Northwest League Most Valuable Player Award


The Northwest League Most Valuable Player Award is an annual award given to the best player in Minor League Baseball's Northwest 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 1955, the award was not created until 1981. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, the league was known as the High-A West in 2021 before reverting to the Northwest League name in 2022.
Twenty-two outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. First basemen, with 13 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen, shortstops, and second basemen. No pitchers or catchers have won the award.
One player who has won the MVP Award also won the Northwest League Top MLB Prospect Award in the same season: Zac Veen. From 1981 to 2014, pitchers were eligible to win the MVP Award as no award was designated for pitchers. In 2015, the Northwest League established a Pitcher of the Year Award.
Twelve players from the Spokane Indians have been selected for the MVP Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Everett AquaSox ; the Boise Hawks ; the Eugene Emeralds and Salem-Keizer Volcanoes ; the Vancouver Canadians ; the Medford Athletics, Southern Oregon Timberjacks, and Yakima Bears ; and the Bellingham Mariners, Everett Giants, Tri-Cities Triplets, and Walla Walla Padres.
Nine players from the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the San Diego Padres organization ; the Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and Texas Rangers organizations ; the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels organizations ; the Kansas City Royals organization ; the Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays organizations ; and the Chicago Cubs organization.

Winners

PositionIndicates the player's primary position
^Indicates multiple award winners in the same year

Wins by team

Active Northwest League teams appear in bold.
TeamAwardYear
Spokane Indians121985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2005, 2010, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
Everett AquaSox81996, 2000, 2002, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2025
Boise Hawks51993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001
Eugene Emeralds41991, 1992, 2007, 2008
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes42007, 2009, 2011, 2017
Vancouver Canadians32004, 2013, 2014
Medford Athletics21981, 1982
Southern Oregon Timberjacks 21988, 1998
Yakima Bears22003, 2006
Bellingham Mariners11984
Everett Giants11986
Portland Rockies12000
Tri-Cities Triplets11983
Walla Walla Padres11981

Wins by organization

Active Northwest League–Major League Baseball affiliations appear in bold.
OrganizationAwardYear
Seattle Mariners91984, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2025
San Diego Padres71981, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 2007, 2008
Oakland Athletics51981, 1982, 1988, 1998, 2004
San Francisco Giants51986, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2017
Texas Rangers51983, 2005, 2010, 2018, 2019
Colorado Rockies42000, 2022, 2023, 2024
Los Angeles Angels 41993, 1994, 1995, 1999
Kansas City Royals31991, 1992, 1997
Arizona Diamondbacks22003, 2006
Toronto Blue Jays22013, 2014
Chicago Cubs12001