The Pittsburgh Pirates’ right-hand pitcher Paul Skenes was named the National League Rookie of the Year for 2024, while the New York Yankees’ righty Luis Gil received the same honors in the American League.
Skenes finished comfortably at the top with 136 points, receiving 23 first-place votes and seven second-place votes. The San Diego Padres’ center fielder Jackson Merrill received the remaining seven first-place votes and 23 second-place votes to finish with 104 points. Outfielder Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee Brewers) and pitcher Shota Imanaga (Chicago Cubs) finished third and fourth respectively.
Gil, on the other hand, narrowly managed to beat out Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser. Gil had 15 first-place votes and 106 points, while Cowser had 13 first-place votes and 101 points. Oakland A’s Mason Miller and Cubs’ Cade Smith also received first-place votes.
Paul Skenes, taken first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, is considered one of the most exciting pitching prospects in recent memory. He made 23 starts in 2024, going 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts. He had the lowest ERA by a rookie in more than a century and the lowest this season among pitchers who threw 130 or more innings.
Skenes is also a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award, given to the best pitcher in the National League for the past season.
Luis Gil, on the other hand, started his professional career in his native Dominican Republic before making his minors debut in 2018 with the Yankees. After seeing some MLB action in 2021 and 2022, Gil made 29 starts in 2024 and went 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA and 171 strikeouts.
