Minor League Player of the Year

The Minor League Player of the Year was awarded annually by The Sporting News to the top player in the minors from 1936 through 2005. Topps developed a similar award in 1960 (which was also known as the J.G. Taylor Spink Award in some years), while Baseball America began its own award in 1981 and USA Today did in 1988.

Award Winners

The Sporting News

Year	Player	Position	Team(s)
1936	Johnny Vander Meer	P	Durham Bulls
1937	Charlie Keller	OF	Newark Bears
1938	Fred Hutchinson	P	Seattle Rainiers
1939	Lou Novikoff	OF	Tulsa Oilers, Los Angeles Angels
1940	Phil Rizzuto	SS	Kansas City Blues
1941	Johnny Lindell	P	Newark Bears
1942	Dick Barrett	P	Seattle Rainiers
1943	Chet Covington	P	Scranton Red Sox
1944	Ripper Collins	1B	Albany Senators
1945	Gil Coan	OF	Chattanooga Lookouts
1946	Sibby Sisti	SS	Indianapolis Indians
1947	Hank Sauer	OF	Syracuse Chiefs
1948	Gene Woodling	OF	San Francisco Seals
1949	Orie Arntzen	P	Albany Senators
1950	Frank Saucier	OF	San Antonio Missions
1951	Gene Conley	P	Hartford Chiefs
1952	Moose Skowron	1B	Kansas City Blues
1953	Gene Conley	P	Toledo Mud Hens
1954	Herb Score	P	Indianapolis Indians
1955	Red Murff	P	Dallas Eagles
1956	Steve Bilko	1B	Los Angeles Angels
1957	Norm Siebern	1B	Denver Bears
1958	Jim O'Toole	P	Nashville Volunteers
1959	Frank Howard	-	Victoria Rosebuds, Spokane Indians
1960	Willie Davis	OF	Spokane Indians
1961	Howie Koplitz	P	Birmingham Barons
1962	Bob Bailey	-	Columbus Jets
1963	Don Buford	-	Indianapolis Indians
1964	Mel Stottlemyre	P	Richmond Virginians
1965	Joe Foy	-	Toronto Maple Leafs
1966	Mike Epstein	1B	Rochester Red Wings
1967	Johnny Bench	C	Buffalo Bisons
1968	Merv Rettenmund	OF	Rochester Red Wings
1969	Danny Walton	OF	Oklahoma City 89ers
1970	Don Baylor	OF	Rochester Red Wings
1971	Bobby Grich	SS	Rochester Red Wings
1972	Tom Paciorek	OF	Albuquerque Dukes
1973	Steve Ontiveros	OF	Phoenix Giants
1974	Jim Rice	OF	Pawtucket Red Sox
1975	Hector Cruz	3B	Tulsa Oilers
1976	Pat Putnam	1B	Asheville Tourists
1977	Ken Landreaux	OF	Salt Lake City Gulls, El Paso Diablos
1978	Champ Summers	OF	Indianapolis Indians
1979	Mark Bomback	P	Vancouver Canadians
1980	Tim Raines	2b	Denver Bears
1981	Mike Marshall	1B	Albuquerque Dukes
1982	Ron Kittle	OF	Edmonton Trappers
1983	Kevin McReynolds	OF	Las Vegas Stars
1984	Alan Knicely	C	Wichita Aeros
1985	Jose Canseco	OF	Huntsville Stars, Tacoma Tigers
1986	Tim Pyznarski	1B	Las Vegas Stars
1987	Randy Milligan	1B	Tidewater Tides
1988	Sandy Alomar Jr.	C	Las Vegas Stars
	Gary Sheffield	SS	Denver Bears
1989	Sandy Alomar Jr.	C	Las Vegas Stars
1990	Jose Offerman	SS	Albuquerque Dukes
1991	Pedro Martinez	P	Albuquerque Dukes
1992	Tim Salmon	OF	Edmonton Trappers
1993	Cliff Floyd	OF	Harrisburg Senators
1994	Derek Jeter	SS	Tampa Yankees, Albany-Colonie Yankees, Columbus Clippers
1995	Karim Garcia	OF	Albuquerque Dukes
1996	Vladimir Guerrero	OF	West Palm Beach Expos, Harrisburg Senators
1997	Ben Grieve	OF	Huntsville Stars, Edmonton Trappers
1998	Gabe Kapler	OF	Jacksonville Suns
1999	Rick Ankiel	P	Arkansas Travelers, Memphis Redbirds
2000	Jon Rauch	P	Winston-Salem Warthogs, Birmingham Barons
2001	Josh Beckett	P	Brevard County Manatees, Portland Sea Dogs
2002	Jason Stokes	OF	Kane County Cougars
2003	Zach Greinke	P	Wilmington Blue Rocks, Wichita Wranglers
2004	Dallas McPherson	3B	Arkansas Travelers, Salt Lake Stingers
2005	Brandon Wood	SS	Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Baseball America

