Rays’ Randy Arozarena wins Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year after previous postseason success

Courtesy Will Vragovic / Tampa Bay Rays

November 15, 2021

Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena was named American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year.

Arozarena played in 25 postseason games the previous two seasons but maintained his rookie status in 2021. The previous Rookie of the Year winner with the most postseason games prior to his official rookie season was St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Todd Worrell, who had seven relief appearances totaling 11 innings in 1985 and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1986.

This marks the fourth time a Rays player has been honored. The others were Wil Myers in 2013, Jeremy Hellickson in 2011 and Evan Longoria in 2008. Arozarena is the sixth AL left fielder to win the award, joining Marty Cordova (1995), Jose Canseco (1986), Joe Charboneau (1980), Al Bumbry (1973) and Lou Piniella (1969). Left fielders have won the NL award eight times.

Five different players received first-place votes, the most since a similar number occurred in 2011, the year of Hellickson’s election. The record for the most first-place vote-getters in AL Rookie of the Year voting is six, which happened four times, in 1949, 1961, 1973 and 1979. In NL voting, there were eight first-place vote-getters in 1973 and seven in 1953.

No player was named on every ballot.

Ballots, submitted prior to postseason play, were cast by two writers representing each league city. They are tabulated on a system that awards five points for first place, three points for second place, one point for third place.

2021 AL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year

1st2nd3rdPoints
Randy Arozarena, Rays2242124
Luis Garcia, Astros215863
Wander Franco, Rays25530
Adolis Garcia, Rangers31927
Emmanuel Clase, Indians1211
Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles2410
Shane McClanahan, Rays13
Alek Manoah, Blue Jays22

Below is a breakdown of the 30 individual ballots, submitted by two writers representing each city in the American League. For more information on the voting, see our Voting FAQ.

NameAffiliationChapter1st2nd3rd
Peter SchmuckAt LargeBALA.GarciaMountcastleL.Garcia
Joe TrezzaMLB.comBALArozarenaL.GarciaMountcastle
Jason MastrodonatoBoston HeraldBOSArozarenaL.GarciaFranco
Jen McCaffreyThe AthleticBOSArozarenaMountcastleA.Garcia
Jesse RogersESPNCHIArozarenaL.GarciaManoah
Bruce LevineWSCR writer / reporterCHIClaseArozarenaL.Garcia
Anthony CastrovinceMLB.comCLEArozarenaFrancoL.Garcia
Chris AssenheimerThe Chronicle-TelegramCLEL.GarciaA.GarciaArozarena
Evan PetzoldDetroit Free PressDETArozarenaL.GarciaFranco
Cody StavenhagenThe AthleticDETArozarenaL.GarciaFranco
Alyson FooterMLB.comHOUArozarenaL.GarciaA.Garcia
Richard JusticeTexas MonthlyHOUArozarenaL.GarciaA.Garcia
Dan HirschBaseball-Reference.comKCArozarenaFrancoA.Garcia
Vahe GregorianThe Kansas City StarKCL.GarciaMcClanahanMountcastle
Hideki OkudaSports Nippon NewspaperLAFrancoArozarenaL.Garcia
Tomohiko YasuokaJiji PressLAArozarenaClaseA.Garcia
Aaron GleemanThe AthleticMINArozarenaFrancoL.Garcia
Brian HallAssociated PressMINArozarenaClaseL.Garcia
Bryan HochMLB.comNYArozarenaL.GarciaA.Garcia
Tom VerducciSI.comNYArozarenaL.GarciaA.Garcia
Steve KronerSan Francisco ChronicleOAKArozarenaL.GarciaMountcastle
Melissa LockardThe AthleticOAKFrancoL.GarciaArozarena
Lauren SmithThe News TribuneSEAArozarenaL.GarciaA.Garcia
Tim BoothThe Associated PressSEAArozarenaFrancoL.Garcia
Marc TopkinTampa Bay TimesTBArozarenaL.GarciaMountcastle
Adam BerryMLB.comTBArozarenaL.GarciaA.Garcia
Kevin SherringtonDallas Morning NewsTEXA.GarciaArozarenaL.Garcia
Stefan StevensonFort Worth Star-TelegramTEXA.GarciaArozarenaFranco
Kaitlyn McGrathThe AthleticTORArozarenaL.GarciaFranco
Rob LongleyToronto SunTORArozarenaFrancoManoah

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