Wait, why isn't Tigers rising star Dillon Dingler eligible for Rookie of the Year?

As Detroit Tigers fans peruse the early American League Rookie of the Year leaderboards, they may be surprised not to see breakout catcher Dillon Dingler on any of the lists.

Dingler is slashing .272/.303/.431 with nine doubles, a triple and seven homers over 57 appearances this season. More impressive is his elite defense — Dingler ranks in the 97th percentile among catchers with nine blocks above average, the 94th percentile in framing, and the 85th percentile with three runners caught stealing above average.

Dingler's stats should stand out among this year's rather unimpressive AL ROY class. In MLB's latest rankings chosen by a panel of experts, the A's' Jacob Wilson still holds the top spot, with Red Sox rookie catcher Carlos Narváez bringing up the rear. Another Boston prospect, Roman Anthony, is also on the list, and he had just two hits in the big leagues at the time of its publication. So what gives?

Unfortunately for the Tigers and their surge back into MLB relevance, Dingler is ineligible for ROY. At first, it's hard to figure out why, since he only posted 84 at-bats during the 2024 season. A closer look at his time on the roster reveals the reason for his exclusion.

Why can't Tigers' Dillon Dingler win AL Rookie of the Year?

MLB players lose rookie eligibility if they spend more than 45 days on the active roster. Dingler was on the Tigers' roster for 63 days last season, but only appeared in 27 games, effectively wasting his ROY chances.

It's worth noting that Dingler wasn't as successful offensively last season as he's been this year. The then-25-year-old slashed .167/.195/.310 with an unfortunate 30 strikeouts, more than the number of games he played. Jake Rogers and Carson Kelly were Detroit's primary and backup catchers last season, and both were better at the plate than Dingler in his short stint (not by much, in Rogers' case).

There could be a hidden silver lining to Dingler's lack of ROY acknowledgment, though. The first and second place winners in the ROY race in each division earn a full year of service time toward their eventual free agency. If Dingler keeps producing at the level he has this season, especially on both sides of the ball, he could play himself into a contract extension and long-term job with the Tigers. He and Tarik Skubal — who will hopefully get his extension with Detroit finished soon — could be the most dangerous battery mates in the American League.