Diamondbacks Rookie Corbin Carroll Has Put Himself In The Thick Of The NL MVP Conversation

It's fair to say that 99% of top prospects, even the most highly touted prospects, experience some sort of learning curve at the Major League level. This game humbles you. Almost everyone takes it on the chin every once in a while. But every so often you know right away that a player is a game-changer. Corbin Carroll is a prime example of that. He is everything every fan hopes a young prospect will blossom into, and he's done it quickly. In his most recent series at Comerica Park against my Tigers, Carroll put on a show. Carroll went 6-14 in three games with two home runs (including his first career grand slam), two doubles, a triple, a stolen base, 6 RBI, and four runs scored. You held onto your seat every time this guy stepped to the plate. And it wasn't just this series, either. Carroll's numbers are getting better every day. In June, he has an OPS of over 1.300. Nine of his 15 hits have been extra-base hits. This isn't just a prime example of a rookie turning a corner and coming into his own. This is a young player blossoming into an MVP candidate before our very eyes.

There are three players in the National League with a bWAR above 3. Those players are Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuna Jr, and Corbin Carroll. He grades out to be an average corner outfielder, though I have a strong suspicion that will change soon. He's too fast to be average, but Carroll's offensive numbers are otherwordly. They speak for themselves, but Carroll is a textbook example of someone who passes the eye test. His swing is hilariously effortless. I've never seen a hitter casually flick his wrist and go 350 feet to the opposite field. Also, while this may not impact his MVP candidacy necessarily, Caroll strikes me as the caliber of player MLB would love to put front and center in terms of marketing. The new rules were put in place in the hopes that we'd seen more action, and Caroll is action personified. Yes, he can hit for home runs, but he steals bases (he's swiped 19 bags and has only been caught twice so far) and has gap power to all fields. He has a legitimate chance of putting up a 30-home run, 50 stolen base season AS A ROOKIE. 

With a few notable exceptions, the Most Valuable Player award typically goes to a player who is competing for something. I know that Mike Trout and Othani have won MVPs with mediocre Angels teams, but in general, you have to be on a pretty good team. Carroll doesn't have to worry about that. In an NL West division that was projected to be a two-horse race between the Dodgers and Padres, the Diamondbacks find themselves 3.5 games up in the division. They're 54-30 in games Corbin Carroll has played in. Keep in mind, just two short years ago this was a franchise that lost 24 consecutive road games. They've added and developed a lot of good players, but Corbin Carroll is their centerpiece. He has turned that organization around.

Winning the MVP as a rookie is an incredibly difficult task. But even if Caroll falls off slightly, he's only 22 years old. He's putting up some incredible numbers but has yet to reach his peak. The 8-year, 111 million dollar extension he signed last offseason may end up being the most team-friendly contract in all of sports. The present is bright for this kid, but the future is even brighter. Keep an eye out because we may be looking at a generational ballplayer.