HANK AARON AWARD

The Hank Aaron Award History | Baseball Almanac

The Hank Aaron Award was introduced in 1999, to honor the 25th Anniversary of Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's all-time home run record. It was the first major award to be introduced in more than thirty years and it recognizes the best overall hitter in each league.

The Hank Aaron Award winner was originally selected using an objective points system. Hits, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI) were given certain point values and the winner was the player who had the highest tabulated points total.

In 2000, the Hank Aaron Award voting rules were changed to a ballot in which each MLB team's radio and television play-by-play broadcasters and color analysts voted for three players in each league. Their first place vote receives five points, the second place vote receives three points, and the third place vote receives one point.

Beginning in 2003, baseball fans were given the opportunity to vote via MLB.com. Fans' votes accounted for 30% of the points, while broadcasters' and analysts' votes accounted for the other 70%.

The 2004–2006 Hank Aaron Award was decided in three separate phases. In August fans voted at each Major League Baseball's official team site, choosing one off three players nominated by the respective franchise. The leading vote getter from each team became one of 30 finalists, from which a special Major League Baseball panel chose six finalists from each League. Online fan voting then determined the overall winner.

In 2007–2008, five finalists in each league were determined in fan balloting on MLB.com, from 30 club nominees selected by a special panel assembled by Major League Baseball and MLB.com. Online fan votes decided the overall winner.

For the 2009 Hank Aaron Award, fans selected both the finalists and the ultimate winners of the award. In September, fans voted for one finalist out of three nominees from each MLB Club. Once those 30 finalists were selected, fans voted for one American League and one National League winner, from September 16–30.

Since 2011, fans have voted for the recipients on MLB.com. Then a special panel, led by Hank Aaron himself, along with Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Ken Griffey Jr., Eddie Murray and Robin Yount, determine the final recipients.

The Hank Aaron Award was physically handed out to the winners from both leagues before Game 4 of the World Series every year (Game 3 in 2018, Game 2 in 2019), with Aaron himself presenting the actual trophy. In 2020, that tradition ended and the off-season announcement became a MLB Network exclusive, with an on-field presentation the following year. Hank Aaron Award recipients appear below, in chronological order, as researched by Baseball Almanac.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"The pitcher has got only a ball. I've got a bat. So the percentage in weapons is in my favor and I let the fellow with the ball do the fretting." - Hall of Fame Outfielder Aaron, Hank. The Quotable American. Barnett, Alex. Lyons Press Publishing. Page 309.

