Every MLB MVP winner in history: Full list of AL and NL awards by year, from Shohei Ohtani to Barry Bonds

Sustaining excellence at the MLB level is extraordinarily difficult. 

While a look through the NBA or NFL's MVPs might produce a laundry list of global superstars, some of baseball's MVPs through the years are a bit more obscure. One factor is there are two MVP awards handed out each year — one in the American League and one in the National League — but the award has such variety partly because of how challenging it is to play at an elite level for multiple years.

Some stars have found a way to do it, including a pair of modern greats in Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, who have each won multiple MVP awards.

Here's a complete history of the MLB MVP awards, including winners by year and which players have the most.

MORE: Every MLB All-Star Game MVP by year

Every MLB MVP winner by year

MORE: Who has the most championships on World Series history?

Who has won the most MLB MVP awards?

No one has been able to come close to matching all-time home run leader Barry Bonds' seven MVP awards. Bonds won twice with the Pittsburgh Pirates and five times with the San Francisco Giants, including a stretch of four consecutive MVPs from 2001-04. 

MORE: MLB teams to never win the World Series

MLB MVP awards by player

Here is a look at every player to win more than one MVP award since the BBWAA started its award in 1931. 

MORE: Most World Series wins by player

MLB MVPs by team

Here is a look at how many times each team has had an MVP winner since the launch of the BBWAA award in 1931. 

MORE: Breaking down the most home runs in an MLB season

Who votes on MLB MVP?

Members of the Baseball Writers of Association of America (BBWAA) vote for MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year awards, though each award has a different set of voters on a rotating basis.

30 media members vote for each award. For example, two BBWAA members from each American League team's market will vote for the AL MVP award. 

MORE: 16 NFL stars you never knew were also drafted by MLB teams

GettyImages

Controversial MVP winners

Jose Altuve, 2017

Jose Altuve hit a career-high.346 with 24 home runs and a.957 OPS in 2017, but there remains a segment of fans who believe Aaron Judge should have won the award as a rookie. Judge posted a similar WAR, an OPS 92 points higher at 1.049 and hit more than double the number of Altuve's home runs with a then-rookie record of 52. Judge would go on to achieve MVP success later in his career, but some Yankees fans will tell you he missed out on one he should have had. 

Miguel Cabrera, 2012

The WAR vs. Raw numbers debate truly began in 2012, when Miguel Cabrera won AL MVP on the heels of a historic triple crown season. Cabrera hit.330 with 44 home runs and a.999 OPS, MVP-caliber numbers regardless of the year, but Mike Trout posted a 10-WAR rookie season with a.326 AVG, 30 home runs and a.963 OPS. Cabrera clearly had at least a slight offensive edge, but there are still plenty of fans who say Trout's excellent defense and baserunning made him the more valuable player.

Jimmy Rollins, 2007

Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins won a narrow MVP race over Matt Holliday, Prince Fielder and others in 2007, despite not leading the NL in any major category other than runs scored. While he was a terrific all-around player, Holliday led the NL in hits and RBI, Fielder led the NL in home runs and some argue David Wright had the best all-around season with 30 home runs, a.963 OPS and a war that exceeded 8.0 

Juan Gonzalez, 1996

There is little doubt Alex Rodriguez would have been the 1996 AL MVP in the statistical era of today, as Juan Gonzalez won in spite of a 3.5 WAR. The Rangers slugger did have an excellent season at the plate with 47 home runs and a 1.011 OPS, but Rodriguez matched or exceeded him in most categories with a.358 AVG, 36 home runs and 1.045 OPS plus much more defensive value despite being only 20 years old for most of the year. Rodriguez finished only three points behind Gonzalez in voting.

Willie Stargell and Keith Hernandez, 1979

The only tie in the history of the BBWAA MVP award, the 1979 NL MVP race came down to Willie Stargell and Keith Hernandez only for both to win. In hindsight, Hernandez almost certainly would have a decisive edge if another vote was held today. He had nearly triple Stargell's WAR despite only hitting 11 home runs, thanks to Gold Glove defense and a.417 on-base percentage. 

