# Eastern League Top MLB Prospect Award

The Eastern League Top MLB Prospect Award is an annual award given to the best rookie player in Minor League Baseball's Eastern League based on their regular-season performance as voted on by league managers. Broadcasters, Minor League Baseball executives, and members of the media have previously voted as well. Though the league was established in 1938, the award was not created until 1993 as the Rookie of the Year Award. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, the league was known as the Double-A Northeast in 2021 before reverting to the Eastern League name in 2022. The Top MLB Prospect Award began to be issued instead of the Rookie of the Year Award in 2021.
Fourteen outfielders have won the award, the most of any position. First basemen, with seven winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen and shortstops (3) and second basemen (1). Three catchers and one pitcher have won the award.
Eleven players who have won the Top MLB Prospect Award also won the Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in the same season: Cliff Floyd (1993), Mark Grudzielanek (1994), Jay Payton (1995), Vladimir Guerrero (1996), Calvin Pickering (1998), Marlon Byrd (2001), Ryan Howard (2004), Jordan Brown (2007), Brandon Laird (2010), Darin Ruf (2012), and Cavan Biggio (2018). The only pitcher to win the award, Juan Acevedo (1994), also won the Pitcher of the Year Award in the same season.
Seven players from the Reading Fightin Phils have been selected for the Top MLB Prospect Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Harrisburg Senators (5); the Akron RubberDucks and Binghamton Rumble Ponies (4); the Altoona Curve, Chesapeake Baysox, and New Haven Ravens (2); and the Erie SeaWolves, Hartford Yard Goats, New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Portland Sea Dogs, Somerset Patriots, and Trenton Thunder (1).
Seven players from the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball (MLB) organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the Washington Nationals organization (5); the Cleveland Guardians and New York Mets organizations (4); the Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Yankees organizations (2); and the Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, and Toronto Blue Jays organizations (1).

## Winners

Key :
| Position | Indicates the player's primary position |
| ^ | Indicates multiple award winners in the same year |
| Year | Winner | Team | Organization | Position |
| 1993 | Cliff Floyd | Harrisburg Senators | Montreal Expos | First baseman |
| 1994^ | Juan Acevedo | New Haven Ravens | Colorado Rockies | Pitcher |
| 1994^ | Mark Grudzielanek | Harrisburg Senators | Montreal Expos | Shortstop |
| 1995 | Jay Payton | Binghamton Mets | New York Mets | Outfielder |
| 1996 | Vladimir Guerrero | Harrisburg Senators | Montreal Expos | Outfielder |
| 1997 | Mark Kotsay | Portland Sea Dogs | Florida Marlins | Outfielder |
| 1998 | Calvin Pickering | Bowie Baysox | Baltimore Orioles | First baseman |
| 1999 | Pat Burrell | Reading Phillies | Philadelphia Phillies | First baseman |
| 2000 | Alex Escobar | Binghamton Mets | New York Mets | Outfielder |
| 2001 | Marlon Byrd | Reading Phillies | Philadelphia Phillies | Outfielder |
| 2002 | Dee Haynes | New Haven Ravens | St. Louis Cardinals | Outfielder |
| 2003 | Grady Sizemore | Akron Aeros | Cleveland Indians | Outfielder |
| 2004 | Ryan Howard | Reading Phillies | Philadelphia Phillies | First baseman |
| 2005 | Chris Roberson | Reading Phillies | Philadelphia Phillies | Outfielder |
| 2006 | Kory Casto | Harrisburg Senators | Washington Nationals | Third baseman |
| 2007 | Jordan Brown | Akron Aeros | Cleveland Indians | First baseman |
| 2008 | Wes Hodges | Akron Aeros | Cleveland Indians | Third baseman |
| 2009 | Michael D. Taylor | Reading Phillies | Philadelphia Phillies | Outfielder |
| 2010 | Brandon Laird | Trenton Thunder | New York Yankees | Third baseman |
| 2011 | Starling Marte | Altoona Curve | Pittsburgh Pirates | Outfielder |
| 2012 | Darin Ruf | Reading Phillies | Philadelphia Phillies | First baseman |
| 2013 | Alex Dickerson | Altoona Curve | Pittsburgh Pirates | Outfielder |
| 2014 | Michael A. Taylor | Harrisburg Senators | Washington Nationals | Outfielder |
| 2015 | Gavin Cecchini | Binghamton Mets | New York Mets | Shortstop |
| 2016 | Rhys Hoskins | Reading Fightin Phils | Philadelphia Phillies | First baseman |
| 2017 | Francisco Mejía | Akron RubberDucks | Cleveland Indians | Catcher |
| 2018 | Cavan Biggio | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Toronto Blue Jays | Second baseman |
| 2019 | José Azócar | Erie SeaWolves | Detroit Tigers | Outfielder |
| 2020 | None selected (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic) | None selected (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic) | None selected (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic) | None selected (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic) |
| 2021 | Adley Rutschman | Bowie Baysox | Baltimore Orioles | Catcher |
| 2022 | Ezequiel Tovar | Hartford Yard Goats | Colorado Rockies | Shortstop |
| 2023 | Jasson Domínguez | Somerset Patriots | New York Yankees | Outfielder |
| 2024 | Samuel Basallo | Bowie Baysox | Baltimore Orioles | Catcher |

## Wins by team

Active Eastern League teams appear in bold.
| Team | Award(s) | Year(s) |
| Reading Fightin Phils (Reading Phillies) | 7 | 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2016 |
| Harrisburg Senators | 5 | 1993, 1994, 1996, 2006, 2014 |
| Akron RubberDucks (Akron Aeros) | 4 | 2003, 2007, 2008, 2017 |
| Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Binghamton Mets) | 3 | 1995, 2000, 2015 |
| Chesapeake Baysox (Bowie Baysox) | 3 | 1998, 2021, 2024 |
| Altoona Curve | 2 | 2011, 2013 |
| New Haven Ravens | 2 | 1994, 2002 |
| Erie SeaWolves | 1 | 2019 |
| Hartford Yard Goats | 1 | 2022 |
| New Hampshire Fisher Cats | 1 | 2018 |
| Portland Sea Dogs | 1 | 1997 |
| Somerset Patriots | 1 | 2023 |
| Trenton Thunder | 1 | 2010 |

## Wins by organization

Active Eastern League–Major League Baseball affiliations appear in bold.
| Organization | Award(s) | Year(s) |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 7 | 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2016 |
| Washington Nationals (Montreal Expos) | 5 | 1993, 1994, 1996, 2006, 2014 |
| Cleveland Guardians (Cleveland Indians) | 4 | 2003, 2007, 2008, 2017 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 3 | 1998, 2021, 2024 |
| New York Mets | 3 | 1995, 2000, 2015 |
| Colorado Rockies | 2 | 1994, 2002 |
| New York Yankees | 2 | 2010, 2023 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 2 | 2011, 2013 |
| Detroit Tigers | 1 | 2019 |
| Miami Marlins (Florida Marlins) | 1 | 1997 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 1 | 2002 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 1 | 2018 |