Mark Simon, ESPN Staff 8y

Top stats to know: Rookie of the Year finalists

It was the Year of the Rookie in Major League Baseball this season. Rookies hit 691 home runs, which the Elias Sports Bureau notes is the most in the majors since rookie status was officially defined in 1958.

Home runs will likely play a part in the selection of at least one of the Rookie of the Year winners. Awards week begins with their announcement at 6 p.m. ET.

American League: Two shortstops lead the way

Finalists: Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros; Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians; Miguel Sano, DH, Minnesota Twins

Two shortstops lead the way among the American League’s contenders. They’re trying to be the first shortstop to win the award since Hanley Ramirez won it with the 2006 Marlins.

Elias notes that Carlos Correa hit the most home runs by a shortstop within his first 100 games among players to debut since 1900 (22, six more than the previous mark set by Nomar Garciaparra). Correa led all shortstops in home runs, slugging percentage (.512) and OPS (.857). He’s trying to join Jeff Bagwell as the only Astros to win Rookie of the Year.

Francisco Lindor may have the numbers to beat him. He led AL rookies with 4.6 Wins Above Replacement, led all American League shortstops with 10 defensive runs saved and hit an AL-best .345 after the All-Star break. He had 12 home runs and 12 steals, the first Indians rookie to have at least 10 of each since Brian Giles in 1997.

He’s trying to become the first Indians player to win the award since Sandy Alomar Jr. in 1990.

Miguel Sano will be challenged to match the voting totals of those two. He played only 80 games in 2015, but his 18 home runs since July 2 were the most by a rookie in that time.

National League: Bryant likely the best

Finalists: Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago Cubs; Matt Duffy, 3B, San Francisco Giants; Jung Ho Kang, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant showed impressive power in his debut season and leads the NL field of top rookie candidates.

Bryant led all rookies this season with 26 home runs, 99 RBIs and 6.0 Wins Above Replacement. His season took a turn for the better in early August. Bryant hit .326 with 12 home runs from Aug. 2 on after hitting .244 with 14 home runs up to that point.

He’s trying to become the Cubs' first winner since Geovany Soto in 2008.

Matt Duffy was a surprise standout for the Giants, with 12 home runs and 12 stolen bases, while hitting .295. He proved an able replacement for Pablo Sandoval at third base, both offensively and defensively with 4.9 Wins Above Replacement and 12 defensive runs saved (fourth in the majors) at the position. The only two NL third basemen with a better WAR this season were Bryant (6.0) and Nolan Arenado (5.7).

Kang’s late-season injury was an important loss for the Pirates. He hit .287 with 15 home runs and ranked third among position players on the team with 4.0 WAR.

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