Hank Aaron Award

Last updated
Hank Aaron Award
Play Ball Ballpark (48262399707).jpg
Sport Baseball
League Major League Baseball
Awarded forTop hitter in the American League and National League
Presented byMajor League Baseball
History
First award1999
Most wins Alex Rodriguez (4)
Most recent Aaron Judge (AL)
Shohei Ohtani (NL)

The Hank Aaron Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players selected as the top hitter in each league, as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It was introduced in 1999 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Hank Aaron's surpassing of Babe Ruth's career home run mark of 714 home runs. The award was the first major award to be introduced by Major League Baseball in 19 years.

Contents

For the 1999 season, a winner was selected using an objective points system. Hits, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI) were given certain point values and the winner was the player who had the highest tabulated points total. [1] [2]

In 2000, the system was changed to a ballot in which each MLB team's radio and television play-by-play broadcasters and color analysts voted for three players in each league. Their first-place vote receives five points, the second-place vote receives three points, and the third-place vote receives one point. Beginning in 2003, fans were allowed to vote via MLB's official website, MLB.com. Fans' votes account for 30% of the points, while broadcasters' and analysts' votes account for the other 70%. [1]

The award is handed out to the winners of both leagues before Game 4 of the World Series (mostly after Game 2 due to travel to a different venue) each year, with Aaron himself presenting the awards until the 2019 World Series and his death in 2021 (except 2018 when it is handed out in Game 3 and 2019 when it is handed out in Game 2). The first winners of the award were Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa in 1999, while the most recent winners are Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. Alex Rodriguez won the award four times, the most of any player. [1] Ohtani is the first player to win the award in both leagues. The winner with the most hits was Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023, Barry Bonds in 2001 had the most home runs, and Manny Ramírez in 1999 had the most RBIs. Players from the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays have won the award five times, the most of any team.

Trophy

The Hank Aaron Award has a maritaca granite base and an antique bat and banner combination on the top. It weighs 12 pounds (5.4 kg) and sits on a base of cherry wood.

Kris Bryant (far left) and David Ortiz (far right) pose with Hank Aaron (center left) and Rob Manfred (center right) after receiving the 2016 awards Kris Bryant, Hank Aaron, Rob Manfred and David Ortiz during the Aaron Award ceremony. (29955118983).jpg
Kris Bryant (far left) and David Ortiz (far right) pose with Hank Aaron (center left) and Rob Manfred (center right) after receiving the 2016 awards

Key

YearLinks to the corresponding Major League Baseball season
Player (X)Denotes winning player and number of times they had won the award at that point
HR Home runs
RBI Runs batted in
*Also named Most Valuable Player
BoldBold denotes the player is in the Hall of Fame

