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Pitcher List Award Predictions

Pitcher List contributors make their calls for 2026's biggest awards.

Pablo Figueroa
Misc An Hour Ago

As baseball approaches an uncertain winter, the industry discourse revolves around the inevitable lockout and the impact it will certainly have on the game, sprinkled with the customary free agency rumors and season reviews that already make us yearn for the sights and sounds of any MLB game. While even a Rockies-Angels matchup would become a welcome option at this point, there is still a small matter that must be settled to close the book on the 2026 season, the awards to celebrate the best and brightest.

Coming off a playoff field that included no upsets and little drama, most award races will probably follow a similar pattern. In many ways, this is a refreshing development for MLB, as its best players mirrored the path of the best teams, becoming early favorites to win it all and then backing it up with excellent play all the way to the end.

However, that will not stop the Pitcher List team from sharing our predictions, snubs, hot takes, and everything in between as awards week is about to unfold. With more than 20 writers and contributors polled, here are our biggest takeaways to put a bow on the 2026 MLB season.

AL MVP
Majority Vote: Yordan Alvarez
Others Receiving Votes: Cam Schlittler, Bobby Witt Jr.., Junior Caminero

Alvarez’s MVP case was well established early into the season, as he flirted with the AL Triple Crown for a large portion of 2026. While he was not able to complete the feat, he still finished with 42 homers and 106 RBI for a division winner, while no other AL player was able to build such a complete résume.

“He just had a Judgian season” – Erik Hinrichsen
“Ungodly hitting stats” – Estevao Maximo
“30% better than the best other hitters in the league” – Nate Schwartz

NL MVP
Consensus Vote: Pete Crow-Armstrong

The case for PCA was not as strong as Alvarez’s for the first half of the summer, but he became undeniable as the season progressed. Shohei Ohtani was the odds-on favorite as he mixed his solid offense with inspiring numbers on the mound, but his injury issues left the MVP race wide open for the Cubs’ star outfielder, who has gone from star to potential face of MLB in just a couple of years.

“40/40 with Platinum Glove defense in center field? Hard to beat that” – Jake Crumpler
“Some years, it’s that obvious” – Kevin Hasting
“PCA led the league in homers, stolen bases, and WAR – that is the definition of an MVP” – John Ke

AL Cy Young
Consensus Vote: Cam Schlittler

In only his second season as a major leaguer, Schlittler is bound to become one of the easiest Cy Young selections of all time. While his 14 wins may not win over the old-school crowd, his dominance on the mound was easy to spot all over, with the righty becoming the biggest ace in a Yankees rotation that suffered through IL stints and inconsistency. He cut his walk rate almost in half and had a 1.95 ERA, which is a simple formula to win hardware.

“Took the mound 33 times to a sub-2 ERA and a sub-1 WHIP…don’t have to look much further” – Kevin Hasting
“Ratio dominance and supreme strikeout totals” – John Ke
“He is also an MVP candidate, that says it all” – Erik Hinrichsen

NL Cy Young
Consensus Vote: Jacob Misiorowski

Just like Schlittler, Jacob Misiorowski will become a consensus Cy Young in his second year in the league, but his status as the best pitcher in his league was established even earlier. In many ways, the Miz mirrored Milwaukee’s ascent as the best team in baseball, riding an epic stretch between May and June in which he went 8-1 with a 0.54 ERA. His dominance faded a bit to close the season, but that looked more like a product of load management as the Brew Crew saved his best for the playoffs… and it worked.

“Fastball go brrrr” – Asher Dratel
“One of the most dominant pitching seasons in recent memory, led the league in ERA, WHIP, BAA, and Ks” – Jake Crumpler
“Watch him pitch!” – Kevin Hasting

AL Rookie of the Year
Split Votes: Parker Messick / Kevin McGonigle

Rookie of the Year tends to be an overlooked category, but in this year’s AL it will at least provide some intrigue and drama, as there are two clear-cut AL Central candidates that would make a fine choice. After a brief 2025 stint, Parker Messick became the ace of Cleveland’s rotation, posting a 2.56 ERA with excellent peripherals. Meanwhile, McGonigle went from first-round pick to arguably the best hitter for the Tigers, leading the AL in WAR and plate appearances with almost a 1:1 K/BB ratio. Both project as foundational players for their respective franchises, and the award will be justified for whoever takes home the trophy.

