4 Good Bets To Win The AL Rookie Of The Year Award

The Rookie of the Year award in any sport is pretty hard to predict. In the MLB, there is a little more knowledge behind them after seeing them spend time in the minors. However, you never quite know when a player will translate well to the majors or if they will stumble because of the pressure. Here we are going to dive into four players that are good bets to win the AL ROY award.

Adley Rutschman (+750)

Adley Rutschman is a former number one overall draft pick in 2019. The catcher was viewed as a franchise cornerstone and the Baltimore Orioles still feel the same way about him entering the 2022 season. He played in both Double-A and Triple-A and put together 25 doubles, 23 home runs and 75 RBIs in 123 games combined. He is currently battling a triceps injury that may take him off the day one roster for this new season, but he is expected to jump back into a starting job when he gets back healthy. After all, the veteran Robinson Chirinos is the only player standing in his way for the starting position.

Shane Baz (+600)

The Tampa Bay Rays pitcher looks like he could be a phenomenal piece to the roster in his first year. At the Triple-A level in 2021, he was able to put together an ERA of 1.76. He also had a K/9 of 12.5 in just 10 starts. He had some time in the majors as well but not a full season’s worth. Still, he had a 2.03 ERA and a high 36.7 percent strikeout rate. At just 22-years-old, Baz is expected to step into a larger role now that the organization has full faith in his abilities. If he gets enough time at the mound, the flat-out best rookie pitcher could win the award.

Bobby Witt Jr (+525)

Unlike Baz, Witt is stronger in the batting department than pitching. Almost everybody is guaranteeing that Witt will be debuting very early on in the season. Some even have him listed as the number one prospect in the league right now. During his time in the minors, Witt had 144 hits, 33 home runs, 99 runs and 97 RBIs in just one full year. Fast forward to spring training and reports have him hitting .500 with five RBIs in just 10 opportunities at the plate. After all, you don’t draw comparisons to the legendary Mike Trout unless you have some serious hype behind you and your swing.

Spencer Torkelson (+525)

Many have Witt as the clear favorite to win the award but Spencer Torkelson should not be forgotten about. Torkelson was one of the few players to have analysts believe that he could have went straight to the Detroit Tigers after being drafted. He hit 30 home runs and 91 RBIs in 121 games in the minor leagues. Torkelson could also see his odds get better because of how badly the team wants to see him get out there and play for them. This group wants to give him every chance possible to win the starting job and with his talent he should be able to do that. Then it’s just a matter of time before his big play ability starts to showcase.