2023 MLB predictions: Picks for MLB award winners

Major League Baseball will open the 2023 regular season on Thursday, March 30. The new league year brings excitement as every team has an even playing field starting out. We covered league projections in another article, and this one will focus on player future odds courtesy of DraftKings Nation. We discuss the AL and NL MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year Awards and give a prediction for which player could take home the hardware.

MVP

Shohei Ohtani +190 Mike Trout +450 Aaron Judge +500
Julio Rodriguez +700 Yordan Alvarez +1100 Valdimir Guerrero Jr. +1200
Jose Ramirez +1500 Rafael Devers +2000 Corey Seager +2000

When you hit 62 home runs in a season, you deserve an MVP Award. There was a slight debate involving Ohanti, but Judge added 131 RBI and 133 runs to his longball numbers to run away with it. Barring a repeat of his power output, it makes sense that the two-way sensation Ohtani leads the way. If he doesn't take a step back at the plate or on the mound, it isn't hard to see how he is the front runner.

Prediction: Ohtani

Juan Soto +550 Trea Turner +800 Ronald Acuna Jr. +850
Mookie Betts +900 Fernando Tatis +1000 Nolan Arenado +1400
Pete Alonso +1500 Paul Goldschmidt +1500 Manny Machado +1500

The National League is a little more wide open of a race. Soto leads the way in his first full season in San Diego and is joined by teammates Tatis (when he returns from remaining 20 game-suspension) and Machado. Turner shot up the rankings after a big performance in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA. Acuna is a legitimate 40/40 candidate if he can stay healthy with the increase in size of the bases.

Prediction: Turner

Cy Young Award

Jacob deGrom +550 Gerrit Cole +650 Alek Manoah +800
Dylan Cease +900 Shane Bieber +950 Carlos Rodon +1000
Shohei Ohtani +1200 Shane McClanahan +1200 Framber Valdez +1500

DeGrom is taking his talents to the American League. He hasn't logged a full season since 2020 and has dealt with multiple injuries over the last two years. Cole suffered a dip in production with the crackdown on sticky stuff but was able to adjust and get back on track. Manoah finished with a 16-7 record with a 2.24 ERA and striking out 180. If he can see an uptick in punchouts and get solid run support, he should be a front-runner for this award.

Prediction: Manoah

Sandy Alcantara +450 Corbin Burnes +550 Justin Verlander +600
Max Scherzer +800 Spencer Strider +950 Max Fried +1000
Zac Gallen +1100 Aaron Nola +1200 Zack Wheeler +1200

There is no surprise for the best odds in the NL. Alcantara and Burnes have won the NL Cy Young Award in the last two seasons. Verlander is coming off an AL Cy Young win, and Scherzer is a perennial finalist for the award if he is healthy. Alcantara threw more complete games himself than any other team did. Barring a step back, I think he takes home consecutive Awards.

Prediction: Alcantara

Rookie of the Year Award

Gunnar Henderson +265 Masataka Yoshida +500 Anthony Volpe +500
Triston Casas +800 Royce Lewis +1100 Grayson Rodriguez +1100
Oscar Colas +1300 Hunter Brown +1300 Logan O'Hoppe +1700

This Award is the toughest to predict just because we have limited sample sizes to work with. Henderson, Yoshida, Volpe, Casas and Lewis are all starting the season in the big leagues. Yoshida has the most professional experience, but it was in Japan's NPB. Volpe has a ton of upside, but Henderson should have third base for the Baltimore Orioles locked down even if he gets off to a slow start.

Prediction: Henderson

Jordan Walker +360 Corbin Carroll +400 Miguel Vargas +700
Kodai Senga +950 Andrew Painter +1100 Ezequiel Tovar +1200
Elly De La Cruz +1500 Matt Mervis +1700 Francisco Alvarez +1800

Walker was typically a third baseman and was blocked by Arenado in the majors. St. Louis is having him be their starting right fielder, and he is breaking camp with the big league club. Carroll has so much potential that he has already gotten an eight-year extension before his rookie season. Senga should have an outstanding season for the Mets, and a sleeper to watch is De La Cruz for the Cincinnati Reds.

Prediction: Carroll

  
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