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MLB Rookie of the Year award

In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year award is given to the top rookie baseball, Player in the American and National Leagues.

Awarding began in 1947, coincidentally the year in which Jackie Robinson endured the toughest rookie year in baseball history. Fittingly, he won the award.

The award has come under scrutiny in recent years with the awarding to rookie Japanese players with prior experience in Japan. While rookies to Major League Baseball, players like Hideo Nomo, Kazuhiro Sasaki, and Ichiro Suzuki were already tested professionals before coming to the United States. Some baseball writers questioned what the definition of rookie really is. Currently, there is no age restriction or restriction on experience outside of the Major Leagues.

Only two players, both in the American League, have been named Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same year—Fred Lynn in 1975 and Ichiro Suzuki in 2001.

What qualifies as a rookie?

In order to qualify for the award a player must have accumulated, prior to the season under consideration:

List of Rookie of the Year winners

Major Leagues combined (1947-1948)

YearPlayer, Team, Position
1947Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodgers, 1B
1948Alvin Dark, Boston Braves, SS

American and National League winners (1949-present)

YearAmerican LeagueNational League
1949 Roy Sievers, St. Louis Browns, OF Don Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers, P
1950 Walt Dropo, Boston Red Sox, 1B Sam Jethroe, Boston Braves, OF
1951 Gil McDougald, New York Yankees, 3B Willie Mays, New York Giants, OF
1952 Harry Byrd, Philadelphia Athletics, P Joe Black, Brooklyn Dodgers, P
1953 Harvey Kuenn, Detroit Tigers, SS Jim Gilliam, Brooklyn Dodgers, 2B
1954 Bob Grim, New York Yankees, P Wally Moon, St. Louis Cardinals, OF
1955 Herb Score, Cleveland Indians, P Bill Virdon, St. Louis Cardinals, OF
1956 Luis Aparicio, Chicago White Sox, SS Frank Robinson, Cincinnati Reds, OF
1957 Tony Kubek, New York Yankees, SS Jack Sanford, Philadelphia Phillies, P
1958 Albie Pearson, Washington Senators, OF Orlando Cepeda, San Francisco Giants, 1B
1959 Bob Allison, Washington Senators, OF Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants, 1B
1960 Ron Hansen, Baltimore Orioles, SS Frank Howard, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
1961 Don Schwall, Boston Red Sox, P Billy Williams, Chicago Cubs, OF
1962 Tommy Tresh, New York Yankees, SS Ken Hubbs, Chicago Cubs, 2B
1963 Gary Peters, Chicago White Sox, P Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds
1964 Tony Oliva, Minnesota Twins, OF Dick Allen, Philadelphia Phillies
1965 Curt Blefary, Baltimore Orioles, OF Jim Lefebvre, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B
1966 Tommie Agee, Chicago White Sox, OF Tommy Helms, Cincinnati Reds, 2B
1967 Rod Carew, Minnesota Twins, 2B Tom Seaver, New York Mets, P
1968 Del Unser, Washington Senators, P Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds, C
1969 Lou Piniella, Kansas City Royals, OF Ted Sizemore, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B
1970 Thurman Munson, New York Yankees, C Carl Morton, Montreal Expos, P
1971 Chris Chambliss, Cleveland Indians, 1B Earl Williams, Atlanta Braves, C
1972 Carlton Fisk, Boston Red Sox, C Jon Matlack, New York Mets, P
1973 Al Bumbry, Baltimore Orioles, OF Gary Matthews, San Francisco Giants, OF
1974 Mike Hargrove, Texas Rangers, 1B Bake McBride, St. Louis Cardinals, OF
1975 Fred Lynn, Boston Red Sox, OF John Montefusco, San Francisco Giants, P
1976 Mark Fidrych, Detroit Tigers, P Butch Metzger, San Diego Padres, P
Pat Zachry, Cincinnati Reds, P
1977 Eddie Murray, Baltimore Orioles, DH Andre Dawson, Montreal Expos, OF
1978 Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers, 2B Bob Horner, Atlanta Braves, 3B
1979 John Castino, Minnesota Twins, 3B
Alfredo Griffin, Toronto Blue Jays, SS 		Rick Sutcliffe, Los Angeles Dodgers, P
1980 Joe Charboneau, Cleveland Indians, OF Steve Howe, Los Angeles Dodgers, P
1981 Dave Righetti, New York Yankees, P Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers, P
1982 Cal Ripken, Jr, Baltimore Orioles, SS Steve Sax, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B
1983 Ron Kittle, Chicago White Sox, OF Darryl Strawberry, New York Mets, OF
1984 Alvin Davis, Seattle Mariners, 1B Dwight Gooden, New York Mets, P
1985 Ozzie Guillen, Chicago White Sox, SS Vince Coleman, St. Louis Cardinals, OF
1986 Jose Canseco, Oakland Athletics, OF Todd Worrell, St. Louis Cardinals, P
1987 Mark McGwire, Oakland Athletics, 1B Benito Santiago, San Diego Padres, C
1988 Walt Weiss, Oakland Athletics, SS Chris Sabo, Cincinnati Reds, 3B
1989 Gregg Olson, Baltimore Orioles, P Jerome Walton, Chicago Cubs, OF
1990 Sandy Alomar, Jr, Cleveland Indians, C David Justice, Atlanta Braves, OF
1991 Chuck Knoblauch, Minnesota Twins, 2B Jeff Bagwell, Houston Astros, 1B
1992 Pat Listach, Milwaukee Brewers, SS Eric Karros, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1B
1993 Tim Salmon, California Angels, OF Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers, C
1994 Bob Hamelin, Kansas City Royals, DH Raul Mondesi, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
1995 Marty Cordova, Minnesota Twins, OF Hideo Nomo, Los Angeles Dodgers, P
1996 Derek Jeter, New York Yankees, SS Todd Hollandsworth, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
1997 Nomar Garciaparra, Boston Red Sox, SS Scott Rolen, Philadelphia Phillies, 3B
1998 Ben Grieve, Oakland Athletics, OF Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs, P
1999 Carlos Beltran, Kansas City Royals, OF Scott Williamson, Cincinnati Reds, P
2000 Kazuhiro Sasaki, Seattle Mariners, P Rafael Furcal, Atlanta Braves, SS
2001 Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners, P Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals, 3B-OF
2002 Eric Hinske, Toronto Blue Jays, 3B Jason Jennings, Colorado Rockies, P
2003 Angel Berroa, Kansas City Royals, SS Dontrelle Willis, Florida Marlins, P