Hank Aaron Award 2024 Nominees Revealed

The 2024 Hank Aaron Award nominees have been officially announced. The award recognizes the most outstanding offensive performers in Major League Baseball this season. Established in 1999 to honor Aaron’s legacy, the prestigious award celebrates the game’s top hitters who have demonstrated exceptional skill, power and consistency at the plate. A panel of Hall of Famers, along with fan votes, will determine the winners, one from the American League and one from the National League. This year’s impressive slate of nominees showcases the talent, dedication and dominance that define the best of baseball.

Voting is open now and runs through Sunday, October 13 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Hank Aaron Award Nominees Announced

American League

Gunnar Henderson, Anthony Santander (Baltimore Orioles)

The Baltimore Orioles boasted two standout performers in 2024, as Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander made their mark on the league.

Henderson, 23, burst onto the scene with a phenomenal all-around season, becoming the second Oriole (23 or younger) to hit 30 home runs and steal 20 bases, joining Manny Machado. His impressive stat line included 37 home runs, 21 stolen bases, and an .893 OPS. Henderson’s 118 runs scored were the most by an Oriole since Roberto Alomar’s 1996 campaign.

Santander etched his name in the record books as the eighth switch-hitter to hit 40 home runs, a feat last achieved by Lance Berkman and Carlos Beltran in 2006. His remarkable season consisted of 44 home runs, 91 runs scored, and 102 RBI.

Jarren Duran (Boston Red Sox)

Jarren Duran enjoyed a breakout season, leading the AL in doubles (48) and triples (14). His impressive power and speed also earned him an exclusive spot in franchise history, as he became the third player to achieve a 20-30 season, joining Jacoby Ellsbury and Mookie Betts. Duran’s 34 stolen bases capped off an incredible campaign.

Jose Ramirez (Cleveland Guardians)

Jose Ramirez put together an unforgettable campaign, cementing his status as one of baseball’s most dynamic players.

Ramirez became the second player, alongside Shohei Ohtani, to achieve 30 home runs and 40 stolen bases in 2024. His impressive totals included 39 home runs, 41 stolen bases, and a career-high 114 runs scored.

He also excelled in other key categories, ranking top-five in the AL in:

Doubles (39)

Runs scored (114)

RBI (118)

Yordan Alvarez (Houston Astros)

For the fourth year in a row, Yordan Alvarez reached the 30-home run plateau, hitting 35. His impressive season was marked by elite rankings in average (.308), on-base percentage (.392), and OPS (.959), all top-10 finishes in the majors. Alvarez also showed significant improvement in plate discipline, lowering his strikeout rate to a career-low 15 percent.

Bobby Witt Jr. (Kansas City Royals)

Bobby Witt Jr. made history in 2024, becoming the first player to record at least 40 doubles, 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases, and 10 triples in a single season. Additionally, Witt became the first shortstop with multiple 30-home run, 30-stolen base seasons.

Witt’s impressive statistics:

125 runs scored

109 RBI

MLB-leading 211 hits

.322 batting average (Kansas City’s first batting title since George Brett’s .329 in 1990)

Aaron Judge, Juan Soto (New York Yankees)

The American League’s most fearsome hitters, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, left an indelible mark on the 2024 season.

Judge, the 2022 Hank Aaron Award winner, replicated his award-winning form, leading the majors with 58 home runs. He became the first player since 2009 (Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard) to drive in 140 runs. His staggering 1.159 OPS was the highest by a qualified hitter since Barry Bonds in 2004.

Soto thrived in the Big Apple, setting career highs in runs (128), hits (166), home runs (41), and extra-base hits (76). His impressive .419 on-base percentage and .988 OPS trailed only Judge’s league-leading numbers.

