Little League® Graduates Shine in 2019 MLB Postseason Awards

After another exciting Major League Baseball (MLB) season, more than 20 Little League® graduates were honored as 2019 MLB postseason award recipients.

Highlighting the 2019 award recipients were a pair of 2007 Little League World Series (LLWS) graduates in Cody Bellinger (LLBWS) and Kolten Wong (SLBWS), both of which were named Gold Glove winners this year. In addition to those honors, Mr. Bellinger was named the National League Most Valuable Player, becoming only the second LLBWS graduate to be named MVP behind Boog Powell, who earned the honor in 1970.

With awards ranging from the Cy Young Award winner and the National League Rookie of the Year to the fourth-straight Marvin Miller Man of the Year recipient, Little League graduates were the stars both on and off the field in 2019. Below is a list of Little League graduates who earned 2019 MLB postseason awards.

Ozzie Albies (Atlanta Braves – Pariba LL (Willemstad, Curaçao))

  • National League Silver Slugger Second Baseman

Pete Alonso (New York Mets – Tampa Bay (Fla.) LL)

  • National League Rookie of the Year
  • National League Most Outstanding Rookie – Players’ Choice Award

Nolan Arenado (Colorado Rockies – Lake Forest (Calif.) LL)

  • National League Gold Glove Third Baseman

Alex Bregman (Houston Astros – Eastdale LL (Albuquerque, N.M.))

  • American League Silver Slugger Third Baseman

Cody Bellinger (Los Angeles Dodgers – Chandler (Ariz.) National LL – Played in 2007 LLBWS)

  • National League MVP
  • National League Gold Glove Right Fielder
  • National League Silver Slugger Outfielder

Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox – Aruba South LL – Played in the 2009 SLBWS)

  • American League Silver Slugger Shortstop

Matt Chapman (Oakland Athletics – Lake Forest (Calif.) LL)

  • American League Gold Glove Third Baseman)

Freddie Freeman (Atlanta Braves – Long Beach (Calif.) LL)

  • Defensive First Baseman of the Year
  • National League Silver Slugger First Baseman

Curtis Granderson (Lynwood (Ill.) LL)

  • Marvin Miller Man of the Year

Zack Greinke (Arizona Diamondbacks/Houston Astros – Conway LL (Orlando, Fla.))

  • Defensive Pitcher of the Year
  • National League Gold Glove Pitcher
  • National League Silver Slugger Pitcher

Aaron Judge (New York Yankees – Linden (Calif.) LL)

  • Defensive Right Fielder of the Year

Howie Kendrick (Washington Nationals – Callahan (Fla.) LL)

  • National League Championship Series MVP

D.J. LeMahieu (New York Yankees – East Madison LL (Visalia, Calif.))

  • American League Silver Slugger Second Baseman

Anthony Rizzo (Chicago Cubs – Parkland (Fla.) LL)

  • National League Gold Glove First Baseman

Anthony Rendon (Washington Nationals – West Oaks LL (Houston, Texas))

  • National League Gold Glove First Baseman
  • National League Most Outstanding Player – Players’ Choice Award

Andrelton Simmons (Los Angeles Angels – Mundo-Nuvo, Curaçao)

  • Defensive Shortstop of the Year

George Springer (Houston Astros – Walicki LL – New Britain, Conn.)

  • American League Silver Slugger Outfielder

Stephen Strasburg (Washington Nationals – Santee (Calif.) American LL)

  • World Series MVP

Justin Verlander (Tuckahoe (Va.) LL)

  • American League Cy Young Award
  • American League Most Outstanding Pitcher – Players’ Choice Award

Kolten Wong (St. Louis Cardinals – Hilo (Hawaii) American LL – Played in 2007 SLBWS)

  • Defensive Second Baseman of the Year
  • National League Gold Glove Second Baseman

Christian Yelich (Milwaukee Brewers – Thousand Oaks (Calif.) LL)

  • National League Hank Aaron Award
  • National League Silver Slugger Outfielder

NOTE: If you know of a player that we have missed, please e-mail the information, including name, current Major League team and the name of the city or town where they played Little League, to [email protected].