Year	Player	Position	Organization	Team(s)
1981	Mike Marshall	1B	Los Angeles Dodgers	Albuquerque Dukes
1982	Ron Kittle	OF	Chicago White Sox	Edmonton Trappers
1983	Dwight Gooden	P	New York Mets	Lynchburg Mets
1984	Mike Bielecki	P	Pittsburgh Pirates	Hawaii Islanders
1985	Jose Canseco	OF	Oakland Athletics	Huntsville Stars, Tacoma Tigers
1986	Gregg Jefferies	SS	New York Mets	Columbia Mets, Lynchburg Mets, Jackson Mets
1987	Gregg Jefferies	SS	New York Mets	Jackson Mets, Tidewater Tides
1988	Tom Gordon	P	Kansas City Royals	Appleton Foxes, Memphis Chicks, Omaha Royals
1989	Sandy Alomar Jr.	C	San Diego Padres	Las Vegas Stars
1990	Frank Thomas	1B	Chicago White Sox	Birmingham Barons
1991	Derek Bell	OF	Toronto Blue Jays	Syracuse Chiefs
1992	Tim Salmon	OF	California Angels	Edmonton Trappers
1993	Manny Ramirez	OF	Cleveland Indians	Canton-Akron Indians, Charlotte Knights
1994	Derek Jeter	SS	New York Yankees	Tampa Yankees, Albany-Colonie Yankees, Columbus Clippers
1995	Andruw Jones	OF	Atlanta Braves	Macon Braves
1996	Andruw Jones	OF	Atlanta Braves	Durham Bulls, Greenville Braves, Richmond Braves
1997	Paul Konerko	1B	Los Angeles Dodgers	Albuquerque Dukes
1998	Eric Chavez	3B	Oakland Athletics	Huntsville Stars, Edmonton Trappers
1999	Rick Ankiel	P	St. Louis Cardinals	Arkansas Travelers, Memphis Redbirds
2000	Jon Rauch	P	Chicago White Sox	Winston-Salem Warthogs, Birmingham Barons
2001	Josh Beckett	P	Florida Marlins	Brevard County Manatees, Portland Sea Dogs
2002	Rocco Baldelli	OF	Tampa Bay Devil Rays	Orlando Rays, Bakersfield Blaze, Durham Bulls
2003	Joe Mauer	C	Minnesota Twins	Fort Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats
2004	Jeff Francis	P	Colorado Rockies	Tulsa Drillers, Colorado Springs Sky Sox
2005	Delmon Young	OF	Tampa Bay Devil Rays	Montgomery Biscuits, Durham Bulls
2006	Alex Gordon	3B	Kansas City Royals	Wichita Wranglers
2007	Jay Bruce	OF	Cincinnati Reds	Sarasota Reds, Chattanooga Lookouts, Louisville Bats
2008	Matt Wieters	C	Baltimore Orioles	Frederick Keys, Bowie BaySox
2009	Jason Heyward	OF	Atlanta Braves	Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Mississippi Braves, Gwinnett Braves
2010	Jeremy Hellickson	P	Tampa Bay Rays	Durham Bulls
2011	Mike Trout	OF	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	Arkansas Travelers
2012	Wil Myers	OF	Kansas City Royals	Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Omaha Storm Chasers
2013	Byron Buxton	OF	Minnesota Twins	Cedar Rapids Kernels, Fort Myers Miracle
2014	Kris Bryant	3B	Chicago Cubs	Tennessee Smokies, Iowa Cubs
2015	Blake Snell	P	Tampa Bay Rays	Charlotte Stone Crabs, Montgomery Biscuits, Durham Bulls
2016	Yoan Moncada	2B	Boston Red Sox	Salem Red Sox, Portland Sea Dogs
2017	Ronald Acuna	OF	Atlanta Braves	Florida Fire Frogs, Mississippi Braves, Gwinnett Braves
2018	Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	3B	Toronto Blue Jays	New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Buffalo Bisons
2019	Gavin Lux	SS-2B	Los Angeles Dodgers	Tulsa Drillers, Oklahoma City Dodgers
2020	No Award
2021	Bobby Witt Jr.	SS	Kansas City Royals	Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Omaha Storm Chasers
2022	Gunnar Henderson	SS-3B	Baltimore Orioles	Bowie BaySox, Norfolk Tides

