Carolina League Most Valuable Player Award

The Carolina League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in Minor League Baseball's Carolina League based on their regular-season performance as voted on by league managers. League broadcasters, Minor League Baseball executives, and members of the media have previously voted as well. Though the league was established in 1945, the award was not created until 1948. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, the league was known as the in 2021 before reverting to the Carolina League name in 2022.

Twenty-six outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. First basemen, with 21 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen (9), shortstops (7), and second basemen (3). Eight catchers and four pitchers have also won the award.

Three players who have won the MVP Award also won the Carolina League Top MLB Prospect Award in the same season: Jackson Chourio (2022), Samuel Basallo (2023), and Jaison Chourio (2024). From 1948 to 1978, pitchers were eligible to win the MVP Award as no award was designated for pitchers. In 1959, the Carolina League established a Pitcher of the Year Award. The only player to win the MVP Award on multiple occasions is Bubba Smith, who won back-to-back in 1992 and 1993.

Fourteen players from the Lynchburg Hillcats have been selected for the MVP Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Winston-Salem Dash (10); the Salem RidgeYaks (8); the Peninsula Pilots (6); the Kinston Indians (5); the High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms (4); the Carolina Mudcats, Charleston RiverDogs, Durham Bulls, Frederick Keys, Greensboro Yankees, Kinston Eagles, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Potomac Nationals, Raleigh Pirates, Reidsville Luckies, and Wilson Tobs (2); and the Burlington Bees, Danville Leafs, Delmarva Shorebirds, Fayetteville A's, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, Raleigh-Durham Triangles, Tidewater Tides, Wilmington Blue Rocks, and Winston-Salem Cardinals (1).

Eleven players from the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball (MLB) organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the Cleveland Guardians organization (8); the Chicago White Sox organization (7); the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies organizations (6); the New York Mets organization (5); the Baltimore Orioles organization (4); the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals organizations (3); the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and Tampa Bay Rays, organizations (2); and the Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and Washington Nationals organizations (1). Three award winners played for teams that were not affiliated with any MLB organization.

Winners

+KeyPositionIndicates the player's primary positionNumber of wins by players who won the award multiple times

+WinnersYearWinnerTeamOrganizationPosition 1948Reidsville Luckies—Pitcher1949Reidsville Luckies—First baseman1950Burlington Bees—Outfielder1951Winston-Salem CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThird baseman1952Fayetteville A'sPhiladelphia AthleticsPitcher1953Danville LeafsNew York GiantsPitcher1954Greensboro PatriotsBoston Red SoxCatcher1955High Point-Thomasville Hi-TomsCincinnati RedlegsOutfielder1956High Point-Thomasville Hi-TomsCincinnati RedlegsOutfielder1957High Point-Thomasville Hi-TomsPhiladelphia PhilliesOutfielder1958Wilson TobsBaltimore OriolesOutfielder1959Raleigh CapitalsBoston Red SoxSecond baseman1960Winston-Salem Red BirdsSt. Louis CardinalsThird baseman1961Wilson TobsMinnesota TwinsOutfielder1962Durham BullsHouston Colt .45sFirst baseman1963Kinston EaglesPittsburgh PiratesCatcher1964Tidewater TidesChicago White SoxOutfielder1965Greensboro YankeesNew York YankeesShortstop1966Winston-Salem Red SoxBoston Red SoxPitcher1967Raleigh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesShortstop1968High Point-Thomasville Hi-TomsNew York YankeesFirst baseman1969Salem RebelsPittsburgh PiratesFirst baseman1970Raleigh-Durham TrianglesHouston AstrosCatcher1971Peninsula PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesOutfielder1972Salem PiratesPittsburgh PiratesOutfielder1973Kinston EaglesNew York YankeesOutfielder1974Salem PiratesPittsburgh PiratesOutfielder1975Salem PiratesPittsburgh PiratesOutfielder1976Lynchburg MetsNew York MetsFirst baseman1977Salem PiratesPittsburgh PiratesOutfielder1978Peninsula PilotsPhiladelphia PhilliesCatcher1979Peninsula PilotsPhiladelphia PhilliesOutfielder1980Peninsula PilotsPhiladelphia PhilliesShortstop1981Durham BullsAtlanta BravesOutfielder1982Peninsula PilotsPhiladelphia PhilliesSecond baseman1983Lynchburg MetsNew York MetsOutfielder1984Lynchburg MetsNew York MetsCatcher1985Lynchburg MetsNew York MetsOutfielder1986Lynchburg MetsNew York MetsShortstop1987Kinston IndiansCleveland IndiansThird baseman1988Lynchburg Red SoxBoston Red SoxOutfielder1989Lynchburg Red SoxBoston Red SoxOutfielder1990Winston-Salem SpiritsChicago CubsThird baseman1991Winston-Salem SpiritsChicago CubsThird baseman1992 Peninsula PilotsSeattle MarinersFirst baseman1993 Winston-Salem SpiritsCincinnati RedsFirst baseman1994Wilmington Blue RocksKansas City RoyalsFirst baseman1995Kinston IndiansCleveland IndiansFirst baseman1996Lynchburg HillcatsPittsburgh PiratesOutfielder1997Lynchburg HillcatsPittsburgh PiratesThird baseman1998Winston-Salem WarthogsChicago White SoxThird baseman1999Myrtle Beach PelicansAtlanta BravesSecond baseman2000Potomac CannonsSt. Louis CardinalsFirst baseman2001Kinston IndiansCleveland IndiansCatcher2002Salem AvalancheColorado RockiesFirst baseman2003Lynchburg HillcatsPittsburgh PiratesFirst baseman2004Lynchburg HillcatsPittsburgh PiratesFirst baseman2005Winston-Salem WarthogsChicago White SoxFirst baseman2006Kinston IndiansCleveland IndiansOutfielder2007Salem AvalancheHouston AstrosOutfielder2008Kinston IndiansCleveland IndiansFirst baseman2009Frederick KeysBaltimore OriolesFirst baseman2010Potomac NationalsWashington NationalsFirst baseman2011Winston-Salem DashChicago White SoxFirst baseman2012Winston-Salem DashChicago White SoxFirst baseman2013Winston-Salem DashChicago White SoxShortstop2014Myrtle Beach PelicansTexas RangersThird baseman2015Lynchburg HillcatsCleveland IndiansFirst baseman2016Lynchburg HillcatsCleveland IndiansFirst baseman2017Frederick KeysBaltimore OriolesOutfielder2018Salem Red SoxBoston Red SoxThird baseman2019Carolina MudcatsMilwaukee BrewersCatcher2020 2021Charleston RiverDogsTampa Bay RaysOutfielder2022Carolina MudcatsMilwaukee BrewersOutfielder2023Delmarva ShorebirdsBaltimore OriolesCatcher2024Lynchburg HillcatsCleveland GuardiansOutfielder2025Kannapolis Cannon BallersChicago White SoxShortstop2026Charleston RiverDogsTampa Bay RaysShortstop

