Who was the perfect offensive participant in every league throughout the common season?
That’s the standards for selecting the annual winners of the Hank Aaron Award. The award was established in 1999 to mark the twenty fifth anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time profession dwelling run document, and the winners are decided by votes from a panel of Corridor of Famers in addition to baseball followers. The ten nominees in every league had been introduced Monday, and voting is open now and runs by Sunday, Oct. 13 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Here’s a rundown of this yr’s Hank Aaron Award nominees:
Yordan Alvarez, AstrosAlvarez exceeded 30 dwelling runs for the fourth straight yr as he despatched 35 balls out of the yard. He additionally racked up a career-high 71 extra-base hits. But Alvarez has at all times been a lot greater than a slugger. He ranked among the many Prime 10 within the massive leagues in common (.308), on-base proportion (.392) and OPS (.959). In the meantime, Alvarez lowered his strikeout charge to a career-best 15%.
Jarren Duran, Pink SoxDuran had a breakout season in Boston. He racked up 48 doubles and 14 triples, each of which had been essentially the most within the AL. Add in his 21 dwelling runs, and Duran completed with 83 extra-base hits, fourth-best in MLB. He additionally recorded 34 stolen bases, making him the third participant in franchise historical past to register a 20-30 season (Jacoby Ellsbury and Mookie Betts).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue JaysAfter a sluggish April, Guerrero kicked into excessive gear on the plate, posting a .345/.412/.590 slash line over the season’s subsequent 5 months. The 2021 AL winner of the Aaron Award, Guerrero ended this season with 30 dwelling runs, 103 RBIs and a .323 common. He recorded a career-high 199 hits and struck out simply 13.8% of the time.
Gunnar Henderson, OriolesThe reigning AL Rookie of the Yr took his recreation to a different degree in 2024, highlighted by 37 dwelling runs, 21 stolen bases and an .893 OPS. Henderson turned simply the second Oriole, age 23 or youthful, to tally a minimum of 30 homers and 20 steals, becoming a member of Manny Machado. Henderson’s 118 runs scored ranked fourth within the AL and had been essentially the most by an Oriole since Roberto Alomar in 1996.
Aaron Choose, YankeesThe Yankees’ captain was the AL recipient of the Hank Aaron Award in 2022, a yr by which he belted 62 dwelling runs. And his 2024 season was arguably higher. Moreover main the Majors with 58 homers, Choose turned the primary participant to document a minimum of 140 RBIs since Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard in 2009. Choose turned in a .322 batting common, and his 1.159 OPS was the perfect by any certified hitter over a full season since Barry Bonds in 2004.
José Ramírez, GuardiansWith 39 dingers and 41 steals, Ramírez joined Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani as the one gamers this season with a minimum of 30 dwelling runs and 40 stolen bases. He complemented his power-speed totals by rating among the many AL’s high 5 in doubles (39), runs scored (a career-best 114) and RBIs (118).
Brent Rooker, A’sRooker recorded his second straight 30-homer marketing campaign en path to ending with 39 dingers. His .293 common was the perfect by an A’s participant in a 30-homer season since Miguel Tejada in 2002. In his second full Main League season, Rooker drove in 112 runs and ranked sixth within the AL with a .927 OPS.
Anthony Santander, OriolesSantander put himself in a gaggle with the likes of Mickey Mantle and Chipper Jones throughout his highly effective 2024 season. He turned the eighth switch-hitter in MLB historical past to succeed in the 40-homer mark and the primary to do it since Lance Berkman and Carlos Beltrán in 2006. After incomes his first All-Star choice, the 29-year-old Santander completed the yr with 91 runs and 102 RBIs to go together with his 44 dwelling runs.
Juan Soto, YankeesSoto’s first season with the Yankees was a smashing success. He set career-highs in runs (128, most within the AL), hits (166), dwelling runs (41), extra-base hits (76) and slugging proportion over a full season (.569). The 25-year-old was named an All-Star for the fourth time and registered greater than 100 RBIs for the third time. Amongst AL gamers, Soto’s .419 on-base proportion and .988 OPS had been second solely to teammate Choose.
