Recent collective bargaining changes allow the Rookie of the Year top two finishers to receive a full year of MLB service time even if they otherwise would not. The award winner, if eligible, also earns an extra draft pick through the prospect-promotion incentive, raising the stakes on the two Rookie of the Year races. National League candidates include Drake Baldwin and Isaac Collins. Baldwin, 24, has produced a .276/.347/.454 line with 14 homers, strong plate discipline and modest defensive metrics (-1 Catching Runs). Collins, 28, has been a game changer in left field, producing a .270/.368/.421 line (125 wRC+).
Within the last few years, the Rookie of the Year award has grown to have more meaning than it had in the past. Changes in the most recent collective bargaining agreement allow the award to bestow a full year of MLB service time on the top two finishers, even if they would have otherwise entered the offseason with less than that.
The 24-year-old Baldwin is having a banner rookie season for Atlanta after an injury suffered by Sean Murphy during Spring Training opened up the Opening Day catcher job. Baldwin took the reins and never looked back. Through 96 games, he's hitting .276/.347/.454 with a wRC+ of 126. He's smacked 14 homers in 337 plate appearances, but more impressive is Baldwin's plate discipline. The youngster is striking out just 16% of the time while walking at a solid 8.9% clip.
#rookie-of-the-year #mlb-service-time #collective-bargaining-agreement #prospect-promotion-incentive
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