The 2015 Major League Baseball Players’ Choice Award winners were announced Monday night on MLB Network. Unlike the BBWAA awards, these awards (as the name would suggest) are voted on by players from around baseball 
each September, when they receive a ballot to make their picks for each category. Seven categories in all, American League players vote for American League players, with National League players voting for National League players; with the exception of the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award, Always Game award and the Player of the Year award, in which players from both leagues vote for a single player.
The winning player for each category is awarded a grant from the MLB Players Trust, ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 dollars, depending on the award that they win. The money goes to the winner’s choice of charity, with some players deciding to split up the money between multiple causes. This marks the 24th annual Players Choice Awards, which began in 1992. Here’s a recap of the winners, with my thoughts on each:
OUTSTANDING ROOKIE AWARD ($20,000)
AL Nominees – Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor and Miguel Sano
AL Winner – Carlos Correa
NL Nominees – Kris Bryant, Matt Duffy and Jung Ho Kang
NL Winner – Kris Bryant
The players absolutely got it right in my opinion. Both winners are likely to pick up the BBWAA Rookie of the Year awards when they are announced next week, as each had terrific campaigns. After a .279 average with 22 homers and 68 RBI’s, all while playing a great defensive shortstop all at the age of 21, Carlos Correa is sure to be a big part of the Astros for the next decade or two. Likewise, Kris Bryant had an unbelievable season, hitting 26 homers and notching 99 RBI’s, helping to send the Cubs back to the playoffs for the first in what would seem to likely be several years to come.
OUTSTANDING PITCHER AWARD ($20,000)
AL Nominees – Sonny Gray, Dallas Keuchel and David Price
AL Winner – Dallas Keuchel
NL Nominees – Jake Arrieta, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw
NL Winner – Zack Greinke
As with Rookie of the Year, you very well could be looking at the winners of the BBWAA Cy Young award with this category. Dallas Keuchel and Zack Greinke went about their success in different ways, but both had results that made them dominant each and every start. Keuchel had a breakout season, going 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA. All season long, he was lights out for the Astros and was a big part of them making it to the postseason. Greinke was also great each and every start, winding up with unfathomable stats of 19-3 with a 1.66 ERA. That’s certainly worthy of this award.
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD ($20,000)
AL Nominees – Prince Fielder, Kendrys Morales and Alex Rodriguez
AL Winner – Prince Fielder
NL Nominees – Carlos Gonzalez, Matt Harvey and Joey Votto
NL Winner – Matt Harvey
After playing all 162 games in three straight years, Prince Fielder participated in only 42 games in 2014 due to a neck injury. Coming back to play all but four games in 2015, Fielder certainly put up stats worthy of this award. This season, Fielder launched 23 home runs and drove in 98 runs, all while hitting a solid .305. Matt Harvey was in much of the same boat as Fielder in 2014, having missed the entire year due to Tommy John surgery. But Harvey came back with a vengeance in 2015. Harvey went 13-8 with a 2.71 ERA on the year, and helped the Mets make it all the way to the World Series.
ALWAYS GAME AWARD ($10,000)
Nominees — Jose Altuve, Josh Donaldson and Dee Gordon
Winner — Jose Altuve
This award was brand new for the 2015 season. It was established to honor “the player who — game in and game out — constantly exhibits grit, tenacity, perseverance and hustle; all for the benefit of his teammates and fans”. All of the players nominated for the award were worthy, but Jose Altuve took home the award. Altuve has been a huge part of the Astros over the past few years, and plays the game full on for every single out. He is definitely the player I would have chosen for this award, and I’m glad to see him win.
OUTSTANDING PLAYER AWARD ($20,000)
AL Nominees – Nelson Cruz, Josh Donaldson and Mike Trout
AL Winner – Josh Donaldson
NL Nominees – Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt and Bryce Harper
NL Winner – Bryce Harper
There were dozens of outstanding players throughout Major League Baseball from the 2015 season. With that said, there were a handful that stood above the rest. For this category, it was Josh Donaldson and Bryce Harper voted on as the outstanding players of the year. Many people — myself included — have Donaldson and Harper picking up the MVP for their respective league when the official award is announced next week. With Harper having hit 42 homers to go along with a superb .330 average, and Donaldson blasting 41 of his own, it is no wonder why they each took home this particular honor.
MARVIN MILLER MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD ($50,000)
Nominees – Dee Gordon, Adam Jones and David Robertson
Winner – Adam Jones
In the minds of many people around the baseball world, this is the most important award given out each season. The Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award is given each year to the player most recognized for outstanding on-field performance and off-field contributions to his community. Past winners include Mark McGwire, Albert Pujols, Chipper Jones and Mariano Rivera, among many others. This season, the award was presented to Adam Jones, who certainly does more than his fair share of contributions both to his ball club and to his community each year.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD ($50,000)
Nominees – Josh Donaldson, Zack Greinke and Bryce Harper
Winner – Josh Donaldson
With all three players presenting equally impressive seasons in their own way, you could truly make a strong argument for any of the nominees to win the Player of the Year award. But, in the end, the season Josh Donaldson put together was magnificent. His 40+ home run year truly helped drive the offensive side of the Blue Jays, along with Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and the late season pickup of Troy Tulowitzki. Combined, Toronto was able to reach the postseason for the first time since 1993. A lot of that can be credited back to Donaldson, who came up big all season long.
