Riley Greene named Tiger of the Year by the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America

Rookie outfielder Riley Greene has won the first of what may be many awards at the MLB level. He won the annual Tiger of the Year award handed out by the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Friday. Greene is the first rookie to win since Mark Fidrych in 1976.

The Detroit Tigers had a rough season in 2022, and few players stood out from the pack. Greene led all players with seven first-place votes, besting Tarik Skubal (five), Eric Haase (four), Harold Castro (three), Miguel Cabrera (two), Gregory Soto (two), and Javier Baez (one).

Riley Greene finished the year with a .253/.321/.362 batting line, five home runs, and 42 RBIs. He also stood out for his spectacular defense, where he graded out well and seemed to make a few spectacular plays each week.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Greene winning this award is that he missed the first 10 weeks of the season. Greene fractured his foot in the final week of Spring Training, and his absence clearly affected the team. The Tigers offense posted a wRC+ of just 73 without Greene, but it jumped to 89 after he joined the club in mid June.

And manager A.J. Hinch was not shy about challenging Greene. He moved into the leadoff spot almost immediately, and his 76 games batting first are easily the most for a 21-year-old in Tigers history. Likewise, his 93 games in center field are the most in Tigers history for a player his age.

There were fewer offensive highlights than perhaps some fans had hoped. But he definitely showed flashes of his monster potential. He hit the longest home run ever given up by Shohei Ohtani. And he showed a flair for the dramatic:

Riley Greene has a bright future.