The Baseball Writers Association of America announced the finalists for the 2025 awards tonight. Those are top three vote getters (listed in alphabetical order) for the four biggest awards: MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year. Winners will be revealed next week, as will each voter’s individual ballot.
MVP
American League
- Aaron Judge (Yankees)
- Cal Raleigh (Mariners)
- José Ramírez (Guardians)
National League
- Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)
- Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)
- Juan Soto (Mets)
Cy Young
American League
- Hunter Brown (Astros)
- Garrett Crochet (Red Sox)
- Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
National League
- Cristopher Sánchez (Phillies)
- Paul Skenes (Pirates)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers)
Rookie of the Year
American League
- Roman Anthony (Red Sox)
- Nick Kurtz (Athletics)
- Jacob Wilson (Athletics)
National League
- Drake Baldwin (Braves)
- Caleb Durbin (Brewers)
- Cade Horton (Cubs)
Manager of the Year
American League
- John Schneider (Blue Jays)
- Stephen Vogt (Guardians)
- Dan Wilson (Mariners)
National League
- Terry Francona (Reds)
- Pat Murphy (Brewers)
- Rob Thomson (Phillies)
—————————————————–
The American League MVP race has been hotly debated for months and the arguments will probably continue for years after the award is given out. Judge has already won the award twice and he put up another monster season, hitting 53 home runs with a .331 batting average and .457 on-base percentage. Raleigh hit 60 home runs but his offense was otherwise a notch below Judge. Strictly based on the work done at the plate, Judge gets the edge. However, Raleigh’s performance is completely unprecedented for a catcher. It’s possible some voters give Raleigh the edge due to the extra work catchers have to do working with a pitching staff, on top of the wear-and-tear associated with the position.
Ohtani seems likely to repeat in the National League, given that he continued to hit at an elite rate and also returned to the mound this year. Skubal is expected to repeat as A.L. Cy Young winner, even though Crochet gave him a good run for his money this year. Skenes is generally considered the favorite in the N.L. Kurtz probably earned himself the hardware by launching 36 home runs. The N.L. Rookie of the Year race feels fairly wide open.
With awards voting, the Prospect Promotion Incentive has become a consideration in recent years. Brown has already earned the Astros an extra pick just by being a Cy Young finalist. Baldwin can also net Atlanta an extra pick, but only if he ultimately wins Rookie of the Year in the National League.
The awards will be announced as follows:
- Nov. 10: Rookie of the Year
- Nov. 11: Manager of the Year
- Nov. 12: Cy Young
- Nov. 13: MVP
Photo courtesy of Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images
Raleigh
Ohtani
Skubal
Skenes
Kurtz
Baldwin
Vogt (I mean to come back from what 15 back and win the division cmon)
Murphy
I like it.
Its going to be Judge as it should be
I don’t have a big beef with Judge being the MVP but what Raleigh did was impressive for a catcher. He should get it. On the other hand Judge was out with injury and still put up a monster year.
What he did was impressive. What Judge did was more valuable. Led the league in OPS and OPS+, the only thing Cal has over Judge is HRs.
Offensive production is also immensely more important than defensive production. If you dont want my word for it, take every FO in baseball as the contracts around the league say exactly that, so Cal playing league average defense at the catcher position with Judge playing average defense at the RF position really isnt enough to outweigh the massive gap in offense between the two players.
Benjamin —
Nope.
Wow great argument
@Begamin I agree with all you said here except for the contracts. The value of contracts does not directly correlate to overall value provided in the game. Teams pay much for offensive production as it is generates more revenue. In baseball much like other sports, the diehard fans generally appreciate defense, but average and casual fans predominantly favor offense as it equates to excitement.
Nah, without Judge the Yankees are still a playoff team
Without Raleigh the Mariners aren’t a guaranteed playoff team.
Easy choice is Raleigh cause it’ll be a long time before you see a catcher do what he did this year. You see guys like judge all the time pop up through the years. Rarely do you see a catcher blast 60 homers in a season.
Respectfully, Judge is the reason the Yankees are in the playoffs pretty much every year. He has to carry each years roster of overpriced, under performing has beens and never will be’s into the playoffs.
I would argue Seattle actually had a more well rounded team.
Either team would have suffered with the loss of their respective star.
Yankees without Judge for the short time he was hurt went into free-fall. Last year the teams offense was Soto, Judge and 7 outs until they came back up again.
You also do NOT see guys like Judge pop up through the years, hes putting up historic numbers its not his fault youre numb to it. Even if that silly thing you said was true, so, its an MVP award, not most unique season award. Itll be a long time before you see the best basketball player ever take minor league at bats, doesnt mean MJ should be crowned MVP.
Before Judge there was Mike Trout before Trout there was at the very least Ken Griffey Jr.
Yes. YOU DO see guys like judge pop up every now in then. They’re in the HOF or HOF bound.
Vlad Guerrero Sr
Carlos Beltran
Jim Edmonds
Name me 1 catcher who put up a season like Raleigh just did. I’ll wait.
Before Judge there was HoF players so therefore a HoF player and the most valuable player shouldnt get an MVP award is your argument? Really?
Aaron Judge put up the 27th highest OPS+ of all time last year. The actual best OPS+ of ALL TIME if you remove Barry Bonds and players that played in the MLB before integration (like Ruth) and players that played in the NLs (Like Josh Gibson). This year he put up the 46th best OPS+ of all time, and about 3-4th ALL TIME if you apply the same parameters. A player like this does NOT pop up every now and again. Btw, you have to go a looooong way down before you get to a Mike Trout season (tied flr 116th best OPS+ single season of all time) and even farther down to get to a Ken Griffey season (t. for 476 single season OPS+)
Wait all you want. If youre going to let the 3rd best offensive season ever go just because someone else had a more unique season then you dont know ball.
Missed the point entirely lmao
You said nobody has done what judge has done and nobody has put up number like he has. Which is undoubtedly incorrect and easily proven wrong with numerous names besides the ones I mentioned
“Big bat OF hits for power, plays good defense”
Mike Trout
Ken Griffey Jr
We’ve seen it before. Maybe you’re new to baseball?
“Ignore all these other people who has better seasons”
You still haven’t named 1 catcher who’s done with Raleigh did this year. Still waiting. And if you can’t that just proves how historic his season was and why he should win mvp over judge.
No, I did not miss the point entirely. The names you named best seasons do not even come close to what Judge did at the plate this year. Its not “easily proven wrong” lmao go look at single season OPS+ leaders of all time, remove players that played in leagues not the MLB, the MLB before integration, and Barry Bonds and Judge has put up the 3rd best OPS+ season of all time.
Players you listed best OPS+ in single season:
Trout – 198
Ken Griffey Jr – 171
Vlad – 162
Beltran – 154
Jim Edmons – 171
Aaron Judge in 2025:
215
Its not even close. Again youre going to keep waiting. Its not the most unique season award no matter how hard you try to conveniently reframe what the MVP award is about.
Also
OPS+ uses different denominators (plate appearances for OBP, at-bats for SLG), incorrectly measuring a player’s total worth.
Still waiting on that which catcher had a better season that Raleigh
Also, OPS+ uses different denominators (plate appearances for OBP, at-bats for SLG), incorrectly measuring a player’s total worth.
Cool research though. Flawed as it is.
MVP
Most valuable player, not highest ops+ award ever
You sure you know what mvp stands for? Cause being a catcher his offense and catching games impacts the game more than judge does.
As you pointed out you can find plenty of high ops+ seasons by an OF. You can’t find one like Raleigh’s.
I’d take Mauer 2009. Less power obviously but very productive, batted over .360 almost 200 hits. Called an incredible game and played much more than cals barely serviceable defense this year. Won the gold glove. A solid all around season.
1997 piazza also was an amazing year. “Only” 40 homeruns but also batted over .360.
Cal has an awesome year but he sacrificed most aspects of his game so he could hit more homers. He was a far less complete player than Judge.
So. Not comparable to Raleigh’s season. Ok. Thanks
Yeah 80s and 90s were different batting approaches that’s for sure. Also Piazaa admitted to using over the counter androstenedione (andro) and amphetamines greenies prior to being banned by the mlb. So yeah *
Youre not just going to conveniently act like OPS+ is a bad stat lmao Use what ever denominators you want Judge still put up one of the best offensive seasons of all time.
MVP isnt “best catcher season ever” award. Even if it was, that award would go to Buster Posey. Better defense in 2012 than Raleighs 2025, higher OPS and OPS+, more bWAR and fWAR.
