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. League broadcasters, Minor League Baseball executives, and members of the media have previously voted as well. Though the league was established in 1955, the award was not created until 1981. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, the league was known as the High-A West in 2021 before reverting to the Northwest League name in 2022.
Twenty-two 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 (4), 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). 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.
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 (9); 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).
Ten 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).
Winners
+KeyPositionIndicates the player's primary position^Indicates multiple award winners in the same year
+WinnersYearWinnerTeamOrganizationPosition 1981^Medford AthleticsOakland AthleticsOutfielderWalla Walla PadresSan Diego PadresOutfielder1982Medford AthleticsOakland AthleticsFirst baseman1983Tri-Cities TripletsTexas RangersThird baseman1984Bellingham MarinersSeattle MarinersOutfielder1985Spokane IndiansSan Diego PadresOutfielder1986Everett GiantsSan Francisco GiantsOutfielder1987Spokane IndiansSan Diego PadresFirst baseman1988Southern Oregon AthleticsOakland AthleticsThird baseman1989Spokane IndiansSan Diego PadresThird baseman1990Outfielder1991Eugene EmeraldsKansas City RoyalsThird baseman1992First baseman1993Boise HawksCalifornia AngelsOutfielder1994First baseman1995First baseman1996Everett AquaSoxSeattle MarinersFirst baseman1997Spokane IndiansKansas City RoyalsOutfielder1998Southern Oregon TimberjacksOakland AthleticsFirst baseman1999Boise HawksAnaheim AngelsThird baseman2000^Portland RockiesColorado RockiesFirst basemanEverett AquaSoxSeattle MarinersOutfielder2001Boise HawksChicago CubsOutfielder2002Everett AquaSoxSeattle MarinersSecond baseman2003Yakima BearsArizona DiamondbacksOutfielder2004Vancouver CanadiansOakland AthleticsOutfielder2005Spokane IndiansTexas RangersOutfielder2006Yakima BearsArizona DiamondbacksOutfielder2007^Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSan Francisco GiantsFirst basemanEugene EmeraldsSan Diego PadresOutfielder2008Outfielder2009Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSan Francisco GiantsThird baseman2010Spokane IndiansTexas RangersOutfielder2011Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSan Francisco GiantsShortstop2012Everett AquaSoxSeattle MarinersThird baseman2013Vancouver CanadiansToronto Blue JaysFirst baseman2014Shortstop2015Everett AquaSoxSeattle MarinersShortstop2016Outfielder2017Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSan Francisco GiantsFirst baseman2018Spokane IndiansTexas RangersFirst baseman2019First baseman2020 2021Everett AquaSoxSeattle MarinersOutfielder2022Spokane IndiansColorado RockiesOutfielder2023Outfielder2024Third baseman2025Everett AquaSoxSeattle MarinersOutfielder2026Everett AquaSoxSeattle MarinersShortstop
Wins by team
Active Northwest League teams appear in bold.
Team Award(s) Year(s)Spokane Indians121985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2005, 2010, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024Everett AquaSox91996, 2000, 2002, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2025, 2026Boise Hawks51993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001Eugene Emeralds41991, 1992, 2007, 2008Salem-Keizer Volcanoes2007, 2009, 2011, 2017Vancouver Canadians32004, 2013, 2014Medford Athletics21981, 1982Southern Oregon Timberjacks (Southern Oregon Athletics)1988, 1998Yakima Bears2003, 2006Bellingham Mariners11984Everett Giants1986Portland Rockies2000Tri-Cities Triplets1983Walla Walla Padres1981
Wins by organization
Active Northwest League–Major League Baseball affiliations appear in bold.
Organization Award(s) Year(s)Seattle Mariners101984, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2025, 2026San Diego Padres71981, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 2007, 2008Oakland Athletics51981, 1982, 1988, 1998, 2004San Francisco Giants1986, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2017Texas Rangers1983, 2005, 2010, 2018, 2019Colorado Rockies42000, 2022, 2023, 2024Los Angeles Angels (California/Anaheim Angels)1993, 1994, 1995, 1999Kansas City Royals31991, 1992, 1997Arizona Diamondbacks22003, 2006Toronto Blue Jays2013, 2014Chicago Cubs12001
References Specific
General