Rookie of the Year candidates tend to fall into two camps: Uber-prospects who were drafted an ineligible players at least a year ago (or more) and those seemingly sure-fire impact players who are drafted at the top of the first round. This year features a mix of both.
Unlike the McDonald and Mitchell awards, which have 5 spots on the ballot, the Listach only has 3, calculated on a 5-3-1 points system (A 1st-place vote is worth 5 points; 2nd place, 3 points and 3rd place, 1 point).
A rookie is someone who has not qualified for DMBL in previous seasons (minimum 250 plate appearances, 10 game starts, 30 appearances and/or 50 innings pitched) so it can be easy to miss someone. There are always a plethora of one-year wonder relievers who happened to be fist-year players so we only special cases were considered here. Plus, those guys are easy to miss whether they're technically DMBL rookies.
So, here are some first-year players (followed by a few honorable mentions) who could garner consideration for the 2017 Pat Listach Rookie of the Year Award (listed in alphabetical order bold italics indicates league leader, italics means he was most likely the rookie leader).
Tyler Anderson, SP, San Francisco
(2017, 15th round, 230th overall)
16-8, 3.41 ERA, 1.18 WHIP
10.8 R/9, 8.2 K/9
22 QS - 32 GS (.688 QS%)
5 CG, 1 ShO
222 IP, 203 K
Anderson ended up leading all rookies in wins, quality starts, quality start percentage, complete games and strikeouts.
(2016, 13th round, 106th overall, by Hopatcong)
.240/.303/.443->.746
25 HR, 72 RBI, 63 runs
109 hits, 17 doubles
201 total bases
59.9 RC, 4.5 RC/27
41 BB, 142 K
Contreras was dealt in a blockbuster trade for Robinson Cano just before the 2016 deadline. Hopatcong sent Contreras, C Miguel Montero and 2B Brandon Phillips, along with 1st and 2nd round picks in 2017 and 2018 to Livingston for Cano, C Salvador Perez and shortstop prospect Brendan Rodgers. He delivered for the Lords of Swing, making 129 starts at catcher and even making it as the All-Star backup for the Micro Conference. Hopatcong's 2017 1st rounder was traded one more time, to El Paso, who selected Michael Fulmer 10th overall, and Livingston grabbed another ROY candidate with the 2nd rounder they got in the deal in...
Chris Devenski, RP, Livingston
(2017, 2nd round, 26th overall)
10-5, 2.33 ERA, 1.14 WHIP
19 Sv, 9 BSv, .655 Sv%
10.7 R/9, 9.1 K/9
166.3 IP, 168 K, 108 G
It's not often a reliever will garner strong consideration for Rookie of the Year but Devenski also can make a case for the McDonald. He anchored the Livingston bullpen to the point that he qualified for the ERA race, finishing second in the league to Rich Hill. He also finished 2nd in the league in slugging and within the top 10 in H/9 and batting average while sporting a remarkable .152 inherited runners scoring percentage (5-of-33). One knock would be that Devenski had the highest blown save percentage in the league (.310) and his 9 blown saves tied with Deolis Guerra for the most, which can be a byproduct of ranking 3rd in the league in appearances.
Alyedms Diaz, SS, Philly
(2017, 1st round, 1st overall)
.285/.345/.468->.813
26 HR, 81 RBI, 101 runs
173 hits, 31 doubles
284 total bases
99.3 RC, 6.0 RC/27
44 BB, 104 K
The Cuban native lived up to big expectations and was among the bright spots in what was a down year for the 65-97 Green Rage. His 16 errors and 466 assists in 151 starts at shortstop both ranked 6th in the league. Diaz got the starting nod for the Diamond Conference All-Stars.
Junior Guerra, SP, San Francisco
(2017, 1st round, 14th overall)
16-11, 3.33 ERA, 1.18 WHIP
10.8 R/9, 7.5 K/9
21 QS - 31 GS (.645 QS%)
200 IP, 167 K
Guerra teamed with Tyler Anderson to line up a formidable rotation behind staff ace Chris Sale, in an Experience rotation that didn't miss a start all year. The San Francisco duo might split the ballot and open the door for another rookie to win the award. They and a few other first-year pitchers make the case for possibly splitting the rookie of the year award in two, one for batters and one for pitchers.
Tyler Naquin, OF, Blue Ridge
(2017, 1st round, 6th overall)
.254-.315-.444->.759
24 HR, 63 RBI, 90 runs
151 hits, 25 doubles
264 total bases
83.1 RC, 4.9 RC/27
48 BB, 230K
Naquin managed 101 ABs against southpaws but virtually all his damage came against right-handers. His seven triples were good for 5th in the league and he had a league-high 230 strikeouts, two more than fellow first-rounder pick Jonathan Villar of Hillsborough. The lefty-swinging outfielder made 147 starts for Blue Ridge, all but one in right field (the other in center), and was second among right-fielders with 7 assists.
Seung Hwan Oh, RP, Tucson
(2017, 1st round, 16th overall)
4-2, 1.71 ERA 1.05 WHIP
32 Sv, 1 BSv, .970 Sv%
9.5 R/9, 10.0 K/9
Some voters may be turned off by a 35-year-old rookie but the Japanese import shouldn't apologize for a stellar year, leading the league in save percentage, blowing just one, and topping all rookies with 32 saves. Only 4 of 24 inherited runners scored all season for a stellar .167 IR%.
