Carolina League Most Valuable Player Award


The Carolina League Most Valuable Player Award is an annual award given to the best player in Minor League Baseball's Carolina 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 1945, the award was not created until 1948. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, the league was known as the in 2021 before reverting to the Carolina League name in 2022.
Twenty-six outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. First basemen, with 21 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen, shortstops, and second basemen. Eight catchers and four pitchers have also won the award.
Three players who have won the MVP Award also won the Carolina League Top MLB Prospect Award in the same season: Jackson Chourio, Samuel Basallo, and Jaison Chourio. From 1948 to 1978, pitchers were eligible to win the MVP Award as no award was designated for pitchers. In 1959, the Carolina League established a Pitcher of the Year Award. The only player to win the MVP Award on multiple occasions is Bubba Smith, who won back-to-back in 1992 and 1993.
Fourteen players from the Lynchburg Hillcats have been selected for the MVP Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Winston-Salem Dash ; the Salem RidgeYaks ; the Peninsula Pilots ; the Kinston Indians ; the High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms ; the Carolina Mudcats, Durham Bulls, Frederick Keys, Greensboro Yankees, Kinston Eagles, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Potomac Nationals, Raleigh Pirates, Reidsville Luckies, and Wilson Tobs ; and the Burlington Bees, Charleston RiverDogs, Danville Leafs, Delmarva Shorebirds, Fayetteville A's, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, Raleigh-Durham Triangles, Tidewater Tides, Wilmington Blue Rocks, and Winston-Salem Cardinals.
Eleven players from the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the Cleveland Guardians organization ; the Chicago White Sox organization ; the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies organizations ; the New York Mets organization ; the Baltimore Orioles organization ; the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals organizations ; the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations ; and the Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, and Washington Nationals organizations. Three award winners played for teams that were not affiliated with any MLB organization.

Winners

PositionIndicates the player's primary position
Number of wins by players who won the award multiple times

Wins by team

Active Carolina League teams appear in bold.
TeamAwardYear
Lynchburg Hillcats 141976, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2015, 2016, 2024
Winston-Salem Dash 101960, 1966, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1998, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013
Salem RidgeYaks 81969, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 2002, 2007, 2018
Peninsula Pilots 61971, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1992
Kinston Indians51987, 1995, 2001, 2006, 2008
High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms41955, 1956, 1957, 1968
Carolina Mudcats22019, 2022
Durham Bulls21962, 1981
Frederick Keys22009, 2017
Greensboro Yankees 21954, 1965
Kinston Eagles21963, 1973
Myrtle Beach Pelicans21999, 2014
Potomac Nationals 22000, 2010
Raleigh Pirates 21959, 1967
Reidsville Luckies21948, 1949
Wilson Tobs21958, 1961
Burlington Bees11950
Charleston RiverDogs12021
Danville Leafs11953
Delmarva Shorebirds12023
Fayetteville A's11952
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers12025
Raleigh-Durham Triangles11970
Tidewater Tides11964
Wilmington Blue Rocks11994
Winston-Salem Cardinals11951

Wins by organization

Active Carolina League–Major League Baseball affiliations appear in bold.
OrganizationAwardYear
Pittsburgh Pirates111963, 1967, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004
Cleveland Guardians 81987, 1995, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2024
Chicago White Sox71964, 1998, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2025
Boston Red Sox61954, 1959, 1966, 1988, 1989, 2018
Philadelphia Phillies61957, 1971, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982
New York Mets51976, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
Baltimore Orioles41958, 2009, 2017, 2023
Cincinnati Reds 31955, 1956, 1993
Houston Astros 31962, 1970, 2007
New York Yankees31965, 1968, 1973
St. Louis Cardinals31951, 1960, 2000
Atlanta Braves21981, 1999
Chicago Cubs21990, 1991
Milwaukee Brewers22019, 2022
Colorado Rockies12002
Kansas City Royals11994
Minnesota Twins11961
Oakland Athletics 11952
San Francisco Giants 11953
Seattle Mariners11992
Tampa Bay Rays12021
Texas Rangers12014
Washington Nationals12010