Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle and Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart won their leagues' Rookie of the Year awards Monday, recognizing two 22-year-olds whose first-year performances stood out for different reasons. McGonigle paired disciplined hitting with contributions across several categories, while Stewart delivered power for a short-handed Cincinnati lineup.
McGonigle secured 28 of the 30 first-place votes cast by the Baseball Writers' Association of America for the American League award. Cleveland Guardians starter Parker Messick received the remaining two. Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami collected two second-place votes, while Boston Red Sox starter Payton Tolle, the third AL finalist, drew 12 third-place votes.
The National League voting was more divided. Stewart earned 20 of the 30 first-place selections, ahead of New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge, who received seven. St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt accounted for the other three first-place votes.
Three years after being selected in the first round out of high school, McGonigle led the AL with 7.1 wins above replacement as measured by Baseball-Reference. He also ranked fifth in both hits and walks. According to ESPN Insights, no rookie had finished among the top five in both categories since Ted Williams in 1939.
The Pennsylvania-raised left-handed hitter played both shortstop and third base, batting .278 with a .376 on-base percentage and a .430 slugging percentage. He hit 18 home runs and stole 12 bases, drawing 95 walks against 100 strikeouts. His 97 runs were the most among rookies, and his 168 hits matched Benge's total for the rookie lead.
Stewart became the first Reds rookie to reach both 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in a season. He finished with 32 homers and 112 RBIs, with his RBI total ranking third in the majors. A first-round selection out of a Miami high school in 2022, he batted .263 with a .330 on-base percentage and a .457 slugging percentage despite a difficult September.
With 15 stolen bases as well, Stewart joined a small group of rookies to record at least 100 RBIs and 15 steals. ESPN Insights identified only four previous players to achieve that combination: Carlos Beltran in 1999, Jose Canseco in 1986, Tony Lazzeri in 1926 and Al Simmons in 1924.
The other finalists also delivered notable seasons. Messick went 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA across 186⅓ innings, while Tolle recorded a 3.03 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 148⅔ innings. Benge hit .282 and became the first Mets rookie with a 20-homer, 20-steal season. Wetherholt added 17 home runs and 14 stolen bases alongside strong defense.