Wins by team

Active Carolina League teams appear in bold.

Team Award(s) Year(s)Lynchburg Hillcats (Lynchburg Mets/Red Sox)141976, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2015, 2016, 2024Winston-Salem Dash (Winston-Salem Red Brids/Red Sox/Spirits/Warthogs)101960, 1966, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1998, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013Salem RidgeYaks (Salem Rebels/Pirates/Avalanche/Red Sox)81969, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 2002, 2007, 2018Peninsula Pilots (Peninsula Phillies)61971, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1992Kinston Indians51987, 1995, 2001, 2006, 2008High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms41955, 1956, 1957, 1968Carolina Mudcats22019, 2022Charleston RiverDogs2021, 2026Durham Bulls1962, 1981Frederick Keys2009, 2017Greensboro Yankees (Greensboro Patriots)1954, 1965Kinston Eagles1963, 1973Myrtle Beach Pelicans1999, 2014Potomac Nationals (Potomac Cannons)2000, 2010Raleigh Pirates (Raleigh Capitals)1959, 1967Reidsville Luckies1948, 1949Wilson Tobs1958, 1961Burlington Bees11950Danville Leafs1953Delmarva Shorebirds2023Fayetteville A's1952Kannapolis Cannon Ballers2025Raleigh-Durham Triangles1970Tidewater Tides1964Wilmington Blue Rocks1994Winston-Salem Cardinals1951

Wins by organization

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

Organization Award(s) Year(s)Pittsburgh Pirates111963, 1967, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004Cleveland Guardians (Cleveland Indians)81987, 1995, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2024Chicago White Sox71964, 1998, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2025Boston Red Sox61954, 1959, 1966, 1988, 1989, 2018Philadelphia Phillies1957, 1971, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982New York Mets51976, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986Baltimore Orioles41958, 2009, 2017, 2023Cincinnati Reds (Cincinnati Redlegs)31955, 1956, 1993Houston Astros (Houston Colt .45s)1962, 1970, 2007New York Yankees1965, 1968, 1973St. Louis Cardinals1951, 1960, 2000Atlanta Braves21981, 1999Chicago Cubs1990, 1991Milwaukee Brewers2019, 2022Tampa Bay Rays2021, 2026Colorado Rockies12002Kansas City Royals1994Minnesota Twins1961Oakland Athletics (Philadelphia Athletics)1952San Francisco Giants (New York Giants)1953Seattle Mariners1992Texas Rangers2014Washington Nationals2010

References Specific

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