Jose Peraza, SS, Empire City
(2016, 11th round, 163rd overall)
.316/.343/.378->.722
4 HR, 49 RBI, 70 runs
194 hits, 16 doubles, 5 triples
232 total bases
76.7 RC, 4.6 RC/27
15 BB, 117 K
The 23-year-old Venezuelan committed 13 errors in the field, ranked 6th in the league in total chances per game (4.54) and served as the backup for the Diamond Conference All-Stars.
Gary Sanchez, C, Hopatcong
(2016, 8th round, 116th overall)
.278/.363/.620->.983
55 HR, 108 RBI, 99 runs
159 hits, 30 doubles
354 total bases
117.0 RC, 7.9 RC/27
75 BB, 182 K
The Floating Fish catcher has strong competition for the Listach but also likely will have lots of support for the Kevin Mitchell Award as the league's most valuable batter. After all, in his first season, the Floating Fish catcher led all of the DMBL in the sexiest of all categories: home runs, slugging and OPS. That also played a part in his league-high 33 intentional walks.
Corey Seager, SS, Sardine City
(2015, 4th round, 50th overall)
.296/.334/.507--->.841
31 HR, 105 RBI, 83 runs
190 hits, 38 doubles
325 total bases
107.5 RC, 6.3 RC/27
31 BB, 140 K
Sardine City's patience keeping him on the roster for not one but two seasons finally paid off. To make 162 starts at shortstop is asking a lot of a rookie but Seager did that and more, powering a Straphangers offense that won the division. In a typical year, he'd could be a unanimous selection, but there's also...
Trea Turner, CF/RF, Poovey Farms
(2016, 8th round, 124th overall)
.331/.353/.518->.871
24 HR, 71 RBI, 113 runs
234 hits, 29 doubles
367 total bases
133.0 RC, 7.4 RC/27
23 BB, 144 K
Starting 40 games in center and another 119 in right for the Dairy Cows, Turner was in the thick of the batting race all year, ultimately finishing second to C.J. Cron. He's another batter who could get consideration in the Mitchell Award race. Turner finished second in the league with 33 stolen bases but was caught just 4 times, for a league-best .892 steal percentage.
With such a crowded field of strong candidates, it's easy to overlook a few rookies who deserve at last honorable mentions:
Edwin Diaz, RP, El Paso
4-5, 3.42 ERA, 1.28 WHIP
5 Sv, 1 BSv, .417 Sv%
11.6 R/9, 14.5 K/9
94.3 IP, 153 K, 116 G
The Puerto Rico native tied for 3rd in the league with 21 holds and logged a league-high 116 appearances - that's gotta count for something. All those appearances led to an astonishing 83 inherited runners on the year for Diaz, 22 of which scored for a .265 IR%. We could do an entire blog post focused on outstanding rookie relievers like Carl Edwards, Jr. of Hoboken (0.83 WHIP, 14.0 K/9), lefty specialists Ryan Buchter of Tucson (1.79 ERA, 1.00 WHIP) and Brian Flynn of Sardine City (121 IP, 103 G), and Vancouver's bullpen workhorse A.J. Schugel (11-5, 7 Sv, 0.91 WHIP, 90 games, 144 IP, 109 K)
Brandon Drury, 3B, Arkansas
(2017, 1st round 15th overall)
.290/.320/.447-->.767
15 HR, 57 RBI, 62 runs
150 hits, 43 doubles
250 total bases
72.6 RC, 4.7 RC/27
23 BB, 133 K
In 141 starts, Drury was all over the field for the Golden Falcons, mostly in the outfield (84 games in right, 29 in left) but also tried his hand at second base (26 games) and even had one at the hot corner. He led all rookies in doubles, ranking 6th in the league.
Jerad Eickhoff, SP, Allentown
(2016, Supplemental 2nd round, 26th (18th round, 282nd overall))
12-10, 4.38 ERA, 1.14 WHIP
10.8 R/9, 7.2 K/9
18 QS-32 GS, .563 QS%
205.7 IP, 164 K
Eickhoff was the lone rookie in a Mules rotation that saw four starters log 200+ innings during an 81-81 campaign. The numbers don't look that impressive on their own but consider 205+ innings and a winning record an accomplishment for any first-year pitcher.
Michael Fulmer, SP, El Paso
(2017, 1st round, 10th overall)
10-8, 3.64 ERA, 1.22 WHIP
11.5 R/9, 7.2 K/9
15 QS-29 GS (.517 QS%)
175.3 IP, 140K
The Chihuhuas' top pick paid dividends, anchoring a young rotation that included two other rookies -- Steven Matz (10-7, 4.40 ERA) and Jonathan Gray (3-18, 5.66 ERA) -- with a team-high 175.3 innings. Fellow 1st-rounder Jameson Taillon of Hoboken had more wins and IP (197.7) but also a losing record (11-13) with a ghastly ERA (5.15) and WHIP (1.39) while managing to make 32 starts. Sean Manea also went 11-9 for Poovey Farms with 160 K in 165.7 IP but had a 5.43 ERA and 1.36 WHIP.
Domingo Santana, OF, Empire City
(2016, 15th round, 233rd overall, by Hoboken)
.258/.325/.434->.759
19 HR, 43 RBI, 60 runs
117 hits, 21 doubles
197 total bases
61.2 RC, 4.7 RC/27
43 BB, 175 K
In an ordinary year, Santana might be a serious ROY candidate with perfectly respectable rookie numbers in 144 starts, including raking lefties (.347/.415/.570). The Trojans acquired Santana, with RP Bruce Rondon, from Hoboken in exchange for a 2nd round pick in the first deal of the 2016 offseason (that 2nd rounder ended up being Yasmani Grandal, 18th overall).
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