The 2022 MLB season was a compelling campaign laced with historic moments and record-setting performances, not to mention a healthy dose of other drama, and these elements are all reflected in the results of this year's Sporting News MLB awards.
The annual survey of players, managers and executives was held in September and early October to determine the MLB Player of the Year, Rookies of the Year, Managers of the Year, Comeback Players of the Year and Executive of the Year.
MORE: The Sporting News 2022 NL All-Stars | AL All-Stars
The Sporting News has handed out MLB awards since 1936. These are the winners for 2022.
MLB Player of the Year: Aaron Judge, Yankees
Aaron Judge was as dominant a hitter as any team could want in 2022. Not only did he set a new single-season American League home run record, but he produced gaudy MVP-like numbers across the board. He led the league in runs, RBIs, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+ and total bases. And don’t forget: He also flirted with a Triple Crown.
In the end, it led to a 10.6 bWAR and a runaway win for Sporting News MLB Player of the Year.
In a survey of 360 players, Judge received 66 percent of the vote, easily outpacing second-place finisher Shohei Ohtani, who received about 18 percent.
While seven players received at least one vote in the category, in the minds of the overwhelming majority of voters, 2022 was clearly the Aaron Judge Show.
NL Rookie of the Year: Spencer Strider, Braves
Of all the records and historic achievements in 2022, perhaps the most surprising was Spencer Strider reaching 200 strikeouts in a season faster than any pitcher in history.
That's impressive for anyone, but especially a rookie. But then, all Strider did this season was impress. So it's easy to see why his fellow big leaguers voted him the 2022 Sporting News National League Rookie of the Year.
Strider compiled an 11-5 record and used a triple-digit fastball and nasty breaking pitches to establish himself as a key piece of the Braves' starting rotation. His 2.67 ERA led all qualified rookie starters and those 202 strikeouts were easily tops among the rookie class.
In a survey of 212 players for the NL rookie award, Strider won a 47 percent plurality of the vote, finishing ahead of teammate Michael Harris II, who received 41 percent. Those results help illustrate why the future looks so bright in Atlanta.
NL Comeback Player of the Year: Brandon Drury, Reds/Padres
After back-to-back disappointing seasons in which he played a total of 72 MLB games with the Blue Jays and Mets, Brandon Drury got a fresh start in Cincinnati in 2022 and certainly made the most of it.
In 92 games with the Reds, Drury clubbed 20 homers and compiled an .855 OPS before a deadline trade sent him to the Padres for the stretch run. In San Diego, Drury hit eight more homers and helped the Padres make their playoff push. His overall performance was enough for his fellow players to make him the runaway choice for the Sporting News National League Comeback Player of the Year.
Drury received a 49 percent plurality of the vote in a survey of 206 MLB players to easily take the award, outpacing the Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr., the Padres' Mike Clevenger and the Cardinals' Albert Pujols.
They were all memorable comebacks, but it was Drury's that resonated most with his peers.
NL Manager of the Year: Buck Showalter, Mets
2022 represented a new era for Mets baseball — a new outlook, a new attitude and a new energy that led to 101 wins and the team's first playoff berth since 2016.
A big reason for that freshness in Flushing was new manager Buck Showalter.
After years of turmoil and drama for the franchise, Showalter brought a calming presence and decades of baseball smarts that helped keep the Mets playing at a high level all season. It was noticed by his fellow National League managers, who voted him the Sporting News NL Manager of the Year.
In a close race among six NL managers who received votes, Showalter narrowly edged out Phillies manager Rob Thomson to take the award. It's Showalter's fourth Sporting New Manager of the Year award, following wins with the Yankees, Rangers and Orioles. He's just the third manager ever to win the award at least four times, joining Jim Leyland and Bobby Cox.
AL Rookie of the Year: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
There were several standout rookies in the American League in 2022, but Julio Rodriguez stood out far above the rest.
Rodriguez made a huge splash this season, and the 21-year-old was a big reason why the Mariners finally ended their 21-year playoff drought. Rodriguez hit 28 homers and led Seattle in average, on-base percentage, runs, OPS, OPS+, total bases and stolen bases. Not to mention a hard-hit rate in the league’s 95th percentile and elite sprint speed and arm strength.
His fellow players were clearly impressed, because he was their overwhelming choice for the Sporting News American League Rookie of the Year. Rodriguez received a whopping 80 percent of the vote in a survey of 133 players.
If his 2022 season is any indication, Rodriguez will be a force in the American League for a long time.
AL Comeback Player of the Year: Justin Verlander, Astros
There are comebacks, and then there are COMEBACKS. Justin Verlander the second kind in 2022.
After making just one start in 2020 and missing the entire 2021 season after Tommy John surgery, Verlander returned to his Cy Young form in 2022 and looked as strong as ever. With a league-leading 18-4 record and 1.75 ERA, the 39-year-old Verlander continued to baffle hitters in yet another All-Star campaign — and also left no doubt in the race for the Sporting News American League Comeback Player of the Year.
In a survey of 116 players, Verlander took 78 percent of the vote, easily outpacing the competition.
Given Verlander's output this season, he's almost certain to decline his 2023 player option and test the free-agent waters one more time. And if teams believe he can produce in 2023 like he did in 2022, he'll be in for a huge payday.
AL Manager of the Year: Brandon Hyde, Orioles
What happened in Baltimore this season wasn't so much improbable as it was miraculous. After averaging 111 losses in their past three full seasons, the Orioles joined the land of winning around mid-May and never looked back, despite trading away talent at the deadline.
With a young roster that gave strong evidence of its potential, the Orioles found themselves with a winning record at the end of the season for the first time since 2016.
And steering the ship the whole way was manager Brandon Hyde, who got more out of his young team than anyone expected and kept them in the playoff hunt right up to the end.
Hyde's role in Baltimore's turnaround earned the admiration of his fellow AL skippers, who voted him the 2022 Sporting News American League Manager of the Year. Hyde received 50 percent of the vote and edged out Houston's Dusty Baker and Cleveland's Terry Francona for the honor.
Hyde is the seventh Orioles manager to win the award, and the first since Showalter in 2012.
MLB Executive of the Year: Chris Antonetti, Guardians
Perhaps the only ones who understand the challenges of being an MLB executive are the executives themselves. So when one name shows up repeatedly on ballots for Sporting News Executive of the Year, it's safe to assume that person has impressed their peers in ways only they can appreciate.
So Chris Antonetti, take a bow.
For the second time in five years, the Guardians' president of baseball operations was the runaway winner in a survey of 29 executives, receiving nearly twice as many votes as anyone else.
Antonetti oversaw MLB's youngest roster, and one with relatively little power, but the team's 92 wins and AL Central title are a testament to the judgment and skills of Antonetti and his staff.
Another big win for Antonetti was signing All-Star slugger Jose Ramirez to a seven-year, $141 million extension. Ramirez responded with a 6 bWAR season that included 29 homers and 126 RBIs.
If Cleveland stays competitive and continues to defy expectations, Antonetti could have even more of these awards in his future.
