BBWAA Rookie of the Year winners set to be announced tonight with AL and NL finalists including Tigers’ Kevin McGonigle and Cardinals’ JJ Wetherholt

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Major League Baseball’s Awards Week continues tonight with the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) set to unveil the 2026 Rookie of the Year winners for both leagues. The announcement is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on MLB Network and MLB+, with the ceremony presenting the final step in the BBWAA’s annual Rookie of the Year process for the American League and National League.

MLB’s preview lists six finalists, three from each league, with voters set to choose a single winner in the American League and a single winner in the National League. The Rookie of the Year award is among the BBWAA’s most closely watched honours because past recipients have frequently gone on to future All-Star seasons and, in some cases, Hall of Fame careers, setting the stage for the impact the 2026 winner could make moving forward.

In the American League, Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle is one of the finalists. MLB notes that McGonigle bypassed Triple-A to make Detroit’s Opening Day roster and that he led all American League players, not only rookies, with 7.1 bWAR. The preview also highlights a rare combination of early production categories: MLB says he became the first rookie since Ted Williams in 1939 to reach at least 97 runs, 28 doubles, 18 home runs, 72 RBIs and 95 walks.

MLB’s breakdown further positions McGonigle as a well-rounded presence, listing him as second among American League players with 6.0 offensive bWAR, trailing Astros slugger and MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez, and also sixth in defensive bWAR with 1.9. The combination of offensive output and defensive value is a recurring theme in how MLB frames the finalists’ seasons heading into the BBWAA decision.

Also in the American League, Guardians left-hander Parker Messick earned a spot among the finalists. MLB reports that Messick made 32 starts and worked 186 1/3 innings, ranking seventh in MLB, while posting a 2.56 ERA that was sixth among qualified starters. The preview adds that he recorded 193 strikeouts and totaled 6.3 WAR, described by MLB as ranking second among American League rookies behind McGonigle, even as his strikeout and workload profile anchors his candidacy.

The American League list of finalists also includes Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle. MLB describes Tolle’s season as showing both run-prevention results and underlying pitching indicators, pointing to Baseball Savant metrics such as a 95th percentile xERA of 2.70 and a 90th percentile xBA of .199. MLB further cites a 96th-percentile chase percentage of 36.4, an 86th-percentile K percentage of 28.4, and a 98th-percentile extension of 7.4 feet. Over 26 starts, MLB says Tolle allowed two earned runs or fewer 16 times.

On the National League side, the finalists begin with Mets outfielder Carson Benge. MLB’s preview identifies Benge’s arm as a standout tool, noting he led the National League with 10 outfield assists as a right fielder. It also credits him with broader offensive contributions, including a .302/.366/.462 slash line, 20 doubles, 18 home runs and 16 stolen bases across 126 games if the first 30 contests of his career are removed from the totals.

MLB adds additional context for Benge’s bat, stating that among Major Leaguers who hit higher than .302 over that same stretch, only Yordan Alvarez finished with more than 18 home runs, while emphasizing that Alvarez is not a rookie. That comparative framing is presented as part of the case for why Benge’s performance remains notable even when early-career production swings are accounted for.

Reds infielder Sal Stewart represents a second National League finalist, with MLB highlighting that he opened the 2026 season with a defined role in manager Terry Francona’s lineup at fourth. MLB says the 22-year-old produced a .263 batting average with a .787 OPS, along with 32 home runs and 112 RBIs, as Stewart moved from a one-month cameo in 2025 into a full-season impact in 2026.

MLB also notes that Stewart’s season produced a specific milestone relative to the Rookie of the Year award history. The preview says he became the first Reds rookie—and the 15th rookie overall—to post a 30-homer, 100-RBI season. It further states that each of the previous nine players to do that since the Rookie of the Year Award began in 1947 won the award, referencing previous winners such as Pete Alonso (2019), Aaron Judge (2017) and Albert Pujols (2001).

The National League finalist list concludes with Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt. MLB describes Wetherholt as the top National League rookie by fWAR, listing it at 4.6, with the preview tying his case to both power and defensive impact. MLB specifically points to 17 home runs and what it characterizes as elite defence at second base.

According to MLB’s preview, Wetherholt’s defensive work was measured by Statcast as producing +25 outs above average, described as the top mark among Major League second basemen and second only to MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong’s +26 among all players regardless of defensive position. MLB also adds that Wetherholt generated +23 fielding run value, maintaining the argument that his season combined offensive output with premium positional value as the BBWAA prepares to select a winner.

With the finalists announced, the BBWAA decision remains the only remaining step before the 2026 Rookie of the Year winners are revealed for the American League and National League. The league’s announcement is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET tonight, with both decisions airing on MLB Network and MLB+.