“McGonigle was one of the best players in the AL, regardless of service time” – Asher Dratel
“Messick made seven great starts in 2025 only to be better in 2026” – Kevin Hasting
“Any rookie who can walk almost as much as he strikes out deserves this award” – Justin Alston
“High volume 2.50 ERA, extremely valuable!” – Patrick Connors

NL Rookie of the Year
Split Votes: J.J. Wetherholt / Carson Benge / Sal Stewart

Unlike their AL counterparts, the standout rookies in the Senior Circuit did not receive as much attention, with several of them having a solid case towards the award. J.J Wetherholt became the first true beacon of hope for the Cardinals in their extended rebuilding process, flashing excellent defense and a serviceable bat that amounted to a 4.5 WAR and .704 OPS at age 23. Carson Benge featured a similar profile for the floundering Mets, providing some hope that they can at least build from within. The outfielder quietly posted a 20/20 season, and he should receive plenty of votes. The slight edge in voting belongs to Cincinnati’s Sal Stewart, although that mostly appeals to a more traditional crowd. Stewart was not particularly good for a defensive catcher, but he became essential for the Reds, playing in all 162 games while mashing 32 homers and 25 doubles. Stewart may eventually be phased out to a more traditional power position, but his current profile may be the deciding factor for this award.

“JJ’s exceptional defense (25 OAA!) is hard to ignore at a premium position” – Jack Foley
“Elite defense and baserunning push Benge over the top” – Patrick Connors
“If you drive in 100 runs on the team with the NL’s worst batting average, as Sal Stewart just did, you deserve it” – Scott McDermott

AL Manager of the Year
Top Vote-Getter: Will Venable
Others receiving votes: Kevin Cash, Chad Tracy, Stephen Vogt

The AL had several noteworthy stories in 2026, with managers like Vogt and Cash carrying low-payroll teams to the top two seeds in the league, while Chad Tracy was at the center of Boston’s mid-season turnaround after taking over. However, there is no way to deny Will Venable and what he achieved for the Chicago White Sox. Following three straight 100-loss seasons, the Pale Hose came close to winning the AL Central despite a patchwork rotation and an uneven offense. Venable had been at the helm for the lowlights, and now he was able to see the unlikely ascent to contention, which should net him his first MOY.

“Venable turned a 100-loss club into a playoff contender” – Jake Crumpler

NL Manager of the Year
Top Vote-Getter: Pat Murphy
Others receiving votes: Don Mattingly, Craig Counsell, Walt Weiss

Manager of the Year awards are usually handed out to the skipper who made the most with less, or the one who orchestrated an unexpected turnaround, much like Will Venable in the AL. In the case of Pat Murphy, he is in line to win three straight even as he was coming off the NL’s best record in 2025. One could argue that finally winning the Pennant and World Series title would be enough, but the sheer recognition for Murphy’s body of work also speaks volumes of how he is viewed as essential to Milwaukee’s success. Mattingly displayed tremendous resolve to stabilize the Phillies, while Atlanta bounced back under the steady hand of Walt Weiss, but it’s hard to deny Murphy and his masterful stewardship of the low-budget Brew Crew. Decades from now, we will debate what was the most impressive MOY accomplishment: Murphy winning three straight or Buck Showalter winning four of them in four separate decades.

“The Brewers constantly play up. You gotta credit the manager” – Asher Dratel

AL Reliever of the Year (Mariano Rivera Award)
Top Vote-Getter: Cade Smith
Others receiving votes: Louis Varland, Bryan Baker

Varland became a stabilizing force for the Blue Jays and Baker made his name known in the playoffs, but 2026 was definitely Cade Smith’s year. It is important to always remember that he was forced into the closer role following the Emmanuel Clase debacle in 2025, and has responded by essentially becoming the most reliable stopper in the AL. Smith finished 2026 with 41 saves and earned his first All-Star nod, displaying elite strikeout stuff. In Cleveland’s eternal quest for cheap run prevention, pitchers like Smith are the protoype for success.

