The Atlanta Braves have not had a Rookie of the Year award winner since Ronald Acuna Jr back in 2018. Could that potentially change in 2022?
One of the Atlanta Braves top prospects, Spencer Strider is a name that has only continued to rise over the last year and a half.
Atlanta’s fourth round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Clemson, Strider entered the 2022 season coming off a massive 2021 campaign, one that saw the right-hander begin the year in Low-A and finish the year in the major leagues.
Having made the Braves Opening Day roster to start the year, Atlanta’s No. 2 prospect has only continued to impress out of the bullpen since by posting a 2.16 ERA with a 24:9 K:BB across his first 16.2 IP. With it becoming likely that Strider sees a look in the rotation at some point as well, is the right-hander quickly emerging as a 2022 NL Rookie of the Year candidate?
Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider could be a Rookie of the Year candidate
While there are a few other Braves players that could eventually be in Rookie of the Year consideration at seasons end such as Bryce Elder and Drew Waters, Strider seems the most-likely to be a finalist of the three at this point.
As mentioned previously, it feels like only a matter of time until the right-hander starts’ games for the Atlanta Braves. When that happens as well, Strider’s case for the award will likely only continue to go up, assuming he continues to have success like he is now.
Looking at the 2022 season so far, the lone names that you could definitely argue are above Strider in the hunt for the Rookie of the Year are Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki and Padres left-hander MacKenzie Gore. While those two are certainly the favorites as of right now, don’t count out Strider emerging as a possible favorite in the future either.