In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946. The award became national in 1947; Jackie Robinson, the Brooklyn Dodgers' second baseman, won the inaugural award. One award was presented for all of MLB in 1947 and 1948; since 1949, the honor has been given to one player each in the NL and AL. Originally, the award was known as the J. Louis Comiskey Memorial Award, named after the Chicago White Sox owner of the 1930s. The award was renamed the Jackie Robinson Award in July 1987, 40 years after Robinson broke the baseball color line.

Twenty-one players have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame—Robinson, seven AL players, and eleven others from the NL. The award has been shared twice: once by Butch Metzger and Pat Zachry of the NL in 1976; and once by John Castino and Alfredo Griffin of the AL in 1979. Members of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers have won the most awards of any franchise (with 18). Fred Lynn and Ichiro Suzuki are the only two players who have been named Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same year, and Fernando Valenzuela is the only player to have won Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award in the same year. Sam Jethroe is the oldest player to have won the award, at age 32, 33 days older than 2000 winner Kazuhiro Sasaki (also 32). Nick Kurtz of the Athletics and Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves are the most recent winners.

Qualifications and voting

From 1947 through 1956, each BBWAA voter used discretion as to who qualified as a rookie. In 1957, the term was first defined as someone with fewer than 75 at-bats or 45 innings pitched in any previous Major League season. This guideline was later amended to 90 at-bats, 45 innings pitched, or 45 days on a Major League roster before September 1 of the previous year. The current standard of 130 at-bats, 50 innings pitched, or 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club (excluding time in military service or on the injury list) before September 1 was adopted in 1971.

Since 1980, each voter names three rookies: a first-place choice is given five points, a second-place choice three points, and a third-place choice one point. The award goes to the player who receives the most overall points. Edinson Vólquez received three second-place votes in 2008 balloting despite no longer being a rookie under the award's definition.

The award has drawn criticism in recent years because several players with experience in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) have won the award, such as Hideo Nomo in 1995, Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2000, Ichiro Suzuki in 2001, and Shohei Ohtani in 2018. The current definition of rookie status for the award is based only on Major League experience, but some feel that past NPB players are not true rookies because of their past professional experience. Others, however, believe it should make no difference since the first recipient and the award's namesake played for the Negro leagues before his MLB career and thus could also not be considered a "true rookie". This issue arose in 2003 when Hideki Matsui narrowly lost the AL award to Ángel Berroa. Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune said he did not see Matsui as a rookie in 2003 because "it would be an insult to the Japanese league to pretend that experience didn't count." The Japan Times ran a story in 2007 on the labeling of Daisuke Matsuzaka, Kei Igawa, and Hideki Okajima as rookies, saying "[t]hese guys aren't rookies." Past winners such as Jackie Robinson, Don Newcombe, and Sam Jethroe had professional experience in the Negro leagues.

Winners

Key

YearLinks to the article about the corresponding Major League Baseball season†Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum^Denotes player who is still active*Denotes year in which the award was shared§Unanimous selection+Denotes lead Major Leagues in that category

Major Leagues combined (1947–48) YearPlayerTeamPosition Selected statistics Ref † Brooklyn Dodgers 1B.297 batting average 125 runs scored 29 stolen bases Boston Braves SS.322 batting average 3 home runs 48 runs batted in

