The race for 2018 National League Rookie of the Year is extremely close, but if the season ended today, Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto would win.
Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals and Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves are phenomenal young players. Both will have a huge impact on the NL East, and on baseball as a whole, for many years to come.
If the 2018 season wrapped up today, however, Soto would and should win the National League’s Rookie of the Year award. That’s not a knock on Acuna, but an honest assessment of where the race currently stands.
Entering Tuesday’s games, Soto was hitting .302 with 16 home runs, 53 runs batted in, 2 stolen bases, 2 errors and a .936 on-base plus slugging percentage. Acuna was hitting .292 with 23 homers, 50 RBI, 11 SB, 3 errors and a .925 OPS.
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While the race is tight and both could still win, a 19-year-old hitting over .300 against big league pitching is worthy of the award in itself. Bryce Harper, who won Rookie of the Year unanimously in 2012, hit .270 when he was 19. Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle, Al Kaline, Robin Yount, Ivan Rodriguez and Ken Griffey, Jr. all had solid age 19 seasons, but none eclipsed .300.
As evidenced by his .419 OBP, Soto’s batting eye is also far beyond his age. Of Harper and the five aforementioned future Hall of Fame 19-year-olds, none reached an OBP of .350, let alone .400. Acuna, who is a year older, is currently above .350, but nowhere near Soto.
Some will point to Acuna’s superior home run total, speed, and defensive prowess while campaigning for Atlanta’s stellar rookie. Acuna’s wins above replacement (WAR) rating is also at 3.9, while Soto’s is at 2.5. While these numbers are impressive and certainly help Acuna’s case, he also had an extra minor league season to refine his skills.
Again, Acuna’s rookie numbers are remarkable and should not be put down. Perhaps the two players will even end up sharing the award, which has happened twice in the past but not since 1979. But if one player must be chosen, Soto’s historic achievements as of early September define what “Rookie of the Year” is supposed to mean.
For all the debate, everyone can agree that one of the hardest things to do in sports is hit a baseball. In 2018, a teenager is not only excelling at that skill, but dominating. For that achievement, Juan Soto should have his phenomenal season for the Washington Nationals recognized accordingly.