Sanchez's torrid late-summer surge of 20 home runs in his first 51 big league games was arguably even more impressive, sending observers rifling through the record books to uncover a dusty, 86-year-old record established by Wally Berger of the 1930 Boston Braves.
Add in the fact that Sanchez's play on both sides of the ball following his Aug. 3 callup helped keep the Yankees in postseason contention late into September, and the 23-year-old quickly earned his spot alongside more traditional Rookie of the Year candidates like the Tigers' Michael Fulmer and the Indians' Tyler Naquin.