Why Guardians’ Parker Messick Could Have Won the AL Rookie of the Year Award
· Yahoo Sports
Cleveland Guardians left-handed starting pitcherParker Messick has finished in second place for the American League Rookie of the Year Award as the league’s best rookie. Detroit Tigers shortstop/third baseman Kevin McGonigle received 28 out of 30 first-place votes to win the award. McGonigle entered the season as a consensus top three prospect in the sport. Messick received the other two first-place votes and 25 second-place votes, which easily secured a second-place finish for him over the Red Sox’s starting pitcher Payton Tolle and the White Sox’s first baseman Munetaka Murakami. Teammate Chase DeLauter also received a second-place vote and finished sixth overall in the voting.
The 25-year-old pitcher produced 4.9 fWAR in 186 1/3 innings, which ranked fourth overall in the AL. Messick limited opponents to a 2.56 ERA (3.07 FIP) while starting 32 games for the Guardians. He struck out 25.8% of batters, and his 6.6% walk rate ranked in the top ten in the AL. Per Baseball Savant’s Pitching Run Value, his +26 PRV ranked in the 98th percentile amongst all pitchers. He found success in limiting barrels and hard hits. His barrel rate of 5% ranked in the 88th percentile, while his hard-hit rate of 34.3% ranked in the 80th percentile.
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Previous winners of the AL Rookie of the Year Award includeOakland Athletics’ first baseman Nick Kurtz (2025), New York Yankees’ pitcher Luis Gil (2024), and Baltimore Orioles’ shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2023). Messick joins a list of Cleveland winners, such as Sandy Alomar (1990), Joe Charboneau (1980), Chris Chambliss (1971), and Herb Score (1955).
Parker Messick Drafted in 2022, Debuted Last Season
Messick was drafted in the second round of the 2022 draft by the Guardians. He debuted in the majors last year and produced a 2.72 ERA (2.98 FIP) in 39 2/3 innings. The threshold for innings pitched for a pitcher to retain their rookie eligibility is 50 innings, which is why Messick was still considered a rookie in his second year in the majors. He struck out 38 batters and walked six while starting in seven games.
Messick has six pitches in his repertoire. He relies on his four-seam fastball, which causes fits for right-handed hitters (+19 PRV). Overall, his four-seamer produced a .186/.248/.295 slash line and had a 25.1% whiff rate. His changeup and sinker also yielded +6 PRV against right-handers. He can mix in a curveball, slider, and a cutter, but with less efficiency. In his first taste of the playoffs in 2026, he uncharacteristically walked ten batters in 13 2/3 innings while striking out 17. He would finish with a 3.95 ERA (3.98 FIP) in four starts.
Oct 13, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick (77) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning in game two of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn ImagesWhy He Could Have Won
While McGonigle was the odds-on favorite to win the award, as he led all rookies in WAR, perhaps Messick’s best argument is his health and durability. He did not miss a start this season and was among the league leaders in innings pitched.
Many rookie starting pitchers struggle with a full pitching load and will often fade as the season progresses. Messick did not. During the September playoff race, when the Guardians were actively trying to win the division and secure a bye in the playoffs, Messick started in five games and posted a 3.20 ERA (3.06 FIP) while accruing 0.6 fWAR. For a Guardians team that did not have starting pitching depth, Messick’s ability to pitch well down the stretch was instrumental in Cleveland winning their division.
Last Word
Messick, also nominated for the AL Cy Young Award, looks to be one of several young stars Cleveland is cultivating. Along with outfielder DeLauter and several top 100 prospects in AAA, the Guardians have a great foundation of young talent on the horizon. Messick and the young core will look to build on a year that ended with an ALCS appearance.
As a finalist for the AL Cy Young Award, Messick ensures Cleveland will be awarded a PPI (Prospect Promotion Incentive) draft selection in the upcoming draft. The PPI pick will be slotted after the first round. To earn the bonus draft pick, Messick’s inclusion as a finalist rewards Cleveland for carrying Messick on their roster for the duration of the season.
Main Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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