2024 Chicago Cubs Awards

By: Jacob Zanolla

The BBWAA award finalists are out, and none of them are Chicago Cubs. Nonetheless, there was a lot of good baseball played by the Cubs this season, and I wanted to recognize some players that stood out. Here are my 2024 Chicago Cubs Team Awards.

MVP- Seiya Suzuki

Seiya Suzuki was incredible this season, finishing seventh in the National League in terms of wRC+. He lead the majors in BAPIB (.370), and hit a career high 21 home runs. Strikeouts were once again a problem, but it doesn’t help when balls are consistently called strikes against you. Suzuki ranked third in all of baseball when it came to most outside pitches called strikes (84). Isaac Paredes is at the top of the list with 89, so maybe the Cubs are cursed? Either way, Suzuki was a constant threat to reach base, whether it’s thanks to a missile into the outfield (his average exit velocity of 91.7 mph was 87th percentile) or earning a base on balls (a 10.8% walk rate ranked 18th in the National League).

Cy Young- Shota Imanaga

Easily the steal of the offseason, Imanaga turned out to be one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. His command was exceptional, with a BB% of 4%. He was an outstanding presence in the clubhouse, and knew how to get Wrigley Field on it’s feet. When deciding what song to walk out to on game days, Imanaga chose Chelsea Dagger because he noticed how much the fans enjoyed it when he went to a Blackhawks game. He was the Cubs lone All-Star in Arlington, and ended up leading the team in several pitching categories.

ROY- Pete Crow-Armstrong

After getting off to a slow start, Pete Crow-Armstrong broke out and was better than anyone had expected. His defense was near the top of the league, with 14 outs above average. His speed is 99^th percentile in all of baseball, and he used it to create havoc on the basepaths. He stole 27 bases, only getting caught three times. At the beginning of the year, once he received the promotion to Chicago, his offense was quite sporadic. August was easily the best month offensively for the whole team, and Crow-Armstrong helped lead the way. His .933 OPS and 48 total bases during that time, along with four home runs, put the whole league on notice.

Platinum Glove- Dansby Swanson

Not only did Dansby Swanson easily win the team Gold Glove award, I’d argue he made a pretty good case to win the league-wide award as well. He put up 18 outs above average and was once again consistent at the shortstop position. I won’t focus on his hitting, although it was more impressive than most fans are willing to admit. Hoyer brought Dansby in to be a consistently decent bat (his 99 wRC+ is basically league average) and play excellent defense, which he continues to do.

Most Improved- Miguel Amaya

Miguel Amaya was the clear choice for this honor, with his improvement helping the team make a late push in August and September. In the first half, Amaya had a .201 average and driving in 18 runners. After adjusting his leg kick in early July, his average improved to .271 and he had 29 RBI’s. Even though the season was worse overall, the changes he made in season most likely saved his job on this team.

Biggest Disappointment- Christopher Morel

Even though he was only on the team for four months of the season, Morel wins this award by a large margin. His energy and personality instantly make him a fan favorite, which lead most Cubs fans frustrated after he was traded to Tampa in July. In Chicago this year, Morel had a .675 OPS. He was a very streaky hitter, and a whiff rate of 34.1 % was among the worst in all of baseball.

Best In-Season Acquisition- Tyson Miller

Tyson Miller was originally drafted by the Cubs in 2016, and made his debut with the team during the 2020 season. He went on to appear with the Rangers, Brewers, Dodgers, Mets, and started the season with the Mariners. After a really strong April and early May, the Cubs re-acquired Miller in return for Jake Slaughter and cash considerations on May 14th. Miller never looked back, quickly becoming one of Counsell’s main weapons in the late innings.

Reliever of the Year- Tyson Miller

Tyson Miller won this award as well, thanks to his extreme success in Chicago. Miller had a 0.815 WHIP with the Cubs, striking out 7.5 batters every nine innings. He doesn’t throw hard, but a sweeper with +9 run value kept hitters honest. His opponents only hit .148 off of the sweeper, with an xwOBA of .265. Miller has several years left of team control, and should be a staple in Counsell’s pen for the foreseeable future.

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