NEW YORK — Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels became the youngest AL Rookie of the Year on Monday and Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals was voted the second-youngest winner of the NL honor.
Trout, who turned 21 on Aug. 7, received all 28 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s AL panel. The center fielder was the eighth unanimous AL pick and the first since Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria in 2008.
Trout, who hit .326 with 30 homers and 83 RBIs, received the maximum 140 points. Oakland outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was second with 63, followed by Texas pitcher Yu Darvish (46), who joined Trout as the only players listed on every ballot.
Detroit second baseman Lou Whitaker had been the youngest AL winner in 1978, but he was 2 months, 26 days older than Trout when he took home the award.
In addition to Trout and Longoria, the only other unanimous AL winners were Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, Tim Salmon, Sandy Alomar Jr., Mark McGwire and Carlton Fisk.
Trout spent some time in the majors last year but still retained his rookie status. He began this season in the minors and made his first big league appearance this year on April 28. Trout’s season put him in contention for the AL MVP award along with Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera of Detroit.
Harper got 16 of 32 first-place votes and 112 points from the NL panel. Arizona pitcher Wade Miley was second with 12 first-place votes and 105 points, followed by Cincinnati slugger Todd Frazier with three firsts and 45 points.
Harper was the top pick of the 2010 amateur draft and batted .270 with 22 home runs and 59 RBIs as Washington brought postseason play to the nation’s capital for the first time since 1933.