back in the day and played left field, right field, third base, and first base for the Cardinals.
For the young generation, Pujols will be remembered as an Angels player alongside Mike Trout, but his best seasons were in St. Louis. The three-time MVP helped the Cardinals win two World Series (2006 and 2011). Pujols is somehow still in the league and will turn 41-years-old next January.
No. 5: Jose Fernandez – 2013 Miami Marlins
I am grateful that I was able to watch Jose Fernandez pitch on television because many baseball fans nowadays did not have the chance to see what he was all about. Hernandez tragically passed away in 2016 and left a big hole in many fans around the league. There is no better way to remember him than to celebrate what he had accomplished in his short time in the MLB.
Fernandez was absolutely dominant in his rookie season and was really that way his entire career. in 2013, as a 20-year-old starting pitcher, he started 28 games and posted a 2.19 ERA. In those starts, he struck out 187 batters, with and 176 ERA+, 2.73 FIP, and 0.979 WHIP. He also posted a pitching WAR of 6.2.
Fernandez made the All-Star team like many of the Rookie of the Year winners but he also finished third in Cy Young Award voting. The former Marlins pitcher spent four seasons in the MLB, and only had two full MLB seasons due to injuries. 2016 would be his final season before passing away and he performed.
2016 was a big year for Fernandez who fully recovered from his injuries in 2014 and 2015. He posted a 2.86 ERA, struck out 253 batters in 182.1 innings. Which equaled a 12.5 SO/9 rate to lead the league. He made his second All-Star team and finished seventh in Cy Young voting.
Fernandez was a shining star and fans surely miss his electric fastball, magical curveball, but most importantly his smile.
No. 6: Jose Abreu – 2014 Chicago White Sox
My sixth best Rookie of the Year performance after the 2000s is Jose Abreu in 2014. He played his first season in the MLB as a 27-year-old and has been a consistent producer ever since. Abreu recently won his first AL MVP and was even considered for the MVP Award in his rookie season. The first baseman posted a .317 average, .581 slugging (led league), 173 OPS+ (led league), 36 home runs, and 107 RBIs.
Abreu was also a 2014 All-Star, a Silver Slugger Award winner, and finished fourth in MVP voting. The White Sox slugger also had a 6.8 offensive WAR, and -2 defensive WAR. After wowing White Sox fans in his first season, he has become one of the most consistent hitters in the MLB. He turns 34-years-old next January and has been selected as an All-Star player three times, won three Silver Sluggers, and won 2020 MVP during his White Sox career.
The White Sox have not had a solid first baseman since Paul Konerko, and Abreu has supplied that. In seven seasons, Abreu has a career .294 average, .520 slugging, and 136 OPS+. He is close to reaching the 200 home run mark and is near 700 RBIs. In the 2020 regular season, Abreu led the league in hits, RBIs, sluggings, and total bases. Abreu will look to lead the team on another postseason run with his young sluggers.
No. 7: Shohei Ohtani – 2018 Los Angeles Angels
Shohei Ohtani entered the MLB in 2018 and became one of the most talked-about Japanese baseball players. What was exciting about Ohtani is his ability to pitch and hit. In his Rookie of the Year campaign, he hit .285, a .564 slugging percentage, a 151 OPS+, 22 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. Although these offensive numbers do not necessarily match up to the offensive metrics the other ROY Award winners posted, Ohtani’s pitching statistics on top of his offensive numbers led me to add him to my list.
Ohtani pitched in 10 games where he had a 4-2 record, 3.31 ERA over 51.2 innings pitched. The Japanese native struck out 63 batters as a 23-year old. He also had a 127 ERA+, a 3.57 FIP, and 1.161 WHIP. Ohtani had an overall 4.0 WAR during the 2018 season. Again, when singling out just his pitching or hitting metrics, it is not the most impressive per se. But combined, it is truly special and a testament to Ohtani’s skills. His numbers prove his hitting savvy, power, speed, velocity, and movement on pitches. Ohtani is a one of a kind player with well-rounded abilities.
If Ohtani were a one-dimensional player, these stats would definitely not warrant his 2018 season performance to land him on my list. But because of his two-way ability and results, he deserves recognition on this list.
Ohtani is still 26-years-old and the best of his MLB career is still ahead of him. Ohtani has struggled to pitch as he did in his rookie season after injuring his elbow, but he still has time. His offensive skills will continue to improve and be important for the Angels led by Mike Trout, as they try to find their early 2000s performances.
No. 8: Corey Seager – 2016 Los Angeles Dodgers
It feels like Corey Seager is a 10-year MLB veteran but he played his first full season in 2016, where he went on to win ROY. Seager had an impressive .308 batting average, a .512 slugging percentage, a 134 OPS+, 26 home runs, and 72 RBIs. During his rookie season with the Dodgers, Seager was an All-Star, a Silver Slugger, and finished third in MVP voting.
