Carroll, Henderson Unanimously Win NL & AL Rookie of the Year
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll and Baltimore Orioles third baseman/shortstop Gunnar Henderson were announced as NL and AL Rookie of the Year, respectively, Monday night. Both were unanimous choices, the 26th and 27th players to do so. This was the fifth time since the award split to one in each league in 1949 where both winners were unanimous.
Corbin Carroll, NL Rookie of the Year
Corbin Carroll entered the season as the prohibitive favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year, and he did not disappoint. The 5’10”, 165-lb native of Seattle slashed .285 (161-for-565)/.362/.506 in 2023. In addition, Carroll had 30 doubles, an NL-leading 10 triples, 25 homers, 76 RBI, 54 stolen bases, and 116 runs scored. He became the first rookie, and ninth player, to join the 25–50 club with his 25 homers and 54 stolen bases. Carroll, 23, started the All-Star Game in his hometown of Seattle after being voted into the starting lineup by the fans. He capped off his dream season by helping the Diamondbacks to their second World Series appearance and first since 2001. Carroll is the first Diamondback in the team’s 26 seasons to ever win the award.
Gunnar Henderson, AL Rookie of the Year
Like Carroll, Gunnar Henderson entered the season as the favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year. Henderson, 22, slashed .255 (143-for-560)/.325/.489 with 29 doubles, nine triples, 28 homers, 82 RBI, and 100 runs scored across 150 games. The Silver Slugger (utility position) helped lead the Orioles to a 101–61 record and the AL East title, their first since 2014 and 10th overall. Henderson is the seventh Baltimore Oriole to win the award, joining shortstop Ron Hansen (1960), outfielder Curt Blefary (1965), outfielder Al Bumbry (1974), first baseman and Hall of Famer Eddie Murray (1977), shortstop and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken (1982), and closer Gregg Olson (1989). In addition, center fielder Roy Sievers (1949) won the award while the franchise was the St. Louis Browns.
Historic Season
The Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award began in 1947 as the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year. Robinson was its first winner, with Al Dark taking the award in 1948. In 1949, the award split to being one per league, where it has remained ever since. Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) vote for the award, handing in their ballots on the last day of the regular season. Two writers representing each city in the National League vote for the NL Award, and two writers representing each city in the American League vote for the AL Award. Each voter lists three players, ranked first through third. First place votes get five points, second place three points, and third place one point. The player with the highest total score gets the award, with the second- and third-place finishers named as finalists.
The other four times that the award winners were unanimous choices in both leagues were Padres catcher Benito Santiago and Athletics first baseman Mark McGwire in 1987, Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza and Angels right fielder Tim Salmon in 1993, Phillies third baseman Scott Rolen and Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra in 1997, and Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger and Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge in 2017.
Looking Ahead to Other Awards
The other BBWAA awards will be announced in the coming days. Tuesday will reveal the Managers of the Year. Wednesday will reveal the Cy Young Award winners, given to the top pitcher in each league. Thursday will reveal the Most Valuable Players.
Main Photo:
The main photo is a composite of the following two images:
