Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award

The Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in Minor League Baseball's Eastern League based on their regular-season performance as voted on by league managers.[1] League broadcasters, Minor League Baseball executives, and members of the media have previously voted as well.[2] Though the league was established in 1938,[3] the award was not created until 1962.[4] After the cancellation of the 2020 season,[5] the league was known as the Double-A Northeast in 2021 before reverting to the Eastern League name in 2022.[6][7]

Eastern League
Most Valuable Player Award
SportBaseball
LeagueEastern League
Awarded forRegular-season most valuable player of the Eastern League
CountryUnited States
Canada
Presented byEastern League
History
First awardJim Ray Hart (1962)
Most recentKristian Campbell (2024)

Twenty-two outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. First basemen, with 18 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen (9), second basemen (3), and shortstops (2). Five catchers and three pitchers have also won the award.

Eleven players who have won the MVP Award have also won the Eastern League Top MLB Prospect Award (formerly the Rookie of the Year Award) in the same season: Cliff Floyd (1993), Mark Grudzielanek (1994), Jay Payton (1995), Vladimir Guerrero (1996), Calvin Pickering (1998), Marlon Byrd (2001), Ryan Howard (2004), Jordan Brown (2007), Brandon Laird (2010), Darin Ruf (2012), and Cavan Biggio (2018).[4] From 1964 to 1984, pitchers were eligible to win the MVP Award as no award was designated for pitchers. In 1985, the Eastern League established a Pitcher of the Year Award.[4]

Eight players from the Reading Fightin Phils have been selected for the MVP Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Harrisburg Senators (6); the Chesapeake Baysox (4); the Akron RubberDucks, Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Glens Falls Tigers, and New Hampshire Fisher Cats (3); the Elmira Pioneers, Erie SeaWolves, Pittsfield Cubs, Pittsfield Red Sox, Portland Sea Dogs, Trenton Thunder, Trois-Rivières Aigles, and West Haven A's (2); and the Albany-Colonie Yankees, Altoona Curve, Berkshire Brewers, Buffalo Bisons, Charleston Indians, Holyoke Millers, New Britain Red Sox, New Haven Ravens, Pittsfield Rangers, Sherbrooke Pirates, Somerset Patriots, Springfield Giants, Thetford Mines Pirates, Waterbury Indians, Williamsport Mets, and York Pirates (1).

Eight players from the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball (MLB) organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations (6); the Cleveland Guardians, New York Yankees, and Washington Nationals organizations (5); the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Toronto Blue Jays organizations (4); the Detroit Tigers organization (3); the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations (2); and the Miami Marlins, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and Texas Rangers organizations (1).

Winners

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Jim Ray Hart won the first Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award in 1962.
 
Greg Luzinski, winner of the 1970 MVP Award, became a four-time MLB All-Star (1975–1978).[8]
 
Ron Kittle, the 1981 MVP, won the 1983 American League Rookie of the Year Award.[9]
 
Rafael Palmeiro, winner of the 1986 MVP Award, became a four-time MLB All-Star (1988, 1991, 1998, 1999).[10]
 
