Which Tampa Bay Rays players have won Rookie of the Year? MLB team's award winners listed

On June 29, it was announced Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena was selected to be one of the American League's starting outfielders.

Arozarena, 28, has gone off for his team this season. Owning a slashline of .286/.401/.475 with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs, Arozarena is also viewed as one of the best defensive outfielders in the game.

Born in Cuba, Arozarena defected to Mexico, where he eventually came to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020. In his first season in Tampa, he set the MLB record for postseason home runs with ten. In 2021, the emigree hit .274/.356/.459 with 20 home runs and 69 RBIs to capture the fourth Rookie of the Year Award in Tampa Bay Rays history.

"RANDY AROZARENA" - Joframasso

The first Rays player to win the distinction was Evan Longoria, who won the 2008 Rookie of the Year Award after hitting 27 home runs and 85 RBIs. Longoria remained with the Rays for many years, becoming a fan favorite before his departure from the team following the 2017 season. Longoria is currently playing on the Arizona Diamondbacks, and may retire at the end of the season.

The only pitcher to have won Rookie of the Year honors in a Tampa Bay Rays jersey is Jeremy Hellickson. The Iowa-native did so as a 24-year old in 2011, posting a 13-10 record alongside a 2.95 ERA across 189 innings. Although Hellickson would win a Gold Glove the following season, he never won any distinctions for the remainder of his career, before retiring in 2019 as a member of the Washington Nationals.

"6/24/2013: In his first home game with the #Rays, Wil Myers hit this long homer to straightaway center field. This came immediately after James Loney went deep for Tampa Bay." - MLB Daily Dingers

The final member of the Tampa Bay Rays to have won a Rookie of the Year Award is Wil Myers in 2013. Known for his dislike of batting gloves, Myers hit .293/.354/.478 with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs in 88 games. Following his departure from the Rays, Myers would go on to enjoy some successful years in a San Diego Padres uniform, with his first and only 30-home run season coming in 2017.

Tampa Bay Rays poised to showcase plenty of young talent in coming years

By virtue of their record, the best in baseball, the Rays have shown their ability to draft, develop, and trade for talent. While this relatively young franchise only has four top rookies in their history, expect to see several more coming down the pipe very soon.