Voters can name 5 candidates on their ballots, with a 10-7-5-3-1 points system.
I tried to pare down the list to a reasonable number of candidates. Here are about 20 candidates worthy of varying degrees of consideration, listed in alphabetical order (bold italics indicate league leader in that category):
Yoenis Cespedes, Hopatcong
.273/.302/.490/.792
34 HR, 128 RBI, 83 runs
177 hits, 37 doubles, 1 triple
318 total bases
5.0 RC/27
28 BB, 157 K
No one benefited more than Cespedes from having Joey Votto and Bryce Harper rank 1-2 in the league in on-base percentage and walks. He finished 2nd in the league in RBI and 3rd in total bases. The Cuban native had the team-high in home runs on a squad that led the league in that category. Yet his August surge couldn't quite put Hopatcong into the playoffs even though they racked up 88 wins in a Kruk Division that saw no team with fewer than 84.
Chris Davis, Philly
.250/.337/.547/.883
42 HR, 110 RBI, 73 runs
136 hits, 36 doubles
298 total bases
6.8 RC/27
67 BB, 200 K
Davis probably deserves some credit just for carrying the Philly offense. He ranked 2nd in the league in home runs but no one else on the Green Rage had more than 18 HR or 67 RBI. But it could be hard to convince certain voters to support a batter on a team that lost 102 games.
.287/.361/.534/.896
184 hits, 38 doubles, 3 triples
38 HR, 101 RBI, 105 runs
342 total bases
6.1 RC/27
135 K, 75 BB
Another candidate who might get overlooked because of his team's lack of success, Donaldson registered more total bases (342) and extra base hits (79) than anyone other than Mike Stanton in 162 starts at the hot corner. He also hit into a league-high 35 ground-ball double plays.
Paul Goldschmidt, Livingston
.257/.352/.444/.796
159 hits, 32 doubles
28 HR, 93 RBI, 95 runs
275 total bases
5.5 RC/27
194 K, 90 BB
Goldschmidt and Carlos Gonzalez paced the best offense in the league, scoring 4.8 runs a game and leading the league in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, and by a wide margin, doubles.
Carlos Gonzalez, Livingston
.236/.300/.523/.823
105 hits, 19 doubles
36 HR, 96 RBI, 80 runs
232 total bases
5.0 RC/27
39 BB, 107 K
CarGo led the Lords of Swing in home runs and ranked in the DMBL's top 10 but it wasn't enough to make the postseason, despite 85 wins.
.295/.315/.353/.668
173 hits, 14 doubles, 4 triples
4 HR, 43 RBI, 70 runs
207 total bases
4.0 RC/27
17 BB, 93 K
36 SBs, 13 CS
The power bats generally get all the attention so if you're looking for an alternative, Gordon is the token speedster. He had the season's longest hitting streak (25) and led the league in stolen bases.
Bryce Harper, Hopatcong
.260/.402/.542/.944
41 HR, 107 RBI, 118 runs
150 hits, 35 doubles, 2 triples
312 total bases
7.3 RC/27
132 BB, 157 K
In any other season, the numbers Harper put up could bring home the Mitchell going away. Hopatcong's three-headed monster offense could split the vote, opening the door for another candidate. He also led the league in intentional walks (17).
Mitch Moreland, Arkansas
.291/.352/.554/.905
130 hits, 38 doubles, 2 triples
25 HR, 97 RBI, 60 runs
247 total bases
7.0 RC/27
117 K, 37 BB
With established stars like Buster Posey and rising stars like Anthony Rizzo, it's easy to forgot about Moreland in the Arkansas offense. He had a career year in a DH platoon, ranking 2nd in the league in intentional walks (14) and leading the Golden Falcons in RC/27 (7.0).
.314/.362/.489/.851
182 hits, 29 doubles
24 HR, 89 RBI, 81 runs
283 total bases
6.6 RC/27
71 K, 48 BB
If you take into account that Posey plays the all-important position of catcher, his offensive numbers are seen in another light. And not many catchers can say they have a batting crown on their resumé
-->.
Albert Pujols, El Paso
.219/.263/.448/.712
38 HR, 107 RBI, 82 runs
135 hits, 25 doubles, 1 triple
276 total bases
3.7 RC/27
36 BB, 91 K
Pujols might be a more likely candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, enjoying a resurgent season, particularly in the power department. He might have to bank on his reputation as a two-time winner (2009-2010) for some support or at least to distract from his batting average.
Anthony Rizzo, Arkansas
.248/.353/.443/.795
149 hits, 25 doubles, 4 triples
28 HR, 102 RBI, 88 runs
266 total bases
5.6 RC/27
129 K, 76 BB
6 SB, 4 CS
Rizzo was the top RBI man on a loaded Arkansas offense that locked up the No. 2 seed with 93 wins. Having that much help in the lineup could provide another case of splitting the vote.