Topps

Year	Player	Organization	Team(s)
1960	Al Cicotte	Cleveland Indians	Toronto Maple Leafs
1961	Howie Koplitz	Detroit Tigers	Birmingham Barons
1962	Jesse Gonder	Cincinnati Reds	San Diego Padres
1963	Billy Cowan	Chicago Cubs	Salt Lake City Bees
1964	Luis Tiant	Cleveland Indians	Portland Beavers
1965	Dave Roberts	Houston Astros	Oklahoma City 89ers
1966	Mike Epstein	Baltimore Orioles	Rochester Red Wings
1967	Felix Millan	Atlanta Braves	Richmond Braves
1968	Tony Solaita	New York Yankees	High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms
1969	Danny Walton	Houston Astros	Oklahoma City 89ers
1970	Roger Freed	Baltimore Orioles	Rochester Red Wings
1971	Bobby Grich	Baltimore Orioles	Rochester Red Wings
1972	Mike Reinbach	Baltimore Orioles	Rochester Red Wings, Asheville Orioles
	Duane Espy	Milwaukee Brewers	Danville Warriors
1973	Tom Robson	Cleveland Indians	Pittsfield Rangers
1974	Jim Rice	Boston Red Sox	Pawtucket Red Sox
1975	Hector Cruz	St. Louis Cardinals	Tulsa Oilers
1976
1977
1978	Champ Summers	Cincinnati Reds	Indianapolis Indians
1979	Steve Green	Minnesota Twins	Visalia Oaks
1980	Tim Raines	Montreal Expos	Denver Bears
1981	Mike Marshall	Los Angeles Dodgers	Albuquerque Dukes
1982
1983
1984	Alan Knicely	Cincinnati Reds	Wichita Aeros
1985
1986	Steve Stanicek	Milwaukee Brewers	El Paso Diablos
1987
1988	Sandy Alomar Jr.	San Diego Padres	Las Vegas Stars
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993	Cliff Floyd	Montreal Expos	Ottawa Lynx
1994	Derek Jeter	New York Yankees	Columbus Clippers
1995	Johnny Damon	Kansas City Royals	Wichita Wranglers
1996	Andruw Jones	Atlanta Braves	Durham Bulls, Greenville Braves, Richmond Braves
1997	Paul Konerko	Los Angeles Dodgers	Albuquerque Dukes
1998	Eric Chavez	Oakland Athletics	Huntsville Stars, Edmonton Trappers
1999	Adam Piatt	Oakland Athletics	Midland RockHounds
2000	Jason Hart	Oakland Athletics	Midland RockHounds, Sacramento RiverCats
2001	Josh Beckett	Florida Marlins	Brevard County Manatees, Portland Sea Dogs
2002	Jason Stokes	Florida Marlins	Kane County Cougars
2003	Jeremy Reed	Boston Red Sox	Birmingham Barons, Winston-Salem Warthogs
2004	Dallas McPherson	Anaheim Angels	Arkansas Travelers, Salt Lake Stingers
2005	Delmon Young	Tampa Bay Devil Rays	Montgomery Biscuits, Durham Bulls
2006	Alex Gordon	Kansas City Royals	Wichita Wranglers
2007	Steve Pearce	Pittsburgh Pirates	Lynchburg Hillcats, Altoona Curve, Indianapolis Indians
2008	Mat Gamel	Milwaukee Brewers	Huntsville Stars, Nashville Sounds
2009	Buster Posey	San Francisco Giants	San Jose Giants, Fresno Grizzlies
2010	Mike Trout	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	Cedar Rapids Kernels, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
2011	Matt Moore	Tampa Bay Rays	Montgomery Biscuits, Durham Bulls
2012	Wil Myers	Kansas City Royals	Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Omaha Storm Chasers
2013	Byron Buxton	Minnesota Twins	Cedar Rapids Kernels, Fort Myers Miracle