Yordan Alvarez Unanimously Wins 2019 American League Rookie Of The Year

Image credit: Yordan Alvarez (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Yordan Alvarez spent barely half the season in the majors in 2019. That was all he needed to win Rookie of the Year.

The 22-year-old Astros designated hitter was named American League Rookie of the Year on Monday evening. He was a unanimous selection by the Baseball Writer’s Association of America after receiving all 30 of the 30 possible first-place votes.

Orioles lefthander John Means finished second in voting and Rays lefthander Brandon Lowe was third.

Alvarez hit .312 with 27 home runs and 78 RBIs in only 87 games. His .412 on-base percentage and .655 slugging percentage led all AL rookies who made at least 350 plate appearances.

Alvarez’s 87 games are the fewest of any position player to ever win AL Rookie of the Year. Willie McCovey won 1959 NL Rookie of the Year after playing only 52 games for the Giants.

Alvarez ranked as the No. 34 prospect on the BA Top 100 entering the season and received his first callup on June 9. He homered in four of his first five games to make a fast impression and never stopped.

From the date of his debut, Alvarez ranked tied for third in the major leagues in OPS (1.067) with Mike Trout and Alex Bregman.

Means received 16 second-place votes to finish as the runner-up. The 26-year-old lefthander emerged from relative obscurity to go 12-11, 3.60 and represent the Orioles in the All-Star Game. He began the year in the O’s bullpen as a long reliever but emerged as their most reliable starter by May.

Lowe, who ranked No. 93 on the BA Top 100 entering the season, finished third with six second-place votes and nine third-place votes. Lowe led AL rookies in most offensive categories until he fouled a ball off his right leg in early July and missed most of the rest of the season. He still hit .270 with 17 home runs and 51 RBIs in only 82 games.

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