While the Postseason gets underway, fans will be debating who will be named the recipient of the 2024 MLB regular season awards. Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America have already submitted their ballots and we won’t know the winners until after the World Series this month.

I’m not a member of the BBWAA, but I am a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America which is a platform meant to help baseball content creators get recognition. As part of the membership, the IBWAA will organize its own voting process for certain events, including season awards. Voting closed on Monday, September 30, and it ran much like the BBWAA process. Members voted on MVPs for both leagues, naming 10 players, the AL/NL Cy Young (five picks), Rookie of the Year (five picks), Manager of the Year (three picks), and the Relievers of the Year in both leagues (five picks). Today I’d like to share my ballot of my picks for winners and share some of my thoughts on why I chose the way I did.

American League MVP: Aaron Judge, NYY

There were many great performances over the course of the 2024 season in the American League but it’s hard not to hand MVP honors to New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. The Bronx Bomber led the AL in fWAR (11.2), home runs (58), on-base percentage (.458), slugging (.701), RBI (144) and wRC+ (218) while also finishing third in average (.322). Judge also joined famed Yankee Babe Ruth as the only player in baseball history to have had a season that included at least 57 homers, 36 doubles, a .320 average, and 130 walks.

Bobby Witt Jr. was very close to being my pick MVP after putting up one of, if not the greatest, seasons by a shortstop in baseball history. He not only won the batting title but put up a 30/30 season while playing some stellar defense and was a huge reason why the Kansas City Royals made the playoffs. However, at the end of the day, it’s tough to ignore the immense prowess of Judge at the plate and what he brings to a team to win ball games. His presence makes all the others in the Yankees lineup better, which made Juan Soto’s 2024 a top-three MVP candidate in my book. Witt’s season was absolutely worthy of the MVP honors, it unfortunately came in a season when Judge was doing something that much greater.

National League MVP: Shohei Ohtani, LAD

It seems like every time baseball history is being made, Shohei Ohtani is right in the middle of it. In his first year with the Los Angeles Dodgers after signing that huge contract, he put up one of the greatest offensive seasons in the history of baseball. His season was so historic that Ohtani created a new club after not only blasting 54 home runs, but also swiped 59 bases to become the sole member of the 50/50 club. Since Ohtani served only as a designated hitter in 2024, it allowed him to pour all of his time and energy into hitting and boy did he make the most of it.

He led the National League in fWAR (9.1), home runs (54), RBI (130), on-base percentage (.390), slugging (.646) and wRC+ (181) while finishing second in batting average (.310). Ohtani was close to winning the Triple Crown until the final day of the season when he went hitless against Ryan Feltner of the Colorado Rockies. The fact that Ohtani is an incredible hitter is old news but he still found a way to amaze everyone by managing to take things up a notch once again. His performance is historic that he could become the first designated hitter to win MVP honors, but also just the second player to win the award in both leagues, joining Frank Robinson. There is merit in the argument of how valuable he can be when he only hits and doesn’t play defense, but if anyone has enough merit to overcome that argument, it’s Ohtani.

AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal, DET

The story of the miracle Detroit Tigers is one of the feel-good headlines of the 2024 season. Out of nowhere, they managed to sneak into the playoffs as a team made up of homegrown players and simple trades. There is a lot to like about the Tigers but there is no doubt their success is fueled by a legitimate ace in the form of Tarik Skubal.

Skubal managed to win the pitching Triple Crown after leading the Al in wins (18), ERA (2.39), and strikeouts (228). He is the first pitcher since 2011 to win the Triple Crown in a full regular season when Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw did so in both leagues. Pitching wins championships and Skubal’s ability to dominate on the mound by wracking up strikeouts and limiting walks is a sign of a great pitcher. There were many great seasons by pitchers like Cole Ragans of the Royals, but Skubal’s dominance not only should earn him some MVP votes but also make him a sure lock as the AL Cy Young for me.

