MLB Power’s rankings of baseball’s top 30 MVP candidates who haven’t already won the award.
This week’s MLB Power Rankings will take a look at the World Series for individual performance. Aaron Judge won the MLS Player of the Year in 2022. In the National League, Paul Goldschmidt triumphed. They each triumphed for the first time in their careers. Both have been in dispute over a lot in the past.
What about those other high-profile players who haven’t won the award yet? What are their chances in 2023?
Having become articulate, bold horses, and in some cases absolute dark horses, these are the top 30 MVP candidates who could claim the award for the first time in 2023.
30) MLB Power Rankings: MVP candidate Christian Walker
How he can win MVP: Christian Walker hit 36 home runs and drove in 94 for a team on the rise. It also so happened that he won a Gold Glove, something Paul Goldschmidt did not do at first base in 2022. Walker will need to raise his hitting rate significantly, but with some impressive power and defense numbers on a team that can compete in 2023, that’s someone to watch.
Why he won’t win MVP: Christian Walker has a lot of improvement to make. Lifetime .247 hitters don’t usually suddenly figure out how to get to .300. Voters love his candidacy. The hill will be too high to climb.
29) MLB Power Rankings: MVP nominee Nathaniel Lowe
HOW HE CAN WINNER MVP: Nathaniel Lowe broke out last season and gave the Texas Rangers a performance. Imagine if a team could hit all season. He’s still in his mid-twenties, so maybe the best is yet to come.
Why he won’t win MVP: The Rangers have two nominees on this list. They will split the vote. In addition, Lowe’s does not have such a track record as others.
28) MLB Power Rankings: MVP nominee Bo Bichette
How he can win MVP: Bo Bichette is on his way to winning the MVP award in another ten years. He finished 12th in the voting in 2021 and rose to 11th in 2022. He has led the league in two consecutive seasons. He can hit hard and steal bases. If his defense is better (perhaps moving him to second base) he will strike out another credit.
Why he won’t win MVP: The Toronto Blue Jays won’t have to rely on him alone for production. He is well balanced both scoring goals and driving them in. He’ll need to show his ability to hit . 300 and hit 30 home runs to get a chance. We expect him to finish 10th in the voting this year.
27) MLB Power Rankings: MVP nominee Marcus Semien
How he could win MVP: Marcus Simien’s first year wasn’t very good with the Texas Rangers. It still managed to post 5.9 WAR in what was considered a disappointment. He’s an amazing defensive second baseman who has turned things around. He remains on the field and is, after all, the best third-place finisher since 2021.
Why he won’t win MVP: If Semien is successful, he’ll likely be with some other producing bats in the lineup. He’s going to lose a bit in Texas unless he can beat the Houston Astros in the standings.
26) MLB Power Rankings: MVP candidate JT Realmuto
How he can win the MVP award: It’s not easy for a catcher to get into the MVP race. JT Realmuto finished seventh last year. It is a player of all kind of instruments. There is no doubt that he is the best catcher in baseball. Give him a gold gauntlet and a silver launcher hit now.
Why he won’t win MVP: Bryce Harper will steal the show for the Philadelphia Phillies when he returns from Tommy John surgery. The team has a lot of other producers who are managing Realmuto to stand out in the National League.
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