2021 Listach Award contenders

The last few season have seen some tremendous rookie performances and not just one-year wonders but first-year players who have gone on to become cornerstones of their franchise.

The Pat Listach Award honors the DMBL's top rookie. The 2021 class made their mark all over the league.

The batting race saw rookies finish 1-2 (Ty France and Ke'Bryan Hayes), with three among the top four (Willi Castro) and four of the top 10 (Ryan Mountcastle). In the slugging category, five of the top 10 batters in the slugging category were rookies. On the pitching side, there were also , 

The Listach Award ballot has space for only 3 names (5-3-1 points system) and this year that almost assures a number of worthy names will be left off. Here's a look at a dozen or so candidates who could warrant being one of the three names on your ballot:

Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B, Blue Ridge

The 1st overall pick in the 2021 draft put it all together for a monster first year in the DMBL. He led not just rookies but the entire league in at least four categories:

• Hits, 236
• Total bases, 418
• Extra base hits, 96
• Runs created, 156.8

He also ranked 2nd in triples (16) and slugging (.596), and 3rd in OPS (.980). He led rookies with 133 runs, good for 3rd in all of DMBL, with a gaudy slash line of .337/.384/.596 with 35 HR and 116 RBI. Those numbers make Hayes among a handful of first-year players who can make a serious case for the Mitchell Award in a year when the Bombers clinched the top seed with 106 wins.

The 2021 season and any records set will always be remembered with a bit of an asterisk given the shortened 2020 MLB calendar but Hayes' total bases were at historic levels, usually associated with a Mitchell or Listach Award in recent years:

448, Pujols* (2010)
418, Hayes (2021)
414, Hanley Ramirez* (2014)
408, Mike Trout, (2018)
404, Jose Abreu (2021)
370, Kendry Moralez~ (2010)

* Won Mitchell Award
~ Won Listach Award

Will Smith*, C/DH, Vancouver

Smith logged 115 games at behind the plate for the Iron Fist and suited up for 30 more as DH. He was among a number of rookies to rank among the league's top hitters in 2021. Among counting categories, he finished tied for 5th in RBI (123), which was 2nd among rookie; 3rd in doubles (54), and 5th in extra base hits (87). He also finished tired for 10th overall in slugging (.546). Like Hayes, Smith could see his name on a few Michell Award ballots after helping the 103-win Iron Fist to the 4th seed.

Ian Anderson, SP, Hoboken

The 2nd player off the board in the 2021 draft, Anderson went 18-7 in 31 starts, including 2 shutouts. He pitched an even 200 innings - with an even 100 walks but also 244 strikeouts. He was among the league leaders in non-counting stats like H/9, OPS, batting average and more, however, he did not even lead rookies in wins (18) or ERA (2.29). Those distinctions when to David Peterson, who went 19-8 despite a 4.43 ERA thanks to 5.9 runs per game that Livingston scored for the lefty. In ERA, it was Tony Gonsolin of Arkansas with the best rookie numbers. Read more about rookie pitchers in the writeup about McDonald Award candidates.

Ty France, 2B, Vancouver

France flirted with .400 and ended up winning the batting title at .354. He was the pace setter for one of the league's best offenses, finishing tied for 4th in the league in OBP (.409) and 8th in hits (193) to go with a respective .521 SLG. His 8.7 RC/27 matched Ke'Bryan Hayes for 2nd in the league and tops among rookies and had 117.5 RC overall. The 2021 2nd rounder was Vancouver's primary option at the key stone, suiting up for 120 games, in addition to 2 at DH.

Bobby Dalbec, 1B, San Francisco

You slug 53 homers in your rookie campaign, you would think you'd be handed the Listach Award. Not so fast with this bumper crop of first-year players. Dalbec was tops among rookies with 124 RBI, one better than Vancouver's Will Smith, while manning 154 games at 1B for the Experience. He did his damage v. LHP, with a league-high 56 RBI against southpaws. For what it's worth, Dalbec also had 16 GW RBI for the 92-win Experience. He ranked 7th in the league in slugging (.556), just behind fellow rookie Dom Smith who slugged .561 between Hopatcong and Philly.

Tony Gonsolin, SP, Arkansas

It can be tough to get attention as a pitcher for the Listach when batters are putting up absurd numbers left and right. But in a year of historically good ERAs, Gonsolin finished 2nd in the league (2.11) in his rookie campaign with a sterling 1.01 WHIP and went 17-6 to help the Golden Falcons to 95 wins and the No. 6 seed. In 32 starts, he logged 192. IP with 208 Ks and 22 of those were quality starts (.688), 9th in the league. Read more about his season among McDonald Award candidates.

