Matt Braun and Cody Schoenmann Predict the 2025 MLB Award Winners

[Cody Schoenmann]

Matt Braun and Cody Schoenmann are yet again predicting MLB Award winners. Will they have better fortunes in 2025? 

Spring training has begun and the Twins have played multiple games this week. So, why not predict the winners of the game's most prestigious awards for the upcoming season?

American League Award Predictions
AL MVP
Matt - Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
Obscured in the Aaron Judge bonanza from last year was Bobby Witt Jr. having the best SS season since prime A-Rod. “In any other year” has become a go-to phrase in recent years to describe otherwise deserving MVPs, but I think we have to realize something: this is an era of freak shows. Absolute outliers. We have a guy who pitches putting up the greatest DH season ever and a 6’7” goliath destroying baseballs like Barry Bonds while playing adequate centerfield defense. And—in Witt’s case—a 24-year-old baserunning demon hitting the ball like Hank Aaron while playing excellent defense at short. The talent is overwhelming and unique.

Witt Jr. is something of a strategic pick, as well. For starters, Cody picked him to win last year—and I think it would be hilarious if he won the season I chose him. But, also, Juan Soto flipping to the NL leaves Judge and Gunnar Henderson as his strongest competition. Judge will move to a corner spot, which caps his value more than in previous seasons, making the Baltimore shortstop the man most likely to overtake Witt. With respect to Henderson, a tremendous talent, I just like Witt more.

Cody: Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
Out the gate, Matt is stealing my whole flow, word for word, bar for bar. You know what, I’m fine with it, really. Me being high on Witt Jr. last season led to Kansas City undergoing a magical run and earning a spot in the ALDS. I will gladly pick another player if it means the Royals have a below .500 record, and the Twins make the playoffs again. Okay, I have no control over anything; it is time to get to my pick. 

Speaking of being high on players and teams, I expect the Texas Rangers to flourish this season, with Seager leading them to an AL West title. Like Realtor.com, Seager left California for Texas years ago. Unlike the housing market, however, the 30-year-old shortstop has performed exceptionally well in Texas, generating a 143 wRC+ over 1,732 and winning the 2023 World Series. That season, Seager manufactured a 171 wRC+ while hitting 33 home runs over 536 plate appearances. I expect him to dominate similarly in 2025, earning his first MVP honors in his eleventh major league season. 

AL Cy Young
Matt: Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners

Starting pitching is in a weird place. The stars of the early to mid 2010’s have largely declined, leading to a vast chasm filled by almost no one. Gerrit Cole and Chris Sale are still here, but outside of them, the Cy Young winners these days are often breakthrough youngsters. 

In this context, I love Logan Gilbert. He’s been a workhorse since debuting in 2021, tossing at least 180 frames in his first three full seasons. A power pitcher in nature, Gilbert also understands the modern game, tinkering relentlessly to improve his game, resulting in an unpredictable ace as crafty as he is dominant. 

Cody: Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
You know what? I have operated in a logical manner for far too long. Pick this extremely productive player, Cody, he will win the award. Yeah, pick the guy who generated a 171 wRC+ two seasons ago, he’s for sure going to do that again. I’m done being a simp. I’m leaning into my emotions and diving head first into the Joe Ryan experience, and boy does that experience smell like Dr. Bronner’s peppermint pure-castile liquid soap. 

Nevertheless, I genuinely think Ryan will be incredible for the Twins and put together a season adjacent to Sonny Gray’s 2023 campaign. Except this season, there will be no Gerrit Cole (or Logan Gilbert, Matt!). Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and prized lefty Cole Ragans are strong selections, too. But, again, I’m operating off my emotions, meaning I obviously can’t select a pitcher whose demise I’m rooting for (not actually; I am very pro-labor). 

AL Rookie of the Year
Matt - Kyle Teel, Chicago White Sox
Yeah, sure, why not. The White Sox are in a valley of patheticness, so let’s throw them a bone. Kyle Teel was one of the best pieces Chicago received in the Garrett Crochet trade. A former first-round college catcher, he destroyed his way through the minors and shouldn’t see any resistence in battling for the starting backstop job for the Pale Hose. He would be the first catcher to win the award since 2010, and the first AL catcher to win since Sandy Alomar in 1990.

Cody - Kristian Campbell, Boston Red Sox
I was going to make a joke along the lines of, “Predicting the AL ROTY winner is my Roman Empire but I am not selecting Mr. Anthony to win the award.’ Yet, I didn’t want to subject you, valued reader, to that. Also, I never understood the trend of cishet women asking their cishet boyfriends and/or husbands if they ever thought about the Roman Empire. Who thinks about the Roman Empire? I never have. Am I not neurodivergent enough? 

Regardless, I am all about the Kristian Empire in 2025. Wait, that reads controversially. Uhm, okay, I think Kristian Campbell will win the AL ROTY Award! There, be direct Cody, it’s not that hard. Campbell was incredible in Boston’s minor league system last season, generating a 183 wRC+ over 517 plate appearances while skyrocketing from High-A to Triple-A. The 22-year-old phenom might not be on the Red Sox’ initial 26-man roster, especially considering that Alex Bregman appears destined to be the club’s Opening Day second baseman (Campbell’s primary position). Nevertheless, Campbell will get run with the playoff-contending Red Sox this season, and I expect him to thrive once opportunity knocks. Jacob Wilson is an intriguing candidate, too.

