National League 2023 Rookie of the Year Betting: Can Elly De La Cruz Make a Run?

The National League Rookie of the Year award is a race far more decided than the American League Rookie of the Year, with the top player at -550. Still, there’s a recent call-up right on his heels.

Below, we’ll examine the MLB betting odds for the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year award and see if there’s any value in what appears to be a one-sided race.

Favorites for the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year Award

Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks

6/23/23 Hitting Stats: .298/.379/.576, 16 HRs, 40 RBIs, 56 Ks, 78 Hits

6/23/23 Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook (-550)

Corbin Carroll is the top dog in the sports betting odds for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. If not for Elly De La Cruz (spoiler alert below), this award wouldn’t be remotely close. 

Across the entire MLB, Carroll has the following stat rankings:

• Batting Average: Tied for 12th
• Home Runs Tied for 13th
• Slugging Percentage: 3rd

He’s been an incredibly productive player for the 46-30 Diamondbacks, who are in first place in the NL West by 3.5 games over the San Francisco Giants.

Barring injury, Carroll will continue to produce and have more games under his belt to reiterate his production. 

Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds

6/23/23 Hitting Stats: .321/.387/.536, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, 19 Ks, 18 Hits

6/23/23 Odds: FanDuel Sportsbook (+950)

Called up to the big leagues at the beginning of June, Elly De La Cruz has burst onto the scene, including a home run in his second-ever MLB game.

His batting average is excellent at .321, but he’s only appeared in 14 games. That’s not his fault since that’s when he was called up. Still, with a candidate like Carroll ahead of him and not slowing down, De La Cruz, despite an excellent rookie start, may be unable to catch him, barring injury or catastrophic meltdown statistically. 

If his futures odds get out past +1000 it might be worth a small wager, but still, this seems like an impossible award to win at this point. 

Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets

6/23/23 Hitting Stats: .233/.286/.497, 12 HRs, 25 RBIs, 43 Ks, 38 Hits

6/23/23 Odds: Caesars Sportsbook (+3000)

You know the race is locked up when the player in third place odds-wise is at +3000. 

Alvarez has been a solid catcher for the Mets and has respectable home run numbers. 

Still, he has more strikeouts than hits, and his .233 batting average and .286 on-base percentage won’t get him anywhere near the top for this award.