Jared Walsh, 1B, Philly

The previously lightly-regarded Walsh was selected in the 2nd round and paid monster dividends, helping the Green Rage clinch the No. 7 seed. He led the league in isolated power (.338) and ranked 4th in slugging (.582) and found himself in the top 10 in a number of categories, including HR (44), triples (12), extra base hits (77). Walsh was in the Philly lineup for 129 games: 118 games at 1B and 11 in LF.

Walsh's 24 intentional walks tied Freddie Freeman for 2nd in the league and tops among rookies (behind only Eddie Rosario's 38).

Dom Smith, 1B, Philly-Hopatcong

Smith was drafted 8th overall by Philly before getting shipped to Hopatcong by Memorial Day with OF Luis Robert for OF Bryce Harper and SP Kyle Hendricks.

Smith ranked 6th in the league in slugging (.561), which was still 3rd among rookies, his 60 doubles were six better than fellow rookie Will Smith (no relation) and second in DMBL only to Jose Iglesias, who was teammates with Smith for about 2 weeks before getting traded to Arkansas. Smith showed a little more pop while in Hopatcong (.306/.386/.601) than Philly (.293/.366/.490).

CORRECTION: Luke Voit is not a rookie; he was first eligible for the 2020 DMBL season after 510 plate appearances during the 2019 MLB season.

Luke Voit, Loudon/Hoboken

You lead all rookies in HR, you're going to get a mention. Last year, Pete Alonso slugged 60 HRs on his way to the Listach. Voit slugged 60 HRs between Loudon and Hoboken, hitting 42 dongs for lowly now-Lollygaggers before getting shipped to the playoff-bound 6th-seeded Cutters where he belted 18. His combined 123 RBIs matched Smith for 2nd among rookies.

Jake Cronenworth, 2B/1B, El Paso

The utility man was the 2nd batter drafted -- taken 4th overall -- and slid right into the Chihuahuas lineup, which led the league in offense. He posted a fine season, slashing .292/.347/.483, and formidable counting stats for a rook: 14-89-94 with 52 2B and 5 3B. The 27-year-old southpaw swinger compiled 91.7 RC and 6.2 RC/27 while starting 133 games at 2B and another 7 at 1B.

Devin Williams, RP, San Francisco

Relievers don't usually get much love but when they get drafted in the 1st round, you know they must be good and Williams had some absurd numbers. In 59 appearances for the Experience, he struck out 181 batters over 104 innings -- a filthy 15.7 K/9.

Williams registered 9 saves against 1 blown save and was unbeaten (6-0) thanks to a microscopic 0.78 ERA and 0.71 WHIP. Of 48 inherited runners, only 5 crossed the plate (.104).

Willi Castro, 2B/SS, MAR

The 5th overall pick was a jack of all trades for Marietta, starting 77 games at 2B, 23 at 3B, and 24 at SS, and finished 4th in the batting race, behind two other rookies and Jose Iglesias. On the year, he compiled a line of 333/.382/.500 and it was his monster second half that makes him deserving of mention here: .342/.383/.515 with 115 hits, 49 RBI and 51 runs.

Castro's 7.6 RC/27 and 14 intentional walks both ranked 9th in the league. His 24-game hit streak was the third longest of he season.

Kyle Lewis, CF, TUC

The last pick of the first round, Lewis slugged 33 HR and manned CF for the King Snakes, who clinched the Aaron Division and the No. 3 seed with 105 wins. That's impressive enough to garner a mention here. Incredibly, Lewis only swatted 10 doubles in 146 games but he did manage 13 GW RBI. He also reported 93.8 RC and 5.9 RC/27.

David Peterson, SP, LIV

If you lead rookies in wins, you deserve a mention here but I'm not sure how much support hell get . The 19-8 mark is impressive but the 4.43 ERA and 1.45 WHIP are not. The lefty logged 203.1 IP with 176 Ks. He managed one shutout but only half of his 32 starts were quality starts (6 IP, 3 ER or less).

Anthony Slegers, RP, SCS

A 29-year-old middle reliever for the Listach Award? Crazier things have happened maybe but certainly Slegers put together a unique campaign as the ultimate workhorse out of the Straphangers bullpen. Check out the McDonald Award candidates writeup for more on his rookie year.