Your smooth brain is gonna be so mad when Judge wins the award
Any names yet for a C season better than Raleigh’s?
Judge is more valuable than Cal. bWAR, fWAR, DRS, OPS+, OPS, every hitting stat besides HRs, all favor Judge. Idgaf that Cal played league average defensive at catcher, Judge still provided more value.
Argue with a wall
Just 1. Common just 1 season better than Raleigh. Can’t be that hard
Scroll up and read. I’ve held your hand through the conversation to this point but i cant physically point to it on your screen you more ron lmaooo
“Guys like Judge do pop up allll the time yeah totally guys who put up the best offensive seasons anyones ever seen pops up all the time but not a catcher with a 170 OPS+!! (dont google Mauer and Posey it’ll only make me look more stupid)”
So am I still waiting for you to find a better season than Raleigh? Can’t be hard man.
Me: hey ops+ is flawed
You : ops+ ops+ ops+
Me: alright lol bad stat is bad
You: ops+ ops+ ops+
OPS+ is not a bad stat, I presented a plethora of other stats, and I found you two catchers who have had better seasons than Raleigh in recent history. You’re ignoring all of that though because you’re an intellectually dishonest loser on MLBTR of all places. Embarrassing.
Any luck yet? What’s taking you so long?
He wears that crown with pride.
Why you mad?
You missed the point entirely . You just don’t realize it lol
See the problem with OPS+ is it doesn’t factor in a crucial stat. Strike outs.
See you fail to realize you’re comparing different eras of baseball by using OPS+
In Griffeys era they didn’t sell out for power like today’s hitters do
Sure Griffey had a best 171 OPS+ he also struck out 91 and 73 times those years. During Griffey era they valued contact and batting average over obp and slg.
Judge has an OPS+ of 215 sure he also struck out 160 times
During judges tenure in NY he’s averaging 179 OPS+ and 194 strike outs a year
Griffey averaged like 150 OPS+ not counting his retirement tour in SEA but had about 90 strike outs on average, Less than half Judges total
You were doomed from the start begamin.
I gave you an impossible task. Find a C with a better season than Raleigh. Hint: there’s no answer cause Piazza Mauer Posey all happened before the 2015 stat cast surge that took over ballparks and ushered in the data driven era where launch angle spin rate among other things became standards. Womp womp
Maybe rely less on stats and use your brain more? If you had you’d probably see the issue comparing a data driven era to a pre data driven era. Womp womp
We get it Raleigh had a historic season. Historic does not add value though. If every voter cast a vote strictly on the value of overall production, that would be Judge.
Voters do not vote strictly on the value of production so some will be influenced by varying degrees by the Historic nature of Raleigh’s production at his position. I doubt its enough to surpass Judge tho. The volume of overall production Judge put up was quite a bit more than Raleigh.
With respect to judge and the year that he has had, there will never be another offensive bombardment from a catcher like Cal has had-period!
Unless Cal Raleigh does it again 😉
Its not “the most unique season” award
Benjamin—
Ah, no.
Doing some smug snarky remark isnt gonna make Cal win the award
Ops+ isn’t an award
I don’t think the writers will overlook Judge’s offense. Raleigh’s OPS was closer to Sal Frelick than it was to Judge.
I totally understand that he’s a catcher, but he wasn’t even a finalist for a GG so not like his defense aside from framing was good.
I don’t see judge on the list of finalists for Gold Glove?
Neither was Cal, and that was his point. Im not a big proponent of DRS, but Cal had a DRS of 2 while Judge had a DRS of 3. Take from that what you will
Most voters understand that T-Mobile is the least hitter-friendly park in baseball and won’t be basing this on OPS.
OPS is big but doesn’t determine who is MVP
OPS+ is a better metric to account for ballpark and his 215 OPS+ beats Cal’s 169
but my argument for Cal is every time a catcher put up a 170 ops+ in the modern era they win MVP (except Javy Lopez but that was the steroid era with Barry bonds)
Sure, but Buster LED the league in OPS+ when he won it, as did Joe Mauer. If Cal led the league in OPS+ or was closer, it wouldnt even be a conversation. But he wasnt even close to Judge offensively, he put up one of the best offensive seasons we’ve ever seen outside of Judges 2024 season.
