The Chicago Cubs have made several additions to the team for 2022. Perhaps the most notable of these additions is outfielder Seiya Suzuki. Suzuki has been playing professionally in Japan since 2013 and a lot of hype has surrounded his transition to Major League Baseball. It seems as though the hype is well justified.
His career batting average in Japan was an impressive .309 and his 2021 season was his most impressive. In 2021, for the Hiroshima Carp, Suzuki maintained a .317 average while recording a career-high 38 homers.
The question weighing on everyone’s mind is whether Suzuki’s success will translate over to Major League Baseball. Thankfully for Cubs fans, oddsmakers think that it will. Suzuki is currently listed as the second favorite for National League Rookie of the Year for 2022. (Odds via BetQL)
Odds to Win NL Rookie of the Year
|
Oneil Cruz |
+350 |
|
Seiya Suzuki |
+759 |
|
Keibert Ruiz |
+782 |
|
Joey Bart |
+850 |
|
Hunter Greene |
+900 |
Seiya Suzuki only sits behind Oneil Cruz of the San Diego Padres, who also happens to be the tallest shortstop in MLB history at 6 foot 7. So far, Cubs fans have only gotten to see Suzuki take five at-bats in spring training which included 2 strikeouts and a walk. Watching Seiya become acclimated to this level of competition will be interesting to watch as the season unfolds. He is expected to be a very important piece to the Cubs’ lineup in 2022. Seiya has yet to take the field in Chicago but Cubs fans have already given Seiya a warm welcome down in Arizona.
#Cubs fans give Seiya Suzuki a nice ovation in his first at-bat 👏🏼
(📸: @WatchMarquee) pic.twitter.com/TgzCDHi3En
— Cubs Zone ™️ (@CubsZone) March 25, 2022
Suzuki’s performance this season is sure to be one of the main storylines surrounding the Cubs in 2022. Seiya Suzuki’s rookie of the year campaign begins on April 7th against the Milwaukee Brewers.
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