2014 MLB NL Rookie of the Year Odds and Predictions: Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers

2014 MLB NL Rookie of the Year Odds and Predictions: Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers : When it comes to the National League Rookie of the Year Award, some serious studs have been taking home the honor in recent years. Buster Posey earned the award in 2010 and has gone on to win a couple of World Series titles and an MVP. The 2011 winner Craig Kimbrel has since become the premier closer in the game while 2012 winner Bryce Harper has already reached star status. Even last year’s winner Jose Fernandez made a run at the Cy Young Award as a rookie. Needless to say, the bar has been set pretty high, but the 2014 rookie class has the potential to continue to the tradition. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the leading candidates for NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2014.

The Favorites

If not for a high ankle sprain that sabotaged his entire 2013 season, outfielder Oscar Tavares may have won Rookie of the Year honors for the Cardinals last year. In 2012, Tavares hit .321 with 23 homers and 94 RBIs across the minor leagues, and despite the injuries, he managed to hit .306 last season. With Carlos Beltran signing with the Yankees this offseason, Tavares should have an everyday gig in the St. Louis lineup in 2014. He has the tools to be the best all-around offensive rookie in the NL.

He is regarded is the top pitching prospect in the minors, and Arizona’s Archie Griffin will likely get a chance to show his stuff in the majors in 2014. His fastball and curveball are both nasty, and across 290.0 innings in the minors, he has compiled a 2.76 ERA while striking out 318 and allowing just 12 home runs. Needless to say, Griffin has the stuff to be a dominant starter sooner rather than later, and a solid ERA and gaudy strikeout totals could nab him Rookie of the Year honors this season.

The Dark Horses

Although the emergence of Matt Carpenter will force St. Louis to get creative, the Cardinals will almost-certainly find a way to get second baseman Kolten Wong some regular at-bats. After all, he hit .303 in Triple-A last year with a .835 OPS. He finished with 10 home runs and 20 steals, displaying the all-around ability that has made him such a highly-touted prospect. A solid average should be a given, and if Wong does get regular playing time, his overall stat line should be impressive enough to put him in the Rookie of the Year conversation.

Cincinnati outfielder, Billy Hamilton is probably the fastest man in baseball. After stealing 132 bases in the minors in 2012, he stole 75 bases in Triple-A last year. He also stole 13 bases in just 19 at-bats after getting called up to the Reds late in the year. His plate discipline needs work so getting on base could be an issue, but Hamilton is scheduled to open the year in the leadoff spot for Cincinnati. If ends up leading the majors in steals and scoring a lot of runs, he will be tough to overlook in the Rookie of the Year race.

Sleeper Special

While he may not have the highest upside of the NL’s top prospects, Milwaukee first baseman Hunter Morris has the inside track to a starting job on Opening Day. Meanwhile, he has the power to all fields that could allow him to thrive in hitter-friendly Miller Park. Morris has bashed 52 home runs over the past two years in the minors, and hitting in the same lineup with the likes of Carlos Gomez and Ryan Braun, he could finish with big homer and RBI totals and claim Rookie of the Year honors.

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