MLB.com Predicts 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Winner Comes From Dodgers

Could he win the award this season?

The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the midst of a stellar offseason leading to aspirations of winning the World Series this year, but that might not be the only thing they celebrate in 2024. Recently acquired Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is MLB front office executives' overwhelming choice to win the National League Rookie of the Year, according to a survey from MLB.com.

"He is eligible for Rookie of the Year honors, much like Kaz Sasaki and Ichiro when they won in 2000 and 2001. Given his success in Japan and the knowledge he’s going to step right into a playoff-caliber team’s rotation, it’s not a big leap to think he has a very good chance to win the NL Award in 2024."

Per Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com

Yamamoto was one of L.A.'s major signings this offseason and for good reason.

During his time in Japan, Yamamoto was a three-time MVP, a four-time Pacific League ERA leader, a four-time strikeout champion, and a five-time NPB All-Star.

Despite spending the last six years as a professional baseball player in Japan, he will still be considered a rookie this season like his fellow teammate, Shohei Ohtani, when he won the American League Rookie of the Year award with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018.

Given all the success that Yamamoto has had in Japan, he certainly should be considered an early favorite to win the award.

Aside from potentially winning the NL Rookie of the Year award, one of Yamamoto's former teammates in Japan believes he could even win a Cy Young award this year.

If Yamamoto goes on to win the NL Rookie of the Year, he would be the third Dodgers player to win the award over the last seven years, joining Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger who won in 2016 and 2017, respectively.