The 6’4″ shortstop also had an impressive 5.2 wins above replacement in 2016. Seager has been a Dodgers player since being drafted and has been a franchise player. Seager’s numbers are not as eye-popping as some of the players that were ranked higher, which led him to be ranked in the bottom half of my list. But he definitely deserves to be on this list, especially with his above-average defense which can be hard to quantify.
After his rookie season, Seager almost repeated his 2016 season the following year as a 23-year-old and made his second All-Star team. Corey’s career hit a road bump between 2017 and 2018 after requiring Tommy John surgery. But he came back and found his rookie form and has played exceptionally well the past two seasons.
Corey Seager was integral to the Dodgers 2020 World Series title. He was named the 2020 NLCS MVP and WS MVP. Seager is still 26-years-old and will continue to man shortstop for Los Angeles as they try to defend its title.
No. 9: Pete Alonso – 2019 New York Mets
Pete Alonso made an immediate impact on the New York Mets in 2019 and quickly overtook the offensive stardom. The University of Florida product is most well known for the rookie home run record he broke. As mentioned before Aaron Judge broke the record in 2017 when he hit 52 home runs as a rookie. Two years later, Alonso came along and hit 53 home runs to rebreak the rookie season home run record.
During his historical run, Alonso hit .260, .583 slugging percentage, a 147+ OPS, and drove in 120 runs. Alonso also had 5.2 wins above replacement and was selected as an All-Star and finished seventh in MVP voting. The former second-round draft pick was 24-years-old in his rookie season and struck out quite frequently, but made it up with his power.
Alonso could have been higher up on my rookie performance rankings, but his WAR was the lowest besides Ohtani’s, and OPS+ was not all that impressive considering his power numbers. Pete Alonso had a down season in his sophomore season, but I fully expect Alonso to turn things around in his third year. The Mets will need him as the new ownership is looking to change the losing culture of the Mets in 2021.
No. 10: Craig Kimbrel – 2011 Atlanta Braves
There are very few outstanding pitching performances by rookies, and Craig Kimbrel‘s was one of them. As a young 23-year-old, Kimbrel saved a league-leading 46 games. He also led the league in games finished with the Braves. The former 33rd round draft pick selected by Atlanta was absolutely lights out in his first full season. Kimbrel posted a 2.10 ERA, a 4-3 record, pitched in 79 games, struck out 127 batters, a 183 ERA+, a 1.52 WHIP, and a 1.039 WHIP.
Kimbrel was also an All-Star selection, finished ninth in CY Young voting, and 23rd in MVP voting. By the end of the season, Kimbrel had 2.5 wins above replacement. The 6’0″ flame-throwing reliever began a successful career since his rookie season and has only had two bad seasons out of 11 years. I was contemplating whether a relief pitcher should deserve to be on my top ROY performances, but Kimbrel certainly has the numbers to back it up. What stood out most was the number of batters he struck out. He was averaged 14.8 K/9 in 2011.
Craig Kimbrel is now 32-years-old and is a member of the Chicago Cubs, but he has not been himself since 2019. He will look to find his ROY performance in 2021 to help the Cubs fight for another postseason spot. Now that I have listed my top 10 ROY performances, it is worth mentioning a few honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
Hanley Ramirez – 2006 Florida Marlins
Hanley Ramirez was an exciting rookie for the Florida Marlins and won ROY in 2006, despite not winning any other awards, or being selected as an All-Star. Ramirez had a 4.9 WAR, .292 batting average, 116 OPS+, hit 17 home runs, 59 RBIs, and stole 51 bases. Yes, Ramirez used to be fast and could steal tons of bases.
Jacob deGrom – 2014 New York Mets
In 2014, Jacob deGrom began his illustrious career and did not win any awards besides ROY just like Hanley Ramirez. deGrom started 22 games and posted a 2.69 ERA while striking out 144 batters in 140.1 innings. This was a tremendous start to his career and the league quickly found out who he was.
Kris Bryant – 2015 Chicago Cubs
Kris Bryant made his MLB debut in 2015 and was selected as an All-Star, and finished 11th in MVP voting. Bryant hit .275, .488 slugging percentage, 135 OPS+, 26 home runs, and 99 RBIs. The former 2016 World Series champion and MVP had a 5.3 WAR during his rookie campaign.
Cody Bellinger – 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers
Another Dodgers hitter, Cody Bellinger won ROY following Seager’s 2016 NL ROY. During Bellinger’s rookie season, he was an All-Star and finished ninth in MVP voting. He hit 39 home runs and drove in 97 runs, while batting .267, slugging .581, and owning a 143 OPS+.
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Devin Williams – 2020 Milwaukee Brewers
Although Devin Williams pitched in a shortened MLB season, there was no doubt that he was lights out. The former second-round pick gave up one earned run during the entire season. Williams pitched 27 innings and struck out 53 batters. His K/9 rate was 17.7, and his WHIP was .630. Batters failed to get on base against him, and his changeup was practically unhittable. Williams finished seventh in Cy Young voting and 18th in MVP voting.