Tigers’ AJ Hinch can’t imagine a rookie as good as Kevin McGonigle

With only 15 games left for the Detroit Tigers in the 2026 MLB regular season, it’s only a matter of time before they get mathematically eliminated from the postseason hunt. With a record of 68-79 even after taking a 6-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on the road on Friday, they are 6.5 games back of the third and final Wild Card spot with six teams ahead of them in the standings.

Nonetheless, even with the Tigers poised to miss the postseason, it’s difficult not to feel excited over their prospects of being a contending team in the near future. After all, they have quite the impressive position player core — with rookie Kevin McGonigle turning plenty of heads already despite being in just his first season in the big leagues.

McGonigle did go 0-4 on the night in the Tigers’ win over the Rockies. But as a whole, he has been brilliant this season for the Tigers. He ended the night with an OPS of .788 to go along with 16 home runs and 62 runs batted in — being a consistent table-setter for Detroit. And manager AJ Hinch believes that he should be the runaway favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award.

“He’s done everything Imaginable- – I don’t see a rookie season that’s better than Kevin’s,” Hinch said, per Woodward Sports Network on X.

Fangraphs’ WAR stat certainly loves McGonigle and his impact on the diamond. For someone who primarily plays shortstop in the field, his bat is elite. In just his rookie campaign, he is already close to the 5 WAR mark — territory that’s only reserved for the best of the best in baseball.

Of course, there are other worthy candidates for the AL Rookie of the Year award, with Cleveland Guardians youngsters Parker Messick and Chase DeLauter putting up incredible debut campaigns in their own right. Nonetheless, this award is clearly McGonigle’s to lose, and it looks as though there’s no way he would anyhow.