The All-Star Break is over, and the National League Rookie of the Year race is heating up. We are here to share our MLB odds series and make a 2023 NL Rookie of the Year prediction and pick for the rest of the season.

The race for the NL Rookie of the Year is warming up. Now, we get to look at some of the better hitters for the season. The hitters we believe have the best chance of winning the NL Rookie of the Year are Corbin Carroll, Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, and Francisco Alvarez. Significantly, all these hitters have done an excellent job of making their case for NL Rookie of the Year. It is time to look at their chances.

Here are the MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: San Diego Padres Win Total Odds

Corbin Carroll: -360

Elly De La Cruz: +280

Matt McLain: +3900

Francisco Alvarez: +4800

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Why Corbin Carroll Will Win NL Rookie of the Year

Everyone had high hopes for Carroll. Exceptionally, he has not disappointed. Carroll is batting .292 with 18 home runs, 48 RBIs, and 63 runs. Amazingly, he has been a significant reason why the Diamondbacks are in playoff position. But what has worked well for Carroll is his impact on others. Moreover, he bats third in the lineup, sandwiched between Ketel Marte and Christian Walker. Carroll has taken advantage of their abilities. Ultimately, Marte gets on base, and Carroll drives him in. If a pitcher tries to get around Carroll, it provides a bad consequence as they have to face Walker.

Carroll has done well this season. However, he has excelled on the road, hitting .312 with eight home runs, 21 RBIs, and 32 runs. Carroll has found a way to produce for the Diamondbacks. Additionally, he has helped put the Diamondbacks in playoff position. Carroll is the favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year award right now.

Why Elly De La Cruz Will Win NL Rookie of the Year

While Carroll has maintained consistent play, De La Cruz has amazed everyone in the league. Significantly, he has already had a great impact on the Cincinnati Reds this short into his career. De La Cruz recently produced an exceptional feat not seen in over five decades when he stole second, third, and home base, all in the same sequence in the same inning. Now, he sits at 16 steals, and there are certainly more coming.

His hitting has also been good. Therefore, he comes in with a batting average of .315 with four home runs, 16 RBIs, and 28 runs. De La Cruz has produced at the plate and helped power the Reds to the top of the NL Central. Ultimately, he has been a spark plug that has helped power Cincinnati to new heights. De La Cruz has the best odds of catching Carroll for the NL Rookie of the Year award spot.

Why Matt McLain Will Win NL Rookie of the Year

But De La Cruz has a teammate that threatens him for this spot. Yes, we are talking about McLain. He has been consistent this season. Now, he tries to keep the momentum going. McLain comes into today’s games with a batting average of .296 with seven home runs, 29 RBIs, and 37 runs. Additionally, he also came in with an on-base percentage of .364 and a slugging percentage of .505.

McLain has been amazing in the second spot in the lineup. Also, he has helped set up a Cincinnati offense that has battered the baseball all over the place. But McLain’s play has put himself into contention for the NL Rookie of the Year award. However, he must improve on his stats and raise his batting average while also driving in more runners.

Why Francisco Alvarez Will Win NL Rookie of the Year

Alvarez has been okay in his debut season for the Mets. However, there are still some things to improve upon. Alvarez comes into today’s game batting .235 with 17 home runs, 35 RBIs, and 30 runs. Unfortunately, his batting average has not been there, but his power has. To skyrocket himself into NL Rookie of the Year contention, Alvarez would likely need to hit a lot more home runs. Also, he would have to get on base more. Alvarez could catch Carroll and contend for the award if he were to finish with a .270 batting average with 34 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 65 runs.

Final NL Rookie of the Year Win Total Prediction & Pick

Carroll is doing well. However, De La Cruz has been flashier, and carried the Reds to new heights. I expect him to snag the award.

Final NL Rookie of the Year Win Total Prediction & Pick: Elly De La Cruz: +280