Astros' Carlos Correa wins AL Rookie of the Year

Jorge L. Ortiz | USA TODAY

Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, the cornerstone of the club’s transformation from laughingstock to playoff participant, was named the American League rookie of the year Monday in a tight race.

The vote: Correa received 17 first-place votes for 124 points to narrowly outpoint fellow Puerto Rican shortstop Francisco Lindor (13 first-place votes, 109 points) of the Cleveland Indians. Miguel Sano, who helped power the Minnesota Twins unlikely and ultimately unsuccessful run for a playoff spot, finished third with 20 points. He is the 14th shortstop to win the award in the AL and the only player named on every ballot.

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Why Correa won: A combination of style and substance may have given Correa the edge. Both players were called up to the majors within a week of each other in June and both played in 99 games. Their on-base-plus-slugging percentages were close – .857 for Correa and a surprising .835 for Lindor – and the Cleveland rookie actually had the better batting average, .313-.279. Lindor was also a fielding sensation, leading the AL with 15 defensive runs saved, compared with Correa’s minus-1.6 mark.

But while Correa was making the highlight shows regularly with his graceful fielding and power displays in guiding the Astros to a wild-card spot, Lindor’s Indians never became serious postseason contenders. They finished third in the AL Central at 81-80.

And the 6-4, 210-pound Correa put up offensive numbers that drew comparisons to Alex Rodriguez and Cal Ripken Jr. Correa, who was the majors’ youngest position player this season and did not turn 21 until Sept. 22, banged out 22 home runs and drove in 68 runs in 387 at-bats.

He was such an influential figure on the Astros that, just a month after his debut, teammate Jose Altuve said Correa should be considered one of the faces of the game.

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History says: Correa, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, was so poised on and off the field that it was easy to forget he was a high schooler just three years ago. Correa validated the Rodriguez comparisons by hitting 18 homers before turning 21, the second largest figure for a shortstop behind A-Rod. Correa also set Astros records for home runs by a rookie and home runs by a shortstop.

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The reaction: Fans in Puerto Rico had been eagerly awaiting the announcement with the expectation that one of the island’s native sons would win the award. “Everybody here is going crazy,’’ Correa said in an MLB Network interview from Santa Isabel, P.R. “There’s thousands of people out there waiting for me to go out, and I can’t wait to have some fun with them.’’

The sentiment was stronger in favor of Correa in part because he was the slight favorite, but also because he remained in Puerto Rico through high school, while Lindor moved stateside at age 12.