"It’s not a big leap to think he has a very good chance" - Yoshinobu Yamamoto predicted by executives to win 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, per insider

There are high expectations resting on Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s shoulders going into the 2024 season. The coveted Japanese ace, who was one of the most sought-after names this offseason, put pen to paper on a 12-year deal worth $325 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers last month.

It is the largest contract ever offered to a major league pitcher even though he has yet to throw his first major league pitch. At only 25 years old, he has already established himself as one of the finest pitchers in Japanese baseball history.

However, as he gears up for his first MLB season, he is going to be tagged as a "rookie," not because of his skillset or experience, but simply because it’s his debut season in the majors.

That has led many baseball executives to believe that Yamamoto is a favorite for the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year award. According to prospect expert Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, Yamamoto is the overwhelming favorite among team executives to win ROTY as suggested by a poll.

“He is eligible for Rookie of the Year honors, much like Kaz Sasaki and Ichiro when they won in 2000 and 2001," Mayo wrote. "Given his success in Japan and the knowledge he’s going to step right into a playoff-caliber team’s rotation, it’s not a big leap to think he has a very good chance to win the NL Award in 2024.”

Yamamoto’s strengths and potential

Yamamoto was a three-time MVP, a four-time Pacific League ERA leader, a four-time strikeout champion and a five-time NPB All-Star while playing in Japan. He is still considered a rookie this MLB season despite being one of the most accomplished pitchers in NPB history.

Being part of a team with high expectations, he will have a point to prove. Some people have questioned the enormous price tag associated with his signing, and he will be motivated to prove to everyone across the league why the Dodgers were willing to do whatever it takes to land him.

Should Yamamoto win ROTY, he would become the third Dodger since 2016, after Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger, to accomplish that feat.