MLB Power Rankings: 30 best first-time MVP candidates for 2023
By Tim Boyle
20) MLB Power Rankings: MVP candidate Eloy Jimenez
How he can win the MVP: A lot of the same that was said about Luis Robert could be applied to Eloy Jimenez. He’s a tremendous talent who hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Jimenez does have a 31 home run rookie campaign and a 2020 Silver Slugger to his name. His greater power puts him ahead of teammates also on this list.
Why he won’t win the MVP: Some up and down numbers from Jimenez are a bit concerning. He hasn’t been the picture of consistency. Jimenez’s ceiling should have him in the MVP chase as long as he’s on the field. He’ll have to improve quite a bit to actually win the award.
19) MLB Power Rankings: MVP candidate Matt Chapman
How he can win the MVP: Matt Chapman has a pair of top 10 MVP finishes on his resume. Year one with the Toronto Blue Jays was not brilliant. This shouldn’t remove him from the conversation. Chapman is capable of doing a lot of things well. Combining a better average and more power is the goal to winning an MVP.
Why he won’t win the MVP: Chapman just doesn’t have enough of an ability to hit for average. He’s a lifetime .240/.329/.469 hitter. He’d need to lead the league in home runs and RBI to become a favorite. The Blue Jays might also need to win the American League East. Maybe only one of those things can happen.
18) MLB Power Rankings: MVP candidate Matt Olson
How he can win the MVP: The other “Matt” exiled from the Oakland Athletics last offseason, Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves is a sneaky good pick to win the 2023 National League MVP. Despite the .240/.325/.477 he slashed, Olson reached 34 home runs and 103 RBI. Look for him to be closer to the .271/.371/.540 hitter he was one year prior.
Why he won’t win the MVP: The Braves have a lot of very good players. Olson was an afterthought in many ways last year on their way to winning 103 games. His ceiling isn’t the highest on his own team. Someone else on the Braves roster will win it ahead of him.
17) MLB Power Rankings: MVP candidate Xander Bogaerts
How he can win the MVP: We don’t yet know where Xander Bogaerts will land. Returning to the Boston Red Sox may actually hurt his MVP candidacy due to the direction of the team. Ending up with someone like the Chicago Cubs and then leading them to the playoffs with career-highs is the best way Bogaerts can capture the MVP.
Why he won’t win the MVP: He probably will go back to the Red Sox. And even if he does land with the Cubs, Bogaerts would need to do something like win a batting title to be in contention. Bogaerts is a very good ballplayer. Someone will outslug him on the way to winning an MVP.
16) MLB Power Rankings: MVP candidate Rafael Devers
How he can win the MVP: We have back-to-back members of the Boston Red Sox on this week’s MLB Power Rankings, maybe. Rafael Devers seems surer to win an MVP. He’s averaging 33 home runs and 107 RBI per 162 games in his career. Although he has yet to even finish in the top ten of the MVP race, he seems like a near-lock to put up fat numbers next season.
Why he won’t win the MVP: Devers has been overlooked plenty in past MVP votes. In 2021, he finished a distant 11th. The voters haven’t bought in.