Jung finishes 4th in AL ROY voting

Josh Jung has long been seen as the Rangers’ third baseman of the future.

After injuries between 2021-22 delayed his arrival, Jung finally took the big league stage for his first full season in ‘23 and lived up to his billing. The Rangers’ first-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, Jung hit .266/.315/.467 with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs in 122 games, stabilizing a position that had been a revolving door for Texas since Adrian Beltre retired following the ‘18 season.

• Final voting totals

But Jung’s season, which included a six-week hiatus on the injured list with a fractured thumb, wasn’t enough to make him one of the three finalists for the American League Rookie of the Year Award.

Jung finished in fourth place in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which was announced Monday night on MLB Network.

Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson was unanimously voted the winner, with Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee and Red Sox outfielder Triston Casas coming in second and third, respectively.

Jung received three second-place votes and seven third-place votes, finishing with 16 total points.

• Previous award winners

The Rangers’ last Rookie of the Year was Neftalí Feliz in 2010. He was just the second player in franchise history to win the award (Mike Hargrove, 1974).

Jung was arguably the favorite to win the award before landing on the injured list on Aug. 7. At the time, he was hitting .274 with an .813 OPS in 109 games, capping off an even more impressive first half in which he was named the AL’s starter at third base for the All-Star Game.

In the postseason, Jung hit .308/.329/.538 with three homers and eight RBIs as he helped the Rangers to their first World Series championship in franchise history.

At the GM Meetings last week in Scottsdale, Ariz., Chris Young noted how important both Jung and fellow rookie Evan Carter were for the Rangers down the stretch this season.

“They're such a big part of our team and our future,” Young said. “I couldn't be more impressed with the success they've had early in their careers, the way they've handled it and the winning mentality that they've added to our organization.”

American League Rookie of the Year voting

1. Gunnar Henderson (unanimous)
2. Tanner Bibee
3. Triston Casas
4. Josh Jung
5. Yanier Diaz