Top 5 Early Candidates for NL Rookie of the Year
By Seth Carlson
It's been an exciting year for the future of MLB. With so many rookies taking center stage in 2019, we should highlight five National League rookies who stand out among the rest and have positioned themselves well as early front runners for NL Rookie of the Year.
1. 1B Pete Alonso, New York Mets
Entering the season as the Mets No.2 prospect, the big slugging first baseman had a hot spring training and made the 25 man roster out of Port St. Lucie. He's making GM Brodie van Wagenen's proclamation of having the best 25 men up look really good, despite service time disputes. In 54 games played, Alonso is hitting .264 with 19 HR, good for third in the NL so far. He also has 43 RBI and a .962 OPS, as he's taken the league by storm with his incredible power.
2. RHP Chris Paddack, San Diego Padres
The Padres rookie right-hander has exploded onto the scene this year, going 4-3 with a 2.40 ERA in 10 starts for San Diego so far this season. With an explosive fastball and excellent secondary breaking pitches, Paddack has the feel of a future ace and looks primed to make the Marlins look bad for trading him to get Fernando Rodney in 2016. The Padres have a true star in the making.
3. 3B/OF Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves
Riley may have only played 14 games for the Braves, but he's already hitting for a .365 average with 7 homers and 20 RBI, including a grand slam. If he continues at his current pace for the Braves, he'll make it very difficult for the team to slot Ender Inciarte back into the outfield. He's done nothing but rake since his call up, and has shown absolutely zero signs of slowing down.
4. 2B/OF Nick Senzel, Cincinnati Reds
The top Reds prospect heading into the 2019 season, Senzel has produced early results for the big league club, hitting .265 with 3 home runs atop Cincinnati's lineup. Senzel's positional flexibility makes him extremely valuable to the Reds and his dynamic presence as a leadoff hitter will make him effective for years to come. He boasts the unique combination of both power and speed, making him a very valuable asset for the Reds.
5. INF Brendan Rodgers, Colorado Rockies
Long a heralded prospect in the Rockies organization, Rodgers has finally broken through to the big leagues, hitting .323 in 9 games played so far. Like Austin Riley, Rodgers' sample size is limited, but early on in his big league career, he has exhibited what the Rockies believed made him a special player. Hopefully he can find a way to earn more consistent playing time, as he's currently being utilized in a platoon. The talent is there, now he's just awaiting more opportunity.