MLB awards 2026: McGonigle, Stewart win Rookie of the Year

The MLB awards season opened on Monday, 9 November 2026, with Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle named the American League Rookie of the Year and Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart named the National League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). McGonigle won in a landslide, taking 28 of the 30 first-place votes, after a season in which he led every American League player in Baseball Reference's wins above replacement (WAR). Stewart received 20 of 30 first-place votes in a closer NL race. Both were chosen in voting held before the postseason, and the remaining BBWAA awards follow over the next three days.

Rookie of the Year is decided by writers who cover the game every day, and the vote stays in a player's record for good. McGonigle's margin is what stands out. A rookie leading his whole league in WAR, a single number meant to capture a player's total value in batting, running and fielding, is rare. Topping Álvarez, described in coverage as the favourite for the AL's Most Valuable Player award, shows how quickly McGonigle became central to the Tigers. He is the first Tigers player to win the award since Michael Fulmer in 2016, and he did it while switching between two demanding infield positions.

Stewart's case rests on durability and power. Playing every one of his team's 162 games in his first full season is something no rookie had done since 2007, and the Reds first baseman did it while being described across coverage as one of the league's leading young sluggers. His race was more open than McGonigle's: ten of the 30 voters put someone else first.

The awards also carry a practical reward for the clubs. Under MLB's Prospect Promotion Incentive, teams that give top young players a full season in the majors, rather than holding them back in the minor leagues, can earn an extra draft pick if those players win major awards. Both the Tigers and Reds now get one in 2027.

For Indian fans who follow baseball through streaming, awards week is the easiest way into the sport's off-season, with one major prize announced every night until the MVP on 12 November.

Peepals calculation: McGonigle took about 93% of the first-place votes (28 / 30 ≈ 0.933), against about 67% for Stewart (20 / 30 ≈ 0.667). The NL first-place votes add up: 20 + 7 + 3 = 30. McGonigle's WAR lead over Álvarez was 0.3 (7.1 − 6.8), and his on-base percentage was about 98 points higher than his batting average (.376 − .278 = .098), a measure of how often he reached base by walks and being hit by pitches. Our calculation from the reported figures.

Short-term: The Tigers and Reds each gain an extra 2027 draft pick, and both players' standing rises before contract talks in the years ahead.

Long-term: Both clubs now have young award winners at the centre of their plans, with McGonigle 21 for most of the season.

Who is affected: The Tigers and Reds, their fans, the two players, and the other finalists Carson Benge and JJ Wetherholt.

What to watch next: The rest of the BBWAA awards, with Manager of the Year on 10 November, Cy Young and Reliever of the Year on 11 November and MVP on 12 November 2026.

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