# Midwest League Top MLB Prospect Award

The Midwest League Top MLB Prospect Award is an annual award given to the best rookie player in Minor League Baseball's Midwest 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 1947, the award was not created until 1956 as the Prospect of the Year Award. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, the league was known as the High-A Central in 2021 before reverting to the Midwest League name in 2022. The Top MLB Prospect Award began to be issued instead of the Prospect of the Year Award in 2021.
Sixteen outfielders have won the Top MLB Prospect Award, the most of any position. Shortstops, with 14 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen (4), first basemen (3), and second basemen (1). Thirteen pitchers and five catchers have also won the award.
Twenty-four players who have won the Top MLB Prospect Award also won the Midwest League Most Valuable Player Award in the same season: Willie Wilson (1975), Paul Molitor (1977), Bill Foley (1978), Dave Stockstill (1979), Von Hayes (1980), Luis Medina (1986), Tom Redington (1989), Reggie Sanders (1990), Salomón Torres (1991), Steve Gibralter (1992), Pablo Ozuna (1998), Albert Pujols (2000), Adrián González (2001), Prince Fielder (2003), Brian Dopirak (2004), Carlos González (2005), Ben Revere (2008), Dee Strange-Gordon (2009), Mike Trout (2010), Rymer Liriano (2011), Byron Buxton (2013), Eloy Jiménez (2016), Bo Bichette (2017), and Andy Pages (2021).
Six players from the Cedar Rapids Kernels have been selected for the Top MLB Prospect Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Beloit Sky Carp and Waterloo Indians (5); the South Bend Cubs (4); the Burlington Bees, Clinton Pirates, Great Lakes Loons, Lansing Lugnuts, Peoria Chiefs, and Quad Cities River Bandits (3); the Dayton Dragons, Fort Wayne TinCaps, Kenosha Twins, Wausau Timbers, West Michigan Whitecaps, and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (2); and the Bowling Green Hot Rods, Decatur Commodores, Kane County Cougars, Kokomo Dodgers, Michigan City White Caps, and Rockford Royals (1).
Eight players from the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball (MLB) organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the Chicago Cubs organization (6); the Cincinnati Reds organization (5); the Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations (4); the Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, and St. Louis Cardinals organizations (3); the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Guardians, Miami Marlins, and Seattle Mariners organizations (2); and the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays 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 |
| 1956 | Arturo Miro | Clinton Pirates | Pittsburgh Pirates | Pitcher |
| 1957 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1958 | Juan Marichal | Michigan City White Caps | San Francisco Giants | Pitcher |
| 1959 | Dale Reichert | Kokomo Dodgers | Los Angeles Dodgers | Shortstop |
| 1960 | Bob Sprout | Decatur Commodores | Detroit Tigers | Pitcher |
| 1961 | Dennis Ribant | Davenport Braves | Milwaukee Braves | Pitcher |
| 1962 | Barry Shollenberger | Waterloo Hawks | Boston Red Sox | Pitcher |
| 1963 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1964 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1965 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1966 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1967 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1968 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1969 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1970 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1971 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1972 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1973 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1974 | None selected | None selected | None selected | None selected |
| 1975 | Willie Wilson | Waterloo Royals | Kansas City Royals | Outfielder |
| 1976 | Clint Hurdle | Waterloo Royals | Kansas City Royals | Outfielder |
| 1977 | Paul Molitor | Burlington Bees | Milwaukee Brewers | Shortstop |
| 1978 | Bill Foley | Burlington Bees | Milwaukee Brewers | Catcher |
| 1979 | Dave Stockstill | Wausau Timbers | Chicago Cubs | Outfielder |
| 1980 | Von Hayes | Waterloo Indians | Cleveland Indians | Third baseman |
| 1981 | Harold Reynolds | Wausau Timbers | Seattle Mariners | Second baseman |
| 1982 | Mark Grant | Clinton Giants | San Francisco Giants | Pitcher |
| 1983 | Shawon Dunston | Quad Cities Cubs | Chicago Cubs | Shortstop |
| 1984 | Kurt Stillwell | Cedar Rapids Reds | Cincinnati Reds | Shortstop |
| 1985 | B. J. Surhoff | Beloit Brewers | Milwaukee Brewers | Catcher |
| 1986^ | Luis Medina | Waterloo Indians | Cleveland Indians | Outfielder |
| 1986^ | Steve Gasser | Kenosha Twins | Minnesota Twins | Pitcher |
| 1987 | Derek Parks | Kenosha Twins | Minnesota Twins | Catcher |
| 1988 | Tom Gordon | Appleton Foxes | Kansas City Royals | Pitcher |
| 1989 | Tom Redington | Burlington Braves | Atlanta Braves | Third baseman |
| 1990 | Reggie Sanders | Cedar Rapids Reds | Cincinnati Reds | Outfielder |
| 1991 | Salomón Torres | Clinton Giants | San Francisco Giants | Pitcher |
| 1992 | Steve Gibralter | Cedar Rapids Reds | Cincinnati Reds | Outfielder |
| 1993 | Johnny Damon | Rockford Royals | Kansas City Royals | Outfielder |
| 1994 | Alex Rodriguez | Appleton Foxes | Seattle Mariners | Shortstop |
| 1995 | Javier Valentín | Fort Wayne Wizards | Minnesota Twins | Catcher |
| 1996 | Britt Reames | Peoria Chiefs | St. Louis Cardinals | Pitcher |
| 1997 | Francisco Cordero | West Michigan Whitecaps | Detroit Tigers | Pitcher |
| 1998 | Pablo Ozuna | Peoria Chiefs | St. Louis Cardinals | Shortstop |
| 1999 | Corey Patterson | Lansing Lugnuts | Chicago Cubs | Outfielder |
| 2000 | Albert Pujols | Peoria Chiefs | St. Louis Cardinals | Third baseman |
| 2001 | Adrián González | Kane County Cougars | Florida Marlins | First baseman |
| 2002 | Joe Mauer | Quad Cities River Bandits | Minnesota Twins | Catcher |
| 2003 | Prince Fielder | Beloit Snappers | Milwaukee Brewers | First baseman |
| 2004 | Brian Dopirak | Lansing Lugnuts | Chicago Cubs | First baseman |
| 2005 | Carlos González | South Bend Silver Hawks | Arizona Diamondbacks | Outfielder |
| 2006 | Cameron Maybin | West Michigan Whitecaps | Detroit Tigers | Outfielder |
| 2007 | Clayton Kershaw | Great Lakes Loons | Los Angeles Dodgers | Pitcher |
| 2008 | Ben Revere | Beloit Snappers | Minnesota Twins | Outfielder |
| 2009 | Dee Strange-Gordon | Great Lakes Loons | Los Angeles Dodgers | Shortstop |
| 2010 | Mike Trout | Cedar Rapids Kernels | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Outfielder |
| 2011 | Rymer Liriano | Fort Wayne TinCaps | San Diego Padres | Outfielder |
| 2012 | Miguel Sanó | Beloit Snappers | Minnesota Twins | Third baseman |
| 2013 | Byron Buxton | Cedar Rapids Kernels | Minnesota Twins | Outfielder |
| 2014 | Andrew Velazquez | South Bend Silver Hawks | Arizona Diamondbacks | Shortstop |
| 2015 | Gleyber Torres | South Bend Cubs | Chicago Cubs | Shortstop |
| 2016 | Eloy Jiménez | South Bend Cubs | Chicago Cubs | Outfielder |
| 2017 | Bo Bichette | Lansing Lugnuts | Toronto Blue Jays | Shortstop |
| 2018 | Royce Lewis | Cedar Rapids Kernels | Minnesota Twins | Shortstop |
| 2019 | Wander Franco | Bowling Green Hot Rods | Tampa Bay Rays | Shortstop |
| 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 | Andy Pages | Great Lakes Loons | Los Angeles Dodgers | Outfielder |
| 2022 | Elly De La Cruz | Dayton Dragons | Cincinnati Reds | Shortstop |
| 2023 | Edwin Arroyo | Dayton Dragons | Cincinnati Reds | Shortstop |
| 2024 | Thomas White | Beloit Sky Carp | Miami Marlins | Pitcher |

