DETROIT -- Add another award to Kevin McGonigle’s burgeoning trophy case. The Tigers infielder and American League Rookie of the Year finalist was named Tiger of the Year on Wednesday in a vote by members of the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
McGonigle is the first rookie to win Tiger of the Year since Riley Greene in 2022, and just the third rookie to win since the award’s inception in 1965. Mark Fidrych won the award for his incredible rookie season in 1976. Fidrych also won AL Rookie of the Year, a double feat McGonigle hopes to repeat.
McGonigle captured 21 of 23 first-place votes from BBWAA members, with Greene and Dillon Dingler also receiving support. In so doing, McGonigle became the first middle infielder to win Tiger of the Year since then-shortstop Carlos Guillén in 2006. It’s an impressive feat for a top prospect and 2023 supplemental first-round Draft pick who leapfrogged Triple-A to crack the Tigers’ Opening Day roster out of Spring Training.
“I hope he’s as proud of his season as we are,” manager A.J. Hinch said at season’s end. “We’re going to build around him, because we need a lot more of Kevin McGonigle characteristics in and around our club to push our organization forward. He is phenomenal in every way and deserves the hardware he’s about to get.”
McGonigle’s 7.1 bWAR led not only the Tigers but the entire American League. Dingler was the next-highest Tiger at 4.2. McGonigle’s 5.4 fWAR also led the Tigers, albeit by a smaller margin over Dingler at 5.0. McGonigle led the Tigers in a handful of categories, including hits, runs scored, triples, walks, total bases and stolen bases, but the strength of his all-around contributions punctuated his value.
McGonigle became the first Major League rookie to post at least 97 runs, 28 doubles, 18 home runs, 72 RBIs and 95 walks since Ted Williams in 1939. He’s the first rookie since Aaron Judge in 2017 to record 95 walks and 95 runs scored. After Hinch eased McGonigle into the big leagues by batting him sixth in Detroit’s batting order, he quickly earned a place near the top; he hit fourth or higher the rest of the way, except for a pinch-hit appearance in the sixth spot.
Only Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez (7.2) had a higher offensive WAR among American Leaguers than McGonigle’s 6.0. His 1.9 defensive WAR ranked sixth.
"Think about what he just did,” president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. “He led the American League in plate appearances and led the American League in WAR and put up one of the best rookie seasons, certainly in this organization’s history, but maybe of all time? And he did it while moving positions.”