This proved to be a bit more one-sided than I expected, and indeed, even the outcome could count as a bit of a surprise. I thought Tyler Gilbert and Smith would probably fight it out, with Gilbert’s far superior bWAR perhaps giving him the edge. There also seemed a credible case to be made for no award this season. However, Smith’s status as an everyday player, along with him perhaps being cut slack for being thrown into unexpected duty, proved to be decisive. He ended up winning a clear majority of the votes cast, getting 64% of the vote, three times as much as Gilbert.
2021 Diamondbacks Rookie of the Year: Pavin Smith
