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After three straight years of coming up short in the Rookie of the Year voting with defenders, the Philadelphia Union had another finalist finish shy of the votes needed to win the annual award for the league’s best rookie.
Colorado Rapids forward Andre Shinyashiki was named as the award winner on Tuesday after receiving an average vote of 32.58 percent.
Brenden Aaronson finished second with a 24.45 percent average. The 18-year-old Union midfielder had a higher percentage of the club vote (32.32 percent), but Shinyashiki had more than double the player vote and an advantage in the media vote.
Aaronson, who turns 19 next week, was the youngest player out of the five finalists. FC Cincinnati midifelder Frankie Amaya, who finished fourth, turned 19 last month.
Shinyashiki had seven goals and three assists in 31 appearances and 18 starts in his rookie season out of the University of Denver for the ninth place Colorado Rapids. Aaronson made 28 appearances and 25 starts for the third place Union, finishing the season with three goals (two against second place Atlanta United) and two assists.
Aaronson is the fourth straight Rookie of the Year finalist and the sixth overall for the Union.
Mark McKenzie finished third in the voting in 2018 (15.11 percent), Jack Elliott third in 2017 (7.86 percent) and Keegan Rosenberry second in 2016 (30.60 percent). Michael Farfan was third in the voting for the award in 2011 and Danny Mwanga was second in 2010.
2019 MLS Rookie of the Year Voting Results
| Nominee | Player Vote | Club Vote | Media Vote | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominee | Player Vote | Club Vote | Media Vote | Avg |
| Andre Shinyashiki (COL) | 32.41% | 31.31% | 34.01% | 32.58% |
| Brenden Aaronson (PHI) | 15.52% | 32.32% | 25.51% | 24.45% |
| Hassani Dotson (MIN) | 14.48% | 14.14% | 16.60% | 15.07% |
| Frankie Amaya (CIN) | 5.86% | 3.03% | 4.05% | 3.98% |
| Chase Gasper (MIN) | 5.52% | 3.03% | 2.83% | 3.79% |