American League winners (1949–present) YearPlayerTeamPosition Selected statistics RefSt. Louis BrownsOF.306 batting average 16 home runs 91 runs batted inBoston Red Sox1B.322 batting average 34 home runs 144 runs batted inNew York Yankees3B.306 batting average 14 home runs 63 runs batted inP3.31 earned run average 15 complete games 15–15 record in 37 appearances (28 games started)Detroit TigersSS.308 batting average 94 runs scored 209 hitsNew York YankeesP3.26 earned run average 199 innings pitched 20–6 record in 37 appearances (20 games started)Cleveland IndiansP2.85 earned run average innings pitched 16–10 record in 32 games started†Chicago White SoxSS.266 batting average 21 stolen bases 69 runs scoredNew York YankeesSS.297 batting average 56 runs scored 39 runs batted inWashington SenatorsOF.275 batting average 3 home runs 63 runs scoredWashington SenatorsOF.261 batting average 30 home runs 85 runs batted inBaltimore OriolesSS.255 batting average 22 home runs 86 runs batted inBoston Red SoxP3.22 earned run average innings pitched 15–7 record in 25 games startedNew York YankeesSS.286 batting average 20 home runs 93 runs batted inChicago White SoxP2.33 earned run average 243 innings pitched 19–8 record in 41 appearances (30 games started)†Minnesota TwinsOF.323 batting average 32 home runs 94 runs batted inBaltimore OriolesOF.260 batting average 22 home runs 70 runs batted inChicago White SoxOF.273 batting average 44 stolen bases 98 runs scored 29.3 Power-Speed #+†Minnesota Twins2B.292 batting average 8 home runs 66 runs scoredNew York YankeesP2.05 earned run average innings pitched 17–12 record in 34 games startedKansas City RoyalsOF.282 batting average 11 home runs 68 runs batted inNew York YankeesC.302 batting average 53 runs batted in 52% caught stealing percentage in the fieldCleveland Indians1B.275 batting average 9 home runs 48 runs batted in†§Boston Red SoxC.293 batting average 22 home runs 61 runs batted inBaltimore OriolesOF.337 batting average 11 triples 73 runs scoredTexas Rangers1B.323 batting average .395 on-base percentage 66 runs batted inBoston Red SoxOF.331 batting average 47 doubles 105 runs batted inDetroit TigersP2.34 earned run average 24 complete games 19–9 record in 29 games started†Baltimore OriolesDH.283 batting average 27 home runs 88 runs batted inDetroit Tigers2B.285 batting average 3 home runs 58 runs batted in*Minnesota Twins3B.285 batting average 8 triples 52 runs batted inToronto Blue JaysSS.287 batting average 10 triples 81 runs scoredCleveland IndiansOF.289 batting average 23 home runs 87 runs batted inNew York YankeesP2.05 earned run average innings pitched 8–4 record in 15 games started†Baltimore OriolesSS.264 batting average 28 home runs 93 runs batted inChicago White SoxOF.254 batting average 35 home runs 100 runs batted inSeattle Mariners1B.284 batting average 27 home runs 116 runs batted inChicago White SoxSS.273 batting average 9 triples 71 runs scoredOakland AthleticsOF.240 batting average 33 home runs 117 runs batted in§Oakland Athletics1B.289 batting average 49 home runs 118 runs batted inOakland AthleticsSS.250 batting average 3 home runs 39 runs batted inBaltimore OriolesP1.69 earned run average 85 innings pitched 27 saves§Cleveland IndiansC.290 batting average 9 home runs 66 runs batted inMinnesota Twins2B.281 batting average 25 stolen bases 78 runs scoredMilwaukee BrewersSS.290 batting average 54 stolen bases 93 runs scored§OF.283 batting average 31 home runs 95 runs batted inKansas City RoyalsDH.282 batting average 24 home runs 65 runs batted inMinnesota TwinsOF.277 batting average 24 home runs 84 runs batted in†§New York YankeesSS.314 batting average 10 home runs 104 runs scored§Boston Red SoxSS.306 batting average 30 home runs 122 runs scoredOakland AthleticsOF.288 batting average 18 home runs 89 runs batted in†Kansas City RoyalsOF.293 batting average 22 home runs 108 runs batted inSeattle MarinersP3.16 earned run average 78 strikeouts 37 saves†Seattle MarinersOF.350 batting average 56 stolen bases+ 242 Hits+ 127 runs scoredToronto Blue Jays3B.279 batting average 24 home runs 84 runs batted inKansas City RoyalsSS.287 batting average 21 stolen bases 92 runs scoredOakland AthleticsSS.239 batting average 22 home runs 64 runs batted inOakland AthleticsP1.72 earned run average innings pitched 23 saves^Detroit TigersP 3.63 earned run average 186 innings pitched 17–9 record in 30 games startedBoston Red Sox2B .317 batting average 39 doubles 86 runs scored§Tampa Bay Rays3B.272 batting average 27 home runs 85 runs batted inOakland AthleticsP1.84 earned run average innings pitched 26 savesTexas RangersP2.73 earned run average innings pitched 40 savesTampa Bay RaysP2.95 earned run average 117 strikeouts 13–10 record in 29 games started^§Los Angeles AngelsOF.326 batting average 30 home runs 129 runs scored 49 stolen bases^Tampa Bay RaysOF.293 batting average 13 home runs 53 runs batted in^§Chicago White Sox1B.317 batting average 36 home runs 107 runs batted in^Houston AstrosSS.279 batting average 22 home runs 68 runs batted in^Detroit TigersP3.06 earned run average 132 strikeouts 11–7 record in 26 games started^§New York YankeesOF.284 batting average 52 home runs 114 runs batted in 128 runs scored^Los Angeles AngelsP/DH.285 batting average 22 home runs 4–2 record in 11 games started 63 strikeouts^§Houston AstrosDH/OF.313 batting average 27 home runs 78 runs batted in 58 runs scored^§Seattle MarinersOF.267 batting average 11 home runs 28 runs batted in 37 runs scored^Tampa Bay RaysOF.274 batting average 20 home runs 69 runs batted in 94 runs scored^Seattle MarinersOF.284 batting average 28 home runs 25 stolen bases 75 runs batted in 84 runs scored^§Baltimore OriolesSS/3B.255 batting average 28 home runs 82 runs batted in 100 runs scored^New York YankeesP3.50 earned run average 171 strikeouts 15–7 record in 29 games started^§Athletics1B.290 batting average 36 home runs 86 runs batted in 90 runs scored

National League winners (1949–present) YearPlayerTeamPosition Selected statistics RefP 3.17 earned run average 5 shutouts 17–8 record in 31 games startedOF .273 batting average 35 stolen bases 100 runs scored†OF .274 batting average 20 home runs 68 runs batted inP 2.15 earned run average 15 saves 15–4 record in 56 appearances2B .278 batting average 17 triples 125 runs scoredSt. Louis CardinalsOF .304 batting average 12 home runs 106 runs scoredSt. Louis CardinalsOF .281 batting average 17 home runs 68 runs batted in†§Cincinnati RedsOF .290 batting average 38 home runs 122 runs scoredPhiladelphia PhilliesP 3.08 earned run average 188 strikeouts 19–8 record in 33 games started†§San Francisco Giants1B .312 batting average 25 home runs 96 runs batted in†§San Francisco Giants1B .354 batting average 13 home runs 38 runs batted inLos Angeles DodgersOF .268 batting average 23 home runs 77 runs batted in†Chicago CubsOF .278 batting average 25 home runs 86 runs batted inChicago Cubs2B .260 batting average 90 runs scored Gold Glove AwardCincinnati Reds2B .273 batting average 9 triples 101 runs scored†Philadelphia Phillies3B .318 batting average 13 triples 125 runs scoredLos Angeles Dodgers2B .250 batting average 12 home runs 69 runs batted inCincinnati Reds2B .284 batting average 9 home runs 72 runs scored†New York MetsP 2.76 earned run average 251 innings pitched 16–13 record in 34 games started†Cincinnati RedsC .275 batting average 15 home runs 82 runs batted inLos Angeles Dodgers2B .271 batting average 4 home runs 69 runs scoredMontreal ExposP 3.60 earned run average innings pitched