With two weeks remaining in the MLB regular season, it is a three-player race for the 2024 Rookie of the Year. All three frontrunners are from the top two teams in the AL East with two members of the New York Yankees and one from the Baltimore Orioles. Pitcher Luis Gil from the Yankees is the current frontrunner at BetMGM at +115 odds, but battery mate Austin Wells is second overall at +150. Leftfielder Colton “The Milkman” Cowser from the Orioles is a close third at +230 odds.
Luis Gil +115
Gil Made a huge splash for the Yankees just two years removed from Tommy John surgery in 2022. The right-handed Gil earned a spot in the starting rotation because ace Gerrit Cole began the season on the IL.
The rookie didn’t squander his opportunity despite a bumpy beginning with one loss and two no decisions in his first three starts in April. Gil caught fire and went 9-0 with two no decisions over his next 11 starts. By mid-June, a sizzling Gil was 9-1 through his first 14 starts with a 2.03 ERA (best in the AL at the time) an 0.98 ERA.
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Gil was +10000 odds to win the AL Rookie of the Year at the start of the season but emerged as one of the betting favorites by July. He remained near the top of BetMGM’s MLB awards board even after he lost four consecutive starts during a slump prior to the All-Star Break.
After a short stint on the IL in August, Gil returned to the starting rotation and looked refreshed. He’s won 50% of his starts this season with 26 starts through mid-September. He’s 13-6 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He also struck out 156 batters in 135 innings.
Gil is the consensus favorite at all sportsbooks, and you can back him right now to be the AL Rookie of the Year at +115 odds at BetMGM.
Austin Wells +150
Anytime you’re batting cleanup for the Yankees, it’s a big deal. Especially when you’re the guy protecting slugger Aaron Judge, who leads the MLB in home runs. Catcher Austin Wells has become an instant fan favorite in the Bronx for his defense, hitting prowess, mustache, and a viral video that has definitely boosted his profile outside of the Big Apple.
Wells took over as the starting catcher when Jose Trevino went on the IL in July, and his odds have gradually improved since then. You could’ve taken a flier on Wells at +700 odds at the end of July, and he’s currently within striking distance of Gil at +150 odds.
It’s been a wild ride for Wells who went from a platoon catcher at the start of the season to a Top 5 catcher in the big leagues. Scouts knew he could call a great game behind the plate and had a stellar knack for pitch framing. However, his hitting has drawn huge raves, and the lefty has been able to take advantage of the short porch in right field.
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“He’s been outstanding,” said manager Aaron Boone. “Such a key cog in the middle of the order for the last few months. Really coming into his own as a hitter and all the while doing it at such a critical position.”
Through mid-September, Wells appeared in 105 games. He drove in 50 RBI and hit 13 home runs, the second-best out of all rookie catchers in franchise history. He’s slashing at .247/.335/.425.
Wells has become a popular follow among younger fans in the TikTok generation after one of his videos went viral https://www.tiktok.com/@awells162/video/6823831128579771654 https://x.com/maggie112199/status/1829006536275874128).
The video quickly made the rounds among fans and the rest of the league. That zaniness would’ve sent deceased owner George Steinbrenner on mega-tilt, but that’s exactly the kind of goofy and lighthearted content that the youngest generation of baseball fans love to consume. The viral video coincided with a hot hitting streak, which was also reflected in Wells’ betting odds to win the AL Rookie of the Year.
Colton Cowser +230
Orioles announcer Ben McDonald has a knack for giving out nicknames to young players and the “Milkman” stuck for Colton Cowser. It was a play on the “cow” and fans embraced it.
The Orioles selected Cowser with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft after a standout stint at Sam Houston State. Throughout his first 142 games, Cowser hit 20 home runs and drove in 49 runs. He’s slashing at .242/.322/.434.
During Cowser’s power surge early in the season, he rocketed to the top of the AL Rookie of the Year betting markets. In early August, Colton was the favorite at -220 odds and held a decent lead over Gil (+280) and Wells (+700).
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After smacking 16 home runs through the end of July, Crowser only hit four dingers in August and has yet to hit one through mid-September. The Milkman has been slumping, and he’s also no longer flying under the radar because opposing teams are not giving him anything to hit.
Cowser attempts to help the Orioles win back-to-back AL Rookie of the Year awards. Teammate and shortstop Gunnar Henderson won the 2023 AL Rookie of the Year, and he played a pivotal role on a team that won 101 games and clinched the AL East. If the Milkman can finish out the regular season on an upswing, he will make the AL Rookie of the Year race even tighter than it is.
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