If you were hoping for a tight Rookie of the Year race in 2014, you're likely not getting one. White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu and New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom are the clear frontrunners to take the honors at the end of the season.
Abreu signed a six-year $68 million contract - the largest six-year deal in the history of the Chicago White Sox franchise - last October when he defected from Cuba. The 27-year-old is batting .318 with 35 home runs and 105 RBIs and was an All-Star in his first year in the MLB. His 35 home runs and 105 RBIs rank fourth-best in the MLB. His .587 slugging percentage ranks first in the league followed by his 315 total bases and .971 OPS, which both rank second.
The first baseman showed that the Cuban professional league (Serie Nacional) was far too easy for his talents after he recorded 133 home runs, 337 RBIs, 311 runs scored and 278 walks with a .392 batting average in four seasons. White Sox GM Rick Hahn strongly believed Abreu's skill set would translate swiftly to the MLB, and so far he's been right. The slugger also ranks sixth among offensive players in wins above replacement (WAR) with 6.46.
As for the National League, the New York Mets most likely boast the 2014 Rookie of the Year in starting pitcher Jacob deGrom. The 26-year-old entered the minors in 2010 when he was only 22, but he missed all of 2011 while he recovered from Tommy John surgery. The shortstop-turned-starting pitcher then spent all of 2012 in Class-A and compiled a 9-3 record with a 2.43 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 19 starts. In 2013, deGrom had two starts in Class-A, 10 in Double-A and 14 in Triple-A. Those 26 starts left him with a 4.51 ERA and 1.45 WHIP, so the Mets kept him in Triple-A to begin 2014.
After just seven starts (4-0 with a 2.58 ERA), the Mets promoted deGrom in May and he's arguably been the staff's best pitcher. In 22 major league starts, deGrom has a 9-6 record with a 2.63 ERA and 1.13 WHIP to go along with 144 strikeouts in 140 innings pitched. deGrom is only behind Masahiro Tanaka of the New York Yankees for best ERA among rookie starting pitchers, and none of the rookie NL position players seem as if they've made a better case for ROY than the right-hander has in 2014.
You can check out the stats of all the other rookies in the MLB here.
