In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given to the top rookie baseball player in the American and National Leagues.

Awarding began in 1947, coincidentally the year in which Jackie Robinson endured the toughest rookie year in baseball history. Fittingly, he won the award.

The award has come under scrutiny in recent years with the awarding to rookie Japanese players with prior experience in Japan. While rookies to Major League Baseball, players like Hideo Nomo, Kazuhiro Sasaki, Ichiro Suzuki, and Hideki Matsui were already tested professionals before coming to the United States. Some baseball writers questioned what the definition of rookie really is. Currently, there is no age restriction or restriction on experience outside of the Major Leagues.

Only two players, both in the American League, have been named Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same year—Fred Lynn in 1975 and Ichiro Suzuki in 2001.

What qualifies as a rookie?

In order to qualify for the award a player must have accumulated, prior to the season under consideration:

• Fewer than 130 at bats and 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues or
• Fewer than 45 days on the active rosters of Major League clubs (excluding DL time or any time after rosters are expanded on September first)

List of Rookie of the Year winners

Major Leagues combined (1947-1948)

Year	Player, Team, Position
1947	Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodgers, 1B
1948	Alvin Dark, Boston Braves, SS

American and National League winners (1949-present)

Year	American League	National League
1949	Roy Sievers , St. Louis Browns, OF	Don Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers, P
1950	Walt Dropo, Boston Red Sox, 1B	Sam Jethroe , Boston Braves, OF
1951	Gil McDougald, New York Yankees, 3B	Willie Mays, New York Giants, OF
1952	Harry Byrd, Philadelphia Athletics, P	Joe Black , Brooklyn Dodgers, P
1953	Harvey Kuenn, Detroit Tigers, SS	Jim Gilliam, Brooklyn Dodgers, 2B
1954	Bob Grim , New York Yankees, P	Wally Moon, St. Louis Cardinals, OF
1955	Herb Score, Cleveland Indians, P	Bill Virdon , St. Louis Cardinals, OF
1956	Luis Aparicio, Chicago White Sox, SS	Frank Robinson, Cincinnati Reds, OF
1957	Tony Kubek , New York Yankees, SS	Jack Sanford , Philadelphia Phillies, P
1958	Albie Pearson, Washington Senators, OF	Orlando Cepeda, San Francisco Giants, 1B
1959	Bob Allison, Washington Senators, OF	Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants, 1B
1960	Ron Hansen, Baltimore Orioles, SS	Frank Howard, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
1961	Don Schwall, Boston Red Sox, P	Billy Williams, Chicago Cubs, OF
1962	Tommy Tresh , New York Yankees, SS	Ken Hubbs, Chicago Cubs, 2B
1963	Gary Peters , Chicago White Sox, P	Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds
1964	Tony Oliva, Minnesota Twins, OF	Dick Allen, Philadelphia Phillies
1965	Curt Blefary, Baltimore Orioles, OF	Jim Lefebvre , Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B
1966	Tommie Agee, Chicago White Sox, OF	Tommy Helms , Cincinnati Reds, 2B
1967	Rod Carew, Minnesota Twins, 2B	Tom Seaver, New York Mets, P
1968	Stan Bahnsen , New York Yankees, P	Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds, C
1969	Lou Piniella, Kansas City Royals, OF	Ted Sizemore , Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B
1970	Thurman Munson, New York Yankees, C	Carl Morton , Montreal Expos, P
1971	Chris Chambliss , Cleveland Indians, 1B	Earl Williams, Atlanta Braves, C
1972	Carlton Fisk, Boston Red Sox, C	Jon Matlack , New York Mets, P
1973	Al Bumbry , Baltimore Orioles, OF	Gary Matthews , San Francisco Giants, OF
1974	Mike Hargrove, Texas Rangers, 1B	Bake McBride , St. Louis Cardinals, OF
1975	Fred Lynn, Boston Red Sox, OF	John Montefusco , San Francisco Giants, P
1976	Mark Fidrych, Detroit Tigers, P	Butch Metzger , San Diego Padres, P Pat Zachry , Cincinnati Reds, P
1977	Eddie Murray, Baltimore Orioles, DH	Andre Dawson, Montreal Expos, OF
1978	Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers, 2B	Bob Horner, Atlanta Braves, 3B
1979	John Castino , Minnesota Twins, 3B Alfredo Griffin, Toronto Blue Jays, SS	Rick Sutcliffe, Los Angeles Dodgers, P
1980	Joe Charboneau, Cleveland Indians, OF	Steve Howe , Los Angeles Dodgers, P
1981	Dave Righetti, New York Yankees, P	Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers, P
1982	Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore Orioles, SS	Steve Sax, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B
1983	Ron Kittle , Chicago White Sox, OF	Darryl Strawberry, New York Mets, OF
1984	Alvin Davis, Seattle Mariners, 1B	Dwight Gooden, New York Mets, P
1985	Ozzie Guillen, Chicago White Sox, SS	Vince Coleman, St. Louis Cardinals, OF
1986	Jose Canseco, Oakland Athletics, OF	Todd Worrell , St. Louis Cardinals, P
1987	Mark McGwire, Oakland Athletics, 1B	Benito Santiago, San Diego Padres, C
1988	Walt Weiss , Oakland Athletics, SS	Chris Sabo, Cincinnati Reds, 3B
1989	Gregg Olson, Baltimore Orioles, P	Jerome Walton , Chicago Cubs, OF
1990	Sandy Alomar, Jr., Cleveland Indians, C	David Justice, Atlanta Braves, OF
1991	Chuck Knoblauch, Minnesota Twins, 2B	Jeff Bagwell, Houston Astros, 1B
1992	Pat Listach , Milwaukee Brewers, SS	Eric Karros, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1B
1993	Tim Salmon, California Angels, OF	Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers, C
1994	Bob Hamelin , Kansas City Royals, DH	Raul Mondesi, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
1995	Marty Cordova, Minnesota Twins, OF	Hideo Nomo, Los Angeles Dodgers, P
1996	Derek Jeter, New York Yankees, SS	Todd Hollandsworth , Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
1997	Nomar Garciaparra, Boston Red Sox, SS	Scott Rolen, Philadelphia Phillies, 3B
1998	Ben Grieve , Oakland Athletics, OF	Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs, P
1999	Carlos Beltran, Kansas City Royals, OF	Scott Williamson, Cincinnati Reds, P
2000	Kazuhiro Sasaki, Seattle Mariners, P	Rafael Furcal, Atlanta Braves, SS
2001	Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners, OF	Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals, 3B-OF
2002	Eric Hinske, Toronto Blue Jays, 3B	Jason Jennings , Colorado Rockies, P
2003	Angel Berroa, Kansas City Royals, SS	Dontrelle Willis, Florida Marlins, P
2004	Bobby Crosby, Oakland Athletics, SS	Jason Bay, Pittsburgh Pirates, OF