Major League Baseball

MLB World Series MVPs: Complete list of winners by year

Updated Nov. 2, 2023 8:55 a.m. ET

While the World Series has been played by the two best MLB teams dating back to 1903, the World Series MVP has only been awarded since 1955. Renamed in 2017 after the great Willie Mays, the award has been given to some of the league's most iconic players who stepped up in the biggest series. Check out the complete list of World Series MVP winners:

World Series MVP Award winners

2023: Corey Seager (Shortstop - Texas Rangers)
2022: Jeremy Peña (Shortstop - Houston Astros)
2021: Jorge Soler (Outfielder, designated hitter - Atlanta Braves)
2020: Corey Seager (Shortstop - Los Angeles Dodgers)
2019: Stephen Strasburg (Pitcher - Washington Nationals)
2018: Steve Pearce (First baseman - Boston Red Sox)
2017: George Springer (Outfielder - Houston Astros)
2016: Ben Zobrist (Second baseman/Outfielder - Chicago Cubs)
2015: Salvador Pérez (Catcher - Kansas City Royals)
2014: Madison Bumgarner (Pitcher - San Francisco Giants)
2013: David Ortiz (Designated hitter - Boston Red Sox)
2012: Pablo Sandoval (Third baseman - San Francisco Giants)
2011: David Freese (Third baseman - St. Louis Cardinals)
2010: Edgar Rentería (Shortstop - San Francisco Giants)
2009: Hideki Matsui (Designated hitter - New York Yankees)
2008: Cole Hamels (Pitcher - Philadelphia Phillies)
2007: Mike Lowell (Third baseman - Boston Red Sox)
2006: David Eckstein (Shortstop - St. Louis Cardinals)
2005: Jermaine Dye (Outfielder - Chicago White Sox)
2004: Manny Ramirez (Outfielder - Boston Red Sox)
2003: Josh Beckett (Pitcher - Florida Marlins)
2002: Troy Glaus (Third baseman - Anaheim Angels)
2001: Curt Schilling (Pitcher - Arizona Diamondbacks)
2001: Randy Johnson (Pitcher - Arizona Diamondbacks)
2000: Derek Jeter (Shortstop - New York Yankees)
1999: Mariano Rivera (Pitcher - New York Yankees)
1998: Scott Brosius (Third baseman - New York Yankees)
1997: Livan Hernandez (Pitcher - Florida Marlins)
1996: John Wetteland (Pitcher - New York Yankees)
1995: Tom Glavine (Pitcher - Atlanta Braves)
1994: No World Series due to players' strike
1993: Paul Molitor (Designated hitter - Toronto Blue Jays)
1992: Pat Borders (Catcher - Toronto Blue Jays)
1991: Gene Larkin (First baseman - Minnesota Twins)
1990: José Rijo (Pitcher - Cincinnati Reds)
1989: Dave Stewart (Pitcher - Oakland Athletics)
1988: Orel Hershiser (Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers)
1987: Frank Viola (Pitcher - Minnesota Twins)
1986: Ray Knight (Third baseman - New York Mets)
1985: Bret Saberhagen (Pitcher - Kansas City Royals)
1984: Alan Trammell (Shortstop - Detroit Tigers)
1983: Rick Dempsey (Catcher - Baltimore Orioles)
1982: Darrell Porter (Catcher - St. Louis Cardinals)
1981: Steve Yeager (Catcher - Los Angeles Dodgers)
1981: Pedro Guerrero (Outfielder - Los Angeles Dodgers)
1981: Ron Cey (Third baseman - Los Angeles Dodgers)
1980: Mike Schmidt (Third baseman - Philadelphia Phillies)
1979: Willie Stargell (First baseman - Pittsburgh Pirates)
1978: Bucky Dent (Shortstop - New York Yankees)
1977: Reggie Jackson (Outfielder - New York Yankees)
1976: Johnny Bench (Catcher - Cincinnati Reds)
1975: Pete Rose (Outfielder - Cincinnati Reds)
1974: Rollie Fingers (Pitcher - Oakland Athletics)
1973: Reggie Jackson (Outfielder - Oakland Athletics)
1972: Gene Tenace (Catcher - Oakland Athletics)
1971: Roberto Clemente (Outfielder - Pittsburgh Pirates)
1970: Brooks Robinson (Third baseman - Baltimore Orioles)
1969: Donn Clendenon (First baseman - New York Mets)
1968: Mickey Lolich (Pitcher - Detroit Tigers)
1967: Bob Gibson (Pitcher - St. Louis Cardinals)
1966: Frank Robinson (Outfielder - Baltimore Orioles)
1965: Sandy Koufax (Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers)
1964: Bob Gibson (Pitcher - St. Louis Cardinals)
1963: Sandy Koufax (Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers)
1962: Ralph Terry (Pitcher - New York Yankees)
1961: Whitey Ford (Pitcher - New York Yankees)
1960: Bobby Richardson (Second baseman - New York Yankees)
1959: Larry Sherry (Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers)
1958: Bob Turley (Pitcher - New York Yankees)
1957: Lew Burdette (Pitcher - Milwaukee Braves)
1956: Don Larsen (Pitcher - New York Yankees)
1955: Johnny Podres (Pitcher - Brooklyn Dodgers)

Multiple World Series Award winners

Only four players have won World Series MVP award multiple times. Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Reggie Jackson and Corey Seager have won the award twice. Reggie Jackson and Corey Seager are the only players to win the award for two different teams.

World Series Winners by team

A total of 23 teams have had World Series MVPs. The New York Yankees lead the way with 12 different MVPs and 19 teams have multiple winners. The complete list of teams with World Series MVPs is below:

New York Yankees - 12 MVPs
Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers - 9
St. Louis Cardinals - 5
Boston Red Sox - 4
Oakland Athletics - 4
Baltimore Orioles - 3
Cincinnati Reds - 3
Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves - 3
San Francisco Giants - 3
Arizona Diamondbacks - 2
Detroit Tigers - 2
Florida Marlins - 2
Houston Astros - 2
Kansas City Royals - 2
Minnesota Twins - 2
New York Mets - 2
Philadelphia Phillies - 2
Pittsburgh Pirates - 2
Toronto Blue Jays - 2
Anaheim Angels - 1
Chicago Cubs - 1
Chicago White Sox - 1
Washington Nationals - 1

World Series Winners by position

Players at eight positions have secured the World Series MVP award with pitchers being the most popular selection. Pitchers have won 29 World Series MVPs. Check out the complete list below: