(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MLB has many awards that are still up for grabs in the second half.
One of those awards is the National League Rookie of the Year.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll is the heavy favorite for the award.
He was an All-Star Game starter and is an NL MVP candidate.
But there is one NL rookie who might be even more exciting than Carroll.
That is Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
He has been a game-changer for the Reds in his first 30 MLB games.
The Reds are 22-8 when De La Cruz plays and have found themselves in first in the NL Central.
Even FOX Sports: MLB on Twitter is hyping up the NL ROY race for the second half.
Midseason Awards time! Cast your vote below!
NL Rookie of the Year:
– @Dbacks OF Corbin Carroll
– @Reds SS/3B Elly De La Cruz pic.twitter.com/VWDITAcyQH
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 12, 2023
De La Cruz will be at a significant disadvantage in games played.
He was not called up until June 6, while Carroll started the year in the big leagues.
Even so, De La Cruz might be able to do enough in a short time to claim the award.
Comparing these two players, they might be the two fastest in baseball.
According to Statcast, De La Cruz leads baseball in sprint speed at 30.5 feet per second, while Carroll is sixth at 30.1 feet per second.
Carroll has 26 stolen bases on the year in 86 games.
De La Cruz has 16 in 30 games.
There might not be a more aggressive baserunner in the sport than De La Cruz.
Every time he gets on base he is looking to steal a bag.
These are two of the most fun players to watch in baseball.
It will be fun to see who walks away with the ROY award at season’s end.
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