Who Are the Early Favorites for AL and NL Most Valuable Player?

It’s early June and we are over a third through the MLB season.  While we can’t tell exactly where it will all end up, we can make some assumptions about where it’s all going.  If the postseason began today, it would include (surprisingly) three teams from the AL Central (Guardians, Royals and Twins).  In the National League, it’s possible that two teams would make the postseason with .500 records or lower.  Still, there’s plenty of season left to play and a whole list of teams that could break either way.

Who’s Powering the Frontrunners?

In the American League, all eyes are on the Bronx Bombers and their dynamic duo, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.  The Yankees currently hold the best record in the AL and are being powered by these two superstars who are currently #1 and #2 in OPS.  They’re followed by a pair of young stars, Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals) and Gunnar Henderson (Orioles).  They’re both building their own MVP cases outside the spotlight of the Big Apple.  Witt is among the leaders in Batting Average, Hits, Runs and Stolen Bases.  Henderson is chasing Judge for the Home Run lead and don’t forget about his teammate Adley Rutschman.  And then there’s Kyle Tucker, who’s continues to rack up numbers, despite the subpar season thus far from the Astros.  Don’t sleep on Jose Ramirez (Guardians) or Corey Seager (Rangers) either.

Much like the American League, the frontrunners in the NL MVP race also come from the same team.  Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani have been powering the Dodgers, but they still fall behind the Phillies when it comes to best record in the National League. In terms of Phillies, look to Bryce Harper as a more obvious pick, but also Alec Bohm as a sleeper.  Then there is William Contreras, the Brewers catcher who’s having a career season.  Not to mention, Marcell Ozuna is having a monster year with the Braves which has been much needed with the loss of 2023 MVP, Ronald Acuna Jr.  Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres) and Elly De La Cruz may be in the mix as well.

Checking My Preseason Predictions

It’s always challenging making preseason predictions, because so many factors can change once games begin.  So far, when it comes to AL and N MVP, I am rather pleased with my preseason picks.  In the AL, I picked Adley Rutschman, who’s currently hitting .307 with 11 HRs, 43 RBIs and a .835 OPS for the Orioles.  Not to mention, he’s a catcher.  If he continues to play like he’s playing, Rutschman can stay in the conversation.

On the NL side, I predicted a big year for Mookie Betts.  He was the runner-up last season and has already produced 10 HRs and 35 RBIs.  He’s batting .312 with a .923 OPS and 9 stolen bases.  Betts has also made himself versatile defensively, moving in from rightfield to middle infield.

The most interesting thing about both Rutschman and Betts is that some of their fiercest competition for MVP comes from their own teammates; Gunnar Henderson and Shohei Ohtani.

It’s going to be a fun summer!

Brian Koss

Brian is the Co-Owner/Managing Editor at Legends on Deck and Co-Host on Legends On Deck Podcast. He's been writing about baseball at LOD since 2017. He grew up in the Detroit area and is a lifelong Tigers fan. However, he shares some affinity for his son George's favorite team, the Atlanta Braves. Brian also has a particular interest in the amateur side of the game, including high school, college and collegiate summer league baseball. Brian and George also love collecting and selling baseball cards. You can find them selling on eBay (@Kossball) or posting on George's Instagram (@Kossball). Brian lives in Horizon West (Winter Garden), Florida with his wife (Grace), three daughters and son George. You can also reach him at brianmkoss@gmail.com