Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Hellickson, 2011

Pitcher, Tampa Bay Rays

Age:  24 (Apr. 8)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 190

Prior to 2011:

A native of Iowa, Hellickson starred at Hoover High School in Des Moines and was drafted by what were then the Devil Rays in 2005. Following a brief Rookie League stint in ’05 he spent 2006 in the Short-Season Class A New York-Pennsylvania League in 2007, going 4-3 with Hudson Valley before moving up to the Columbus Catfish of the South Atlantic League where he compiled a 13-3 record with a 2.67 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 21 starts. Hellickson split 2009 with Columbus and the Durham Bulls of the Class AAA International League where he had a 6-1 record in 9 starts with a 2.51 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 57.1 innings. He was back with Durham in 2010 prior to a call-up to the Rays to make one start before being sent down to Charlotte of the Class High-A Florida State League to work out of the bullpen before returning to the Rays in September where he was used primarily as a reliever and finished up at 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA in 10 games. Hellickson was awarded the fifth starting slot for the Rays in the spring of 2011.

2011 Season Summary

Appeared in 29 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 29

Games Started – 29

Complete Games – 2 [15, tied with four others]

Wins – 13 [17, tied with Josh Beckett, Alexi Ogando & Mark Buehrle]

Losses – 10

PCT - .565 [20]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [8, tied with eighteen others]

Innings Pitched – 189

Hits – 146

Runs – 64

Earned Runs – 62

Home Runs – 21

Bases on Balls – 72 [8, tied with Ervin Santana]

Strikeouts – 117

ERA – 2.95 [8]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 1 [9, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 8 [20, tied with Jered Weaver]

Midseason Snapshot: 8-7, ERA - 3.21, SO - 68 in 103.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 5.2 IP) vs. LA Angels 4/6

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) at NY Yankees 9/21

Batting

PA – 2, AB – 2, R – 0, H – 0, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 31

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 16

Errors – 0

DP – 0

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching:

G – 1 (ALDS vs. Texas)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 4, H – 4, R – 3, ER – 3, HR – 3, BB – 1, SO – 1, ERA – 6.75, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (Top 6):

Jeremy Hellickson, TB.: 102 pts. – 17 of 28 first place votes, 73% share

Mark Trumbo, LAA.: 63 pts. – 5 first place votes, 45% share

Eric Hosmer, KC.: 38 pts. – 4 first place votes, 27% share

Ivan Nova, NYY.: 30 pts. – 1 first place vote, 21% share

Michael Pineda, Sea.: 11 pts. – 8% share

Dustin Ackley, Sea.: 6 pts. – 1 first place vote, 4% share

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Rays went 91-71 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 6 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot while leading the league in fewest hits allowed (1263) and fewest runs allowed (614). Lost ALDS to Texas Rangers, 3 games to 1.

Aftermath of 2011:

Nicknamed “Hellboy” by Tampa Bay fans, Hellickson followed up with a 10-11 record and 3.10 ERA in 2012 and also received a Gold Glove for his fielding prowess. The unassuming low-strikeout pitcher spent two more years with the Rays, undergoing surgery on his throwing elbow following the 2013 season. Overall with Tampa Bay he compiled a 40-36 record with 463 strikeouts in 640 innings and a 3.78 ERA. Traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2014 season, Hellickson started 27 games in 2015 and was 9-12 with a 4.62 ERA. He was traded once again to the Philadelphia Phillies where he compiled a 12-10 tally with a 3.71 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 2016. He started the 2017 season with Philadelphia before being dealt to the Baltimore Orioles in July. Overall with the two clubs Hellickson was a disappointing 8-11 with a 5.43 ERA. A free agent following the season, he signed with the Washington Nationals in 2018. Through 2017 his record was 69-69 with a 4.12 ERA in 197 starts. Following the promise of his rookie season, Hellickson had settled into being a mid-level starting pitcher.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league.