Joe DiMaggio, 1947

In one of the closest races in MLB history, Joe DiMaggio edged out Ted Williams by one point in 1947 AL MVP voting. History indicates Williams was the more valuable player, as he only only beat DiMaggio in almost all major offensive categories but had about double the WAR. Instead, the Yankees won the American League pennant and likely gave DiMaggio the push he needed in the voting to earn MVP honors.

MORE: Every MLB pitcher with 3,000 strikeouts

MLB MVP award FAQs

What is the MLB MVP award?

Through the BBWAA, MLB awards an MVP award in both the American League and National League each season. The award is given to the most valuable player in each league, but the BBWAA largely leaves the guidelines up to the voters.

"There is no clear-cut definition of what Most Valuable means. It is up to the individual voter to decide who was the Most Valuable Player in each league to his team. The MVP need not come from a division winner or other playoff qualifier," the BBWAA says on its ballot. 

Who was the first MLB MVP award winner?

Athletics pitcher Lefty Grove and St. Louis Cardinals infielder Frankie Frisch were awarded the first official MVP awards from the BBWAA in 1931. 

When was the MLB MVP award introduced?

While different, less structured variations of MVP awards existed earlier, the BBWAA first awarded AL and NL MVP awards in 1931. 

Has anyone won the MLB MVP in both leagues?

Only two players have been named MVP in both the AL and NL: Frank Robinson and Shohei Ohtani.

Robinson won with the Cincinnati Reds in 1961 and Baltimore Orioles in 1966, while Ohtani won with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023 before winning with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024. 

Has a pitcher ever won MLB MVP?

25 full-time pitchers have earned an MLB MVP award, but only 11 have done it during the Cy Young era. The last full-time starting pitcher to win MVP was Clayton Kershaw in 2014, though Shohei Ohtani has won as a two-way player. 

Which players have been unanimous MVPs?

23 players have won an MLB MVP award unanimously:

• Aaron Judge, 2024
• Shohei Ohtani, 2024
• Ronald Acuna Jr., 2023
• Shohei Ohtani, 2023
• Shohei Ohtani, 2021
• Bryce Harper, 2015
• Mike Trout, 2014
• Albert Pujols, 2009
• Barry Bonds, 2002
• Ken Griffey Jr., 1997
• Ken Caminiti, 1996
• Jeff Bagwell, 1994
• Frank Thomas, 1993
• Jose Canseco, 1988
• Mike Schmidt, 1980
• Reggie Jackson, 1973
• Denny McLain, 1968
• Orlando Cepeda, 1967
• Frank Robinson, 1966
• Mickey Mantle, 1956
• Al Rosen, 1953
• Carl Hubbell, 1936
• Hank Greenberg, 1935

Who is the youngest MLB MVP in history?

Vida Blue remains MLB's youngest MVP after winning the award in 1971 for his age 21-22 season. Blue didn't turn 22 until the second half of the season, but he pitched like someone who had been there before with a 1.82 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over 312 innings for the Athletics. Blue also earned the AL Cy Young Award for his efforts. 

Who is the oldest MLB MVP in history?

Barry Bonds became the oldest MVP in MLB history when he won his seventh award in 2004 at 40 years old. The all-time home run leader, who has been tied for steroids during his dominant run of the early 2000s, hit.362 with 45 home runs and a stunning 1.422 OPS over 147 games, earning 120 intentional walks.

Has anyone won MVP and Cy Young awards in the same year?

11 pitchers have won an MVP and Cy Young Award in the same season:

• Don Newcombe (1956)
• Sandy Koufax (1963)
• Bob Gibson (1968)
• Denny McLain (1968)
• Vida Blue (1971)
• Rollie Fingers (1981)
• Willie Hernandez (1984)
• Roger Clemens (1982)
• Dennis Eckersley (1992)
• Justin Verlander (2011)
• Clayton Kershaw (2014)

MORE: Who are MLB's 50-50 club members?