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Atlanta’s Harris, Seattle’s Rodríguez voted top rookies

FILE - Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II makes a catch on a line drive by Washington Nationals' Joey Meneses for an out during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, in Washington. Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez and Harris, a pair of 21-year-old center fielders, are baseball's Rookies of the Year. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
FILE - Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II makes a catch on a line drive by Washington Nationals' Joey Meneses for an out during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, in Washington. Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez and Harris, a pair of 21-year-old center fielders, are baseball's Rookies of the Year. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)

By RONALD BLUM / The Associated Press 4 min read

NEW YORK (AP) — Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez and Atlanta’s Michael Harris II had a lot in common — perhaps too much.

The 21-year-old center fielders were runaway winners in Rookie of the Year voting on Monday after seasons of power and speed that led to lucrative long-term contracts but ultimately concluded with early postseason eliminations.

They both made jumps from Double-A straight to the majors.

“I feel like the whole season was unrealistic,” Harris said. “I was just going day to day and I guess living the dream. But now that the season’s over, I guess I can actually look back and think about how crazy of a year it was and how fast it went.”

Rodríguez hit .284 with 28 homers, 75 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in helping the Mariners reach the postseason for the first time since 2001. He won the American League honor by receiving 29 of 30 first-place votes and one second for 148 points from a Baseball Writers’ Association of America panel.