Ivan Rodriguez did not lead the league in OPS+ when he won, but you could probably argue that he shouldnt have won the award in 99 if the same exact bWAR didnt net him the award the 2 years prior
“Vogt (I mean to come back from what 15 back and win the division cmon)”
Ok, but it’s not like they started there. You could easily spin this as “he managed them into a 15 game deficit.”
and also, the team they ‘chased down’ was so busy losing every day of the week that it was nearly impossible to not make up ground.
And Wilson’s help knock Houston off its proverbial perch and the AL West
People clearly do not recognize the physical toll put on catchers. I don’t have a dog in the fight and I understand the case for Judge but some of the comments are from a place of ignorance.
MathBallXpert—
Agree with your picks 100%.
Judge was first player to win batting title and hit at least 50 HR. I don’t see MVP going other way because a handful of HR. Judge carried team to playoffs.
This is my exact list except I put Schneider above Vogt because he made the team go from last to first place with a lot of random guys from triple A in the lineup
Stats: Judge.
Team Results: Raleigh.
I do believe Dan Wilson is AL Manager of the Year. First full season managing and one game away from the World Series for a team that has never made it there is impressive. Tito Francona is debatable for the NL (Brought the Reds to the playoffs for the first time in a full regular season since 2013).
How about they split the award?
Judge gets the M\
Cal gets the /P
Together they make an awesome M\/P
This is the part of the game show where José Ramírez gets his consolation prize. Thanks for coming out, better luck next year.
Is it still a case of Turtle Wax?
Great list and i agree on all. But it should be judge over raleigh. Dont let voter fatigue win !
This was meant to be a reply to MaxBallXpert. Apologies i am new to this
How can Max Fried not be one of the 3 AL Cy Young finalists?
4.5 war
The finalist were at 6.1 and above
Eovaldi would’ve been a finalist, but injuries…
Kurtz anyone?
I’d have said Wilson the first couple months of the year he was batting over .350 for a while. Kurtz kinda just came out of nowhere. I think he gets it but Wilson was no slouch either.
Curious how they build on this season. With whatever team they may end up on 😂
I can’t see how it isn’t. To come almost straight out of college and belt 36 Home Runs in the Majors is pretty remarkable.
I love Roman Anthony but he should not be in the discussion given the amount of games he played and missing the last month of the season. Carlos Narvaez, Cam Smith or even Colson Montgomery (played the same amount of games as Anthony but hit 21 Home Runs) probably should have been there instead
Desperately hoping that Judge and Raleigh end up in a tie somehow. It’s the funniest possible outcome. And perhaps the most appropriate.
Wouldn’t that be epic
Manning and McNair split MVP one year
I was all in on Cal Raleigh, but if you compare the stats, Judge just blew him out of the water, aside from HRs.
HRs 53 vs 60
BA .331 vs .247
WAR 9.7 vs 7.3
OPS+ 215 vs 169
fWAR 10.1 vs 9.1
And how many games did Judge play catcher?
And therein lies the problem. It’s impossible to compare an outfielder to a catcher properly.
Depends on how the voters define valuable, as always.
I’m surprised this site didn’t set up the voting system as they do frequently for other threads on trades and such for the posters on this page.?
Wasn’t Ohtani given the MVP when he showed up for spring training?
No. It was when he hit 3 home runs and pitched 6 shutout innings with 10 Ks.
Or was it when he was hitting almost .300 while rehabbing his pitching arm against major league hitters and shutting them down?
I forget…
Yeah there really isn’t a conversation there. He more than earned it
@Another
Postseason don’t count for these awards.
But your guy earned it. Don’t worry. Your validation is granted.
@Informed
I know. But those were the stats I had in my brain after listening to talking heads for a couple weeks lol.
Kurt’s and Wilson both having amazing seasons together is crazy. The future is bright for the athletics. Till they trade them in a year or 2 😂
Roy Campanella
Raleigh & Ohtani
Skubal & Yamamoto
Kurtz & Baldwin
Schneider & Murphy
Judge/Ohtani
Skubal/Sanchez
Kurtz/Baldwin
Wilson/Francona
Might as well add an “MVP Not Named Shohei Ohtani” award for the NL at this point, just to have anyone else to talk about.