The MLB Rookie of the Year award is given out to the best performing first year player from each league at the end of every regular season. There are a ton of exciting names at the top of the National League Rookie of the Year ladder. Here is the NL Rookie of the Year watch: July.
Spencer Strider, SP, Atlanta Braves
Spencer Strider. 12th K. pic.twitter.com/PCdlA0tm7g
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 8, 2022
W-L Record: 4-2
ERA: 2.60
Innings Pitched: 65.66
WHIP: 0.97
Strikeouts: 102
WAR: 2.1
The name Spencer Strider will be one to get used to. Strider has been among the best pitchers in the entire MLB this year, at just 23 years old. He has one of the hardest fastballs in the entire league, averaging 98 MPH on the pitch and even hitting 102 MPH. This kind of velocity is almost unheard of for a starting pitcher, especially one with Strider’s age and experience. He has allowed a batting average of .194 on fastballs, .115 on breaking balls, and .000(0/10) on changeups. His arsenal produces a tremendous number of swings and misses or weak contact. He is in the 96th percentile in Whiff%. His first half of 2022 has been dominant, and all signs point to a dominant finish for Spencer Strider.
Oneil Cruz, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates
Oneil Cruz homers only have one speed 💯
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/bw0Sz1rdNu
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 2, 2022
Avg: .203
OBP: .224
SLG: .406
OPS: .630
HR: 3
RBI: 13
2B: 4
K/BB: 22/2
WAR: 0.5
Oneil Cruz hasn’t had a tremendous start to his rookie year. His spot on this list is based off of the ridiculous amount of raw talent that he has shown in his short MLB career. He checks all the boxes for an elite athlete, with elite speed, power, and arm strength. He is among the biggest players in the MLB, as he is 6’7. That is by far the tallest shortstop in recorded MLB history. In his short MLB career, he has already registered a sprint speed of 29.9 ft/sec and a max exit velocity of 118.2 MPH. These are among the top 10% in the entire MLB. While his counting stats and his OBP are not yet where they need to be, the talent is there. Oneil Cruz is the only person that stands in the way of him becoming a future star.
MacKenzie Gore, SP, San Diego Padres
MacKenzie Gore, 9th and 10th K (thru 5) pic.twitter.com/t7RT3vFP0x
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 28, 2022
W-L Record: 4-3
ERA: 3.18
Innings Pitched: 65.0
WHIP: 1.35
Strikeouts: 68
WAR: 1.2
A few weeks ago, MacKenzie Gore was the runaway leader for the NL Rookie of the Year award. Unfortunately, he suffered two rough appearances in back-to-back starts. Both starts came against the Colorado Rockies. In those two games, he totaled 6.33 innings pitched, 14 hits allowed, and 14 earned runs allowed. In his other 58.66 innings this year, he has allowed 42 hits and just 9 earned runs. It would be easy to write Gore off as somebody who only got off to a hot start. But, I believe Gore is an elite pitcher that had two bad starts. His usual dominance will continue in the second half of the season.
Prediction: Spencer Strider, SP, Atlanta Braves
It is unheard of for a rookie pitcher to consistently be as dominant as Strider has been this year. This is the type of dominance that can be expected to continue for a long time. His fastball has set the tone for him this year, as he throws in almost 70% of the time. He is the runaway leader in the National League in WAR among the qualified rookies. His 102 strikeouts in 65.66 innings is good for a 14 K/9, which would rank first in the MLB this season and second all time for a single season, if Strider had the qualified number of innings. He has been incredible, and he will only get better as the season progresses. Spencer Strider in the NL Rookie of the Year at the All-Star Break.
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