Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll finishes fifth in NL MVP voting

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll finished fifth in the National League MVP voting after unanimously winning NL Rookie of the Year.

Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. won his first career MVP award with a unanimous vote, beating out fellow finalists Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Betts received all 30 second-place votes. Braves first baseman Matt Olson came in fourth.

Carroll received 20 fifth-place votes and six sixth-place votes to beat out San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto for a spot in the top five.

Ronald Acuña Jr. unanimously wins the NL MVP award after receiving all 30 first place votes pic.twitter.com/y8uF8ZYgiW

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 16, 2023

Carroll finished sixth among NL players in fWAR with 6.0, the D-backs’ most valuable member in an 84-win season that ended in the World Series.

The 23-year-old speedster was second in the NL with 54 steals, only trailing Acuña’s 74. Carroll was the first rookie to eclipse the 25-home run, 50-steal marker, while Acuña made history with the first 40-homer, 70-stolen base campaign in MLB history.

Carroll stole two bags to reach 50 and hit his 25th home run in the same game on Sept. 20 against the San Francisco Giants. That was one of his favorite moments of the season, he said after winning Rookie of the Year.

The rookie ranked ninth in the NL in wRC+ (133), sixth in runs (116) and first in triples (10).

“This was an incredible year in so many ways,” Carroll told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Thursday. “I guess looking back on this year, it makes me excited for what’s to come. I think that personally and as a team, there’s so many opportunities for more growth to occur. I’m excited to see what that looks like.”

Corbin Carroll wants one too!

His 15th home run this season! pic.twitter.com/W48aJJXZS0

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 18, 2023

Carroll was in the MVP conversation during the first half of the year. He and Freeman were tied atop the NL leaderboard with 3.3 fWAR through June 15.

He didn’t keep pace with the top three through the entire season but picked back up in the final six weeks to help push the D-backs across.

Carroll was an NL All-Star in his first full campaign, starting in his hometown of Seattle. He said he was proud of the “totality” of his rookie year, alluding to having a well-rounded game. Carroll went back home to Seattle after the season but has returned to Arizona to prepare for 2024.

“I always want to improve everything,” Carroll said. “And so just excited for this offseason and the time I have now to attack those weaknesses.”

Carroll is still in the running for the All-MLB Team, which will be announced on Dec. 16. His teammates Christian Walker, Ketel Marte, Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen and Paul Sewald are also nominated.

He was not the only D-backs player to receive MVP votes. Gallen secured one 10th-place vote after finishing third in the NL CY Young race. Walker also received a 10th-place vote after earning the Gold Glove at first base.

Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani won the American League MVP unanimously, his second MVP in three seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.

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