Three National League players who should walk away with awards in 2023

Accomplish a feat no other player has accomplished before by having 40-plus home runs and 70-plus stolen bases in the same year, he proved that he is recovered from the major knee injury he suffered in the 2021 season. 

Setting career-highs in nearly every statistical category in 2023, Acuna Jr. put his down season in 2022 behind him by bouncing back in a major way and has regained his status as one of the best players in the sport today.

Still only 25 years old and with an offensive core locked in for the foreseeable future, Acuna Jr. should be able to put up monster numbers year after year in Atlanta as he continues down his Hall of Fame potential path. 

Cy Young award

Blake Snell, San Diego Padres, pitcher

(14-9, 2.25 ERA, 234 strikeouts, 180 IP)

With an American League Cy Young award already under his belt, the 30-year-old left-hander got off to a rough start in 2023. 

Posting a 1-6 record with a 5.40 ERA over his first 9 starts in April and May, he looked like he was going to be another addition to the list of underachievers in the Padres disappointing 2023 season. 

But after allowing six runs in four innings pitched versus the Boston Red Sox on May 19th, Snell was virtually unhittable for the rest of the season.

In his final 23 starts, Snell went 13-3 with a 1.20 ERA and 186 strikeouts in 135 innings pitched. 

Even though he led the MLB in walks with 99, he rarely paid the price for allowing free base runners thanks to also leading the league in batting average against at .181.

Adding another Cy Young award to his resume comes at the perfect time, as he enters free agency for the first time in his career this offseason. 

Rookie of the Year award

Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks, outfielder

(.285/.362/.506, 25 home runs, 116 runs, 76 RBI, 54 stolen bases)

Helping lead the charge for the Diamondbacks in 2023, the 23-year-old outfielder played a major part in the team's unexpected playoff appearance this season and all but had the award wrapped up before the final month of the season.

The National League leader in triples with 10, his mixture of power and speed was evident with 65 XBH on the season. He also had the second-fastest home plate to first base time in the MLB at 4.08 seconds, according to baseball savant.

Signed to an eight-year, $111M contract extension before the season started in March, the Diamondbacks gamble is looking like it will pay off as it will keep Carroll under contract in the desert through the 2030 season with a club option for 2031. 

The face of the franchise they have desperately needed since trading first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018, Carroll has the ability to be a potential MVP candidate in Arizona for years to come.