Bobby Witt Jr., RoyalsTalk about filling up the stat sheet: Witt turned the primary participant in AL/NL historical past to document a minimum of 40 doubles, 30 dwelling runs, 30 stolen bases and 10 triples in a single season. He additionally made historical past as the primary shortstop with a number of 30-homer, 30-steal seasons. He tallied 125 runs and 109 RBIs. Witt led the Majors with 211 hits and a .332 batting common en path to capturing Kansas Metropolis’s first batting title since George Brett in 1990.
William Contreras, BrewersContreras has emerged as one of many top-hitting catchers in baseball. The 26-year-old backstop improved on a powerful first yr in Milwaukee in 2023 to earn his second All-Star look in ’24. Contreras paced NL catchers in homers (23), RBIs (92) and OPS (.831) as Milwaukee gained an NL Central title.
Elly De La Cruz, RedsDe La Cruz is likely one of the most electrical gamers within the Majors. His potent mixture of pace and energy makes him a risk in a number of methods. He bopped 25 homers, scored 105 runs and led the bigs in stolen bases for many of 2024. His 67 swipes had been eight greater than anybody else.
Freddie Freeman, DodgersFreeman remained not only a regular and dependable presence within the Dodgers’ lineup, but additionally considered one of MLB’s high hitters. The lefty topped 20 homers for the eighth consecutive full season, was nonetheless one of many Majors’ finest at getting on base (.378 OBP) and ranked among the many NL’s Prime 10 in OPS (.854).
Bryce Harper, PhilliesHarper continued being a power within the coronary heart of the Phillies’ lineup regardless of taking part in a brand new place (first base) and coping with nagging accidents all year long. He secured his fifth season of 30 or extra homers in 2024 and led all certified first basemen in doubles (42) and OPS (.898).
Francisco Lindor, MetsLindor put collectively an MVP-worthy season for the Mets in 2024. He reached 30 homers for the second straight season and completed among the many high three NL shortstops in dwelling runs (33), RBIs (91), doubles (39), common (.273), slugging (.500) and OPS (.844). That OPS was Lindor’s finest since 2019.
Ketel Marte, D-backsDespite lacking a while late within the season as a result of damage, Marte comfortably led all NL second basemen in nearly each main offensive class, together with common (.292), homers (career-high 36), RBIs (career-high 95), runs scored (93) and OPS (.932). He obtained his second All-Star choice this season and produced 61 extra-base hits in 136 video games.
Jackson Merrill, PadresMerrill’s bat was one of many extra nice surprises of the 2024 season, offering him a powerful case for NL Rookie of the Yr. The lefty slugger paced all certified rookies in hits (162), common (.292), RBIs (90) and whole bases (277). His 24 dwelling runs had been essentially the most amongst NL rookies.
Shohei Ohtani, DodgersWhat’s left to say about Ohtani? He turned the primary member of the 50-50 membership, the primary participant to succeed in 400 whole bases in a season since 2001 and seemingly produced runs at will. He completed the yr with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases whereas additionally racking up 99 extra-base hits. That was essentially the most by any participant since Derrek Lee did the identical in 2005.
Marcell Ozuna, BravesOzuna continued to amaze, as he cemented his re-emergence as considered one of baseball’s largest offensive threats after struggling from 2021 by the beginning of Could 2023. After flirting with a Triple Crown for a lot of this season and falling only one dwelling run shy of his second straight 40-homer, 100-RBI marketing campaign with the Braves, it is clear that this model of Ozuna is the true one. His .924 OPS trailed solely Ohtani and Marte within the NL.
Kyle Schwarber, PhilliesSchwarber established himself as the sport’s best energetic leadoff hitter — thanks to fifteen leadoff dingers this season, a brand new single-season document. Schwarber was an on-base machine atop the Phillies’ lineup, whether or not he was clubbing lengthy balls (38) or taking walks (an NL-high 106). He racked up 104 RBIs for the second consecutive season and set a private finest with 110 runs.
