Midwest League Manager of the Year Award


The Midwest League Manager of the Year Award is an annual award given to the best manager in Minor League Baseball's Midwest League based on their regular-season performance as voted on by league managers. Broadcasters, Minor League Baseball executives, and members of the media have previously voted as well. The award was created in the league's inaugural 1947 season. The circuit was known as the Illinois State League from 1947 to 1948 and as the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League from 1949 to 1955 before becoming the Midwest League in 1956. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, the league was known as the High-A Central in 2021 before reverting to the Midwest League name in 2022.
The only manager to win the award on three occasions is Mark Haley, who won in 2005, 2008, and 2013. Three others have each won twice: Bruce Fields, Gomer Hodge, and Buddy Kerr.
Seven managers from the and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have been selected for the Manager of the Year Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Cedar Rapids Kernels and West Michigan Whitecaps ; the Kane County Cougars and Waterloo Indians ; the Quad Cities River Bandits and South Bend Cubs ; the Burlington Bees, Danville Warriors, and Great Lakes Loons ; the Clinton Giants, Kenosha Twins, Lansing Lugnuts, Michigan Battle Cats, Peoria Chiefs, and Wisconsin Rapids Twins ; and the Belleville Stags, Beloit Sky Carp, Bowling Green Hot Rods, Decatur Commodores, Fort Wayne TinCaps, Lafayette Red Sox, Madison Muskies, Michigan City White Caps, Quincy Giants, Rockford Royals, Springfield Cardinals, and Wausau Timbers.
Seven managers from the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and Oakland Athletics organizations ; the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and San Francisco Giants organizations ; the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and St. Louis Cardinals organizations ; the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Miami Marlins, and Toronto Blue Jays organizations ; and the San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays organizations. Two award winners played for teams that operated as cooperatives of several MLB organizations.

Winners

LeagueThe team's final position in the league standings
DivisionThe team's final position in the divisional standings
RecordThe team's wins and losses during the regular season
Number of wins by managers who won the award multiple times
^Indicates multiple award winners in the same year
*Indicates league champions

Wins by team

Active Midwest League teams appear in bold.
TeamAwardYear
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 71962, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1978, 1992, 2024
Cedar Rapids Kernels 61968, 1976, 1988, 1989, 2002, 2023
West Michigan Whitecaps61997, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2017, 2025
Kane County Cougars51999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014
Waterloo Indians 51960, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1983
Quad Cities River Bandits 41982, 1990, 2015, 2021
South Bend Cubs 42005, 2008, 2013, 2016
Burlington Bees31965, 1966, 1977
Danville Warriors31970, 1972, 1973
Great Lakes Loons32010, 2019, 2022
Clinton Giants 21963, 1993
Kenosha Twins21985, 1987
Lansing Lugnuts22011, 2012
Michigan Battle Cats21995, 1998
Peoria Chiefs21996, 2009
Wisconsin Rapids Twins21974, 1980
Belleville Stags11947
Beloit Sky Carp 11984
Bowling Green Hot Rods12018
Decatur Commodores11959
Fort Wayne TinCaps12009
Lafayette Red Sox11956
Madison Muskies11991
Michigan City White Caps11958
Quincy Giants11961
Rockford Royals11994
Springfield Cardinals11986
Wausau Timbers11979

Wins by organization

Active Midwest League–Major League Baseball affiliations appear in bold.
OrganizationAwardYear
Detroit Tigers71959, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2017, 2025
Chicago White Sox51963, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1978
Milwaukee Brewers51972, 1973, 1977, 1984, 2024
Minnesota Twins51974, 1980, 1985, 1987, 2023
Oakland Athletics 51965, 1966, 1991, 2003, 2004
Boston Red Sox41956, 1960, 1995, 1998
Chicago Cubs41982, 2009, 2014, 2016
San Francisco Giants41958, 1961 1976, 1993
Arizona Diamondbacks32005, 2008, 2013
Cleveland Guardians 31978, 1981, 1983
Kansas City Royals31975, 1992, 1994
Los Angeles Dodgers32010, 2019, 2022
St. Louis Cardinals31968, 1986, 1996
Baltimore Orioles 21947, 1962
Cincinnati Reds21988, 1989
Los Angeles Angels 21990, 2002
Houston Astros22015, 2021
Miami Marlins 21999, 2001
Toronto Blue Jays22011, 2012
San Diego Padres12009
Tampa Bay Rays12018