Guerrero Jr. named Hank Aaron Award winner
Photo: Toronto Blue Jays/Twitter
November 9, 2021
Official Major League Baseball News Release
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays and Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies have been selected as the American League and National League winners of the 2021 Hank Aaron Awards, Major League Baseball announced on Tuesday.
The winners were announced exclusively on MLB Network during a live show presentation featuring Guerrero, Harper, Mrs. Billye Aaron and Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. This year’s Hank Aaron Award marks the first since the passing of Henry “Hank” Aaron on January 22, 2021.
The Hank Aaron Awards are officially sanctioned by MLB and recognize the most outstanding offensive performers in each League. Each Club nominated one player from its team to be considered for the Hank Aaron Award and a panel of MLB.com writers determined seven finalists for each league from the list of Club nominees. In addition to the fan vote, a special panel of Hall of Fame players voted on the winners of the award. New Hall of Fame panelists included Chipper Jones, Pedro Martínez and John Smoltz joining the returning voting panel that included Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Ken Griffey Jr., Eddie Murray and Robin Yount.
Guerrero, 22, is the youngest player in Major League history to earn the Hank Aaron Award. In his third season, Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) led the majors in runs scored (123) and tied for the major league home run lead (48). He also led the American League in OPS (1.002), slugging percentage (.601), and on-base percentage (.401). Guerrero’s 48th home run surpassed Eddie Mathews (47 in 1953) for the most home runs in a season by a player aged 22 years old-or-younger. He and his father, Vladimir Guerrero Sr., joined Cecil and Prince Fielder as the only father-son duos to reach the 40-home run mark.
In addition, Guerrero’s 11 home runs at TD Ballpark, 10 at Sahlen Field and 10 at Rogers Centre marked the first time in Major League history that a player has hit 10-or-more home runs at three different ballparks in the same season. His 86 batted balls of 110+ MPH led the Majors, and his 17 three-hit games were tied for the second-most in the Majors this season.
Harper, 29, is the first National League player to win the Hank Aaron Award with two clubs (also 2015 with Washington). In his 10th season and third with the Phillies, Harper led the Majors in OPS (1.044) and slugging percentage (.615), and tied for first in doubles (42). Harper became only the fourth outfielder in Major League history with at least 100 runs, 100 walks, 40 doubles and 35 home runs in a season, joining Babe Ruth (twice, 1921 & 1923); Stan Musial (1949); and Barry Bonds (1998). In addition, Harper was the first player in MLB history to post a .300/.400/.700 slash line after the All-Star break (min. 300 PA) since fellow Phillie Ryan Howard during his NL MVP-winning 2006 season and was the first outfielder to do so since Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa in 2001. Harper was the only player in the Majors this year to have two separate on-base streaks of at least 23 games, and he collected 300 total bases for the second time in his career.
Past winners of the Aaron Awards include José Abreu and Freddie Freeman (2020); Mike Trout and Christian Yelich (2019); J.D. Martinez and Christian Yelich (2018); Jose Altuve and Giancarlo Stanton (2017); Kris Bryant and David Ortiz (2016); Josh Donaldson and Bryce Harper (2015); Giancarlo Stanton and Mike Trout (2014); Miguel Cabrera and Paul Goldschmidt (2013); Miguel Cabrera and Buster Posey (2012); José Bautista and Matt Kemp (2011); José Bautista and Joey Votto (2010); Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols (2009); Aramis Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis (2008); Alex Rodriguez and Prince Fielder (2007); Derek Jeter and Ryan Howard (2006); David Ortiz and Andruw Jones (2005); Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds (2004); Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols (2003); Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds (2001-02); Carlos Delgado and Todd Helton (2000); and Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa (1999).