As we approach the 2023 MLB campaign, we as fans can’t help but get antsy for what the season will bring. The MLB season will bring us many amazing memories such as a new World Series champ, new rookies, new breakout players, and much more. All of these amazing moments come back to help one thing, award winners. We will be examining the potential candidates for these awards below.

Rookies of the Year: Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson

Corbin Carroll is the obvious choice in my opinion for NL Rookie of the Year coming off a spectacular start of his MLB career. Carroll hit 4 home runs, had a 130 wRC+, 1.4 fWAR, and recorded the fastest sprint speed in baseball. Carroll achieved all this and more in just 32 MLB games in 2023. Although Carroll doesn’t qualify for all the savant stats, I can only imagine his numbers will jump off the page in 2023. Carroll’s ZiPS projections for the 2023 season show him recording 129 hits, 16 homers, a BB% of 9.8%, 4.2 fWAR, and a .337 wOBA. As for Carroll’s competition in 2023, I have the runners up being Cardinals power hitting prospect Jordan Walker, and Mets third baseman Brett Baty.

Gunnar Henderson is another no-brainer pick for Rookie of the Year in my opinion. Henderson jumped onto the scene in 2022, starting out at AA Bowie, and ending the year with the MLB. Henderson shined in his short stint of 34 games in 2022 hitting 4 homers, posting a wOBA of .343, a 125 wRC+, and recording an fWAR of 0.8. Henderson was also named as MLB Pipeline’s #1 prospect going into 2023. Henderson’s ZiPS projections for 2023 have him posting 24 homers, 90 RBI, BB% of 12%, a .354 wOBA, and a 5 fWAR. I have the runners up being Red Sox slugger Triston Casas, and Astros RHP Hunter Brown.

CY Young Award: Luis Castillo and Zac Gallen

Luis Castillo continued to break out into one of baseball’s best pitchers in the 2022 campaign posting a 10 K/9, 27.2 K%, an fWAR of 3.7, and a 117 ERA+. Castillo’s fastball is also of of baseball’s best pitches, having a -18 run value in 2022. These numbers are all extremely impressive, especially when you consider he had a change of scenery mid-season in his trade to the Seattle Mariners. Castillo’s ZiPS projections have him posting 177Ks, 9.28 K/9, and an fWAR of 3.5. Castillo shakes up to he a really solid bet for the 2023 CY Young Award all considered. I have the runners up being White Sox ace Dylan Cease, and two way star Shohei Othani.

Zac Gallen had a great bounce back from his 2021 season in 2022. Gallen finished 5th in NL CY Young Award voting in 2022, posting a 9.39 K/9, 26.9 K%, an fWAR of 4.3, and an ERA+ of 158. Gallen had 2 pitches in 2022 recording a -13 run value or better, as well as two others with negative run values. Gallen worked really hard in 2022 to rebound from his 2021 campaign and it showed off amazingly. Gallen’s ZiPS projections have him recording 176Ks, 9.56 K/9, and posting an fWAR of 2.7 in 2023. I have the runners up being 2022 CY Young winner Sandy Alcantara and Phillies’ Aaron Nola.

MVP Award: Mike Trout and Juan Soto

Mike Trout battled injuries in 2022, but was overall back to his old self after playing just 36 games in 2021. Trout in just 119 games came back stronger than ever posting, 40 homers, .418 wOBA, 176 wRC+, 6 fWAR, 178 OPS+, was named to the all star team, won a silver slugger, and finished 8th in MVP voting. Keep in mind, this was just 119 games. I have zero doubts that Trout will slow down anytime soon, and will he on the field much longer next year. Trout’s ZiPS projections have him posting, 32 homers, 13.8 BB% a .970 OPS, .407 wOBA, and a 5.3 fWAR. Trout should be the hands down MVP pick for the American League in 2023. I have the runners up being Cuban slugger Yordan Alvarez and third baseman Rafael Devers.

Juan Soto had a down year in 2022 compared to numbers he’s posted in the past but they were certainly nothing shy of impressive. The 23 year old posted, 27 homers, a 20.3% BB%, .376 wOBA, a wRC+ of 145, and a 3.8 fWAR. These numbers are absolutely incredible and it’s hard to even believe that this was a down year for Soto. Part of Soto’s down year might come from his mid-season stress of being traded to the San Diego Padres, which gives me even more faith he’ll settle in and be great in 2023. Soto’s ZiPS projections have him posting 29 homers, 21.1% BB%, .399 wOBA, and an fWAR of 6.5. I have the runners up being Soto’s teammate Manny Machado, and sweet swinging righty, Mookie Betts.

The great thing about baseball though is that nothing is 100% predictable. By season’s end, I could either get all of these right, or none of them and that’s the beauty of baseball. So, time will tell how I did, but I’m more than confident in my 2023 picks for Rookie of the Year, CY Young, and MVP.