Delino DeShields of the Texas Rangers named the American League Rookie of the Month for May

June 3, 2015

Texas Rangers outfielder Delino DeShields has been named American League Rookie of the Month for May.

DeShields batted .296 (24-for-81) with 22 runs scored, four doubles, two triples, nine RBI and 10 stolen bases to claim his first monthly award. He is the first Rangers player to win AL Rookie of the Month honors since Justin Grimm in April 2013. The 22-year-old paced AL rookies in runs scored, triples, stolen bases, walks (15) and on-base percentage (.406), and finished third in hits and RBI.

The eighth overall selection in the 2010 MLB Draft (by Houston) has been a difference-maker on the base paths in his freshman campaign. On May 7th, Delino went 0-for-1, but had three walks, two runs and three stolen bases. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was only the second time in the last 23 seasons that a rookie recorded at least three walks and three stolen bases in an MLB game. The 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen did so on August 11, 2009 against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. In fact, the only other player in Rangers franchise history (rookie or not) with such a game was Elvis Andrus on April 20, 2010 in an away tilt with the Boston Red Sox.

DeShields' three stolen bases were the most by a Rangers player since Craig Gentry had three stolen bases on September 18, 2013 in a contest with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. The Gaston, Georgia native recorded 10 stolen bases for the month of May, marking just the third time in Rangers club history that a rookie recorded 10 or more stolen bases (Julio Borbon's 11 in August 2009 and David Hulse's 10 in May 1993). The right-handed-hitting outfielder added another career-high to his resume, following his three-hit performance on May 13th in a home contest with the Kansas City Royals in which he came up a home run shy of the cycle.

In only 37 games played thus far, the speedster leads all Major League rookies in stolen bases with 12 and has only been caught once. With DeShields atop the Rangers order, Texas posted the second-highest winning percentage (.633) in the AL during May with a 19-11 record, following only the Minnesota Twins' 20-7 mark. It was the Rangers' highest winning percentage and most wins in a month since they went 20-7 (.741) in August 2013.

Others receiving votes for AL Rookie of the Month included Billy Burns (.327, 36 H, 17 R, 9 SB) of the Oakland Athletics; Joey

Butler (.342, 6 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI), Nathan Karns (2-1, 1.88 ERA, 28.2 IP, 28 SO) and Steven Souza, Jr. (16 R, 5 2B, 6 HR, 11 RBI) of the Tampa Bay Rays; and DeShields' teammate Keone Kela (4-0, 1.32 ERA, 14 G, 13 SO).

In recognition of his American League Rookie of the Month Award, Delino DeShields will receive a specially designed trophy, suitably engraved, for his accomplishment.