Ryan Howard, the 2004 MVP, won the 2005 National League Rookie of the Year Award and the 2006 NL MVP Award.[11]
Key
Position Indicates the player's primary position
Winners
Year Winner Team Organization Position Ref(s).
1962 Jim Ray Hart Springfield Giants San Francisco Giants Third baseman [12]
1963 Bob Chance Charleston Indians Cleveland Indians First baseman [13]
1964 Frank Bertaina Elmira Pioneers Baltimore Orioles Pitcher [14]
1965 Owen Johnson Pittsfield Red Sox Boston Red Sox Catcher [15]
1966 Tom Fisher Elmira Pioneers Baltimore Orioles Pitcher [16]
1967 Bernie Smith Williamsport Mets New York Mets Outfielder [17]
1968 Carmen Fanzone Pittsfield Red Sox Boston Red Sox Third baseman [18]
1969 Ángel Mangual York Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates Outfielder [19]
1970 Greg Luzinski Reading Phillies Philadelphia Phillies First baseman [20]
1971 Gene Locklear Trois-Rivières Aigles Cincinnati Reds Outfielder [21]
1972 Fernando González Sherbrooke Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates Third baseman [22]
1973 Tom Robson Pittsfield Rangers Texas Rangers First baseman [23]
1974 Ken Macha Thetford Mines Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates Catcher [24]
1975 Dave Bergman West Haven Yankees New York Yankees First baseman [25]
1976 Danny Thomas Berkshire Brewers Milwaukee Brewers Outfielder [26]
1977 Harry Spilman Trois-Rivières Aigles Cincinnati Reds First baseman [27]
1978 Jeff Yurak Holyoke Millers Milwaukee Brewers Outfielder [28]
1979 Rick Lancellotti Buffalo Bisons Pittsburgh Pirates Outfielder [29]
1980 Mark Davis Reading Phillies Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher [30]
1981 Ron Kittle Glens Falls White Sox Chicago White Sox Outfielder [31]
1982 Jim Bennett West Haven A's Oakland Athletics Outfielder [32]
1983 Jeff Stone Reading Phillies Philadelphia Phillies Outfielder [33]
1984 Pat Adams Glens Falls White Sox Chicago White Sox First baseman [34]
1985 Cory Snyder Waterbury Indians Cleveland Indians Third baseman [35]
1986 Rafael Palmeiro Pittsfield Cubs Chicago Cubs Outfielder [36]
1987 Mark Grace First baseman [37]
1988 Rob Richie Glens Falls Tigers Detroit Tigers Outfielder [38]
1989 Wes Chamberlain Harrisburg Senators Pittsburgh Pirates Outfielder [39]
1990 Jeff Bagwell New Britain Red Sox Boston Red Sox Third baseman [40]
1991 Matt Stairs Harrisburg Senators Montreal Expos Second baseman [41]
1992 Russ Davis Albany-Colonie Yankees New York Yankees Third baseman [42]
1993 Cliff Floyd Harrisburg Senators Montreal Expos First baseman [43]
1994 Mark Grudzielanek Shortstop [44]
1995 Jay Payton Binghamton Mets New York Mets Outfielder [45]
1996 Vladimir Guerrero Harrisburg Senators Montreal Expos Outfielder [46]
1997 Kevin Millar Portland Sea Dogs Florida Marlins First baseman [47]
1998 Calvin Pickering Bowie Baysox Baltimore Orioles First baseman [48]
1999 Andy Tracy Harrisburg Senators Montreal Expos Third baseman [49]
2000 Adam Hyzdu Altoona Curve Pittsburgh Pirates Outfielder [50]
2001 Marlon Byrd Reading Phillies Philadelphia Phillies Outfielder [51]
2002 Víctor Martínez Akron Aeros Cleveland Indians Catcher [52]
2003 Alex Ríos New Haven Ravens Toronto Blue Jays Outfielder [53]
2004 Ryan Howard Reading Phillies Philadelphia Phillies First baseman [54]
2005 Mike Jacobs Binghamton Mets New York Mets First baseman [55]
2006 Adam Lind New Hampshire Fisher Cats Toronto Blue Jays Outfielder [56]
2007 Jordan Brown Akron Aeros Cleveland Indians First baseman [57]
2008 Lou Montañez Bowie Baysox Baltimore Orioles Outfielder [58]
2009 Carlos Santana Akron Aeros Cleveland Indians Catcher [59]
2010 Brandon Laird Trenton Thunder New York Yankees Third baseman [60]
2011 Travis d'Arnaud New Hampshire Fisher Cats Toronto Blue Jays Catcher [61]
2012 Darin Ruf Reading Phillies Philadelphia Phillies First baseman [62]
2013 Allan Dykstra Binghamton Mets New York Mets First baseman [63]
2014 Steven Moya Erie SeaWolves Detroit Tigers Outfielder [64]
2015 Brock Stassi Reading Fightin Phils Philadelphia Phillies First baseman [65]
2016 Dylan Cozens Outfielder [66]
2017 Garabez Rosa Bowie Baysox Baltimore Orioles Outfielder [67]
2018 Cavan Biggio New Hampshire Fisher Cats Toronto Blue Jays Second baseman [68]
2019 Chris Gittens Trenton Thunder New York Yankees First baseman [69]
2020 None selected (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic) [5]
2021 Oswaldo Cabrera Somerset Patriots New York Yankees Second baseman [70][71]
2022 Quincy Nieporte Erie SeaWolves Detroit Tigers First baseman [1][72]
2023 Coby Mayo Bowie Baysox Baltimore Orioles Third baseman [73][74]
2024 Kristian Campbell Portland Sea Dogs Boston Red Sox Shortstop [75][76]

