Jackson Merrill

Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes has been voted the National League Rookie of the Year for 2024, the Baseball Writers Association of America announced. Outfielder Jackson Merrill of the Padres finished second while outfielder Jackson Chourio of the Brewers finished third. The Pirates will not earn a PPI bonus pick from this result but Skenes will…

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes was named the National League's Rookie of the Year on Monday, beating out a loaded field that included Jackson Merrill and Jackson Chourio, and New York Yankees starter Luis Gil won the the award in the American League.

Merrill, who received seven of 30 first-place votes, made the leap from top prospect to elite fantasy contributor after making San Diego's season-opening roster as their starting center fielder, batting .292/.326/.500 with 77 runs scored, 24 homers, 90 RBI and 16 stolen bases across 593 plate appearances. The 21-year-old prodigy's power/speed combination and presence as an x-factor in a loaded Padres lineup makes him a surefire top 15 fantasy outfielder heading into 2025 and beyond.

He received 23 out of the 30 first-place votes, with seven going to Jackson Merrill of the Padres, who finished in second place. Jackson Chourio finished third and Shota Imanaga finished fourth in the NL ROY balloting. Skenes, who is also a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award, put together one of the more memorable rookie campaigns in recent memory after exploding onto the scene in mid-May, allowing three earned runs or fewer in a staggering 22 of 23 starts. The flame-throwing 22-year-old finished last season with a sublime 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 170/32 K/BB ratio across 133 innings. He received 23 of 30 first-place votes to become the first starting pitcher to claim the senior circuit honors since Jacob deGrom back in 2014. He enters the 2025 campaign as a universally-regarded top three starting pitcher for fantasy purposes.

Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes has been voted the National League Rookie of the Year for 2024, the Baseball Writers Association of America announced. Outfielder Jackson Merrill of the Padres finished second while outfielder Jackson Chourio of the Brewers finished third. The Pirates will not earn a PPI bonus pick from this result but Skenes will…