In 2024, when Paul Skenes won NL Rookie of the Year, Jackson Chourio finished as one of the National League’s three finalists. In 2025, Caleb Durbin made it back-to-back years with a Brewers finalist as Drake Baldwin took home the award.
This year, despite a trio of talented rookies in Logan Henderson, Cooper Pratt, and Luis Lara, all of whom contributed to the Brewers’ title run, Milwaukee was shut out. The finalists in the National League were Cardinals second baseman J.J. Wetherholt, Mets right fielder Carson Benge, and the winner: first baseman Sal Stewart of the Reds.
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Henderson did pick up some down-ballot votes, receiving one second-place vote, one third-place vote, and three fifth-place votes. The right-hander put up 3.3 bWAR (1.3 more than Stewart) and went the whole regular season without allowing more than three runs in a start.
Stewart, who received 20 first-place votes and 170 total points, is an old-school pick whose power is his calling card; despite posting just 2.0 bWAR, he finished eighth in the NL with 32 home runs and second with 112 RBIs.
Finishing in second place with 107 points was Benge, who doesn’t lead the way in any one statistical category: he’s just good at everything. He’s an above-average hitter (118 OPS+) and an above-average defender (+1 DRS), he posted a 20/20 season, and he got better as the year went on. Benge’s standout tool is his arm; he finished the season with 10 outfield assists, including one on August 17 that was thrown at 103.9 mph.
Wetherholt, who finished third with 99 points, is already one of the best defensive players in the league; he led all NL rookies with 4.6 bWAR despite hitting at a roughly league-average level (.704 OPS, 102 OPS+). His +25 outs above average and +23 fielding run value both ranked second in the majors, behind only Pete Crow-Armstrong.
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In the AL, Kevin McGonigle ran away with the award, receiving 28 of 30 first-place votes. In his first season as a big-leaguer, McGonigle led the entire American League with 7.1 bWAR, a ridiculous number that shows just how bright his future is.
Full voting results are available from the BBWAA for the NL and the AL.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
