"Does that even make sense?" A 22-year-old who never played Triple-A is leading in WAR... "First time since Trout" DET McGoonigle, '28 of 30 first-place votes' sweeps Rookie of the Year with overwhelming support

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There was no need to compare him to other rookies. A mere 22-year-old rookie recorded the highest WAR (Wins Above Replacement) among all players in the American League (AL). Kevin McGoonigle (22, Detroit Tigers) secured the Rookie of the Year award, which comes only once in a lifetime, with overwhelming support from the voting panel.

The official Major League Baseball website MLB.com announced on the 10th (Korean time) the 2026 Rookie of the Year winners for both leagues selected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA).

In the AL, McGoonigle received a whopping 28 out of 30 first-place votes. The remaining two first-place votes went to Cleveland Guardians left-handed pitcher Parker Messick (26). McGoonigle added two second-place votes for a total of 204 points, significantly outpacing Messick (122 points). Boston Red Sox left-handed pitcher Peyton Toll (24) finished third with 54 points.

It was as expected. McGoonigle had previously been named Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year by Baseball America (BA), and swept both the Sporting News AL Rookie of the Year award and the Players Choice AL Best Rookie award, which is voted on directly by players. There were assessments that the BBWAA Rookie of the Year was virtually reserved for him, and the actual voting results were indeed overwhelming.

It was a season worthy of such recognition. McGoonigle recorded a .278 batting average (168 hits in 605 at-bats), 18 home runs, 72 RBIs, 97 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases in 156 regular-season games this year. He also posted an on-base percentage of .376, a slugging percentage of .430, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .806. Leveraging precise hitting and on-base ability that was unusual for a rookie, he established himself as a core part of the Detroit lineup from his debut season. In defense, while alternating between shortstop and third base, he recorded +10 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved).

His WAR reached an impressive 7.1 according to Baseball Reference. He was not just the top rookie, but ranked first among all AL players. According to MLB.com, it is the first time since Mike Trout recorded 10.5 in the AL in 2012 that a rookie has topped the WAR rankings for their entire league.

The historic records do not end there. McGoonigle simultaneously recorded 97 runs, 28 doubles, 18 home runs, 72 RBIs, and 95 walks. McGoonigle was the first Major League rookie to meet all five of these criteria since Ted Williams in 1939, a full 87 years ago.

Since the Rookie of the Year award was established in 1947, only four rookies, including McGoonigle, have recorded both 95 walks and 95 runs in a single season. The previous three were Jim Gilliam in 1953, Joe Morgan in 1965, and Aaron Judge in 2017.

At the start of the season, few expected such performance. McGoonigle, who was selected by Detroit with the 37th overall pick in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft, joined the Opening Day roster without any Triple-A experience ahead of this season.

When existing shortstop Javier Baez suffered a long-term absence due to an ankle injury, McGoonigle quickly secured the starting position. He signed an eight-year, $150 million (approximately 201.6 billion won) extension contract starting in 2027 on April of last year, and subsequently established himself as the center of the infield by playing 96 games at shortstop and 94 games at third base.

His 707 plate appearances were first in the AL. It was also the first time since Henry Ramirez in 2006 that a rookie has handled more than 700 plate appearances. If the scope is narrowed to players aged 21 or younger, it is the first time since Hall of Famer Joe Morgan in 1965.

He also left his mark on Detroit Tigers franchise history. It has been 10 years since Michael Fulmer in 2016 for a Tigers player to win Rookie of the Year, and it is a whopping 48 years since Lou Whitaker in 1978 for an infielder. He is the fifth AL Rookie of the Year in franchise history.

The award brought joy to the franchise as well. Because Detroit included McGoonigle on the Major League roster from the Opening Day, they will receive an additional draft pick after the first round of the 2027 MLB Draft under the Player Performance Incentive (PPI) rules. Coincidentally, that draft position has a possibility of being in a similar spot to the 37th overall pick where McGoonigle was selected three years ago.

In the NL, Cincinnati Reds' Sal Stewart (23) won the Rookie of the Year with 20 first-place votes and a total of 170 points, edging out New York Mets' Carson Benge (23, 107 points) and St. Louis Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt (24, 99 points).

Stewart played all 162 games, recording a .263 batting average (164 hits in 623 at-bats), 32 home runs, 112 RBIs, 87 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases, along with an on-base percentage of .330 and a slugging percentage of .457. He was the 14th rookie in history to achieve 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. Since the Rookie of the Year award was established in 1947, all nine previous players who achieved this record had won the Rookie of the Year award. The formula held true once again.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original