Northwest League Most Valuable Player Award

Northwest League
Most Valuable Player Award
SportBaseball
LeagueNorthwest League
Awarded forRegular-season most valuable player of the Northwest League
CountryUnited States
Presented byNorthwest League
History
First awardKevin Coughlon &
Tony Gwynn (1981)
Most recentKyle Karros (2024)

The Northwest League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in Minor League Baseball's Northwest 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 1955,[3] the award was not created until 1981.[4] After the cancellation of the 2020 season,[5] the league was known as the High-A West in 2021 before reverting to the Northwest League name in 2022.[6][7]

Twenty-one outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. First basemen, with 13 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen (8), shortstops (3), and second basemen (1). No pitchers or catchers have won the award.

One player who has won the MVP Award also won the Northwest League Top MLB Prospect Award in the same season: Zac Veen (2022).[1] From 1981 to 2014, pitchers were eligible to win the MVP Award as no award was designated for pitchers. In 2015, the Northwest League established a Pitcher of the Year Award.[2]

Twelve players from the Spokane Indians have been selected for the MVP Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Everett AquaSox (7); the Boise Hawks (5); the Eugene Emeralds and Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (4); the Vancouver Canadians (3); the Medford Athletics, Southern Oregon Timberjacks, and Yakima Bears (2); and the Bellingham Mariners, Everett Giants, Tri-Cities Triplets, and Walla Walla Padres (1).

Eight players from the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball (MLB) organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the San Diego Padres organization (7); the Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and Texas Rangers organizations (5); the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels organizations (4); the Kansas City Royals organization (3); the Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays organizations (2); and the Chicago Cubs organization (1).

  1. ^ a b Resnick, Jacob (November 9, 2022). "High-A Award Winners and All-Stars". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Avallone, Michael (October 7, 2021). "MiLB's High-A Award Winners and All-Stars". Major League Baseball. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  3. ^ "Northwest League (Adv A) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "Northwest League Award Winners". Northwest League. Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  5. ^ "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.
  7. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.