Former TXST slugger Paul Goldschmidt wins NL MVP
The Baseball Writers Association of America named Goldschmidt the National League MVP after his terrific season with the St. Louis Cardinals. The first baseman led the senior circuit in slugging percentage (.578) and on-base plus slugging (.981) while hitting .317 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs for the NL Central champions. Goldschmidt also won his fifth Silver Slugger award for being named the best hitter at his position in the NL.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Former Texas State Bobcats slugger Paul Goldschmidt won an MVP award for the first time of his career Thursday night.
The Baseball Writers Association of America named Goldschmidt the National League MVP after his terrific season with the St. Louis Cardinals. The first baseman led the senior circuit in slugging percentage (.578) and on-base plus slugging (.981) while hitting .317 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs for the NL Central champions. Goldschmidt also won his fifth Silver Slugger award this season for being named the best hitter at his position in the NL.
Goldschmidt was the No. 1 choice for the award on 22 of the 30 ballots and was the No. 2 choice on the remaining eight for 380 points. San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado finished second in the voting with 291 points and third baseman Nolan Arenado, Goldschmidt's teammate, was third with 232 points.
In his 12th year in the majors, Goldschmidt has been named a runner-up for the MVP award twice in 2013 and 2015 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-Backs picked him in the eighth round of the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft after he smacked 18 home runs, drove in 88 runs and compiled a .473 on-base percentage that season. He holds the career home run record for the Bobcats with 36.
Goldschmidt, from The Woodlands just north of Houston, is signed through 2024 with the Cardinals.
After smashing an American League-record 62 home runs this season, Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was named the AL MVP. Miami's Sandy Alcantara was named the NL Cy Young Award winner with Houston's Justin Verlander was named the AL Cy Young winner. Cleveland's Terry Francona was named the AL Manager of the Year and Buck Showalter was named the NL Manager of the Year with the Mets. Seattle outfielder Julio Rodriguez was named the AL Rookie of the Year and Michael Harris II of Atlanta was the NL Rookie of the Year.