Chicago Cubs Star Listed as Top-5 NL Rookie of the Year Candidate

Who will win the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year Award? Chicago Cubs pitcher Javier Assad is listed by Sports Illustrated as a top-5 NL Rookie of the Year candidate.

Jack Vita | Oct 25, 2023

Chicago Cubs Star Listed as Top-5 NL Rookie of the Year Candidate /

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Chicago Cubs

It's been nearly a decade since a Chicago Cubs player received National League Rookie of the Year honors.

The last Cub to win an NL Rookie of the Year Award was Kris Bryant after his impressive 2015 campaign helped the Chicago reach the postseason for the first time in seven years.

Now, a Cubs breakout star is listed as a top-5 NL Rookie of the Year candidate on Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies.

Javier Assad ranks No. 5 on the list.

In front of Assad is Cincinnati Reds shortstop Matt McLain, Colorado Rockies outfielder Nolan Jones, New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga and Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll.

Here is a look at the top-5 list, with key statistics included:

5) Javier Assad, RHP, Chicago Cubs

32 G, 10 GS, 5-3, 3.05 ERA, 109.1 IP, 147 ERA+, 4.29 FIP, 1.226 WHIP, 7.7 SO9, 2.29 SO/W, 2.3 WAR

4) Matt McLain, SS, Cincinnati Reds

89 G, .290/.357/.864, 16 HR, 50 RBI, 14 SB, 129 OPS+, 3.7 WAR

3) Nolan Jones, OF Colorado Rockies

106 G, .297/.389/.931, 20 HR, 62 RBI, 20 SB, 138 OPS+, 4.3 WAR

2) Kodai Senga, RHP New York Mets

29 G, 29 GS, 12-7, 2.98 ERA, 166.1 IP, 142 ERA+, 3.63 FIP, 1.220 WHIP, 10.9 SO/W, 4.5 WAR

1) Corbin Carroll, OF Arizona Diamondbacks

155 G, .285/.362/.868, 25 HR, 76 RBI, 54 SB, 134 OPS+, 5.4 WAR

Assad competed for a spot in Chicago's pitching rotation at spring training, but was edged out by rookie Hayden Wesneski. The Cubs' Opening Day pitching rotation consisted of Marcus Stroman, Justin Steele, Drew Smyly, Jameson Taillon and Wesneski.

Wesneski, Smyly and Taillon all struggled, and Stroman eventually landed on the IL at the start of August. This provided an opportunity for Assad to start.

Assad emerged as the Cubs' third-best starter behind Steele and Kyle Hendricks during the final stretch of the season, registering a 2.84 ERA across 50.2 IP.

The 2023 NL Rookie of the Year Award winner will be announced sometime after the World Series wraps up in November. Carroll is expected to win the award.

Published Oct 25, 2023

JACK VITA

Jack Vita is a writer and contributor to Sports Illustrated's Inside the Cubs, and host of the Jack Vita Show, a popular sports podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever podcasts are found. Jack is a 2017 graduate of Valparaiso University, in northwest Indiana. Since completing his degree, Jack has created his own independent sports media outlet (JackVita.com) and podcast (the Jack Vita Show). He has featured prominent guests from the worlds of sports and entertainment including Brian Urlacher, Scot Pollard, Bob Nightengale, Dan O'Dowd, and Survivor icons Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, Cirie Fields, Danni Boatwright and "the Dragon Slayer", Coach Benjamin Wade. While studying at Valparaiso, Jack was the school newspaper's beat writer for the Valpo Crusaders men's basketball team, which won three straight Horizon League championships from 2015-2017. Traveling to cover the team, Jack had a front row seat to one of the nation's best mid-major teams, headlined by future NBA Draft pick Alec Peters and coached by NCAA Tournament hero Bryce Drew. Jack hosted a weekly sports radio show and provided play-by-play and color commentary services for ESPN 3 and the university's student radio station, WVUR-FM, 95.1 The Source, covering Valparaiso men's soccer, women's basketball, softball and volleyball. Jack also covered these sports, in addition to men's and women's tennis, baseball and women's soccer for the school newspaper, The Torch. While he was in college, Jack interned for and co-hosted Jewell On Sports, a sports radio program on AM 1050 WLIP in Kenosha, Wisconsin. There, he interviewed various pro athletes such as Ahman Green, Javon Walker and Javier Arenas, in addition to talking sports with the late, great Brad Jewell. Jack also interned for 22nd Century Media, a now defunct newspaper corporation that provided news to the North Shore of Chicago. With 22nd Century Media, Jack wrote post-game recaps, feature stories about local athletes, reviews of local restaurants and compiled the newspaper's "Pet of the Week" and "Athlete of the Week" sections, while providing copy-editing services. Before attending Valparaiso, Jack enrolled at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he studied for two years before transferring. He is a high school graduate of New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois. You can follow Jack on Twitter @JackVitaShow, subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, wherever podcasts are found, and reach him via email at jack@jackvita.com.