One of the biggest contributors for the Dodgers this season came in the form of rookie outfielder James Outman. Outman worked his way through Spring Training to earn a starting spot on the LA roster, and he opened the season in the first lineup of the year.
It was a testament to his hard work, and Outman instantly became a fan favorite this season. He provided the Dodgers with some stability in the outfield, and he also gave them a solid bat to have in their lineup each game.
He seemed to get better as the year went on, despite some rough patches along the way. But that is normal for a rookie, and he persevered throughout.
His incredible first year in the big leagues has earned him a spot as a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, and this is a huge honor. It proves how valuable of a player he was for the Dodgers, and his ceiling is sky-high moving forward.
On the year, Outman hit .248 with 23 home runs and 70 runs batted in. He also posted an OPS of .790 on the season while learning from some of the veterans on the team.
He worked on his defensive game as the year went on as well, and manager Dave Roberts praised him for his work ethic. The rookie wants to be great, and you can see it in how he prepares each time out. It’s not always perfect, but it’s how he learns from mistakes that have been impressive to see.
The Dodgers are high on Outman, and they believe he can be their everyday outfielder again going into next season. He got plenty of playing time and experience to see what it took to make it as a big-league player, and he can use that this offseason to get even better.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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