Star-Studded NL Rookie Class Makes History With Dominant Showing in Awards Race

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio and Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga were the only players to get votes for NL Rookie of the Year.

Aug 27, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga (left) and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (middle) discuss pitching grips as Edwin Stanberry (right) interprets before the Pirates host the Cubs at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes may have won NL Rookie of the Year on Monday night, but he wasn't alone in making history.

Skenes earned 23 of the 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, with the other seven going to San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill. The other seven voters had Skenes in second and Merrill in first.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio was slotted into third place on 26 of the 30 ballots, while Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga picked up the final four third-place votes.

Those were the only four NL rookies who received votes in 2024. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, that is the fewest since BBWAA went to a three-player Rookie of the Year ballot in 1980.

For comparison, seven players received votes in the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year race: Luis Gil, Colton Cowser, Austin Wells, Mason Miller, Cade Smith, Wilyer Abreu and Wyatt Langford.

Just 4 NL rookies received votes, fewest since the BBWAA went to 3-player ballot in 1980 pic.twitter.com/0XURHq4GER

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 18, 2024

The fact that Imanaga came in a distant fourth place is a testament to how dominant the rest of the NL rookie class was. The 31-year-old Japanese southpaw went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.021 WHIP, 174 strikeouts and a 3.0 WAR, after all, which very well could have landed him Rookie of the Year honors if he had played in the AL.

Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, 0.947 WHIP, 170 strikeouts and a 5.9 WAR. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2023 MLB Draft is also a finalist for NL Cy Young.

Merrill hit .292 with 24 home runs, 90 RBI, 16 stolen bases, an .826 OPS and a 4.4 WAR, winning a Silver Slugger in the process. Chourio hit .275 with 21 home runs, 79 RBI, 22 stolen bases, a .791 OPS and a 3.8 WAR.

Chourio was the only one of the four who was not named an All-Star this summer. Skenes made the All-MLB First Team, while Merrill and Imanaga made the All-MLB Second Team.

Outside of Imanaga, the other top NL rookies should be around for the next decade-plus. Skenes is 22, Merrill is 21 and Chourio is 20.

The historic quartet will be back for more in 2025, at the very least, so Pirates, Padres, Brewers and Cubs fans certainly have plenty to be excited about.

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