Finalists Announced for the 2025 Players Choice Awards

 NEW YORK, Oct. 14 – Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Cal Raleigh are the finalists for Player of the Year in the 2025 Players Choice Awards. The winner will be announced on October 29.

Additionally, the winners of the American and National League Outstanding Player, Pitcher, Rookie, and Comeback Player, as well as the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, Philanthropist of the Year Award, and Curt Flood Award, will also be announced. The Players Choice Awards are an especially distinguished honor for Players, as they are chosen through a vote of their peers.

The Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award is given to the Player “whose leadership most inspires others to higher levels of achievement.” This year’s finalists are Chris Bassitt, Pete Fairbanks, and Brent Suter. The award is named in honor of the Major League Baseball Players Association’s first full-time executive director, who served with distinction from 1966-1982. Marvin Miller was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.

The Philanthropist of the Year Award was included in the Players Choice Awards voting for the first time in 2024. This award is given to the Player who “best demonstrates an altruistic spirit and positive social impact beyond the diamond.” The Philanthropist of the Year will also receive a $25,000 grant to the charity or cause of his choice. This year’s finalists are Kyle Higashioka, Aaron Nola, and Michael Wacha. The two runners-up will receive $5,000 grants to their chosen nonprofit.

The Curt Flood Award is given to a living or deceased former Player “who in the image of Flood demonstrated a selfless, longtime devotion to the Players Association and advancement of Players’ rights.” This year, Don Baylor and Scott Sanderson are the nominees. Since 1992, the Players Choice Awards have recognized the outstanding on- and off-field performances of Players. Voting among all Players was conducted in September by the accounting firm KPMG. 

Below are all the finalists: 

Player of the Year 

Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Cal Raleigh 

Outstanding Player Award 

American League*: Junior Caminero, Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Jose Ramirez and Bobby Witt Jr. 

National League: Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber and Juan Soto 

Outstanding Pitcher Award 

American League: Garrett Crochet, Tarik Skubal and Bryan Woo 

National League: Freddy Peralta, Cristopher Sánchez and Paul Skenes 

Outstanding Rookie Award 

American League: Noah Cameron, Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson 

National League: Drake Baldwin, Isaac Collins and Cade Horton 

Comeback Player Award 

American League: Javy Báez, Jacob deGrom and Trevor Story 

National League*: Ronald Acuña Jr., Clayton Kershaw, Brandon Woodruff and Christian Yelich 

Marvin Miller Man of the Year 

Chris Bassitt, Pete Fairbanks and Brent Suter 

Curt Flood Award 

Don Baylor, Scott Sanderson 

Philanthropist of the Year 

Kyle Higashioka, Aaron Nola and Michael Wacha 

Note: An asterisk (*) indicates categories in which a tie for finalist placement resulted in more than three finalists being listed. 

View all finalists HERE.