2022 Mitchell Award winner: Bryce Harper

Philly's Bryce Harper won his first Kevin Mitchell Award as the DMBL's top batter of 2022, easily outdistancing home run champ Vlad Guerrero, Jr. of Livingston and Vancouver rookie Frank Schwindel.

2022 Kevin Mitchell Award contenders

The Kevin Mitchell Award recognizes the DMBL's top batter. There's the age-old debate about whether to give the award to the best hitter or the most valuable hitter, and what does that even mean, if he plays for a non-playoff team?

Micro Conference: Shortstop

Like catcher, shortstop used to be primarily a defensive position with any offense coming out of the 6 hole considered a bonus. That's changed in the past couple of decades although it seems like maybe it's making a comeback with the pedestrian production generally seen at the shortstop position in DMBL this year.

2021 Mitchell Award winner: Jose Abreu

For the second consecutive year, and only the fifth time in league history, one franchise has swept the awards honoring the DMBL's top pitcher and batter.

2021 Mitchell Award contenders

2021 was a wild and wacky year in the DMBL. Expansion brought the league from 16 to 20 franchises and the season was simulated on the 60-game 2020 MLB season, so statistics come with a bit of an asterisk.

2020 Kevin Mitchell Award winner: Christian Yelich

Christian Yelich secured a triple crown of sorts in 2020, leading the league in batting, on-base percentage and slugging, along with a number of other categories. The offensive explosion in his seventh DMBL season was enough to win the 2020 Kevin Mitchell Award as the league's top batter, comfortably outdistancing teammate Cody Bellinger.

2020 Pat Listach Award winner: Pete Alonso

Pete Alonso slugged 60 home runs and drove in a league-high 139 RBI on his way to the Pat Listach Award, honoring the DMBL's top rookie. It's a league-record fourth Listach Award for the Hillsborough franchise.

2020 Kevin Mitchell Award candidates

Is a big hitting CF or SS more valuable than a power-hitting 1B? Does a DH who doesn't usually even play the field warrant as much consideration? It's an age-old question, as is just what "valuable" means. And in a season with home runs flying out of ballparks -- does it matter?

2020 Listach Award contenders - batters

The thing about the Pat Listach Award, recognizing the DMBL's top rookie each year, is that there are only three slots on the ballot. In 2020, voters are going to have a helluva time deciding because they'll have to leave some outrageously good rookies off of their ballots.