MLB Betting Analysis on Rookie of the Year

Posted by Daniel Strum on Saturday,August 29, 2015 9:00, EDT in

The rookies in Major League Baseball keep playing better with each passing month. The Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber has slugged 10 home runs and is batting .311 through 140 plate appearances. The Twins’ Miguel Sano has knocked nine dingers and is batting .285 through 165 plate appearances – and these are just the two most recent rookies to have made a big impact for their senior clubs and MLB betting fans. While both of these are big swingers at the plate, though, they simply haven’t played enough to earn serious consideration as Rookie of the Year candidates. So who are the biggest contenders right now in each league?

Taking a Look at the MLB Betting Analysis on Rookie of the Year

National League

Matt Duffy (3B, Giants)

He’s batting .305 with 10 home runs and 59 RBI. If he didn’t play in San Francisco, though, his numbers would be much better, because he is stuck in a park that favors pitchers to the extreme. If you adjust his numbers for his park, his production is about the same as Kris Bryant’s. Duffy fields his position better than Bryant and has a higher stolen base percentage, has taken extra bases more often and has reached on more errors.

Kris Bryant (3B, Cubs)

A slump at the end of June and into July has pushed Bryant’s average down to .259. He still has 17 home runs and 68 BI, though. He continues to hit well for power and draw walks. His third base defense is definitely not a slouch either. In August he has rebounded, hitting .516 on balls that are fair and stayed in the park in the last 15 games.

American League

Nathan Karns (RHP, Rays)

On the season, Karns is 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA. However, Karns is just a little above average in the American League when it comes to ERA, strikeouts per nine innings and WHIP. The fact remains that starting pitchers who are just a little above average have a great deal of value, which is why Karns is in second place in this race. So who’s in first?

Carlos Correa (SS, Astros)

Correa ranks #3 among all major league shortstops in home runs, even though he began the season in Double A ball. He leads all shortstops with a minimum of 150 plate appearances in slugging percentage and on base percentage. He also is a dynamite fielder at his position. Correa also shows no signs of slowing down. He hit .287 in June (his first month with the big club) and followed that up with a .306 average in July. He is growing in walks as well (three in June, 10 in July). In August, he has already walked 13 times. It’s already time to put Correa on the list as one of the terrific players in baseball right now, along with Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Mike Trout.