During the 99th New York Baseball Writers’ Dinner, Corbin Carroll was officially honored with the Rookie of the Year award, marking him as the inaugural Diamondbacks player to achieve this accolade.
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The 2023 Rookies of the Year Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson looking sharp at the BBWAA Dinner in New York City. pic.twitter.com/zOkBJMNX8e
— MLB (@MLB) January 28, 2024
In his rookie season, Carroll led the league with 10 triples, finished 3rd in stolen bases with 54, attended the All-Star game, and ended 5th in MVP votes.
During his acceptance speech, Carroll started by acknowledging that it has been a team game, leading to him thanking his family, former coaches, and friends.
Then Carroll turned his attention towards the Diamondbacks’ GM, Mike Hazen. Carroll gave a shoutout to his general manager for taking a chance on him, stating, “Haze, I’ll mention you specifically. From you taking a chance on me in the draft five years ago to now being sharing this room with you today, [I’m] just unbelievably happy to see you recognized and your family recognized for the daily sacrifices you make for the organization.”
Even before the commencement of his rookie season, Mike Hazen and the Diamondbacks secured Corbin Carroll with an 8-year, $111 million contract. While this move may be seen as a considerable risk, it underscores the immense trust the team places in Carroll as their franchise cornerstone.
After Carroll’s acceptance speech, Mike Hazen was awarded the “You Gotta Have Heart Award.” This award is presented to a member of the baseball community who has had to overcome some incredibly difficult circumstances.
Hazen lost his wife to glioblastoma in 2022. His four sons threw out the first pitch in Game 3 of the NLDS to honor their mother, Nicole.