NL Cy Young: Chris Sale, ATL

It was a comeback season for the ages for Chris Sale in his first season with Atlanta. Not only was he able to stay healthy but he also won the Triple Crown in the National League with 18 wins, a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts. Despite a streak of seven consecutive top-six finishes in the AL voting from 2012-18, Sale has never won the award and at the age of 35, there is no doubt he should earn top honors finally. The lanky lefty reminded everyone that when healthy he is one of the best pitchers in baseball, utilizing a funky motion and expert usage of his pitches and serving as a reliable anchor for an Atlanta rotation that was ravaged by injury and underperformance.

AL Rookie of the Year: Colton Cowser, BAL

It’s always tough to narrow down Rookie of the Year voting, especially when pitchers and hitters are vying for the same award. Luckily 2024 made things a little easier thanks to the breakout performance by Colton Cowser for the Baltimore Orioles. After a brief 27-game stint in 2023 where he struggled, Cowser got a full slate of work in 2024 and made the most of it as part of an exciting Orioles core. The 24-year-old outfielder played in 153 games for the O’s where he slashed .242/.321/.447 in 561 plate appearances. He led AL rookies in games played, home runs (24) and fWAR (4.0) while finishing second in wRC+ (120). Strikeouts and walks still need work but if he can continue to improve from the baseline he set this year, he has a bright future.

NL Rookie of the Year: Paul Skenes, PIT

The NL Rookie of the Year voting has been a bit more debated and it wasn’t an easy choice for me either. I wrestled with the choice between San Diego’s Jackson Merrill and Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes who was my eventual pick. Merrill was certainly deserving of the award for what he did in his first year in the big leagues. Not only did he break camp as the Opening Day centerfielder, but he did so learning the position. His performance was a huge reason the Padres made it to the playoffs but it’s hard to deny Skenes for his dominance on the mound. Despite getting called up in May and tossing 133 innings, Skenes finished 13th in the NL in strikeouts with 170. Had Skenes qualified, his 1.96 ERA would have been in the best among starters in the NL. In 23 starts, Skenes already proved to be the most dominant starter in the league from the moment he took the mound and certainly has a bright future ahead of him.

AL Manager of the Year: Stephen Vogt, CLE

There were a number of notable managers in the AL in 2024, but it’s hard to ignore the first year at the helm for Cleveland’s manager Stephen Vogt. After a lengthy career has a catcher and a brief stint as an MLB instructor, Vogt took over the Guardians and helped lead the team to a division title and the second-best record in the AL at 92-69. Armed with a combination of young players, a few notable stars, and an excellent pitching staff, Vogt showcased his expertise and knowledge of the game and was the right leader for the Guardians to replace Terry Francona.

NL Manager of the Year: Pat Murphy, MIL

After Craig Counsell left for the Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Brewers stayed in-house and gave the manager job to bench coach Pat Murphy. In his first year at the big league helm, Murphy helped the Brewers navigate injuries and helped a young team capture the NL Central Division title by 10 games over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers weren’t necessarily favored to win the division but Murphy got the most out of his young players in the regular season and laying plenty of hope for the year to come.

AL Reliever: Emmanuel Clase, CLE

Unfortunately, due to his struggles in the postseason, fans may be quick to forget that Emmanuel Clase had one of the best reliever seasons in baseball history. His 47 saves led the AL while he posted a 0.61 ERA and was one of the best by a reliever in history. Featuring a high-octane arsenal, Clase was instrumental in the success of the Guardians.

NL Reliever: Ryan Helsley, STL

In the NL, Ryan Helsley was the easy choice as the closer for the Cardinals. In 65 appearances, Helsley notched 49 saves to set a Cardinals record while recording a 2.04 ERA in 66 1/3 innings. His 79 strikeouts against 23 walks showcased his hard-throwing dominance and was instrumental in helping the Cardinals rebound to a 83-79 record.