Wins by team

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Active Eastern League teams appear in bold.

Team Award(s) Year(s)
Reading Fightin Phils (Reading Phillies) 8 1970, 1980, 1983, 2001, 2004, 2012, 2015, 2016
Harrisburg Senators 6 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999
Chesapeake Baysox (Bowie Baysox) 4 1998, 2008, 2017, 2023
Akron RubberDucks (Akron Aeros) 3 2002, 2007, 2009
Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Binghamton Mets) 1995, 2005, 2013
Glens Falls Tigers (Glens Falls White Sox) 1981, 1984, 1988
New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2004, 2011, 2018
Elmira Pioneers 2 1964, 1966
Erie SeaWolves 2014, 2022
Pittsfield Cubs 1986, 1987
Pittsfield Red Sox 1965, 1968
Portland Sea Dogs 1997, 2024
Trenton Thunder 2010, 2019
Trois-Rivières Aigles 1971, 1977
West Haven A's (West Haven Yankees) 1975, 1982
Albany-Colonie Yankees 1 1992
Altoona Curve 2000
Berkshire Brewers 1976
Buffalo Bisons 1979
Charleston Indians 1963
Holyoke Millers 1978
New Britain Red Sox 1990
New Haven Ravens 2003
Pittsfield Rangers 1973
Sherbrooke Pirates 1972
Somerset Patriots 2021
Springfield Giants 1962
Thetford Mines Pirates 1974
Waterbury Indians 1985
Williamsport Mets 1967
York Pirates 1969

Wins by organization

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Active Eastern League–Major League Baseball affiliations appear in bold.

Organization Award(s) Year(s)
Philadelphia Phillies 8 1970, 1980, 1983, 2001, 2004, 2012, 2015, 2016
Baltimore Orioles 6 1964, 1966, 1998, 2008, 2017, 2023
Pittsburgh Pirates 1969, 1972, 1974, 1979, 1989, 2000
Cleveland Guardians (Cleveland Indians) 5 1963, 1985, 2002, 2007, 2009
New York Yankees 1975, 1992, 2010, 2019, 2021
Washington Nationals (Montreal Expos) 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999
Boston Red Sox 4 1965, 1968, 1990, 2024
New York Mets 1967, 1995, 2005, 2013
Toronto Blue Jays 2003, 2006, 2011, 2018
Detroit Tigers 3 1988, 2014, 2022
Chicago Cubs 2 1986, 1987
Chicago White Sox 1981, 1984
Cincinnati Reds 1971, 1977
Milwaukee Brewers 1976, 1978
Miami Marlins (Florida Marlins) 1 1997
Oakland Athletics 1982
San Francisco Giants 1962
Texas Rangers 1973

References

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Specific

  1. ^ a b Terranova, Rob (November 8, 2022). "Double-A Award Winners and All-Stars". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  2. ^ Jackson, Josh (October 6, 2021). "MiLB's Double-A Award Winners and All-Stars". Major League Baseball. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  3. ^ "Eastern League (AA) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Season-Ending Awards". Eastern League. Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  6. ^ Reichard, Kevin (February 12, 2021). "Minor League Baseball Overhaul Unveiled". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
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  51. ^ "Marlon Byrd Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  52. ^ "Victor Martinez Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
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General