Major League Baseball is close to returning with the flipping of the calendar welcoming the perfect time of year for America’s Pastime. As we preview the 2023 MLB season and spring training, there is a slew of MLB awards to predict for the coming year.
While the MLB MVP race, legacies and enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame are also shaped by other MLB awards. From earning a Cy Young to taking home a Gold Glove Award, there are honors available for every position.
There is also the All-MLB team, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year, with MLB ensuring that the best players and skippers all get recognized for their achievements.
Let’s dive into our 2023 MLB awards predictions.
Who will win the Cy Young award?
Sandy Alcantara (National League and Justin Verlander (American League) won the Cy Young Awards in 2022. Below we take an early look at the leading 2023 Cy Young Award candidates, with an analysis of who we are picking before Opening Day.
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NL Cy Young Award 2023
The 2023 NL Cy Young Award odds are via BetMGM, with our early forecasts for the best players in MLB helping shape our early ranking for Cy Young Award candidates.
- Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers – +500
- Justin Verlander, New York Mets – +600
- Max Fried, Atlanta Braves – +1200
- Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins – +500
- Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies – +1200
- Max Scherzer, New York Mets – +750
- Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves – +1100
While Sandy Alcantara is one of the best pitches in MLB, the likelihood of him repeating seems low. Justin Verlander joined the National League and voters likely won’t award this honor to a pitcher on a non-competitive team again. Verlander won his third AL CY Young a year after TJS and he reasonably should have another outstanding year in him.
Beyond Verlander, Corbin Burnes (30.5% K-rate in 2022) and Max Fried (18.7% K-BB rate) are outstanding candidates to take home the honors. As for Max Scherzer, not pitching 180-plus innings since 2019 as he heads into his age-38 season suggests it’s wise to bet against him.
AL Cy Young Award 2023
The 2023 AL Cy Young Award odds are via BetMGM, with our own projections for the 2023 MLB season shaping how we rank the Cy Young Award candidates in 2023.
- Dylan Cease, Chicago White Sox – +900
- Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees – +700
- Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays – +1200
- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels – +1000
- Alex Manoah, Toronto Blue Jays – +900
- Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers – +600
- Tyler Glasnow, Tampa Bay Rays – +2000
Dylan Cease is our favorite to win the AL Cy Young, coming off a season that saw him hold opponents to a .189 batting average with a 30.4% strikeout rate. He is poised to take another step forward in 2023 after finishing as runner-up to Verlander last year.
Behind him, Shane McClanahan and Alex Manoah are two young hurlers to monitor. McClanahan held opponents to a .193 BAA last season, with a stellar 5.11 K/BB. With the increase from 166.1 IP to 180-plus, he should firmly be in the mix along with Manoah (.200 BAA, 0.99 WHIP) as the aces for two AL contenders.
Jacob deGrom can be the best pitcher in baseball when healthy, but durability is his biggest problem. After injury-shortened seasons from 2021-’22, no one should feel safe betting on him to win a third Cy Young because of his arm injuries.
All-MLB Team 2023
The All-MLB team was introduced in 2019, modeled after the NFL All-Pro Teams and All-NBA teams. There are first- and second-All MLB teams, with one player at each position receiving the honor. While the players are chosen with a 50-50 voting split between fans and a panel of baseball experts, we’re taking an early look at what could happen with our 2023 All-MLB team projections.
All-MLB First Team
- C: Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
- 1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
- 2B: Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers
- 3B: Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
- SS: Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres
- OF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
- OF: Ronald Acuña Jr, Atlanta Braves
- OF: Juan Soto, San Diego Padres
- DH: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
- SP: Dylan Cease, Chicago White Sox
- SP: Justin Verlander, New York Mets
- SP: Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
- SP: Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
- SP: Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers
- RP: Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians
- RP: Andrés Munoz, Seattle Mariners
All-MLB Second Team
- C: Sean Murphy, Atlanta Braves
- 1B: Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
- 2B: Andres Gimenez, Cleveland Guardians
- 3B: Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals
- SS: Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies
- OF: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
- OF: Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners
- OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
- DH: Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros
- SP: Julio Urias, Los Angeles Dodgers
- SP: Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies
- SP: Max Fried, Atlanta Braves
- SP: Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays
- SP: Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners
- RP: Jhoan Duran, Minnesota Twins
- RP: A.J. Minter, Atlanta Braves
2023 Gold Glove Award predictions
MLB awards 18 Gold Glove Awards each year, with one player at each position in the National League and American League receiving the honor. The Gold Glove Award has been awarded since 1957, honoring the best defenders at every position in each league with MLB managers accounting for 75% of the vote and analytics counting for 25% of the vote, per MLB.com.
