It’s already been two weeks since the 2021 season began. Last Thursday, it was a special day. Players all wore No. 42 to honor the legacy of Jackie Robinson. His legacy is unparalleled and he inspired millions of people. We really don’t have enough words to describe his impacts to society. Jackie Robinson spent his entire career with the Dodgers and in his first season as a Dodger, he won the rookie of the year award. In 1987, the award was renamed the Jackie Robinson rookie of the year award. Last season, Kyle Lewis won the AL rookie of the year award and in the NL, Devin Williams received the award. It might be too early to announce the Jackie Robinson rookie of the year award winners, but some rookies are off to a brilliant start.
Yermin Mercedes began the 2021 season with 8 straight hits and he doesn’t want to cool down. He has 22 hits so far, leading all the rookies. Zach McKinstry made his MLB debut last September and he played 4 games in 2020. In 2021, McKinstry hit the Dodgers’ first home run of the season and so far he has 15 hits. Meanwhile, 3 players each have 14 hits. Randy Arozarena might not be as hot as he was in the 2020 postseason, but he’s still a reliable choice in the Rays lineup. Phillip Evans made it into the big league in 2017, however, he didn’t have too many opportunities. He had 14 hits last season and so far in 2021, he has 14 as well. Nick Madrigal from the White Sox also has 14 hits.
Akil Baddoo smashed a solo shot in his first MLB at-bat on April 4 and he’s now hitting .263/.275/.684. Akil Baddoo has 4 home runs so far and is probably the most dangerous hitter in the Tigers lineup. Yermin Mercedes has 4 homers as well. Also, 6 rookies each have 3 homers so far in 2021.
Dodgers’ utility man Zach McKinstry has 13 RBI so far, leading all the rookies. Yermin Mercedes collects 12 RBI. At the same time, Akil Baddoo and Jonathan India each have 11 RBI. We already see some hot rookie hitters. Now, let’s look at rookie pitchers.
Marlins’ Trevor Rogers already made 3 starts in 2021 and he threw 23 strikeouts in 15 innings. He’s currently posting a 1.13 WHIP and batting average against Rogers is only .157. Jose De Leon made his MLB debut in 2016, nevertheless, injuries did limit his career in the past few years. In this season so far, he already struck out 20 batters in 10.1 innings, but he also gave up 8 runs. Ian Anderson made it into the big league last August and he had a good 2020, posting a 1.95 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. Anderson has 19 strikeouts so far in 2021.
Emmanuel Clase made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 2019, but he didn’t play in 2020. In this season, Clase made 8 relief appearances so far and has recorded 4 saves. Kirby Yates underwent Tommy John surgery and it was a huge loss for the Blue Jays. Nonetheless, Julian Merryweather took the job and he has recorded 2 saves so far. But, Merryweather is currently on the injured list. Additionally, Ryan Weathers has one save.
Dane Dunning was traded to the Rangers last December. He’s been pretty good in the Rangers rotation, giving up only one run in 15 innings. Trevor Rogers currently posts a 2.40 ERA. In the meantime, Casey Mize, who was the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, posts a 3.38 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. It’s only been two weeks since the 2021 season began. To correctly predict the Rookie of the year award winner might not be that easy because there are still more than 100 games remaining. However, it will be worth watching who can stay hot and can perform consistently in a long season. Moreover, some top prospects might be called up during the regular season. Maybe some of them will make instant impacts or even more, win the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award.
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