Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award

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SportBaseball
LeagueEastern League
Awarded forRegular-season most valuable player of the Eastern League
CountryUnited States
Canada
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 recentFelix Reyes (2025)

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]

Twenty-three 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]

Nine 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).

Nine 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).

A man in a white baseball uniform and black cap
Jim Ray Hart won the first Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award in 1962.
A man in a white baseball jersey
Greg Luzinski, winner of the 1970 MVP Award, became a four-time MLB All-Star (1975–1978).[8]
A man in a navy baseball cap
Ron Kittle, the 1981 MVP, won the 1983 American League Rookie of the Year Award.[9]
A man in a blue baseball jersey and cap
Rafael Palmeiro, winner of the 1986 MVP Award, became a four-time MLB All-Star (1988, 1991, 1998, 1999).[10]
A man in a white baseball uniform and red cap
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]
2025 Felix Reyes Reading Fightin Phils Philadelphia Phillies Outfielder [77][78]

Wins by team

Wins by organization

References

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