View source for Hank Aaron Award

{{Short description|Annual Major League Baseball award}}
{{infobox sports award
| name = Hank Aaron Award
| image = Play Ball Ballpark (48262399707).jpg
| imagesize = 150px
| alt = 
| caption = 
| sport = [[Baseball]]
| league = [[Major League Baseball]]
| description = Top hitter in the [[American League]] and [[National League (baseball)|National League]]
| presenter = Major League Baseball
| year = 1999
| year2 = <!-- leave empty for active awards -->
| holder = [[Aaron Judge]] (AL)<br>[[Shohei Ohtani]] (NL)
| mostwins = [[Alex Rodriguez]] (4)
}}The '''Hank Aaron Award''' is given annually to the [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) players selected as the top hitter in each league, as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It was introduced in 1999 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of [[Hank Aaron]]'s surpassing of [[Babe Ruth]]'s career [[home run]] mark of 714 home runs. The award was the first major award to be introduced by Major League Baseball in 19 years.

For the 1999 season, a winner was selected using an objective points system. Hits, [[home run]]s, and [[runs batted in]] (RBI) were given certain point values and the winner was the player who had the highest tabulated points total.<ref name="MLB" /><ref name="ESPN">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2638776|title=Phillies' Howard, Yankees' Jeter win Hank Aaron Award|date=2006-10-06|publisher=[[ESPN]] Internet Ventures|work=ESPN.com|access-date=2009-05-24|archive-date=2013-11-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104163150/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2638776|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2000, the system was changed to a ballot in which each MLB team's radio and television play-by-play broadcasters and color analysts voted for three players in each league. Their first-place vote receives five points, the second-place vote receives three points, and the third-place vote receives one point. Beginning in 2003, fans were allowed to vote via MLB's official website, [[MLB.com]]. Fans' votes account for 30% of the points, while broadcasters' and analysts' votes account for the other 70%.<ref name="MLB">{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20021024&content_id=164207&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=null|title=A-Rod receives Hank Aaron Award|last=Sanchez|first=Jessie|date=2002-10-24|publisher=[[Major League Baseball]]|access-date=2009-05-24|archive-date=2012-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102181941/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20021024&content_id=164207&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=null|url-status=live}}</ref>

The award is handed out to the winners of both leagues before Game 4 of the [[World Series]] (mostly after Game 2 due to travel to a different venue) each year, with Aaron himself presenting the awards until the 2019 World Series and his death in 2021 (except 2018 when it is handed out in Game 3 and 2019 when it is handed out in Game 2). The first winners of the award were [[Manny Ramirez]] and [[Sammy Sosa]] in 1999, while the most recent winners are [[Aaron Judge]] and [[Shohei Ohtani]]. [[Alex Rodriguez]] won the award four times, the most of any player.<ref name="MLB" /> Ohtani is the first player to win the award in both leagues. The winner with the most hits was [[Ronald Acuña Jr.]] in 2023, [[Barry Bonds]] in 2001 had the most home runs, and Manny Ramírez in 1999 had the most RBIs. Players from the [[New York Yankees]] have won the award six times, the most of any team.

==Trophy==
The Hank Aaron Award has a maritaca granite base and an antique bat and banner combination on the top. It weighs {{convert|12|lb|kg}} and sits on a base of cherry wood.

[[File:Kris Bryant, Hank Aaron, Rob Manfred and David Ortiz during the Aaron Award ceremony. (29955118983).jpg|thumb|[[Kris Bryant]] (far left) and [[David Ortiz]] (far right) pose with [[Hank Aaron]] (center left) and [[Rob Manfred]] (center right) after receiving the 2016 awards]]

==Key==
{| class="wikitable" 
|-
!scope="row"|Year
|Links to the corresponding Major League Baseball season
|-
!scope="row"|Player {{small|(X)}}
|Denotes winning player and number of times they had won the award at that point
|-
!scope="row"|HR
|[[Home run]]s
|-
!scope="row"|RBI
|[[Runs batted in]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; background:#ffb;"|*
|Also named [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]]
|-
! scope="row"|'''Bold'''
|'''Bold''' denotes the player is in the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]]
|}

