Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India has been named the National League Rookie of the Year, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced on Monday.
India, 24, appeared in 150 games, compiling an .835 OPS that included 21 home runs. He led all rookies in walks and hit-by-pitches, leading to a .376 on-base percentage that ranked fifth among all hitters in the NL.
“I said at the beginning of the year, you know, this was my goal, this was my personal goal,” said India, who was surrounded by his family during a video call with MLB Network. “And I don’t set many personal goals for myself, I just had a feeling this is what I wanted.”
India was even better while batting leadoff for the Reds as he slashed .275/.383/.482 in the No. 1 hole. India, the fifth overall pick by the Reds in 2018, received 29 of the 30 first-place votes. He beat out St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson and Miami Marlins lefty starter Trevor Rogers, who received the only other first-place vote and finished second.
Carlson played all three outfield positions while compiling a .780 OPS that included 18 home runs. Rogers started 25 games for the Marlins while giving up just 107 hits in 133 innings. His 2.64 ERA would have ranked fifth in the NL if he had qualified for the ERA title.
India is the eighth Reds player to win Rookie of the Year and the first to do it this century. Cincinnati is now tied with the Braves and Athletics for the third most Rookie of the Year winners, trailing only the Dodgers (18) and Yankees (9).