The Larry Doby Award is presented annually to the most valuable player in the annual futures game. From 1999 through 2002, the award was originally called the Futures Game Most Valuable Player Award.
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball. The event started in 1999, and featured a team of Minor League Baseball prospects from the United States. versus a team of prospects from other countries in the world.
The Future Games is played during All-Star week, usually two days before the Midsummer Classic is played, in the same ballpark. The original idea for the exhibition game was conceived by the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations (MLB), Jimmie Lee Solomon, who wanted to create an event that rounded out All-Star week, and featured the best players in the minors.
In 2019, the format changed from the U.S. versus the World to American League versus National League players based soley on the player's Minor League team and their parent organization.
Listed below in chronological order are players who won the Futures Games Most Valuable Player Award (1991-2001) and Larry Doby Award (2002-2023). Research by Baseball Almanac.
"Green got all of it, hitting it to straightaway center field, where he thought he had a home run. But thanks to the big wall at Chase Field, it landed just below the home run line and he had to stop at second. 'I thought it was gone,' Green said. 'I didn't know it was a 15-foot-high wall. I thought it was a normal wall. I even heard from people in the stands when I got to second base, telling me to hit the weight room. The shortstop [Jurickson Profar] was cracking up behind me. It's all fun and games. That wall's huge. They need to lower that thing, make me feel good about myself.'" - Mayo, Jonathan. MLB Staff Writer. A's Green wins XM Futures Game MVP Award. 10 July 2011.
Futures Game Most Valuable Player AwardIn Chronological Order |
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Futures Game MVP | Futures Game Details | |||||
Year | MVP Name (Qty) | POS | Organization | Winner | Score | Ballpark |
1999 | Alfonso Soriano (1) | SS | New York Yankees | World | 7–0 | Fenway Park |
2000 | Sean Burroughs (1) | 3B | San Diego Padres | U.S. | 3–2 | Turner Field |
2001 | Toby Hall (1) | C | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | U.S. | 5–1 | Safeco Field |
Futures Game Most Valuable Player Award | ||||||
Larry Doby AwardIn Chronological Order |
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Futures Game MVP | Larry Doby Award Winner | Futures Game Details | |||||
Year | MVP Name (Qty) | POS | Organization | Winner | Score | Ballpark |
2002 | Jose Reyes (1) | SS | New York Mets | World | 5–1 | Miller Park |
2003 | Grady Sizemore (1) | OF | Cleveland Indians | U.S. | 3–2 | U.S. Cellular Field |
2004 | Aaron Hill (1) | SS | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | U.S. | 4–3 | Minute Maid Park |
2005 | Justin Huber (1) | 1B | Kansas City Royals | World | 4–0 | Comerica Park |
2006 | Billy Butler (1) | OF | Kansas City Royals | U.S. | 8–5 | PNC Park |
2007 | Chin-lung Hu (1) | SS | Los Angeles Dodgers | World | 7–2 | AT&T Park |
2008 | Che-Hsuan Lin (1) | OF | Boston Red Sox | World | 3–0 | Yankee Stadium |
2009 | Rene Tosoni (1) | OF | Minnesota Twins | World | 7–5 | Busch Stadium |
2010 | Hank Conger (1) | C | Los Angeles Angels | U.S. | 9–1 | Angel Stadium |
2011 | Grant Green (1) | C | Oakland Athletics | U.S. | 6–4 | Chase Field |
2012 | Nick Castellanos (1) | DH | Detroit Tigers | U.S. | 1–5 | Kauffman Stadium |
2013 | Matt Davidson (1) | 3B | Arizona Diamondbacks | U.S. | 4–2 | Citi Field |
2014 | Joey Gallo (1) | 3B | Texas Rangers | U.S. | 3–2 | Target Field |
2015 | Kyle Schwarber (1) | C | Chicago Cubs | U.S. | 10 –1 | Great American Ball Park |
2016 | Yoan Moncada (1) | 3B | Boston Red Sox | World | 11–3 | Petco Park |
2017 | Brent Honeywell Jr. (1) | RHP | Tampa Bay Rays | U.S. | 7–6 | Marlins Park |
2018 | Taylor Trammell (1) | OF | Cincinnati Reds | U.S. | 10–6 | Nationals Park |
2019 | Sam Huff (1) | 1B | Texas Rangers | Tie | 2–2 | Progessive Field |
2020 | Game Cancelled (x) | n/a | COVID-19 Pandemic | n/a | n/a | Dodger Stadium |
2021 | Brennen Davis (1) | CF | Chicago Cubs | N.L. | 8–3 | Coors Field |
2022 | Shea Langeliers (1) | C | Oakland Athletics | A.L. | 6–4 | Dodger Stadium |
2023 | Nasim Nuñez (1) | SS | Miami Marlins | N.L. | 5–0 | T-Mobile Park |
2024 | Not Yet Awarded (x) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Year | MVP Name (Qty) | POS | Organization | Winner | Score | Ballpark |
Futures Game MVP | Larry Doby Award | Baseball Awards Menu |
A Larry Doby Award winning player, whose name appears on the chart in gray, has not yet made it to the Major League level.
The first Futures Game MVP Award winner was Alfonso Soriano — he hit two home runs and drove in five runs during the 1999 Futures Game — who was widely considered the best shortstop in the minor leagues. Standing in his way to the majors was an All-Star shortstop, but Soriano had confidence as illustrated by these USA Today comments, "I know Derek Jeter is there, and I might have to play second base. I think I can be a superstar."
Did you know that the following Futures Game MVPs — Alfonso Soriano (1999), Jose Reyes (2002), Grady Sizemore (2003), Aaron Hill (2004), Billy Butler (2006), Joey Gallo (2014), Kyle Schwarber (2015) — went on to not only play in the majors, but also played in a Major League Baseball All-Star Game?