Voting begins for the Juan Marichal Award: 53 Dominicans compete for the distinction
The sixth edition of the Juan Marichal Award kicks off this Monday with its voting phase. On this occasion, a total of 53 outstanding Dominican baseball players have been selected as candidates to receive the award that recognizes the best player from the Dominican Republic during the 2026 Major League Baseball season.
Juan Soto, who has dominated the scene by taking the previous two editions, will seek to extend his reign, although this time he will face high-level competition due to the stellar performance of his compatriots in both circuits.
Outstanding figures of the season
The Dominican offense posted impressive numbers in 2026. Junior Caminero, of the Tampa Bay Rays, emerged as one of the most powerful figures by recording 42 home runs and 101 runs batted in. Joining this power group were hitters of the caliber of Rafael Devers (37 home runs), Manny Machado (30), and Elly De La Cruz, the latter standing out for his entry into the exclusive 30-30 club after totaling 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases.
Regarding contact with the ball, Otto López was the most consistent Dominican with a .305 batting average, also leading the countrymen in hits with 191. For his part, Fernando Tatis Jr. maintained his relevance with a solid harvest of 25 home runs and 83 runs batted in.
The winner of the Juan Marichal Award will be officially announced on October 20th, coinciding with the birthday of the legendary Dominican Hall of Famer.
Dominance from the mound
Pitching also had luxury protagonists. Cristopher Sánchez stood out as a co-leader in victories across all of Major League Baseball with 18 wins, in addition to recording 231 strikeouts. In the durability category, Sandy Alcántara led all MLB pitchers with 214.0 innings pitched. Likewise, Jhoan Durán established himself as the most effective closer among the Dominicans, accumulating 33 saves and an impressive 1.82 ERA.
Eligible candidates
The selection process evaluates the players who met the established participation requirements:
- Pitchers: Must have pitched at least 101 innings (starters) or participated in 30% of their team’s games (relievers). The list includes names such as Bryan Abreu, Brayan Bello, Luis Castillo, Eury Pérez, Framber Valdez, and Freddy Peralta.
- Position players: Must have participated in a minimum of 65% of their scheduled games (105 games). Candidates include figures such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Ketel Marte, Teoscar Hernández, José Ramírez, and Jeremy Peña.
The Juan Marichal Award is endorsed by the Association of Sports Journalists of Santo Domingo, the Caribbean Confederation, and the Dominican Baseball Federation, establishing itself as the highest individual recognition for Dominican talent in Major League Baseball.
