The 2024 common season is within the books, and with it, one other 12 months of PLV knowledge! The MLB award winners will likely be introduced subsequent month, however we right here at Pitcher Listing thought it could be enjoyable to present out our personal awards primarily based on our new, beloved set of stats. Thus, I current our first annual PLV All-Stars Common Season Awards for the 2024 season!
The “Most PLValuable Participant” Award
American League: Aaron Decide
Nationwide League: Shohei Ohtani
We’ll begin on the high, with the probably actual MVP winners, Aaron Decide and Shohei Ohtani. It’s good Ohtani moved to the NL, as selecting between them would have been tough after their epic seasons (although PLV would take Decide). These two luminaries deserved all the things they achieved in 2024 when you give credence to PLV stats. On this case, the outcomes adopted the method.
Decide led all hitters (minimal 2k pitches seen) within the PLV Energy, Course of, and Hitter Efficiency Classes. Energy will not be a shock, however Decide’s excessive marks in Strikezone Judgement and Choice Worth present that he’s greater than only a massive bopper. The “Course of” class, new this 12 months, combines Energy, Choice Worth, and Contact, making it a wonderful catch-all stat, together with Hitter Efficiency, for offensive ability and Decide’s above-average Choices and almost-average Contact didn’t cease him from topping the Course of leaderboard. Decide posted the very best batting common, OBP, and SLG of his profession this 12 months, an unbelievable feat contemplating his great, MVP-winning 2022 season.
Rating second within the Energy, Course of, and HP classes was our NL MVP, the nice Shohei Ohtani. Keep in mind when this man used to pitch? His different PLV marks aren’t as spectacular as Decide’s, however we’re splitting hairs. The Unicorn completed first or second in MLB in HRs, Runs, RBI, Stolen Bases, SLG, OPS, wOBA, ISO, and wRC+. Within the classes he completed second, it was to Decide each time besides SBs (Elly De La Cruz). Admire these two gamers, baseball followers; they’re placing up historic numbers.
The “PLV Cy Youngs” Award
American League: Logan Gilbert
Nationwide League: Cristopher Sánchez
Neither Gilbert nor Sanchez will probably stroll away with an actual Cy Younger award this low season. If I had been a betting man, I’d wager these trophies find yourself within the trophy circumstances for Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale. Nonetheless, PLV loves what these two hurlers did in 2024, rating them on the high of their respective leagues amongst pitchers who made a minimum of 2k pitches.
Gilbert had a dropping document for the Mariners at 9-12, however it’s exhausting accountable him for the outcomes. The Mariners averaged solely 3.6 runs in his begins, the fifth-lowest quantity in MLB amongst starters who threw 150+ innings. Gilbert’s 3.23 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 5.95 Ok/BB ratio deserved higher run help. A primarily five-pitch arsenal — comprising a slider, four-seamer, splitter, curveball, and cutter — drove the lanky righties’ 5.4 PLV / 2.10 PLA. Because the chart beneath illustrates, all 5 choices had been extremely efficient, significantly his devastating slider, ranked among the many greatest in MLB.
Sánchez quietly put forth one other wonderful marketing campaign for the Phillies in 2024, posting an 11-9 document, 3.32 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a stellar 5.39 PLV / 2.27 PLA. Sánchez didn’t generate many strikeouts at solely 7.6 per 9, however his 58.1% floor ball price was among the many highest within the sport. Unsurprisingly, he stored the ball down with all three of his pitches — a sinker, slider, and cutter — all of which had been very efficient. Sánchez’s changeup stands out as one in all MLB’s greatest, pushed by an unbelievable arm-side break.
The “Reliever No person is Speaking About however Ought to Be” Award
Griffin Jax
Each baseball fan is conscious of Emmanuel Clase. The Guardian’s nearer had an other-worldly 2024, saving 47 of fifty video games with a 0.61 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. Clase additionally had the very best PLV (5.64) and lowest PLA (1.33) amongst pitchers who threw a minimum of 500 pitches. However have you learnt who was second to Clase in these classes? For those who guessed anybody aside from Griffin Jax, you need to work in your deductive reasoning.
A transformed starter, Jax throws an unconventional five-pitch combine with regularity and excelled with all of them in 2024. Solely his sinker had a PLA above 2.00, which nonetheless ranked nicely above common. He ranked excessive amongst MLB relievers in lots of classes this 12 months. Most notable had been a 29% Ok/BB price, a 0.87 WHIP, a 36.9% CSW%, and a 39.7% O-Sw%. Jax and nearer Jhoan Duran and Cole Sands gave Minnesota top-of-the-line one-two-three punches out of the bullpen in 2024.
The “It Takes Extra Than Nice Plate Self-discipline” Award
George Springer
Amongst hitters who noticed 2k+ pitches in 2024, George Springer led MLB in each the Strikezone Judgement and Choice Worth classes. Our definition of Strikezone Judgement is “the ‘correctness’ of a hitter’s swings and takes, utilizing the probability of a pitch being a referred to as strike (for swings) or a ball/HBP (for takes).” Choice Worth is outlined as “the modeled worth of a hitter’s resolution to swing or take.” Main all main league hitters in these classes absolutely should’ve led to an distinctive season for Springer. Proper?
Ugh. Apparently not. Springer’s SZ and DV stored his Ok% and BB% in a decent place however didn’t assist him put a bat on the ball. A .245 BABIP signifies some unhealthy luck, however a 34.7% Best Contact Price (Brl+Stable+FI&B/Whole BBEs) was within the twenty fourth percentile and displays his below-average Contact and Energy scores. Regardless of his wonderful plate self-discipline, Springer was, at greatest, a median hitter in 2024.
The “Good Luck Getting It By Me” Award
Luis Arraez
The now three-time batting champ, Luis Arraez, continued to go away pitchers unhappy in 2024, hanging out solely 29 instances in 672 plate appearances. Did superior Strikezone Judgement drive his success? No. Arraez’s SZJ was one of many worst in baseball, and his DV wasn’t significantly better. His stroll price was 3.6%, and he averaged solely 3.5 pitches per plate look. Arraez’s success comes virtually fully from his uncanny skill to place the bat on the ball.
The Padres’ utility man’s 4.3% strikeout proportion was lower than half that of the second man on the checklist, Steven Kwan (9.4%). When he swung, he not often missed, evidenced by his league-low 6.9% Whiff%. Arraez even made contact on pitches out of the zone almost 90% of the time. The dude’s hand-eye coordination is unbelievable. So, whereas he might not have a lot plate self-discipline and lacks any semblance of energy, Arraez nonetheless nets out as an efficient hitter with a ability that has largely been misplaced.
