International League Most Valuable Player Award

The International League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in Minor League Baseball's International League. Managers from the 14 International League teams vote for the winner of the award, which is then combined with 14 votes from various general managers, broadcasters, and media representatives around the league to determine a winner.[1] In 1932, Marv Owen of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Newark Bears won the first International League MVP Award.

First basemen, with 24 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen (16), shortstops (9), and second basemen (5). Five catchers have won the award. Twenty-nine outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. A total of 4 pitchers have won the MVP award. The last pitcher to win was Red Barrett in 1942. The International League League now has a Most Valuable Pitcher Award, which was established in 1953. Rocky Nelson has the record for most MVP Award wins with three (1953, 1955, and 1958). Roberto Petagine has won the MVP Award twice (1997 and 1998). Three International League MVP Award winners, Red Schoendienst, Jim Rice, and Jim Thome, have gone on to be inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.[2]

Twelve players from the Rochester Red Wings have been selected for the MVP Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Buffalo Bisons (10); the Columbus Clippers (8); the Tidewater/Norfolk Tides, Pawtucket Red Sox, and Toronto Maple Leafs (7); the Syracuse Chiefs/SkyChiefs (6); the Durham Bulls and Montreal Royals (5); the Baltimore Orioles and Toledo Mud Hens (4); the Newark Bears and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons/Yankees/RailRiders (3); the Indianapolis Indians, Jacksonville Suns, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Louisville Colonels, and Richmond Braves (2); and the Charlotte Knights, Columbus Jets, and Louisville Bats (1).

Fourteen players from the New York Yankees Major League Baseball (MLB) organization have won the MVP Award, more than any other, followed by the Boston Red Sox organization (10); the Baltimore Orioles organization (9); the Cleveland Indians organization (8); the New York Mets organization (6); the Brooklyn Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays organizations (5); the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals organizations (4); the Toronto Blue Jays organization (3); the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins organizations (2); and the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Washington Nationals organizations (1). Eight MVP Award winners were not members of any MLB organization.