MLB MVP Race 2024: Latest Power Rankings featuring Juan Soto, Mookie Betts and more - April 28
The MVP race in each league of the MLB could well include multiple players from the same teams. Several hitters are off to blistering starts and have been playing excellent baseball all around.
Here's which five sluggers have already made a strong case for winning the Most Valuable Player award in 2024:
Top MLB MVP candidates early on in 2024
5) Bobby Witt Jr.
Bobby Witt Jr. hadn't made an All-Star game when the Kansas City Royals extended him. Now, he's poised to potentially win an MVP.
Already at 1.7 fWAR, Witt Jr. is slashing .310/.352/.558 with a 154 wRC+. A lot of his value comes in the field, but he's been excellent at the plate and on the basepaths as well. He is quickly becoming one of the league's best.
4) Shohei Ohtani
Despite the DH's negative impact on WAR, Shohei Ohtani is worth 1.7 fWAR right now. That's second in the National League.
He's hitting .347 with a 194 wRC+ and has seven home runs. He's been nothing short of phenomenal for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the early going.
3) Juan Soto
Juan Soto has been raking for the New York Yankees. With a 196 wRC+ and a 1.9 fWAR already, he is proving to be worth the investment and could win an MVP this year. His .443 on-base percentage is eye-popping, as is his supremely low 13.0% K percentage.
2) Gunnar Henderson
Gunnar Henderson is the early favorite for AL MVP. The Baltimore Orioles slugger is looking to go from Rookie of the Year immediately to MVP and has 2.0 fWAR already along with an 184 wRC+. His .642 slugging percentage is also excellent.
1) Mookie Betts
It's Mookie Betts' world and everyone else is just living in it. The Los Angeles Dodgers slugger already has 2.7 fWAR, making him the MLB leader by a wide margin.
With a .391 batting average and an unfathomable 220 wRC+, he's the early favorite for NL MVP and would win regardless of his league.