Detroit Tigers rookie center fielder Riley Greene wins 2022 Tiger of the Year

Detroit Tigers center fielder Riley Greene is the first rookie to win Tiger of the Year since Mark Fidrych in 1976.

Greene was announced Friday afternoon as the 2022 Tiger of the Year, as voted on by the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. The 22-year-old played 93 games for the Tigers after his MLB debut on June 18.

Seven players received first-place votes: Greene (7), left-handed starter Tarik Skubal (5), catcher Eric Haase (4), utility player Harold Castro (3), designated hitter Miguel Cabrera (2), left-handed closer Gregory Soto (2) and shortstop Javier Báez (1).

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Skubal led the Tigers this season in Fangraphs’ Wins Above Replacement, worth 2.9 fWAR, followed by Báez (2.0 fWAR), second baseman Jonathan Schoop (1.5 fWAR), right-handed reliever Joe Jiménez (1.4 fWAR) and Haase (1.3 fWAR).

Greene’s 0.9 fWAR ranked fourth among Detroit’s position players. Upon his arrival, he immediately took over as the everyday center fielder, and after a few games, became the Tigers’ leadoff hitter.

The Tigers selected Greene with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 draft.

In 2022, Greene hit .253 with five home runs, 42 RBIs, 36 walks and 120 strikeouts in 93 games, posting a .321 on-base percentage and .682 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. He had a 98 wRC+, better than any Tiger with at least 400 plate appearances but slightly below the league average.

The Tiger of the Year award was established in 1965.