The Baseball Writers’ Association of America has named Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle the 2026 American League Rookie of the Year, and Reds infielder Sal Stewart the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year.
McGonigle, who led the AL with 707 plate appearances this past season, posted an .806 OPS with 18 home runs, 72 RBIs and 12 steals during his debut campaign. He also had +10 defensive runs saved overall (+2 at shortstop and +8 at third base).
McGonigle received 28 of 30 first-place votes in the balloting, with Guardians left-hander Parker Messick receiving the other two.
“I don’t really know how to put it into words,” McGonigle said. “I’m just super grateful for how this season went. I worked my butt off to play and help this team win. I want to thank my coaches, my teammates, my family and friends and the community for their support throughout this journey. It’s hard to put into words. I’m just super grateful.”
Stewart, meanwhile, had a tremendous rookie campaign of his own, particularly in the slugging department. The 22-year-old, who played in all 162 games and appeared at three infield positions -- first base (117 games), third base (45) and second base (eight) -- launched 32 home runs, becoming the first NL rookie with 30-plus homers since Pete Alonso in 2019 (53).
Stewart received 20 of 30 first-place votes in the BBWAA balloting, with Mets outfielder Carson Benge receiving seven and Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt garnering three.
Upon learning he had won the prestigious honor, Stewart used one word, in particular, to describe the feeling.
“Relieved,” Stewart said. “I told myself that this award wouldn’t define me. That’s how I was raised. I’m excited. I worked hard for this moment. A lot of people doubted me. I’m focused.”
McGonigle, whom Detroit selected 37th overall in the 2023 Draft, is the sixth Tigers player to be named Rookie of the Year and the first Detroit position player to win the honor since Lou Whitaker in 1978.
Not only was McGonigle a premier rookie in 2026, but he led all AL players with 7.1 Baseball Reference WAR. That made him the first rookie to lead his league in bWAR since Mike Trout in 2012 (10.5). His all-around excellence, including the defensive versatility to appear in 96 games at shortstop (78 starts) and 94 at third base (72 starts), was all the more impressive given that he did all of that in his age-21 campaign.
Then there was his work in the batter’s box, where McGonigle’s ability to control the strike zone resulted in a .376 on-base percentage that ranked sixth in the league and led all qualified Major League rookies. He placed among the top 12 percent or better among qualified batters in chase rate (19.6%, 98th percentile), whiff rate (16.2%, 89th), strikeout rate (14.1%, 88th) and walk rate (13.4%, 94th).
McGonigle became the fourth rookie in AL/NL history to record at least 95 walks (95) and 95 runs scored (97) since the Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1947, joining Aaron Judge (2017), Hall of Famer Joe Morgan (1965) and Jim Gilliam (1953).
Selected by the Reds as the 32nd overall pick in the 2022 Draft, Stewart is the ninth player in franchise history to win the Rookie of the Year Award and the second this century after Jonathan India won the honor in 2021. His performance placed him in some elite company, both in Reds and Major League history.
Stewart became the second Reds rookie to hit at least 30 homers, joining Hall of Famer and 1956 Rookie of the Year Frank Robinson. With his 112 RBIs, which ranked second in the NL to Alec Burleson’s 116, Stewart became the first Reds rookie and the 14th rookie overall to post a 30-homer, 100-RBI season.
“A few years ago, in high school, I was having a conversation with Frank Robinson,” Stewart said. “Like, are you kidding me, man? I always told myself throughout the years that it’s on to the next game, on to the next game, but today I can sit here and realize that I’m fortunate to be in a conversation with those people.”
The 2026 Rookies of the Year were the cream of a special crop of young players around the game who made a major impact. McGonigle and Stewart were each selected as All-Stars this past summer, and each of them is now the recipient of the greatest individual honor to which a rookie can aspire.