# Southern League Most Valuable Player Award

The Southern League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in Minor League Baseball's Southern League based on their regular-season performance as voted on by league managers. League broadcasters, Minor League Baseball executives, and members of the media have previously voted as well. Though the league was established in 1964, the award was not created until 1972. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, the league was known as the Double-A South in 2021 before reverting to the Southern League name in 2022.
Twenty-one outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. First basemen, with 14 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen (6) and second basemen and shortstops (2). Eight catchers have also won the award.
Six players from the Knoxville Smokies have been selected for the MVP Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Huntsville Stars and Montgomery Biscuits (5); the Carolina Mudcats, Columbus Mudcats, and Memphis Chicks (4); the Birmingham Barons, Chattanooga Lookouts, Jackson Generals, and Jacksonville Suns (3); the Biloxi Shuckers, Greenville Braves, Mobile BayBears, and Nashville Sounds (2); and the Asheville Orioles, Charlotte O's, Mississippi Braves, Montgomery Rebels, and Orlando Twins (1).
Six players from the Chicago White Sox Major League Baseball (MLB) organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the Tampa Bay Rays organization (5); the Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers organizations (4); the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Oakland Athletics organizations (3); the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, and Washington Nationals organizations (2); and the Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners organizations (1).

## Winners

Key :
| Position | Indicates the player's primary position |
| ^ | Indicates multiple award winners in the same year |
Winners :
| Year | Winner | Team | Organization | Position |
| 1972 | Mike Reinbach | Asheville Orioles | Baltimore Orioles | Outfielder |
| 1973 | Jerry Moxey | Columbus Astros | Houston Astros | Outfielder |
| 1974 | Nyls Nyman | Knoxville Sox | Chicago White Sox | Outfielder |
| 1975 | Mike Squires | Knoxville Sox | Chicago White Sox | First baseman |
| 1976 | Larry Foster | Knoxville Sox | Chicago White Sox | Outfielder |
| 1977 | Alan Trammell | Montgomery Rebels | Detroit Tigers | Shortstop |
| 1978 | Eddie Gates | Memphis Chicks | Montreal Expos | Outfielder |
| 1979^ | Danny Heep | Columbus Astros | Houston Astros | Outfielder |
| 1979^ | Alan Knicely | Columbus Astros | Houston Astros | Catcher |
| 1980 | Steve Balboni | Nashville Sounds | New York Yankees | First baseman |
| 1981 | Tim Laudner | Orlando Twins | Minnesota Twins | Catcher |
| 1982 | Brian Dayett | Nashville Sounds | New York Yankees | Outfielder |
| 1983 | John Morris | Jacksonville Suns | Kansas City Royals | Outfielder |
| 1984 | Andrés Galarraga | Jacksonville Suns | Montreal Expos | First baseman |
| 1985 | Jose Canseco | Huntsville Stars | Oakland Athletics | Outfielder |
| 1986 | Terry Steinbach | Huntsville Stars | Oakland Athletics | Catcher |
| 1987 | Tom Dodd | Charlotte O's | Baltimore Orioles | First baseman |
| 1988 | Matt Winters | Memphis Chicks | Kansas City Royals | Outfielder |
| 1989 | Eric Anthony | Columbus Mudcats | Houston Astros | Outfielder |
| 1990 | Jeff Conine | Memphis Chicks | Kansas City Royals | First baseman |
| 1991 | Ryan Klesko | Greenville Braves | Atlanta Braves | First baseman |
| 1992 | Javy López | Greenville Braves | Atlanta Braves | Catcher |
| 1993 | Carlos Delgado | Knoxville Smokies | Toronto Blue Jays | Catcher |
| 1994 | Mark Johnson | Carolina Mudcats | Pittsburgh Pirates | First baseman |
| 1995 | Jason Kendall | Carolina Mudcats | Pittsburgh Pirates | Catcher |
| 1996 | Derrek Lee | Memphis Chicks | San Diego Padres | First baseman |
| 1997 | Ben Grieve | Huntsville Stars | Oakland Athletics | Outfielder |
| 1998 | Gabe Kapler | Jacksonville Suns | Detroit Tigers | Outfielder |
| 1999 | Brady Clark | Chattanooga Lookouts | Cincinnati Reds | Outfielder |
| 2000 | Joe Crede | Birmingham Barons | Chicago White Sox | Third baseman |
| 2001 | Josh Phelps | Tennessee Smokies | Toronto Blue Jays | Catcher |
| 2002 | Aaron Miles | Birmingham Barons | Chicago White Sox | Second baseman |
| 2003 | Corey Hart | Huntsville Stars | Milwaukee Brewers | Third baseman |
| 2004 | Richard Lewis | West Tenn Diamond Jaxx | Chicago Cubs | Second baseman |
| 2005 | Delmon Young | Montgomery Biscuits | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | Outfielder |
| 2006 | Joey Votto | Chattanooga Lookouts | Cincinnati Reds | First baseman |
| 2007 | Evan Longoria | Montgomery Biscuits | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | Third baseman |
| 2008 | Gaby Sánchez | Carolina Mudcats | Florida Marlins | First baseman |
| 2009 | Desmond Jennings | Montgomery Biscuits | Tampa Bay Rays | Outfielder |
| 2010 | Dave Sappelt | Carolina Mudcats | Cincinnati Reds | Outfielder |
| 2011 | Paul Goldschmidt | Mobile BayBears | Arizona Diamondbacks | First baseman |
| 2012 | Hunter Morris | Huntsville Stars | Milwaukee Brewers | First baseman |
| 2013 | Marcus Semien | Birmingham Barons | Chicago White Sox | Shortstop |
| 2014 | Jake Lamb | Mobile BayBears | Arizona Diamondbacks | Third baseman |
| 2015 | Max Kepler | Chattanooga Lookouts | Minnesota Twins | Outfielder |
| 2016 | Tyler O'Neill | Jackson Generals | Seattle Mariners | Outfielder |
| 2017 | Kevin Cron | Jackson Generals | Arizona Diamondbacks | First baseman |
| 2018 | Corey Ray | Biloxi Shuckers | Milwaukee Brewers | Outfielder |
| 2019 | Drew Waters | Mississippi Braves | Atlanta Braves | 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 | Jonathan Aranda | Montgomery Biscuits | Tampa Bay Rays | First baseman |
| 2022 | Jakson Reetz | Biloxi Shuckers | Milwaukee Brewers | Catcher |
| 2023 | Junior Caminero | Montgomery Biscuits | Tampa Bay Rays | Third baseman |
| 2024 | Matt Shaw | Tennessee Smokies | Chicago Cubs | Third baseman |