Winners

Alex Rodriguez won the award four times. Alex Rodriguez 2008-04-19.jpg
Alex Rodriguez won the award four times.
Barry Bonds won the award three times. BarryLamar Bonds.jpg
Barry Bonds won the award three times.
Albert Pujols won the award twice. Albert Pujols on April 14, 2012.jpg
Albert Pujols won the award twice.
Shohei Ohtani is the only player to win in both leagues (with the Angels in 2023 and Dodgers in 2024) Shohei Ohtani (52967935786) (cropped).jpg
Shohei Ohtani is the only player to win in both leagues (with the Angels in 2023 and Dodgers in 2024)
YearLeaguePlayerTeam Hits HRRBI
1999 American Manny Ramirez Cleveland Indians 17444165
National Sammy Sosa Chicago Cubs 18063141
2000 American Carlos Delgado Toronto Blue Jays 19641137
National Todd Helton Colorado Rockies 21642147
2001 American Alex Rodriguez Texas Rangers 20152135
National Barry Bonds * San Francisco Giants 15673137
2002 American Alex Rodriguez (2)Texas Rangers18757142
National Barry Bonds (2)*San Francisco Giants14946110
2003 American Alex Rodriguez (3)*Texas Rangers18147118
National Albert Pujols St. Louis Cardinals 21243124
2004 American Manny Ramirez (2) Boston Red Sox 17543130
National Barry Bonds (3)*San Francisco Giants13545101
2005 American David Ortiz Boston Red Sox18047148
National Andruw Jones Atlanta Braves 15451128
2006 American Derek Jeter New York Yankees 2141497
National Ryan Howard * Philadelphia Phillies 18258149
2007 American Alex Rodriguez (4)*New York Yankees18354156
National Prince Fielder Milwaukee Brewers 16550119
2008 American Kevin Youkilis Boston Red Sox16829115
National Aramis Ramírez Chicago Cubs16027111
2009 American Derek Jeter (2)New York Yankees2121866
National Albert Pujols (2)*St. Louis Cardinals18647135
2010 American José Bautista Toronto Blue Jays14854124
National Joey Votto * Cincinnati Reds 17737113
2011 American José Bautista (2)Toronto Blue Jays15543103
National Matt Kemp Los Angeles Dodgers 19539126
2012 American Miguel Cabrera * Detroit Tigers 20544139
National Buster Posey *San Francisco Giants17824103
2013 American Miguel Cabrera (2)*Detroit Tigers19344137
National Paul Goldschmidt Arizona Diamondbacks 18236125
2014 American Mike Trout * Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 17336111
National Giancarlo Stanton Miami Marlins 15537105
2015 American Josh Donaldson *Toronto Blue Jays18441123
National Bryce Harper * Washington Nationals 1724299
2016 American David Ortiz (2)Boston Red Sox16938127
National Kris Bryant *Chicago Cubs17639102
2017 American Jose Altuve * Houston Astros 2042481
National Giancarlo Stanton (2)* Miami Marlins 16859132
2018 American J. D. Martinez Boston Red Sox18843130
National Christian Yelich *Milwaukee Brewers18736110
2019 American Mike Trout (2)* Los Angeles Angels 13745104
National Christian Yelich (2)Milwaukee Brewers1614497
2020 American José Abreu * Chicago White Sox 761960
National Freddie Freeman *Atlanta Braves731353
2021 American Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Toronto Blue Jays18848111
National Bryce Harper (2)*Philadelphia Phillies1513584
2022 American Aaron Judge *New York Yankees17762131
National Paul Goldschmidt (2)*St. Louis Cardinals17835115
2023 American Shohei Ohtani *Los Angeles Angels1514495
National Ronald Acuña Jr. *Atlanta Braves21741106
2024 American Aaron Judge (2)*New York Yankees18058144
National Shohei Ohtani (2)*Los Angeles Dodgers19754130

Multiple-time winners

15 players have won the award multiple times, with Alex Rodriguez (4 awards) and Barry Bonds (3 awards) being the only players to win more than twice. Shohei Ohtani is the only player to win in both the American and National League. David Ortiz won two awards 11 years apart (2005 and 2016), the largest gap of any player.

Player# of AwardsYears
Alex Rodriguez 42001, 2002, 2003, 2007
Barry Bonds 32001, 2002, 2004
Manny Ramirez 21999, 2004
Albert Pujols 2003, 2009
David Ortiz 2005, 2016
Derek Jeter 2006, 2009
José Bautista 2010, 2011
Miguel Cabrera 2012, 2013
Paul Goldschmidt 2013, 2022
Giancarlo Stanton 2014, 2017
Mike Trout 2014, 2019
Bryce Harper 2015, 2021
Christian Yelich 2018, 2019
Aaron Judge 2022, 2024
Shohei Ohtani 2023, 2024

See also

References

General
Specific
  1. 1 2 3 Sanchez, Jessie (2002-10-24). "A-Rod receives Hank Aaron Award". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on 2012-11-02. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  2. "Phillies' Howard, Yankees' Jeter win Hank Aaron Award". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. 2006-10-06. Archived from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2009-05-24.