Top 5 Early Candidates for AL Rookie of the Year
By Sean Facey
The American League abounds with young talent this year as plenty of teams are flush with rising stars. Specifically, though, these five rookies are lighting it up here in the first two months of the season, making their cases for AL Rookie of the Year.
5. LHP Yusei Kikuchi, Seattle Mariners
The Mariners may have crated after their hot start, but they still have one of the game's most exciting talents in Yusei Kikuchi. The first-year Japanese starter has logged a 3.82 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 50 strikeouts in 12 starts for Seattle to keep himself in the hunt for the award. He is adapting well to his first taste of major league batters, and looks to be a fixture in Seattle's rotations for a long time, even if he is already 27.
4. 2B Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
Key to the Tampa Bay Rays' 34-19 start has been second baseman Brandon Lowe. He has 11 home runs and 32 runs batted in through 180 at-bats for the Rays and has established himself as a real dark horse candidate for the award. He's slashing .278/.332/.533 and has an OPS of .865 through 48 games. The 24-year-old has done nothing but rake since working his way into the lineup, and he's impressed everyone with his performance early on.
3. RHP Griffin Canning, Los Angeles Angels
Canning has quietly been one of the few reliable pitchers for the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. Called up in late April, he has allowed four or more earned runs just once in six starts. He has a 3.09 ERA with 34 strikeouts to boot, while having pitched 32.1 innings. If the 23-year-old continues to act as the Angels' stabilizer, he could easily grab Rookie of the Year honors.
2. INF Michael Chavis, Boston Red Sox
Boston's top prospect exploded onto the scene this year. He's hit 10 home runs in his first 35 games to the tune of a .871 OPS. Chavis' emergence helped lift a struggling Red Sox offense, and turned the tide for the reigning World Series champions. Though he's tapered off a bit, posting a .663 OPS over his last 21 games, he's put himself into the forefront of the Rookie of the Year conversation.
1. 3B Vlad Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
The early preseason favorite is finally turning things around. After a rough first two weeks in the MLB, baseball's top prospect has gone on a tear, slashing .281/.352/.563 over his last 17 games, slugging 5 home runs and driving in 10 runs. With his first 105 at-bats under his belt, he seems destined to improve and take home the award, as there isn't a prospect in the sport with more talent than he boasts.