Favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year award, outfielder Corbin Carroll did not disappoint in his major league debut.
Heading into yesterday’s game, the Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder was leading several offensive categories for a rookie player including batting average. The Seattle native and 2019 Diamondbacks first pick, sixteenth overall, is a key part of the DBacks’ success thus far.
Carroll also led in runs scored (31), stolen bases (14) and slugging average (.591).
Yesterday, in a loss to the Boston Red Sox, he went without a hit in four at bats, dropping his batting average (which was .285) to .278. His power average also dropped to .491.
The Diamondbacks sit second in their division, two and a half games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. The good performance of the rookie outfielder is no stranger to the collective successes experienced in Arizona.
Plus, his defensive brilliance makes the Diamondbacks’ outfield one of the strongest right now.
There are a few good contenders for best freshman in 2023, including James Outman (Dodgers) and Brett Baty (Mets), but Carroll has a solid head start thanks to a steady pace both offensively and defensively.
Plus, his obvious impact on his team’s performance adds to his individual stats.
Cobin Carroll should be wary of a slump that can happen over the course of a long season, but his team’s good positioning in the standings will keep him awake and motivated to continue in the same vein.
In 2023, the Arizona Diamondbacks have gone from shadow to light and the dynamism of Corbin Carroll certainly has something to do with it. Let’s hope that the positive contamination can continue until the playoffs.