## Wins by team

Active Midwest League teams appear in bold.
| Team | Award(s) | Year(s) |
| Cedar Rapids Kernels (Cedar Rapids Reds) | 6 | 1984, 1990, 1992, 2010, 2013, 2018 |
| Beloit Sky Carp (Beloit Brewers/Snappers) | 5 | 1995, 2003, 2008, 2012, 2024 |
| Waterloo Indians (Waterloo Hawks/Royals) | 5 | 1962, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1986 |
| South Bend Cubs (South Bend Silver Hawks) | 4 | 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| Burlington Bees (Burlington Braves) | 3 | 1977, 1978, 1989 |
| Clinton Pirates (Clinton Pirates) | 3 | 1956, 1982, 1991 |
| Great Lakes Loons | 3 | 2007, 2009, 2021 |
| Lansing Lugnuts | 3 | 1999, 2004, 2017 |
| Peoria Chiefs | 3 | 1996, 1998, 2000 |
| Quad Cities River Bandits (Davenport Braves/Quad Cities Cubs) | 3 | 1961, 1983, 2002 |
| Dayton Dragons | 2 | 2022, 2023 |
| Fort Wayne TinCaps (Fort Wayne Wizards) | 2 | 1995, 2011 |
| Kenosha Twins | 2 | 1986, 1987 |
| Wausau Timbers | 2 | 1979, 1981 |
| West Michigan Whitecaps | 2 | 1997, 2006 |
| Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Appleton Foxes) | 2 | 1988, 1994 |
| Bowling Green Hot Rods | 1 | 2019 |
| Decatur Commodores | 1 | 1960 |
| Kane County Cougars | 1 | 2001 |
| Kokomo Dodgers | 1 | 1959 |
| Michigan City White Caps | 1 | 1958 |
| Rockford Royals | 1 | 1993 |

## Wins by organization

Active Midwest League–Major League Baseball affiliations appear in bold.
| Organization | Award(s) | Year(s) |
| Minnesota Twins | 8 | 1986, 1987, 1995, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2018 |
| Chicago Cubs | 6 | 1979, 1983, 1999, 2004, 2015, 2016 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 5 | 1984, 1990, 1992, 2022, 2023 |
| Kansas City Royals | 4 | 1975, 1976, 1988, 1993 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | 1959, 2007, 2009, 2021 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 4 | 1977, 1978, 1985, 2003 |
| Detroit Tigers | 3 | 1960, 1997, 2006 |
| San Francisco Giants | 3 | 1958, 1982, 1991 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 3 | 1996, 1998, 2000 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 2 | 2005, 2014 |
| Atlanta Braves (Milwaukee Braves) | 2 | 1961, 1989 |
| Cleveland Guardians (Cleveland Indians) | 2 | 1980, 1986 |
| Miami Marlins (Florida Marlins) | 2 | 2001, 2024 |
| Seattle Mariners | 2 | 1981, 1994 |
| Boston Red Sox | 1 | 1962 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 1 | 2010 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 1 | 1956 |
| San Diego Padres | 1 | 2011 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 1 | 2019 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 1 | 2017 |