Brent Rooker (Oakland Athletics)

Brent Rooker continued to establish himself as a power-hitting force, notching his second consecutive 30-home run season. Rooker’s impressive .293 batting average marked the highest by an Athletics player in a 30-home run season since Miguel Tejada’s .308 average in 2002.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. overcame a sluggish start to deliver a phenomenal season, catching fire from May onwards with a stellar .345/.412/.500 slash line. Building on his 2021 AL Hank Aaron Award-winning campaign, Guerrero finished the season with impressive numbers: 30 home runs, 104 RBI, and a .323 batting average.

National League

Ketel Marte (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Ketel Marte overcame injury setbacks to deliver a dominant campaign, pacing all NL second basemen in key offensive categories. Marte’s impressive stats included a .292 batting average, 36 home runs, 95 RBIs, 93 runs scored, and a .932 OPS – all career highs or league-leading totals. He also earned his second All-Star nod and amassed 61 extra-base hits.

Marcell Ozuna (Atlanta Braves)

Marcell Ozuna reestablished himself as a dominant force in baseball, enjoying a resurgent season. For much of the year, Ozuna was in pursuit of the Triple Crown, ultimately falling just shy of his second consecutive 40-home run, 100-RBI campaign with 39 homers and 100 RBIs. His impressive .924 OPS ranked third in the National League, trailing only Shohei Ohtani and Ketel Marte.

Elly De La Cruz (Cincinnati Reds)

Elly De La Cruz emerged as one of baseball’s most exciting players, flaunting his rare combination of speed and power. De La Cruz’s 2024 campaign was highlighted by 25 home runs, 105 runs scored, and a dominating display of speed, as he led the majors in stolen bases with 67. That total was eight better than anyone else.

Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers)

As a model of consistency and productivity, Freddie Freeman remained an elite force in baseball. Freeman’s 2024 campaign featured 20 home runs, marking his eighth consecutive full season with at least 20 homers. He also showcased his exceptional on-base abilities with a .378 OBP and ranked among the NL’s top 10 in OPS with a .854 mark.

Ohtani made history this season, becoming the first player to join the 50-50 club, achieving an incredible milestone of 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases. His impressive performance didn’t stop there, as he accumulated 99 extra-base hits, the most by any player since Derek Lee in 2005. Ohtani’s remarkable stats also include a .310 batting average, 130 RBI, and a 1.036 OPS.

Francisco Lindor (New York Mets)

Francisco Lindor carried the Mets in 2024. Lindor hit 30 home runs for the second straight season and finished among the top three NL shortstops in home runs (33), RBI (91), doubles (39), slugging (.500), OPS (.844).

William Contreras (Milwaukee Brewers)

Milwaukee has one of the top-hitting catchers in baseball with William Contreras. The backstop improved on his strong 2023 season to earn his second All-Star nod in 2024. He paced all NL catchers in home runs (23), RBI (92) and OPS (.831) as the Brewers won the NL Central division title.

Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber (Philadelphia Phillies)

Bryce Harper had an incredible 2024 season with the Phillies, cementing his status as a powerhouse hitter. He smashed 30 home runs, marking his fifth season with 30+ homers. What’s more, Harper led all qualified first basemen in doubles with 42 and boasted an impressive .898 OPS.

Kyle Schwarber cemented his reputation as baseball’s top leadoff hitter, setting a new standard with 15 leadoff home runs in a single season. His impressive on-base skills fueled the Phillies’ offense, resulting in 104 RBI for the second straight year and a personal-best 110 runs scored.

Jackson Merrill (San Diego Padres)

Jackson Merrill was one of the season’s biggest surprises, putting together a strong case for NL Rookie of the Year. Merrill led all qualified rookies in hits (162), batting average (.292), RBI (90), and total bases (277). His 24 home runs were the most among NL rookies, demonstrating his impressive power-hitting ability.

Matt Graves, Site Manager

Matt Graves is an experienced baseball writer, and co-manager of LWOS Baseball. He is a graduate of the Radio Broadcasting program at Fanshawe College who has worked as a writer in radio, journalism, and digital media.

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011