National League Awards Predictions
NL MVP
Matt - Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds
That whole “freak show” comment from the previous write-up also applies here. Shohei Ohtani is a hell of an incumbent. He’s like Ronald Reagan in 1984. Like, the guy who unanimously won the MVP as a DH is also likely to pitch again this year? How could you pick anyone else?

You can’t. At least not honestly. But going with the overdog is fascist and bad content, so let’s select the fountain of talent that is Elly De La Cruz. He’s awesome; he swiped 67 bases while hitting at a solidly above-average level in his first full season in the majors. Oh, and he grades out as an overwhelming defender at short. His approach needs work—he often made Miguel Sanó look like Rod Carew—but he’s adjusted before and I’m banking on the talented 23-year-old doing so again.

Cody - Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres 
I was tempted to pick Kyle Tucker for this award, but I think Tatis Jr. will edge him out by a hair. After an offseason in which prized contributors Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, Tanner Scott, Kyle Higashioka, and Donovan Solano departed in free agency, San Diego will need more out of Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado, and Tatis Jr. if they want to return to the postseason. Luckily, I think Tatis Jr. will step up the occasion in a significant way, posting career-best numbers in his sixth season (not counting 2022). 

As Matt noted, Ohtani is the obvious pick, but he nor I have picked him for the second consecutive season. Evidently, game recognizes game, and that game is incorrectly predicting nearly every award winner. 

NL Cy Young
Matt - Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies
We’ve had two straight years of a guy who should have won a Cy Young by now finally claiming the ultimate prize, so let's extend that streak to three and hand Zack Wheeler—twice the runner-up for the award—some much deserved hardware. 

Something about the field for the NL just feels weird to me. I don’t trust Chris Sale to dominate again. Paul Skenes is a human supernova, but does he fully ascend this year or does he need more time? Following those three is a collection of talented hurlers solidly in a tier below. It would be shocking if anyone else won—although I really do like Michael King.  

Cody - Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks
Predicting the NL Cy Young Award winner is incredibly difficult. There are legit five Dodgers starters who could win it. Also, fellow AL West starting pitchers Dylan Cease, Logan Webb, and Corbin Burnes are outstanding. NOT TO MENTION PAUL SKENES, MATT. But, I am once again going out on a limb, and selecting the impending free agent in Gallen will receive NL Cy Young honors. 

Gallen has always possessed Cy Young-caliber stuff. Unfortunately, he has never been able to put everything together for an entire season. It has long been speculated that players are motivated to perform at their best in walk seasons. I expect Gallen to take advantage of his situation, solidify himself as one of the best starting pitchers in baseball, and subsequently earn a $200+ million contract next offseason.

NL Rookie of the Year
Matt - Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals
 Choosing the guy who went 1st overall in the 2023 draft went well for me last year, so why not go with the 2nd overall selection? Dylan Crews is already anointed as a starter in 2025, and he should slot in as Washington’s #2 hitter—perfect for racking up juicy counting stats.

The only problem with Crews is that it's unclear just how good of a professional he is. He didn’t blaze through the minors like you would expect, and his game power hasn’t yet matched up with his raw power. The tools are there, though, and I think he’ll figure it out quickly. 

Cody - Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs
Wow, Matt Braun was so original and cool for picking Paul Skenes last year. Who could have seen that coming? Regardless, I thought I would have the chance to redeem myself and pick this season’s highly touted Pirates rookie starting pitcher Bubba Chandler. Then, Matt Trueblood told me he wouldn’t approve this article unless I picked Matt Shaw to win NL Rookie of the Year. He first threatened to doxx me. I informed him I already did that to myself on the Twins Off-Daily Podcast, and instead of practicing empathy, he threatened to email DOGE and inform them I haven’t been productive enough the last week. BLOGGERS CANNOT WIN. 

Jokes aside, I genuinely think Shaw will win NL ROTY in 2025. He unfortunately suffered an oblique injury that will hold him back from being on Chicago’s initial 26-man roster. That said, he is expected to usurp Jon Berti and Gage Workman on the third base depth chart upon returning from the IL. Being a platoon-proof, hard-hitting bat, the 23-year-old possesses the offensive skillset necessary to immediately produce at an above-average rate. That being the case, Shaw could reasonably hit 15 or more home runs, generate a wRC+ above 110, and become the first Cub to win NL ROTY since Kris Bryant ten seasons ago. 

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[NYCTK]

I know it's boring, but you have to pick Ohtani for MVP. You simply must. It's like not picking LeBron at his peak just because you want to pick someone else. Even if Ohtani doesn't win the award, there's like a 50% chance he's, by far, the best player. 

 

[thelanges5]

I’m all in on the Joe Ryan Experience!

[dxpavelka]

Just so we don't forget, before he got hurt last year Joe was one of the top 12 pitchers in the AL.  As were Lopez & Ober.  To be honest, any of the three could be on this list.