Parker Messick has been everything the Cleveland Guardians could’ve hoped for during the 2026 MLB season.
Despite that, he still might miss out on the American League Rookie of the Year award.
MLB’s official social media account put out the latest rankings by their panelists to predict the award, and Messick is currently slotted to finish as the runner-up.
Ahead of Messick? Kevin McGonigle, the Detroit Tigers‘ rookie shortstop.
Their list includes White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami third, Red Sox lefty Payton Tolle fourth, and White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters fifth:
Kevin McGonigle continues to sit atop the AL Rookie of the Year Poll š¤© pic.twitter.com/6ZyxXaEBoQ
ā MLB (@MLB) September 2, 2026
There’s still about a month left for this to shift, but it’s a tough break for Messick if he misses out on the award.
Some years have stronger candidates to win than others, and this season is one of those.
McGonigle has a great case, to be fair.
Messick has a stellar argument, too.
Murakami has been strong for the White Sox after being a star in Japan — less of a true rookie, but still a guy who many years might win this award.
Tolle and Peters have been cool stories in their own ways, too, so it’s definitely an impressive race.
Parker Messick’s Rookie of the Year Case
Messick will win the argument for anyone who puts a strong weight on an impressive starting pitcher.
He has been available all season long, making 27 starts through the beginning of September.
In those outings, Messick has a 2.46 ERA in 161.0 innings, allowing 121 hits and 43 walks for a 1.02 WHIP.
Messick has struck out 161 batters for a perfect ratio of one strikeout per inning, and he has limited home runs to less than a homer per nine innings (0.8).
His ERA+ is 168, meaning he has been 68% better than league average.
Kevin McGonigle’s Rookie of the Year Case
McGonigle wins out for anyone who appreciates a position player who is in the lineup every day, as opposed to a pitcher who goes once every five days.
The 22-year old shortstop has hit .274 with 14 homers and 12 steals. He has a .789 OPS.
McGonigle also plays a premium defensive position, and Baseball Reference lists him as being worth 6.0 overall Wins Above Replacement, a fantastic mark.
His OPS+ is 121, for comparison’s sake to that ERA+ stat for Messick. This means McGonigle, at the plate, has been 21% better than league average.
As laid out above, it’s tough that anyone has to lose this race.
Messick could also have the argument on his side that the Guardians are having a better season than the Tigers, but that works in the reverse. McGonigle has propped up a Detroit team that would be floundering even worse without him.
Both teams are certainly glad to have these young stars, and there will likely be many battles between them for years to come. This is just the start for these AL Central phenoms, along with the likes of Detroit’s Max Clark and Cleveland’s Angel Genao.
Guardians’ Parker Messick Ranked Worse Than Expected for Rookie of the Year