Miguel Sano, Hillsborough
.252/.364/.497
37 HR, 96 RBI, 98 runs
148 hits, 33 doubles
102 BBs, 256 Ks
Could a rookie be the Mitchell Award winner? It's only been done once (Mike Trout, 2013). Sano not only led all first-year players in most batting categories but ranked right up there among the best sluggers in the league.
Mike Stanton, Allentown
60 HR, 138 RBI, 104 runs
163 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples
381 total bases
7.1 RC/27
53 BB, 222 K
Speaking of the best sluggers in the league...Stanton led the league in a number of key batting categories. He held a monster lead in the home race for much of the year. His 381 total bases were almost 40 more than Josh Donaldson (341) and he had a big lead in extra base hits (96). But he also ranked 2nd in the league in strikeouts, trailing only Miguel Sano.
Mark Teixeira, Marietta
.215/.303/.443/.746
36 HR, 116 RBI, 86 runs
130 hits, 30 doubles
268 total bases
4.6 RC/27
75 BB, 163 K
The switch-hitter teamed up with Justin Turner to power the Mighty Men offense. Despite the anemic batting average, Teixeria ranked 3rd in the league in RBI, which is hard to ignore.
Mike Trout, Allentown
.249/.340/.441/.781
32 HR, 89 RBI, 99 runs
155 hits, 22 doubles, 1 triple
275 total bases
5.1 RC/27
80 BB, 203 K
5 SB, 4 CS
Trout has so consistently put up eye-popping numbers since coming into the league in 2013, it might be easy to poo-poo a 32-89-99 year. The high strikeout total is an aberration but could be a detriment for some voters.
Danny Valencia, El Paso
.270/.317/.503/.820
33 HR, 98 RBI, 66 runs
165 hits, 41 doubles, 1 triple
307 total bases
5.1 RC/27
41 BB, 169 K
A dark horse candidate, Valencia is another player that deserves some credit for having a big year on a losing team. He ranked 10th in the league in RBI and doubles, and 5th in total bases.
.298/.369/.586/.955
40 HR, 110 RBI, 74 runs
144 hits, 19 doubles
283 total bases
7.6 RC / 27
60 BB, 103 K
Anytime you can get that kind of offense out of your catcher, it's a huge bonus. His 3-home run, 8 RBI game in the first month of the season might have seemed like a fluke but he kept up the pace all year. He was second only to Stanton in AB/HR (12.1) on a team that led the league in slugging percentage. Impressively, Vogt tied for 5th in batting average to go with his 40 dongs.
Joey Votto, Hopatcong
.283/.407/.496/.902
29 HR, 94 RBI, 110 runs
170 hits, 39 doubles, 1 triple
298 total bases
7.9 RC/27
127 BB, 163 K
Another previous winner of the Mitchell Award (2011), Votto won the batting title that year. This year he led the league in on-base percentage and RC/27, setting the pace for an offense that included Harper and Cespedes.
Honorable Mention
Nolan Arenado, Tucson
.218/.302/.490/.682
33 HR, 91 RBI, 73 runs
143 hits, 39 doubles, 3 triples
287 total bases
2.9 RC/27
21 BB, 131 K
It's could be easy to overlook the batters on the The King Snakes (nee Scorptions) given Tucson's stellar rotation. If you're looking for a bat from the best team in the regular season (97 wins), Arenado led the squad in home runs and RBI with an anemic batting average. He got some balanced help in lineup, if you're looking for other candidates: Nelson Cruz (31 HR), Lucas Duda (29 HR, team-best .801 OPS) and rookie Kyle Schwarber (24 HR).
Brandon Belt, San Francisco
.248/.323/.413/.737
18 HR, 80 RBI, 80 runs
160 hits, 31 doubles, 11 triples
267 total bases
4.9 RC/27
67 BB, 211 K
San Francisco made the playoffs on the strength of its pitching, primarily using 9 pitchers all season. Belt carried the 88-win offense with a modicum of help from Alex Gordon and it shows when you compare his numbers to some of the big boppers. But the Mitchell Award does have the phrase MVP in it, so you decide. He ranked in the top 10 in the league in triples -- as a 1B! -- and didn't commit a single error in 162 starts.
Ryan Braun, Sardine City
.257/.331/.436/.767
24 HR, 84 RBI, 75 runs
137 hits, 24 doubles
233 total bases
4.6 RC/27
59 BB, 140 K
Another Kirk Gibson-esque candidate, Braun was mainly the Straphangers DH and his numbers look rather pedestrian but they were team highs in the power department. He got some help from Evan Longoria and Christian Yelich -- a deadline deal for Hank Conger didn't move the needle much -- but this was another playoff squad that won 87 games on the strength of their pitching.
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