Torres and Andujar Battle for AL ROY

If you thought the Yankees couldn’t get any younger after the Baby Bombers historic run last year, think again. Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar have jumped into the spotlight and created a competitive American League Rookie of the Year discussion with their incredible all around play to start the season.

Andujar has been asked to fill the spot of Brandon Drury, who the Yankees traded for this offseason, but after witnessing the sizzling start the rookie has had, it looks as though he will retain his starting spot for the foreseeable future. Torres has absolutely shined since he was called up, proving himself to be a legitimate player in this already star-studded lineup.

While any team would jump at the chance to have a potential Rookie of the Year on their team, the Yankees have somehow produced two candidates. Even more impressive, is the fact that these two youngsters lead all Yankees in batting average, with Andujar batting .289 and Torres close behind with an average of .287.

But their batting averages are not even the most notable part of their game. Andujar has recorded an astounding 23 doubles on the year, which makes him tied for third in the Majors alongside Ozzie Albies, second baseman and potential National League Rookie of the Year for the Atlanta Braves, and Francisco Lindor, star shortstop for the Cleveland Indians.

When Torres was called up, the Yankees knew of his all-around talent and tremendous fundamentals, but have been surprised by the sheer power of his young bat. In just 51 games, Torres has put up 14 home runs, ranking him third among all Yankees tied with Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorius, who have both played 10 or more games than the rookie.

The only criticism these young stars have faced so far, however, is their sometimes sloppy play in the field. Torres leads the Yankees in errors with a total of nine, and Andujar, who has four, is tied for second most with Gary Sanchez.  

While these mishaps shouldn’t be overlooked, these are very young men who are still polishing their game, which is the scariest part about all of this. They are putting up impressive offensive numbers, not only for a rookie, but for any MLB player.

Torres and Andujar will likely prove themselves to be core components of the Yankees infield for a long time to come. They’ve shown great talent but, with that, great maturity as they are playing in the biggest spotlight in sports.

Of course, the dynamic duo are not the only contenders for this prestigious award, as the almighty Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels looks to leave his mark on the MLB. Ohtani surely has the potential to pull it off as he has proven himself to be one of the only legitimate dual-threat players in MLB history, recording a .289 batting average and a 3.10 ERA.

No matter who wins the award, there will surely be more accolades for the Yankees duo in the future, as they look to solidify themselves as consistent producers for a World Series contending team.