AL Gold Glove Award 2023 predictions
- C: Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
- 1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Toronto Blue Jays
- 2B: Andrés Giménez, Cleveland Guardians
- SS: Jeremy Peña, Houston Astros
- 3B: Matt Chapman, Toronto Blue Jays
- LF: Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
- CF: Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
- RF: Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros
- UTIL: Taylor Walls, Tampa Bay Rays
- SP: Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Angels
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NL Gold Glove Award 2023 predictions
- C: J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies
- 1B: Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves
- 2B: Brendan Rodgers, Colorado Rockies
- SS: Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs
- 3B: Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals
- LF: Tyler O’Neill, St. Louis Cardinals
- CF: Jazz Chisholm Jr, Miami Marlins
- RF: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
- UTIL: Tommy Edman, St. Louis Cardinals
- SP: Max Fried, Atlanta Braves
MLB Rookie of the Year 2023
MLB has awarded the Rookie of the Year honor every year to the best rookie in each respective league. The Rookie of the year is voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Let’s dive into an early look at the MLB Rookie of the Year candidates in 2023.
NL Rookie of the Year 2023
- Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals – +700
- Miguel Vargas, Los Angeles Dodgers – +600
- Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks – +400
- Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets – +1000
- Kodai Senga, New York Mets – +700
It’s no surprise that Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll is favored to finish the 2023 season as the NL’s best rookie. The 22-year-old boasts tantalizing potential and he showed more flashes than expected in his first season in the majors. He could be a 15-15 candidate in 2023, sparking a Diamondbacks team that could surpass expectations.
However, Miguel Vargas is in a lineup surrounded by talent and that bodes well for the rookie’s overall production. He hit 17 home runs with 16 steals and 100 runs scored at the Triple-A level last season before struggling in a short stint with the Dodgers. After a full spring training, Vargas could be the Dodgers’ second baseman and a productive rookie on a World Series contender who might surpass Carroll and young talents.
The name everyone is now monitoring before Opening Day is St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker. Playing for a playoff contender already boosts his ROY odds, but the numbers he posted in spring training paired with his spot in the lineup could unlock one of the most exciting talents in the game.
AL Rookie of the Year 2023
- Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles – +300
- Hunter Brown, Houston Astros – 800
- Oscar Colas, Chicago White Sox – +1500
- Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees – +900
- Josh Jung, Texas Rangers – +900
Gunnar Henderson is the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year and it’s no surprise. One of the best prospects in MLB by the midseason in 2022, the 21-year-old shortstop put his immense power on full display. Even in what has become a pitcher-friendly park, Henderson’s skills could allow him to hit 20-plus home runs with a .800 OPS as a rookie.
Behind him, Hunter Brown and Oscar Colas are the biggest challengers. Brown, one of the best pitching prospects in MLB, will be part of the Astros’ rotation and there is no organization better at getting the most out of its pitchers. As for Colas, the 24-year-old outfielder should see everyday at-bats in the Chicago White Sox lineup and could top out at 25 home runs with 70-plus RBIs, just weighed down by a low OBP.
MLB Manager of the Year
National League: Brian Snitker, Atlanta Braves
Already an NL Manager of the Year winner (2018), Atlanta Braves skipper Brian Snitker could do it again in 2023. The Braves look like the best team in the National League, arguably the best team in baseball. The combination of winning the NL East, beating out the reigning NL champions (Phillies) and the division favorite (Mets), might already be enough to earn Snitker the award for the second time. It feels even likelier if Atlanta is the only team in the NL that wins 100 games.
American League: Rocco Baldelli, Minnesota Twins
We’re higher on the Minnesota Twins than most, viewing them as a playoff contender who could take the division. While a lot has to go right in Minnesota, manager Rocco Baldelli (.527 career winning percentage) has proven himself over the years. While we wouldn’t go as far as saying the Twins replicate their 2019 season (101 wins), an AL Central crown could be enough to earn Baldelli the AL Manager of the Year award.