Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Wil Myers has been voted American League Rookie of the Year for 2013 by the BBWAA and in doing so took 23 of 30 first-place votes. Detroit Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias finished second and Myers’ teammate Chris Archer finished third.
Myers is a third Ray to win the award, as he joins Jeremy Hellickson in 2011 and Evan Longoria in 2008. Myers, 22, led AL rookies in RBI, doubles (23), extra-base hits (36), on-base percentage (.354) and slugging (.478) and was tied for first in total bases (160).
Iglesias, was traded from the Red Sox to the Tigers in a three-team deal with the White Sox that sent Jake Peavy to the Red Sox Sox, hit a surprising .303/.349/.386 in 350 at-bats on the season.
Both Myers and Archer can to the Rays as key pieces of trades the Rays made trading pitchers for prospects. Myers came to Tampa Bay in a trade that sent James Shields and Wade Davis to Kansas City last winter and Archer came to the Rays organization in a January 2011 trade with the Chicago Cubs with pitcher Matt Garza the key figure going the other way.