2024 All MLB First Team: Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Paul Skenes, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto headline selections
2024 All MLB First Team: Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Paul Skenes, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto headline selections (Getty)
Major League Baseball announced the best players in their position in an award ceremony on Thursday in Las Vegas. As expected, MVP contenders Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani headlined the First and Second Team awards.
AL MVP contender Aaron Judge made the First Team in the outfielder category. His 2024 New York Yankees teammate Juan Soto joined him on the list. Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts was the final selection for that position in the First Team, despite playing only 43 games in the outfield as he started the season at shortstop.
Judge had another landmark season for the Bronx Bombers as the Yankees captain led the MLB home run charts with 58 homers and a league-high 144 RBI. He is one of the three finalists for the AL MVP accolade and is expected to win his second title by beating Juan Soto and Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr.
Betts teammate and NL MVP frontrunner Shohei Ohtani was the obvious choice for the designated hitter in the First Team following the Dodgers superstar’s historic 50-50 season. The two-time MVP finished the regular season with a career-best 54 home runs (only second to Aaron Judge’s tally in 2024) and a record 59 steals.
Meanwhile, NL Rookie of the Year contender Paul Skenes was among the five starters for the MLB First Team. He joined veteran ace Chris Sale, Tarik Skubal, Zack Wheeler and Corbin Burnes on the list.
Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge dominate MLB Awards
The 2024 MLB Second Team also featured some big names who missed out on the First Team. San Diego Padres’ NL Rookie of the Year finalist Jackson Merrill made the outfielder’s list along with Red Sox’s Jarred Durran and former Dodger Teoscar Hernandez.
Here’s the Second Team in full:
Third Baseman: Manny Machado, Padres
Second basemen: Jose Altuve, Astros
Shortstop: Francisco Lindor, Mets
Catcher: Salvador Perez, Royals
First baseman: Bryce Harper, Phillies
Relief pitchers: Mason Miller, Athletics and Kirby Yates Rangers
Designated hitter: Yordan Alvarez, Astros
Starting pitchers: Seth Lugo, Royals; Dylan Cease, Padres; Shota Imanaga, Cubs; Framber Valdez, Astros; Michael King, Padres
Apart from their First Team selections, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani also won the Hank Aaron Award in their respective leagues. Emmanuel Clase of the Guardians was named the American League Reliever of the Year while the Cardinals’ Ryan Helsley won the award in NL.