Hank Aaron Award

Hank Aaron Award

First Ever Hank Aaron Award

Hank Aaron Award Winners Appear Below In Chronological Order

1999 AL Manny Ramirez (1) Indians 174 Top 25 44 Top 25 165 Top 25
1999 NL Sammy Sosa (1) Cubs 180 Top 25 63 Top 25 141 Top 25
2000 AL Carlos Delgado (1) Blue Jays 196 Top 25 41 Top 25 137 Top 25
2000 NL Todd Helton (1) Rockies 216 Top 25 42 Top 25 147 Top 25
2001 AL Alex Rodriguez (1) Rangers 201 Top 25 52 Top 25 135 Top 25
2001 NL Barry Bonds (1) Giants 156 Top 25 73 Top 25 137 Top 25
2002 AL Alex Rodriguez (2) Rangers 187 Top 25 57 Top 25 142 Top 25
2002 NL Barry Bonds (2) Giants 149 Top 25 46 Top 25 110 Top 25
2003 AL Alex Rodriguez (3) Rangers 181 Top 25 47 Top 25 118 Top 25
2003 NL Albert Pujols (1) Cardinals 212 Top 25 43 Top 25 124 Top 25
2004 AL Manny Ramirez (2) Red Sox 175 Top 25 43 Top 25 130 Top 25
2004 NL Barry Bonds (3) Giants 135 Top 25 45 Top 25 101 Top 25
2005 AL David Ortiz (1) Red Sox 180 Top 25 47 Top 25 148 Top 25
2005 NL Andruw Jones (1) Braves 154 Top 25 51 Top 25 128 Top 25
2006 AL Derek Jeter (1) Yankees 214 Top 25 14 Top 25 97 Top 25
2006 NL Ryan Howard (1) Phillies 182 Top 25 58 Top 25 149 Top 25
2007 AL Alex Rodriguez (4) Yankees 183 Top 25 54 Top 25 156 Top 25
2007 NL Prince Fielder (1) Brewers 165 Top 25 50 Top 25 119 Top 25
2008 AL Aramis Ramirez (1) Cubs 160 Top 25 27 Top 25 111 Top 25
2008 NL Kevin Youkilis (1) Red Sox 168 Top 25 29 Top 25 115 Top 25
2009 AL Derek Jeter (2) Yankees 212 Top 25 18 Top 25 66 Top 25
2009 NL Albert Pujols (2) Cardinals 186 Top 25 47 Top 25 135 Top 25
2010 AL Jose Bautista (1) Blue Jays 148 Top 25 54 Top 25 124 Top 25
2010 NL Joey Votto (1) Reds 177 Top 25 37 Top 25 113 Top 25
2011 AL Jose Bautista (2) Blue Jays 155 Top 25 43 Top 25 103 Top 25
2011 NL Matt Kemp (1) Dodgers 195 Top 25 39 Top 25 126 Top 25
2012 AL Miguel Cabrera (1) Tigers 205 Top 25 44 Top 25 139 Top 25
2012 NL Buster Posey (1) Giants 178 Top 25 24 Top 25 103 Top 25
2013 AL Miguel Cabrera (2) Tigers 193 Top 25 44 Top 25 137 Top 25
2013 NL Paul Goldschmidt (1) Diamondbacks 182 Top 25 36 Top 25 125 Top 25
2014 AL Mike Trout (1) Angels 173 Top 25 36 Top 25 111 Top 25
2014 NL Giancarlo Stanton (1) Marlins 155 Top 25 37 Top 25 105 Top 25
2015 AL Josh Donaldson (1) Blue Jays 184 Top 25 41 Top 25 123 Top 25
2015 NL Bryce Harper (1) Nationals 172 Top 25 42 Top 25 99 Top 25
2016 AL David Ortiz (2) Red Sox 169 Top 25 38 Top 25 127 Top 25
2016 NL Kris Bryant (1) Cubs 176 Top 25 39 Top 25 102 Top 25
2017 AL Jose Altuve (1) Astros 204 Top 25 24 Top 25 81 Top 25
2017 NL Giancarlo Stanton (2) Marlins 168 Top 25 59 Top 25 132 Top 25
2018 AL J.D. Martinez (1) Red Sox 188 Top 25 43 Top 25 130 Top 25
2018 NL Christian Yelich (1) Brewers 187 Top 25 36 Top 25 110 Top 25
2019 AL Mike Trout (2) Angels 137 Top 25 45 Top 25 104 Top 25
2019 NL Christian Yelich (2) Brewers 161 Top 25 44 Top 25 97 Top 25
2020 AL Jose Abreu (1) White Sox 76 Top 25 19 Top 25 60 Top 25
2020 NL Freddie Freeman (1) Braves 73 Top 25 13 Top 25 53 Top 25
2021 AL Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1) Blue Jays 188 Top 25 48 Top 25 111 Top 25
2021 NL Bryce Harper (2) Phillies 151 Top 25 35 Top 25 84 Top 25
2022 AL Aaron Judge (1) Yankees 177 Top 25 62 Top 25 131 Top 25
2022 NL Paul Goldschmidt (2) Cardinals 178 Top 25 35 Top 25 115 Top 25
2023 AL Shohei Ohtani (1) Angels 151 Top 25 44 Top 25 95 Top 25
2023 NL Ronald Acuña Jr. (1) Braves 149 Top 25 41 Top 25 106 Top 25
2024 AL Not Yet Determined (x) -- -- Top 25 -- Top 25 -- Top 25
2024 NL Not Yet Determined (x) -- -- Top 25 -- Top 25 -- Top 25
Hank Aaron Award | Bold = LG Leader | Research by Baseball Almanac | Baseball Awards
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

Hank Aaron is — or once was — the all-time Major League leader in the following statistics: runs batted in, extra base hits, and home runs; yet is close to the bottom with inside the park home runs, as he had only one during his hall of fame career!

The 1999 Hank Aaron Award, which was the first ever in award history, was presented during the 1999 World Series, and as it happened, Baseball Almanac transcribed the entire historical press conference that day. Every year since, we've recorded its history, added new features to the research, and continue to preserve its history.

Hank Aaron played baseball for 23-years and he was the all time home run king, but did you know that he led the league in home runs "only" four times? Did you know that the Hank Aaron Award was the first "official" award named after a former player which was still living at the time the award was being presented?