After the votes were counted for who would be named MLB Rookie of the Year for the National and American Leagues, it turned out to be an easy decision.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll and Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson were named National League and American League Rookie of the Year, respectively, by unanimous decision, results were revealed. on MLB Network on Monday.
It’s just the fifth time in MLB history that both Rookies of the Year were unanimous decisions. The last time was in 2017, when Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers were easy picks for voters.
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Carroll and Henderson were the top two prospects entering the 2023 season after both made their major league debuts in 2022. Many believed they were foundational pieces for their respective franchises, and if the first year is any indication of what to expect from them , the D- Both the Backs and the Orioles are lucky to have them on their rosters.
Starting with Carroll, he is the first Diamondbacks player to win the award. His speed and high-contact skills at the plate were on full display for an Arizona team that surprised everyone when they reached the World Series.
Carroll played a vital role in that, hitting .285/.362/.506 with an .868 OPS, 30 doubles, 25 home runs and 10 triples, which led the National League in 155 games.
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Carroll’s stardom was already seen by MLB fans as well, as he was named to his first All-Star Game. But that popularity certainly increased in the postseason, where Carroll hit .273/.364/.409 with a double, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 17 games.
The Diamondbacks reaching the World Series would not have been possible without Carroll’s contributions. The Orioles surprising everyone with the American League’s best record at 101-61 after going 83-79 the year before wouldn’t have happened without Henderson also on the roster.
Henderson, who split time at shortstop and third base this season, became the first Orioles player to win Rookie of the Year since 1989, when reliever Gregg Olsen received the award.
The 22-year-old was selected in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Orioles, and as he rose through their minor league ranks, it became clear that his power from the left side of the plate and smooth skills as infielder would pay big dividends.
Henderson hit 28 home runs, 29 doubles and eight triples while compiling 82 RBIs and a .255/.325/.489 line in 150 games this season. His 66 extra-base hits were the most by an Orioles rookie in franchise history, surpassing a team legend, Cal Ripken Jr.’s 65, in his Rookie of the Year season in 1982.
The Orioles weren’t expected to compete in the AL East, much less lead the entire league, but that’s exactly what happened with their seemingly perfect mix of veterans and young stars like Henderson. They did not reach the postseason, being defeated by the Texas Rangers, eventual World Series champions, in the Wild Card Round.
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However, with players like Henderson under team control for the next few years, Baltimore has established itself as one of those American League East teams that can’t be taken lightly when it comes to the upcoming schedule.