Arozarena, India earn Baseball Digest honors

November 10th, 2021

Rays outfielder and Reds second baseman have been selected as the 2021 Baseball Digest/eBay American and National League Rookies of the Year.

This marks the 50th year Baseball Digest has presented AL and NL Rookie of the Year awards. The selections were made by an eight-member (seven-vote) panel of Baseball Digest contributors as well as editor Thom Henninger, with panelists submitting votes independently.

Arozarena received five of the seven first-place votes cast in the AL, while Astros pitcher Luis Garcia and Rangers outfielder Adolis García received one each. India, meanwhile, got six first-place votes in the NL, with the other first-place vote going to Marlins pitcher Trevor Rogers. Arozarena and India are also finalists for the Baseball Writers' Association of America Rookie of the Year Awards.

Although he broke out during the 2020 postseason, setting single-year playoff records for hits (23) and homers (10), Arozarena retained his MLB rookie status in 2021. The 26-year-old became the first Rays rookie and the 11th AL/NL rookie to post a 20-homer, 20-steal season. He also led all rookies in hits (145) while slashing .274/.356/.459 in 604 plate appearances for the AL East-champion Rays.

India, the fifth-overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, becomes the second Reds player to win Baseball Digest's NL Rookie of the Year award, joining Chris Sabo (1988).

India made his MLB debut on Opening Day in 2021 and cemented himself as the Reds' starting second baseman. The 25-year-old led all rookies in games played (150), runs scored (98), doubles (34) and walks (71) and topped NL rookies in extra-base hits (57), RBIs (69) and total bases (244). India also reached base at a .376 clip, the best mark among rookies who logged at least 250 plate appearances in 2021.