==Winners==
[[File:Alex Rodriguez 2008-04-19.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Alex Rodriguez]] won the award four times.]]
[[File:BarryLamar Bonds.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Barry Bonds]] won the award three times.]]
[[File:Albert Pujols on April 14, 2012.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Albert Pujols]] won the award twice.]]
[[File:Shohei Ohtani (52967935786) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Shohei Ohtani]] is the only player to win in both leagues (with the [[Los Angeles Angels|Angels]] in 2023 and [[Los Angeles Dodgers|Dodgers]] in 2024 and 2025)]]
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" 
!scope="col"|Year
!scope="col"|League
!scope="col"|Player
!scope="col"|Team
!scope="col"|[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
!scope="col"|HR
!scope="col"|RBI
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[1999 Major League Baseball season|1999]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Manny|Ramirez}}
|[[Cleveland Indians]]
|174
|44
|165
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Sammy|Sosa}}
|[[Chicago Cubs]]
|180
|63
|141
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2000 Major League Baseball season|2000]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Carlos|Delgado}}
|[[Toronto Blue Jays]]
|196
|41
|137
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|'''{{sortname|Todd|Helton}}'''
|[[Colorado Rockies]]
|216
|42
|147
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2001 Major League Baseball season|2001]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Alex|Rodriguez}}
|[[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]
|201
|52
|135
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Barry|Bonds}}*
|[[San Francisco Giants]]
|156
|73
|137
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2002 Major League Baseball season|2002]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Alex|Rodriguez}} {{small|(2)}}
|Texas Rangers
|187
|57
|142
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Barry|Bonds}} {{small|(2)}}*
|San Francisco Giants
|149
|46
|110
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2003 Major League Baseball season|2003]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Alex|Rodriguez}} {{small|(3)}}*
|Texas Rangers
|181
|47
|118
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Albert|Pujols}}
|[[St. Louis Cardinals]]
|212
|43
|124
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2004 Major League Baseball season|2004]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Manny|Ramirez}} {{small|(2)}}
|[[Boston Red Sox]]
|175
|43
|130
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Barry|Bonds}} {{small|(3)}}*
|San Francisco Giants
|135
|45
|101
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2005 Major League Baseball season|2005]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|'''{{sortname|David|Ortiz}}'''
|Boston Red Sox
|180
|47
|148
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Andruw|Jones}}
|[[Atlanta Braves]]
|154
|51
|128
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2006 Major League Baseball season|2006]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|'''{{sortname|Derek|Jeter}}'''
|[[New York Yankees]]
|214
|14
|97
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Ryan|Howard}}*
|[[Philadelphia Phillies]]
|182
|58
|149
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2007 Major League Baseball season|2007]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Alex|Rodriguez}} {{small|(4)}}*
|New York Yankees
|183
|54
|156
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Prince|Fielder}}
|[[Milwaukee Brewers]]
|165
|50
|119
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2008 Major League Baseball season|2008]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Kevin|Youkilis}}
|Boston Red Sox
|168
|29
|115
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Aramis|Ramírez}}
|Chicago Cubs
|160
|27
|111
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2009 Major League Baseball season|2009]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|'''{{sortname|Derek|Jeter}}''' {{small|(2)}}
|New York Yankees
|212
|18
|66
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Albert|Pujols}} {{small|(2)}}*
|St. Louis Cardinals
|186
|47
|135
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2010 Major League Baseball season|2010]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|José|Bautista}}
|Toronto Blue Jays
|148
|54
|124
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Joey|Votto}}*
|[[Cincinnati Reds]]
|177
|37
|113
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2011 Major League Baseball season|2011]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|José|Bautista}} {{small|(2)}}
|Toronto Blue Jays
|155
|43
|103
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Matt|Kemp}}
|[[Los Angeles Dodgers]]
|195
|39
|126
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2012 Major League Baseball season|2012]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Miguel|Cabrera}}*
|[[Detroit Tigers]]
|205
|44
|139
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Buster|Posey}}*
|San Francisco Giants
|178
|24
|103
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2013 Major League Baseball season|2013]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Miguel|Cabrera}} {{small|(2)}}*
|Detroit Tigers
|193
|44
|137
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Paul|Goldschmidt}}
|[[Arizona Diamondbacks]]
|182
|36
|125
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2014 Major League Baseball season|2014]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Mike|Trout}}*
|[[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim]]
|173
|36
|111
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Giancarlo|Stanton}}
|[[Miami Marlins]]
|155
|37
|105
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2015 Major League Baseball season|2015]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Josh|Donaldson}}*
|Toronto Blue Jays
|184
|41
|123
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Bryce|Harper}}*
|[[Washington Nationals]]
|172
|42
|99
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2016 Major League Baseball season|2016]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|'''{{sortname|David|Ortiz}}''' {{small|(2)}}
|Boston Red Sox
|169
|38
|127
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Kris|Bryant}}*
|Chicago Cubs
|176
|39
|102
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2017 Major League Baseball season|2017]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Jose|Altuve}}*
|[[Houston Astros]] 
|204
|24
|81
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Giancarlo|Stanton}} {{small|(2)}}*
|[[Miami Marlins]]
|168
|59
|132
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2018 Major League Baseball season|2018]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|J. D.|Martinez}}
|Boston Red Sox
|188
|43
|130
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Christian|Yelich}}*
|Milwaukee Brewers
|187
|36
|110
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2019 Major League Baseball season|2019]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Mike|Trout}} {{small|(2)}}*
|[[Los Angeles Angels]]
|137
|45
|104
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Christian|Yelich}} {{small|(2)}}
|Milwaukee Brewers
|161
|44
|97
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2020 Major League Baseball season|2020]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|José|Abreu|José Abreu (first baseman)}}*
|[[Chicago White Sox]]
| 76
| 19
| 60
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Freddie|Freeman}}*
|Atlanta Braves
| 73
| 13
| 53
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2021 Major League Baseball season|2021]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row"|{{sortname|Vladimir|Guerrero Jr.}}
|Toronto Blue Jays
| 188
| 48
| 111
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Bryce|Harper}} {{small|(2)}}*
|Philadelphia Phillies
| 151
| 35
| 84
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2022 Major League Baseball season|2022]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"| {{sortname|Aaron|Judge}}*
|New York Yankees
| 177
| 62
| 131
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"| {{sortname|Paul|Goldschmidt}} {{small|(2)}}*
|St. Louis Cardinals
| 178
| 35
| 115
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2023 Major League Baseball season|2023]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Shohei|Ohtani}}*
|Los Angeles Angels
| 151
| 44
| 95
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Ronald|Acuña Jr.}}*
|Atlanta Braves
| 217
| 41
| 106
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[2024 Major League Baseball season|2024]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Aaron|Judge}} {{small|(2)}}*
|New York Yankees
| 180
| 58
| 144
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Shohei|Ohtani}} {{small|(2)}}*
|Los Angeles Dodgers
| 197
| 54
| 130
|-
| rowspan="2" valign="center" |[[2025 Major League Baseball season|2025]]
|[[American League|American]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Aaron|Judge}} {{small|(3)}}*
|New York Yankees
|179
|53
|114
|-
|[[National League (baseball)|National]]
!scope="row" style="background:#ffb;"|{{sortname|Shohei|Ohtani}} {{small|(3)}}*
|Los Angeles Dodgers
|172
|55
|102
|}

