Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll Joins Exclusive List By Winning Rookie of the Year
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll was named National League Rookie of the Year on Monday, capping off his breakout season with some serious hardware and a spot in the baseball history books.
Although it was only a regular season award, Carroll also helped the D-Backs make their first World Series in over two decades. According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, Carroll is the 26th player ever to play in the World Series the same year he won Rookie of the Year, and the 10th in the Wild Card era.
The last time someone achieved the feat was in 2019, when designated hitter Yordan Alvarez did it with the Houston Astros. Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger did so in 2017.
In 2010, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey and Texas Rangers pitcher Neftali Feliz both won Rookie of the Year after going head-to-head in the World Series. Dustin Pedroia and Evan Longoria each did it in 2007 and 2008 with the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively, while Justin Verlander did it in 2006 with the Detroit Tigers.
New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was the first Rookie of the Year to go to the World Series in the modern playoff format in 1996. Pitcher Dontrelle Willis became the second after leading the Florida Marlins to the Fall Classic in 2003.
Carroll, like a lot of the other Rookie of the Year winners on the list, did not emerge victorious in the World Series. Alvarez, Bellinger, Felix, Longoria and Verlander also lost, while Posey, Pedroia, Willis and Jeter actually earned championship rings.
In 155 regular season games this year, Carroll hit .285 with 25 home runs, 76 RBI, 54 stolen bases, 10 triples, an .868 OPS and a 5.4 WAR.
Carroll hit .273 with two home runs, 10 RBI, five stolen bases and a .773 OPS in his first taste of postseason action. In his five World Series outings against the Rangers earlier this fall, however, Carroll went just 5-for-22 with five strikeouts.
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