AL MVP: Juan Soto, New York Yankees

Soto did not look like himself for most of his time with the San Diego Padres, so this change of scenery may have been essential for his production. With the short porch in Yankee Stadium’s right field, left-handed pull hitters like Soto tend to see increased power numbers while playing for the Yankees; remember when Brett Gardner hit 28 home runs in 2019? While Soto’s new teammate, Aaron Judge, is likely the odds-on favorite to win the award, I think Judge provides protection for Soto more than Soto does for Judge in the Yankee lineup. Look for Soto to hit 40 or more home runs for the first time in his career en route to an MVP award.

NL MVP: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers

After a second-place finish in the 2023 NL MVP race, Betts looks to build on his dominant performance. Betts has adjusted his approach at the plate to hit for more power while still keeping his contact numbers relatively high. While he didn’t perform particularly well defensively in 2023, his move to second base full-time should be highly beneficial. With the Dodgers’ additions of Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez to bolster the lineup, Betts should see even more fastballs as opposing pitchers try to choose their battles between Betts, Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. With all the star power in the Dodgers’ organization, look for Betts to climb to the top for the second time in his storied career.

AL Cy Young: Corbin Burnes, Baltimore Orioles

In a similar vein to Juan Soto, Burnes’s offseason move from Milwaukee to Baltimore should do wonders for his already dominant pitching talent. Since moving the left field wall back in the 2022 season, Camden Yards has become a graveyard for right-handed power hitters. This bodes well for Burnes, as he has been susceptible to giving up home runs in the past couple of years. Since his NL Cy Young season in 2021, Burnes has averaged 222 strikeouts per year with an earned run average of 2.94. If Burnes can continue to dominate hitters with his terrifying cutter-curveball sequence, he should be in prime position to become just the eighth pitcher to win the Cy Young in both leagues.

NL Cy Young: Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves

So far in Strider’s young career, he has established himself as a dominant strikeout artist. He led all of baseball in strikeouts in 2023 with an astonishing 281. He also collected a league-leading 20 wins. Strider’s number one issue in 2023 was that he struggled in long at-bats. If he wasn’t punching out a hitter within the first five pitches, he would likely give up a hit or walk. He also had some struggles with the long ball, similar to Burnes. Strider has added a curveball to his devastating mix in Spring Training, so if he can use it as an out pitch, he should be able to cruise to a Cy Young in a relatively wide-open NL race.

AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Carter, Texas Rangers

Carter put on a show in the 2023 postseason after being called up in early September to supplement the Texas outfield. He did more than that, however, as he hit .300 with nine doubles and a home run in the three hole in the Rangers’ World Series-winning run. Even with Baltimore’s top prospect, Jackson Holliday, set to debut as early as Opening Day, Carter already has the experience to hit well against MLB pitching, which makes him a favorite of mine to win the Rookie of the Year. Expect Carter to showcase his five-tool prowess throughout 2024.

NL Rookie of the Year: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers

Another key piece of L.A.’s masterful offseason, Yamamoto signed a massive 12-year, $325 million deal to come over from Japan. Yamamoto showcased his nasty stuff in the World Baseball Classic in 2023 before putting together another dominant year in the NPB. In seven seasons in Japan, Yamamoto pitched to the tune of a 1.82 ERA. His stuff should translate nicely to Major League Baseball. After fellow Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga set the precedent by finishing second in the NL ROTY race in 2023, Yamamoto should have no trouble snagging the award in 2024.