The 2021 World Series may not be long finished, but already attention is turning to the 2022 Major League Baseball season.
At the moment we don’t know how the landscape will look when the new season kicks off. But that doesn’t stop us from having a way-too-early look at some of the runners to be MVP of 2022.
Starting with this year’s winner, Shohei Ohtani, we’ve put together a selection of candidates who could be a value bet to be MVP in both the American League, and the National League.
27-year-old Designated Hitter, Shohei Ohtani is the American League MVP for 2021.
In what was the most successful season of this career to date, Ohtani was an All-Star, an ALL-MLB first-teamer, a Silver Slugger Award winner, AL Triples Leader, and won the Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award.
Not a bad season, hey!
As we all know, winning MVP back-to-back awards is rare, but the Los Angeles Angels’ star man sure has the quality to do it!
The three times MLB All-Star and 2017 Rookie of the Year winner, 29-year-old Judge is in the prime of his career, and at New York in the right place to have a decent shot of winning this award for the first time.
2021 was the Right Fielder’s best season since 2017. Judge capped it off by winning his second Silver Slugger Award and he also picked up the Fielding Bible Award for the season.
Could 2022 be the year Aaron Judge steps up and takes the major gong?
Harper is now a two-times winner of the National League MVP award, having won it in both 2015 and 2021.
The 29-year-old Right Fielder really is in the form of this career.
Yes, this is the second time he has won this award, but this season just gone, Harper is a more complete player.
Yes, winning the MVP three times, with a back-to-back included is rare – but not impossible, just ask Albert Pujols!
Tatis Jr hasn’t just had a good season with Padres, he’s had two in a row.
For two seasons running now, Tatis Jr has made the ALL-MLB first team, he has also been a Silver Slugger for two seasons running.
In 2021 he bettered the previous campaign by also becoming an All-Star.
If Tatis Jr’s career continues to follow this trajectory, it’s only a matter of time before he wins an MVP award.
Will he manage it this coming season though?
Now with the LA Dodgers, Mookie Betts took this award back in 2018 when he was with the Boston Red Sox.
Incidentally, Betts’ LA Dodgers are the favorites to be 2022 World Series champions with the best MLB betting sites. BetOnline price them up at +550 to be next year’s champions.
At the LA Dodgers and the age of 29 years, the five times All-Star is in the right place at the right stage of his career to add to the MVP award he picked up in 2018.
Based on last season’s poor showing from the Washington Nationals, it could be hard for Soto to win the award
The Nationals finished bottom of the NL East last season, and it’s hard to be a standout player in an under-performing team.
This didn’t stop him from making the three finalists though. But ultimately he was never going to beat Bryce Harper.
Soto is a former runner-up in the Rookie of the Year Award, so does have the pedigree. He is also only 23 and has his best years to come yet.
Another youngster who could have a shot at the NL Most Valuable Player is Ronald Acuña Jr of the Atlanta Braves.
Just shy of his 24th birthday, Acuña Jr is now approaching the best years of his career.
He is also playing in a more than competitive team with Atlanta, and the chances to shine will be there for the Venezuelan next season.
Well, what a year 2021 was for Marcus Semien. Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays he was an All-Star, he made the ALL-MLB first team, won a Gold Glove Award, and a Silver Slugger Award.
Semien finished the season with 45 home runs and was also third in the American League MVP vote.
Where he ends up next season may determine his chances of coming first next season, but at 31 years of age, he is an experienced player who could well play a big role next year, wherever he ends up!
The betting for the 2022 MLB World Series and all the Baseball futures markets, promise to be competitive.
Make sure you check out all of the best online betting sites to ensure you get the best odds for your bet, whatever it is you’re betting on.
Missing out on the best odds is criminal, and you are potentially chucking your cash down the drain.
Our MLB Las Vegas Odds and Betting Options page has all the information you need for betting on Baseball in the upcoming season.
