Correa named American League Rookie of the Year

HOUSTON, TX - The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) announced the winners of the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award tonight, naming Astros shortstop Carlos Correa the American League Rookie of the Year and Kris Bryant the National League Rookie of the Year.

Correa, who debuted on June 8 and was the youngest position player in the Majors this season, hit .279 (108x387) with 22 doubles, 22 home runs, 68 RBI, 14 stolen bases and an .857 OPS in his 99 games in 2015. Among AL rookies, Correa ranked first in home runs, slugging (.512) and OPS, while ranking second in RBI and on-base percentage (.345), and third in batting average (min. 400 PA). With 22 home runs this season, Correa set both the franchise rookie record for home runs and the franchise record for home runs by a shortstop.

The only rookie shortstop in Major League history to record more career homers than Correa prior to turning 21 was Alex Rodriguez (26HR). Correa also became one of 19 players in Major League history to record 22 homers before his age-21 season, a list that includes seven Hall of Famers.

Correa's success continued into October, as he became the youngest player in American League history to record a multi-homer game in the postseason, which he did in Game 4 of the ALDS. He also joined Joe DiMaggio (1936) and Mickey Mantle (1952) as just the third player in Major League history age 21 or younger to hit third in the starting lineup of a postseason game.

Correa becomes just the second player in franchise history to win the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award, joining first baseman Jeff Bagwell, who won the National League award in 1991. He also becomes the sixth Puerto Rico native to win the Rookie of the Year, joining Orlando Cepeda (1958), Benito Santiago (1987), Sandy Alomar (1990), Carlos Beltran (1999) and Geovany Soto (2008).

This award, in which Correa topped AL finalists Francisco Lindor and Miguel Sano, gives Correa a clean sweep of the major rookie awards this offseason, as he has already been named the Sporting News AL Rookie of the Year and the MLBPA Players Choice Award for the AL Most Outstanding Rookie.

Correa was one of three Astros finalists for BBWAA Awards as manager A.J. Hinch is a finalist for AL Manager of the Year and left-handed pitcher Dallas Keuchel a finalist for the AL Cy Young. The winner of the remaining BBWAA awards will be announced live on MLB Network this week with the Manager of the Year announced tomorrow (Nov. 17), the Cy Young on Wednesday (Nov. 18) and the Most Valuable Player on Thursday (Nov. 19).

Houston has picked up two national BBWAA awards in the same year just once, in 1986, when Scott won the Cy Young and Lanier won the Manager of the Year. The last time any Major League team had three individuals win three of the four BBWAA awards in a single season was in 1993 when the White Sox were represented by Gene Lamont (Manager of the Year), Jack McDowell (Cy Young) and Frank Thomas (MVP).

This announcement continues a busy award season for the Astros, as Hinch and his 2015 Astros have been named award winners and finalists for several major awards. A full list of offseason awards and recognitions involving 2015 Astros is below.

Jose Altuve
-Rawlings AL Gold Glove winner, second base
-AL Silver Slugger winner, second base
-MLBPA Players Choice Always Game Award

Jason Castro
-Rawlings AL Gold Glove finalist, catcher

Carlos Correa
-BBWAA AL Rookie of the Year
-MLBPAA Players Choice Award for AL Most Outstanding Rookie
-The Sporting News AL Rookie of the Year

Dallas Keuchel
-MLBPAA Players Choice Award for AL Most Outstanding Pitcher
-BBWAA AL Cy Young finalist
-Rawlings AL Gold Glove winner, pitcher
-The Fielding Bible Award, given to the best fielding pitcher in the Major Leagues
-The Starting Pitcher on the Sporting News AL All-Star Team
-Warren Spahn Award, given to the top left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball

A.J. Hinch
-BBWAA AL Manager of the Year finalist

-ASTROS-