“4.83 WPA!!!” – Patrick Connors
“Smith led the AL in saves with a sub-2 ERA and 36% K rate. Absolute dominance.” – Jake Crumpler

 

NL Reliever of the Year (Trevor Hoffman Award)
Consensus Vote: Mason Miller

Miller’s lasting image for 2026 may end up becoming the series-turning blown save in the NLDS Game 2 against the Brewers, but that should not take away from his memorable regular season. He led the NL in saves while having a 0.90 WHIP and 16.6 K/9, highlighting the shutdown bullpen that eventually carried the Padres to a playoff spot. While his fastball remains unmatched, there appears to be a higher gear that Miller can achieve. Aside from this obvious award, he should also garner some down-ballot Cy Young votes.

“There is no other choice here. Not that there needs to be” – Erik Hinrichsen

Other Awards

AL Comeback Player: Yordan Alvarez (limited by injuries to 48 games in 2025, only to emerge as the MVP a year later)

NL Comeback Player: Zack Wheeler, with Michael Harris II deserving a shoutout (Wheeler came back from a career-threatening injury to make 30 starts and post a 3.00 ERA)

Hank Aaron Awards: Alvarez (AL) / Crow-Armstrong (NL) – presumptive MVP awards double as the league’s best hitters. To complement his stellar season, Alvarez is also the odds-on favorite to take the Edgar Martinez award as the best DH.

AL Silver Sluggers – Carter Jensen (C), Ben Rice (1B), Chase Meidroth (2B), Bobby Witt Jr.. (SS), Junior Caminero (3B), Randy Arozarena (OF), Riley Greene (OF), Jac Caglianone (OF), Yordan Alvarez (DH), Kevin McGonigle (UT)

NL Silver Sluggers – Gabriel Moreno (C), Matt Olson (1B), Brice Turang (2B), Elly de la Cruz (SS), Alex Bregman (3B), Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF), James Wood (OF), Seiya Suzuki (OF), Kyle Schwarber (DH), Jake Bauers (UT)

All-MLB First Team – Gabriel Moreno (C), Pete Alonso (1B), Brice Turang (2B), Bobby Witt Jr.. (SS), Junior Caminero (3B), Randy Arozarena (OF), Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF), Fernando Tatis Jr. Jr. (OF), Yordan Alvarez (DH), Jacob Misiorowski (SP), Cam Schlittler (SP), Drew Rasmussen (SP), Cristopher Sánchez (SP), Chris Sale (SP), Mason Miller (RP), Louis Varland (RP)

Snubs and Final Words

Before it’s all said and done, a few Pitcher List writers left their final thoughts on the season around players and managers who are likely to be snubbed. This was a safe space for them to vent.

“TJ Rumfield doesn’t really deserve Rookie of the Year, but he had a heck of a season and I feel a lot of people didn’t see it” – Asher Dratel

“Otto Lopez doesn’t stand out enough in a competitive NL shortstop field, but he deserves some kind of recognition” – Jake Crumpler

“Ben Rice… where would the Yankees be without him” – Erik Hinrichsen

“Miguel Vargas may have a hard time winning anything. His season was special.” – Rick Graham

“Utility awards are hard to predict, so a mistake can happen, but seeing anyone other than Ezequiel Duran take home some hardware would be a shame. He just had a Zobrist-type season.” – Jack Foley

“Biased Cubs fan notwithstanding, you can’t convince me that Craig Counsell does not deserve MOY. Yes, the Brewers and Pat Murphy were amazing, but how much of that is organizational? The Cubs had an entire MLB-level rotation and bullpen on the IL and still managed to make the playoffs and be one of the best teams in the league. If that isn’t worth a Manager of the Year award, I don’t know what is”. – Mark Steubinger

“Reid Detmers and Mason Montgomery would usually be good choices for Comeback Player, but are probably not notable enough stories/big enough stars to actually get it”. – Jack Foley

Pablo Figueroa

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Pablo Figueroa is a Baseball Writer here at Pitcher List, with experience as a writer since 2013. He lives in Aguascalientes, Mexico - proud home of Los Rieleros. When he´s not thinking about baseball , he's a husband, owns two dogs, watches random episodes of The Sopranos , plays padel, and works on his day job to pay the bills.

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