## Wins by team

Active Southern League teams appear in bold.
| Team | Award(s) | Year(s) |
| Knoxville Smokies (Knoxville Sox/Tennessee Smokies) | 6 | 1974, 1975, 1976, 1993, 2001, 2024 |
| Huntsville Stars | 5 | 1985, 1986, 1997, 2003, 2012 |
| Montgomery Biscuits | 5 | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2021, 2023 |
| Carolina Mudcats | 4 | 1994, 1995, 2008, 2010 |
| Columbus Mudcats (Columbus Astros) | 4 | 1973, 1979, 1989 |
| Memphis Chicks | 4 | 1978, 1988, 1990, 1996 |
| Birmingham Barons | 3 | 2000, 2002, 2013 |
| Chattanooga Lookouts | 3 | 1999, 2006, 2015 |
| Jackson Generals (West Tenn Diamond Jaxx) | 3 | 2004, 2016, 2017 |
| Jacksonville Suns | 3 | 1983, 1984, 1998 |
| Biloxi Shuckers | 2 | 2018, 2022 |
| Greenville Braves | 2 | 1991, 1992 |
| Mobile BayBears | 2 | 2011, 2014 |
| Nashville Sounds | 2 | 1980, 1982 |
| Asheville Orioles | 1 | 1972 |
| Charlotte O's | 1 | 1987 |
| Mississippi Braves | 1 | 2019 |
| Montgomery Rebels | 1 | 1977 |
| Orlando Twins | 1 | 1981 |

## Wins by organization

Active Southern League–Major League Baseball affiliations appear in bold.
| Organization | Award(s) | Year(s) |
| Chicago White Sox | 6 | 1974, 1975, 1976, 2000, 2002, 2013 |
| Tampa Bay Rays (Tampa Bay Devil Rays) | 5 | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2021, 2023 |
| Houston Astros | 4 | 1973, 1979, 1989 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 4 | 2003, 2012, 2018, 2022 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 3 | 2011, 2014, 2017 |
| Atlanta Braves | 3 | 1991, 1992, 2019 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 3 | 1999, 2006, 2010 |
| Kansas City Royals | 3 | 1983, 1988, 1990 |
| Oakland Athletics | 3 | 1985, 1986, 1997 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 2 | 1972, 1987 |
| Chicago Cubs | 2 | 2004, 2024 |
| Detroit Tigers | 2 | 1977, 1998 |
| Minnesota Twins | 2 | 1981, 2015 |
| New York Yankees | 2 | 1980, 1982 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 2 | 1994, 1995 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 2 | 1993, 2001 |
| Washington Nationals (Montreal Expos) | 2 | 1978, 1984 |
| Miami Marlins (Florida Marlins) | 1 | 2008 |
| San Diego Padres | 1 | 1996 |
| Seattle Mariners | 1 | 2016 |