==Multiple-time winners==
15 players have won the award multiple times, with [[Alex Rodriguez]] (4 awards), [[Barry Bonds]] (3 awards), [[Aaron Judge]] (3 awards), and [[Shohei Ohtani]] (3 awards) being the only players to win more than twice. Ohtani is the only player to win in both the American and National League. [[David Ortiz]] won two awards 11 years apart (2005 and 2016), the largest gap of any player. 

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center; text-align:center" 
|-
!scope="col"|Player
!scope="col"|# of Awards
!scope="col"|Years
|-
|{{sortname|Alex|Rodriguez}}
| 4
| 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007
|-
|{{sortname|Barry|Bonds}}
| rowspan="3" | 3
| 2001, 2002, 2004
|-
|{{sortname|Aaron|Judge}}
|2022, 2024, 2025
|-
|{{sortname|Shohei|Ohtani}}
|2023, 2024, 2025
|-
|{{sortname|Manny|Ramirez}}
| rowspan="11" style="text-align:center;" | 2
| 1999, 2004
|-
|{{sortname|Albert|Pujols}}
| 2003, 2009
|-
|{{sortname|David|Ortiz}}
| 2005, 2016
|-
|{{sortname|Derek|Jeter}}
| 2006, 2009
|-
|{{sortname|José|Bautista}}
| 2010, 2011
|-
|{{sortname|Miguel|Cabrera}}
| 2012, 2013
|-
|{{sortname|Paul|Goldschmidt}}
| 2013, 2022
|-
|{{sortname|Giancarlo|Stanton}}
| 2014, 2017
|-
|{{sortname|Mike|Trout}}
| 2014, 2019
|-
|{{sortname|Bryce|Harper}}
| 2015, 2021
|-
|{{sortname|Christian|Yelich}}
| 2018, 2019
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Baseball}}
* [[Silver Slugger Award]]: given to the best offensive player at each position.
* [[Edgar Martínez Award]]: given to the best-designated hitter (DH) (American League).
* [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown]]
* [[This Year in Baseball Awards]] (including hitter)
* [[Baseball awards#United States|Baseball awards]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball awards]]
* [[Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame]] (including "500 Homerun Club" exhibit)

==References==
;General
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite web| url = https://www.fineawards.com/mlb-s-hank-aaron-award.html| title = Hank Aaron Award| publisher = FineAwards.com| access-date = 2016-11-19| archive-date = 2016-11-20| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161120150503/https://www.fineawards.com/mlb-s-hank-aaron-award.html| url-status = live}}
* {{cite web| url = http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/awards/mlb_awards_content.jsp?content=hank_aaron_history| title = Hank Aaron Award winners| publisher = [[Major League Baseball]]| access-date = 2009-05-24| archive-date = 2007-03-10| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070310084850/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/awards/mlb_awards_content.jsp?content=hank_aaron_history| url-status = live}}
* {{cite web| url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hank_rickey.shtml| title = Hank Aaron Award & Branch Rickey Award Winners| publisher = Sports Reference LLC| work = Baseball-Reference.com| access-date = 2009-05-24| archive-date = 2012-07-14| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120714233008/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hank_rickey.shtml| url-status = live}}
* {{cite web| url = http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20041027&content_id=906724&vkey=ds2004news&fext=.jsp&c_id=null| title = Hank Aaron Award presentation| publisher = [[Major League Baseball]]| access-date = 2009-05-24| archive-date = 2009-02-05| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090205192438/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20041027&content_id=906724&vkey=ds2004news&fext=.jsp&c_id=null| url-status = live}}
{{refend}}

;Specific
{{reflist}}

{{AL Hank Aaron Award Winners}}
{{NL Hank Aaron Award Winners}}
{{MLB awards}}

{{featured list}}

[[Category:Major League Baseball trophies and awards]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1999]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Hank Aaron]]