A Rockies player has a chance to win a prestigious award in 2023
Mar 29, 2023, 11:23 AM
The Colorado Rockies may not have a real shot at the playoffs this season, but they will have one young player worth following.
Ezequiel Tovar is being picked as a legit candidate for the National League’s Rookie of the Year Award. Tovar had a nine-game cup of coffee in the bigs to close out 2022. In 35 plate appearances, the then 20-year-old got seven hits, including a home run.
Tovar slashed .308/.368/.462 across 57 plate appearances in 19 games for the Rockies this spring as he roamed shortstop. The Venezuelan is the top prospect in the Rockies system and has a real chance to be a star.
That future stardom could get kicked off by a National League Rookie of the Year Award, which he’s currently the fifth-favorite for according to oddsmakers. Right now Tovar ranges between +900 and +1200 to win the award, which trails the odds on favorite Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker at +250, Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll, Dodgers infielder Miguel Vargas and Mets pitcher Kodai Senga.
Last season Braves outfielder Michael Harris II took home the award for slashing .297/.339/.514 with 19 homers and 64 RBI across 114 games, accumulating 4.8 fWAR as Atlanta won the NL East.
The most optimistic projection, ZIPS DC, has Tovar getting to 3.0 fWAR for slashing .275/.320/.437 with 16 homers and 79 RBI over 130 games. That would shatter Colorado’s best season by a 21-year-old or younger, which makes sense considering he was the youngest position player in club history at the time of his debut.
Tovar is expected to be the Rockies Opening Day shortstop and may be joined by fellow top prospect Zac Veen in the bigs at some point this summer.
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