For the third straight year, the Orioles have a Rookie of the Year Award finalist.

The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) on Monday named Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser a top-three finisher in its members’ vote for 2024 American League Rookie of the Year. He followed shortstop Gunnar Henderson, last year’s winner, and catcher Adley Rutschman, runner-up in 2022, to continue the Orioles’ run of young stars breaking out in the majors.

In addition to Cowser, the BBWAA named New York Yankees right-handed pitcher Luis Gil and Yankees catcher Austin Wells the other finalists for the award. The winner will be announced next Monday at 6 p.m. on MLB Network.

Henderson, despite entering the All-Star Break a strong contender for the AL Most Valuable Player Award, didn’t crack the podium. Yankees outfielders Aaron Judge and Juan Soto joined Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. as MVP finalists.

The BBWAA’s AL Cy Young Award finalists were the Detroit Tigers’ Tarik Skubal, the Cleveland Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase and the Royals’ Seth Lugo, leaving Orioles right-hander Corbin Burnes outside the top three as well.

The BBWAA also announced finalists for the Manager of the Year Awards, selecting the Guardians’ Stephen Vogt, the Royals’ Matt Quatraro and the Tigers’ A.J. Hinch. Orioles skipper Brandon Hyde won the award last year.

The Orioles have not had an MVP winner since Cal Ripken Jr. in 1991 nor a Cy Young recipient since Steve Stone in 1980.

In the National League, San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill was named a Rookie of the Year finalist alongside Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio. Merrill, a former Severna Park High standout who was a first-round draft pick out of the school in 2021, batted .292 with 24 home runs, 77 RBIs, 90 runs scored and 16 stolen bases to accumulate 4.4 wins above replacement.

Cowser, 24, earned a spot on the opening day roster with a strong spring training and quickly usurped veteran Austin Hays as the Orioles’ everyday left fielder. The 2021 No. 5 overall pick out of Sam Houston State led all AL rookies with 24 home runs and 77 runs scored while hitting .242 with a .768 OPS in 153 games. Rawlings made him a Gold Glove finalist for his defense.

His stellar campaign ended on a sour note when Cowser fractured his hand while striking out during the Orioles’ season-ending loss to the Royals in Game 2 of the wild-card round. He underwent surgery in October and is expected to be ready for spring training.

The Orioles will await the final Rookie of the Year results with interest. Should Cowser win, they would receive an additional draft pick as part of the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) introduced in MLB’s last collective bargaining agreement with the players union. The Orioles obtained the No. 32 overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft after Henderson won last year’s award; they used the pick to select Virginia shortstop Griff O’Ferrall.

Baltimore would also make some history, becoming the first team with consecutive Rookie of the Year winners since Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger won it for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 and 2017. The last AL team to complete the feat was the then-Oakland Athletics with Bobby Crosby and Huston Street in 2004 and 2005.

Baltimore Sun reporter Jacob Calvin Meyer contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/ByMattWeyrich.