Mike Fiers: Sleeper NL Rookie of the Year Candidate.

If the season ended today, my NL Rookie of the Year award pick would be Mike Fiers of the Milwaukee Brewers. 

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images North America)

On the season, he’s gone: 5-4 with a 1.88 ERA with 73 SO in 72.0 IP and he’s only allowed 16 BB. 

When you look beyond W/L record and ERA, Fiers has still had a dominating rookie season. 

He’s averaging 9.2 SO/9 and only 2.0 BB/9 and his WHIP is barely over 1 (1.083). His SO/BB ratio is very impressive at 4.56 (for comparison, Matt Cain has a 4.50 SO/BB ratio). 

If he had enough innings to qualify, he would also lead all of baseball in ERA+ at 224. 

Now, you can argue that both Wade Miley and Lance Lynn have had rookie seasons just as good or better than Mike Fiers, but everything is subjective and you can make a case for just about any rookie in the NL. I feel like Mike Fiers hasn’t really had the exposure because he plays for the Brewers and they aren’t having a good season (and they play in the midwest).

*It should be noted that Mike Fiers made 10 starts in AAA, and has made 12 starts for the Brewers.  

(Not to contradict myself, but some other rookies to know in the NL would be Todd Frazier .871 OPS, Andrelton Simmons 1.8 fWAR and 2.3 WAR, Lance Lynn 2.0 WAR 114 ERA+, Wade Miley 3.0 WAR 143 ERA+) 

*I didn’t forget Bryce Harper, but his numbers really don’t impress me. I know he’s only 19, but he’s an everyday player at the Major League level and his stats are very average. His OPS is at .762 and his OPS+ sits at 105, so he’s been a league average player. I don’t think his age should mask that.