Dodgers News: James Outman Remains Among NL Rookie of the Year Hopefuls
The Dodgers have been home to multiple Rookie of the Year award winners over the years. Most recently, Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger took home the award as members of the Boys in Blue.
LA has a strong farm system, giving them a chance to have players in the race for the award almost every season. 2023 is no different, as the team has been forced to rely upon more rookies than they would have liked to admit.
The team has seen some real growth from its young players over the course of the season, but one, in particular, has stood out. That would be outfielder James Outman.
Outman took over as an everyday outfielder for this team, after a strong showing in Spring Training. He has earned his opportunities to stay with the big-league club and now likely remains a solid part of their future.
With the season starting to head toward the finish line, award predictions are starting to make their way into content. Recently Jim Bowden of The Athletic ranked Outman third in the National League Rookie of the Year award race. He remains a hopeful candidate for the award, even if it will be tough to actually win it.
“The Dodgers were looking for their answer in center field and they’ve found it in James Outman. He ranks in the 93rd percentile in outs above average and in the 84th percentile in arm strength. He is in the 90th percentile in sprint speed. He has above-average power and will draw walks (50, first among NL rookies). He still needs to develop as a hitter and get better in the strike zone but he’s been a key cog for the Dodgers this year.”
Per The Athletic
Outman came in ranked behind Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Matt McLain of the Cincinnati Reds.
Even if Outman doesn’t win the award, it’s still very impressive that he is in the conversation. It shows just how effective he has been for LA this season.
On the year, Outman is hitting .252 with 15 home runs and 53 runs batted in. He started the year on fire, cooled down for a little bit, and now he is back to hitting the ball well.
Outman will be a key member of this team down the stretch of the season. And we will get to see his worth in the postseason, something that many people are looking forward to.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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