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August 29, 2012

Future Shock

2013 Rookie of the Year Award

by Kevin Goldstein

The 2012 American League Rookie of the Year race is over. Let's say Mike Trout doesn't get another hit for the rest of the year, going 0-for-125. He'd still finish the year with a .261 batting average, 24 home runs and 40-plus stolen bases. Now, anyone predicting Mike Trout for Rookie of the Year honors would not have exactly been going out on a limb, but how many people took Todd Frazier for National League honors before the season started? A look at winners of the award throughout history show a combination of obvious choices and plenty of surprises. So who does the crystal ball say are next year's nominees? Winning the RoY is a tough combination of talent and potential opportunity for playing time, so here are the big names, as well as some possible surprises in each league.

American League Favorites

1. Wil Myers, OF, Royals
If Myers isn't the best offensive prospect in baseball, he's certainly the best offensive prospect in the American League, and he's ready for big league action after spending most of the year at Triple-A, leading the minor leagues in total bases heading into the final week of the regular season. He might not see Kansas City at all this year, but he should be the everyday right fielder in 2013 and get the kind of at-bats needed to put up good counting stats.

2. Travis d'Arnaud, C, Blue Jays
D'Arnaud was on the verge of a mid-season callup this year as he hit .333/.380/.595 at Triple-A Las Vegas, but then he suffered a season-ending knee injury. He's the best catching prospect in baseball, and J.P. Arencibia just hasn't hit enough to hold onto the job, although he should be a nice trade chip this off-season due to positional scarcity. Catchers with this kind of offensive ceiling are rare, and d'Arnaud should be able to hit right away.

3. Dylan Bundy, RHP, Orioles
It would be amazing to see a 2011 high school draftee reach the big leagues so quickly, but if anyone can do it, it's Bundy. He has the stuff to succeed in the big leagues right now, and while he's not going to begin the year in Baltimore, he's a likely first half callup who would need to maximize his 125 or so big league innings to win it.

American League Sleepers