The 2020 Major League Baseball season may have been delayed by at least two weeks thanks to the Coronavirus Apocalypse, but that doesn’t mean fans can’t look ahead at the exciting young talent that will take the field in 2020. Here is an in-depth look at the top three National League Rookie of the Year candidates.
1. Gavin Lux, 2B/SS, Dodgers-
The number two overall prospect in all of baseball will likely break camp with the Dodgers with virtually no competition as the team’s starting second baseman. This should give Lux the opportunity to show off his highly touted skills in an already potent Dodgers lineup. With the likes of Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger potentially batting in front of and behind him, Lux should have no problem contributing right away. Lux spent the majority of 2019 in AA and AAA, batting .347 with 26 homeruns, 76 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and a 1.028 OPS across the two levels. Lux had a cup of coffee with Dodgers in 2019 batting .240 with 18 hits, two homeruns and nine RBI in 23 games with the big-league club. Lux was also able to contribute in the postseason as he hit .222 with two hits and one RBI in nine at-bats in the NLDS. If everything goes as planned Lux can project as a plus bat at second base, hitting .275 with 17 homeruns, 70 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in 2020.
2. Carter Kieboom, 3B/2B, Nationals-
The defending champion Washington Nationals may have lost their All-Star third baseman Anthony Rendon from a year ago to free agency, but they could potentially be replacing him with one of the best hitting prospects in the game. The Nationals have some depth in Howie Kendrick and Asdrubal Cabrera that could keep Kieboom out of the Opening Day lineup, but he will most likely be handed the keys to Washington’s hot corner sooner rather than later. Kieboom was called up in early 2019 in wake of Trea Turner’s injury but had little success as he hit .128 in 11 games. Kieboom was sent back down to Triple A where he bounced back hitting .303 with 16 homeruns, 79 RBI, 24 doubles, and a .902 OPS. So far during spring training Kieboom is hitting .233 with 7 hits, 2 RBI, and 7 walks. If Kieboom is able to force his way into the Opening Day lineup, whenever that may be, Manager Dave Martinez should have no choice but to give him every opportunity to succeed in 2020. Kieboom projects as a .255 hitter with 15 homeruns and 75 RBI in 2020.
3. MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Padres-
The number five overall prospect in all of baseball will probably start the season in triple A, but that won’t stop him from taking home all the Rookie of the Year glory in 2020. Gore lit up the minor leagues in 2019 as he won MLB Pipeline’s Pitcher of the Year honors after dominating both Class A Advanced Elsinore and Double A Amarillo. Among qualified pitchers, Gore finished first in ERA (1.69) and WHIP (0.83), second in opponent average (.164) and fifth in strikeout rate (35.7 percent). Gore carries an arsenal of four plus pitches that carry a lot of swings and misses from both sides of the plate. His fastball tops out anywhere from 92-96 MPH with late life. Gore also boasts a mid-70’s curveball and a mid-80’s slider that has emerged as his go-to pitch. The last of the repertoire is his changeup, it is his least used pitch but it is still projected to be a plus pitch, topping out at around 81-83 MPH. Gore has the potential to have a Jacob DeGrom-like rookie year which could project him into super stardom in the near future. Look for Gore to be San Diego’s ace for years to come. Gore projects to have a 2.70 ERA, 135 strikeouts, 1.15 WHIP and 9 strikeouts per 9 in 2020.
National League Rookie of the Year Prediction: Gavin Lux
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