The Listach Award recognizes the top rookie (batter or pitcher) in the DMBL during the past season. The ballot consists of three votes: 5 points for a 1st-place vote, 3 points for 2nd place, and 1 point for 3rd. There is no separate award for best rookie pitcher or best rookie batter.
The award is named for former Columbia Crusaders OF Pat Listach, who in his only DMBL season in 1993, hit .315 with 212 hits, 72 RBI and 17 stolen bases, and somehow managed 55 errors. It was first awarded in 1998 to Nomar Garciaparra of Phoenix Dragons.
Luis Severino of Hopatcong tied or led rookies in at least five categories, including wins and WHIP. One of the categories he tied was innings, where Vancouver's Taijuan Walker matched him and also was tops among rookies in strikeouts, just ahead of Livingston's Noah Syndergaard. Walker's teammate, Andrew Heaney, trailed Severino by just one win but boasted the best rookie ERA and win percentage, amid some key starts for Vancouver in the playoff chase. Walker and Severino both made 32 starts, tops among all rookies. Walker even tacked on a save in one relief appearance. Marietta's Cody Anderson was right behind Severino in both innings and wins, and matched him for R/9, while leading rookies in quality starts (QS) and QS percentage.
Three of this year's top rookie hurlers spent at least a year on the reserve list of their current team, including two who spent two seasons, before they finally got the call to join the DMBL. Here's a look at some of the top candidates and their individual statistics, presented in alphabetical order (bold italics indicate the rookie leader in that category):
Cody Anderson, Marietta
(3rd round, 43rd overall, 2016)
13-9, (.591)
192.2 innings, 81 strikeouts
11.7 R/9
3.8 K/9
29 starts, 19 QS (.655)
Andrew Heaney, Vancouver
(1st round, 13th overall, 2016; also 12th, 187th overall, in 2015)
13-8 (.619)
3.54 ERA, 1.36 WHIP
180 1/3 innings, 114 strikeouts
12.7 R/9
5.7 K/9
30 starts, 15 QS (.500)
Rasiel Iglesias, Livingston
(4th round, 56th overall, 2016)
10-8 (.556)
3.99 ERA, 1.29 WHIP
121 1/3 innings, 111 strikeouts
12.1 R/9
8.2 K/9
19 starts, 9 QS (.474) + 7 relief appearances
Lance McCullers, Tucson
(1st round, 3rd overall, 2016)
8-13 (.381)
4.91 ERA, 1.41 WHIP
159.3 innings, 166 strikeouts
13.1 R/9
9.4 K/9
31 starts, 15 QS (.484)
Joe Ross, Sardine City
(1st round, 2016, 9th overall, 2016)
9-10 (.474)
3.85 ERA, 1.32 WHIP
175 1/3 innings, 156 strikeouts
12.3 R/9
8.0 K/9
29 starts, 18 QS (.621)
Luis Severino, Hopatcong
(7th round, 99th overall, 2015)
14-10 (.583)
4.06 ERA, 1.24 WHIP
193 innings, 140 strikeouts
11.7 R/9
6.5 K/9
32 starts, 18 QS (.563)
Noah Syndergaard, Livingston
(6th round, 90th overall, 2014)
12-12 (.500)
5.34 ERA, 1.38 WHIP
180 1/3 innings, 184 strikeouts
12.8 R/9
9.2 K/9
30 starts, 11 QS (.367)
Taijuan Walker, Vancouver
(3rd round, 49th overall, 2014)
11-10 (.524)
4.34 ERA, 1.31 WHIP
193 innings, 186 strikeouts
12.1 R/9
8.7 K/9
32 starts, 17 QS (.516)
1 CG, 1 Sv in 1 appearance
There were other rookies who saw action during last season but their numbers didn't exactly warrant consideration, particularly the 2016 crop of first-year relievers. Others you might expect to see aren't eligible until 2017. For instance, Steven Matz was drafted as an ineligible prospect by Livingston in the 6th round of 2015 and traded to El Paso last year but still didn't have enough MLB starts to qualify for 2016.
Is there anyone I missed? Certainly feel free to vote any other worthy candidate. Tomorrow we'll have a look at top batters contending for the Listach.
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