Baseball Honors: Detroit and Cincinnati rookies claim top awards

Detroit Tigers fans received a major reward for their early patience with shortstop Kevin McGonigle. The 21-year-old infielder won the American League Rookie of the Year award on Monday night. He earned the honor after posting a .278 batting average and an .806 on-base plus slugging percentage across the season.

McGonigle hit 18 home runs and drove in 72 runs while playing both shortstop and third base. He also stole 12 bases. This marks the first time a Tigers infielder has won the award since Lou Whitaker in 1978. It is also the first such win for the club since pitcher Michael Fulmer in 2016.

The organization demonstrated high confidence in McGonigle shortly after his debut. In April, the Tigers signed him to an eight-year contract worth $150 million. That deal came less than a month into his rookie campaign. McGonigle credited his drive to help the team during difficult stretches. He noted that he laced up his cleats even on tired days to support his clubhouse mates.

In the National League, 22-year-old first baseman Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds took home the corresponding honor. Stewart played in all 162 games for the season. He recorded 161 starts in that span. His statistical line included 32 home runs and 112 runs batted in.

Stewart became the ninth player in Reds history to win this award. He is the first to do so since Jonathan India in 2021. Additionally, he is the first National League first baseman to win top rookie honors since Pete Alonso achieved the feat with the New York Mets in 2019. Stewart identified his availability as his proudest accomplishment of the year.

He emphasized that his teammates understand the physical difficulty of playing every single game. He wants them to know he is always present for them. Stewart, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 224 pounds, was a first-round draft pick in 2022 out of a Miami high school.

Balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America determined the winners before the postseason began. McGonigle received 28 of 30 first-place votes and finished with 204 points. Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick placed second with 122 points. Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle finished third with 54 points.

Messick went 12-9 with a 2.56 earned run average and 193 strikeouts. He remains a finalist for the American League Cy Young Award, which will be announced Wednesday. Stewart received 20 of 30 first-place votes in the National League and finished with 170 points. New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge placed second with 107 points, while St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt finished third with 99 points. Both winning rookies earned their teams an additional pick after the first round of the 2027 amateur draft.