2013 MLB NL Rookie of the Year Odds and Predictions: NL ROY Favorites and Sleepers

2013 MLB National League Rookie of the Year Odds and Predictions: Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers: The recent winners of the National League Rookie of the Year Award have taken some dramatically different paths. Guys like Chris Coghlan and Geovany Soto can barely hold down a starting job while guys like Ryan Howard, Ryan Braun and Buster Posey had already added the NL MVP Award to their resumes, as well. Obviously, not all the ROY winners go on to have the same amount of success in their careers, but winning the award does put a player on a list with some of the best to ever play the game. Looking at the potential contenders in the National League, Arizona outfielder Adam Eaton appears to have the inside track. However, there are a lot of options waiting to pounce if he fails to live up to expectations or suffers an injury. With that in mind, here is a closer look at the legitimate contenders for the 2013 NL Rookie of the Year Award.

2013 MLB NL Rookie of the Year Odds and Predictions

The Favorite

Since he is basically already penciled in as the everyday leadoff hitter for the Arizona Diamondbacks, outfielder Adam Eaton already has a leg up on the competition when it comes to winning NL ROY honors. Throw in his ridiculous numbers from the minors last year, and he has to be considered the frontrunner for the award. Eaton led all Triple-A players with a .381 average, 119 runs scored, 186 hits and a .456 on-base percentage. He also ranked second with 38 steals and a .995 OPS. Not surprisingly, those gaudy stats earned him Pacific Coast League MVP honors. Even if his numbers decline at the major league level, Eaton is still capable of hitting around .300, scoring a ton of runs and stealing plenty of bases. Batting titles could be in this kid’s future, but for now, an NL ROY Award is a real possibility.

The Dark Horses

Rumor has it that the San Diego Padres are going to give Jedd Gyorko every chance to earn the starting job at second base this spring. If that happens and he gets regular at bats, he has the skill set to make a run at the NL ROY Award. Between Double-A and Triple-A last year, Gyorko hit 30 home runs and had 100 RBIs. Better yet, 24 of those homers and 83 RBIs came at the Triple-A level where he also hit .328 and had .968 OPS. Gyorko’s average would likely slip a bit in the majors, but he could instantly become one of the top power hitters at the second base position. A .280/20/70 line isn’t out of the question with a full season of at bats, and those numbers are certainly capable of winning a guy the NL ROY Award.

An injury to Chris Carpenter has opened the door for Shelby Miller to land a spot in the St. Louis Cardinals’ rotation in 2013. The 22-year-old initially struggled with the jump to Triple-A in 2012, but he was stout in the later months and finished with 160 strikeouts in 136.2 innings. Not to mention that in 13.2 innings in the big leagues last year, he posted a 1.32 ERA and struck out 16. Miller’s stuff is certainly explosive, and an impressive strikeout total is pretty much a given. A solid ERA on the other hand is not set in stone, but with a pitcher-friendly home park and an excellent bullpen on his side, Miller’s win total and other stats have a chance to be solid. A 15-win season with an ERA in the mid-3s could be enough to earn him NL ROY honors.

When the New York Mets sent defending NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays, one of the main pieces Toronto sent the other way was catcher Travis d’Arnaud. He hit .333 with 16 homers and 52 RBIs in Triple-A last year, and by the way, he put up those numbers in just 67 games before a knee injury ended his season. With only John Buck standing in his way behind the plate, d’Arnaud should usurp the starter’s role sooner rather than later. If his power numbers translate to the next level, he is certainly going to stand out at a position that doesn’t have a lot of dominant hitters.

Sleeper Special

If everything goes according to plan in Los Angeles, Alex Castellanos won’t see a lot of starts in 2013. However, the second baseman/outfielder is set to be the primary backup for an outfield that features Matt Kemp and his troublesome hamstring and Carl Crawford, who is one strong gust of wind away from another broken bone or torn something. In other words, I wouldn’t be surprised if Castellanos sees the field a lot for the Dodgers this season, and if he does, we are talking about a player that led all Triple-A players with a 1.010 OPS in 2012. He also finished the year with a .328 average, 17 home runs and 52 RBIs. If he gets a chance to start in the same lineup with guys like Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez and Andre Ethier, Castellanos could sneak up and grab the NL ROY Award.

Get updated 2013 World Series Odds extra FREE MLB Picks and Tips daily from expert handicappers and tipsters on NSAwins.com’s MLB Baseball Tips and Predictions page.