Comeback Player of the Year
40 award winners
The Comeback Player of the Year has been awarded 40 times, from 2005 to 2025. The most recent winner on record is Ronald Acuña in 2025, playing for ATL. Buster Posey has won it most often, 2 times. There are 38 distinct winners in the list below.
Data updated
Award Overview
- Award Name
- Comeback Player of the Year
- Total Awards Given
- 40
- First Awarded
- 2005
- Most Recent
- 2025
All Winners
Complete list of Comeback Player of the Year recipients
| Year | Player Name | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ronald Acuña | ATL | NL |
| 2025 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | AL |
| 2024 | Garrett Crochet | CHA | AL |
| 2024 | Chris Sale | ATL | NL |
| 2023 | Cody Bellinger | CHN | NL |
| 2023 | Liam Hendriks | CHA | AL |
| 2022 | Albert Pujols | SLN | NL |
| 2022 | Justin Verlander | HOU | AL |
| 2021 | Trey Mancini | BAL | AL |
| 2021 | Buster Posey | SFN | NL |
| 2019 | Carlos Carrasco | CLE | AL |
| 2019 | Josh Donaldson | ATL | NL |
| 2018 | David Price | BOS | AL |
| 2018 | Jonny Venters | TBA | NL |
| 2017 | Mike Moustakas | KCA | AL |
| 2017 | Ryan Zimmerman | WAS | NL |
| 2016 | Rick Porcello | BOS | AL |
| 2016 | Anthony Rendon | WAS | NL |
| 2015 | Prince Fielder | TEX | AL |
| 2015 | Matt Harvey | NYN | NL |
| 2014 | Casey McGehee | MIA | NL |
| 2014 | Chris Young | SEA | AL |
| 2013 | Francisco Liriano | PIT | NL |
| 2013 | Mariano Rivera | NYA | AL |
| 2012 | Buster Posey | SFN | NL |
| 2012 | Fernando Rodney | TBA | AL |
| 2011 | Lance Berkman | SLN | NL |
| 2011 | Jacoby Ellsbury | BOS | AL |
| 2010 | Tim Hudson | ATL | NL |
| 2010 | Francisco Liriano | MIN | AL |
| 2009 | Chris Carpenter | SLN | NL |
| 2009 | Aaron Hill | TOR | AL |
| 2008 | Cliff Lee | CLE | AL |
| 2008 | Brad Lidge | PHI | NL |
| 2007 | Carlos Peña | TBA | AL |
| 2007 | Dmitri Young | WAS | NL |
| 2006 | Nomar Garciaparra | LAN | NL |
| 2006 | Jim Johnson | BAL | AL |
| 2005 | Jason Giambi | NYA | AL |
| 2005 | Ken Griffey | CIN | NL |
About the Comeback Player of the Year list
Winners of the Comeback Player of the Year are listed from 2025 back to 2005. The earliest winners were Jason Giambi and Ken Griffey. The most recent 2025 rows name Ronald Acuña and Jacob deGrom. Buster Posey has the most entries, winning in 2012 and 2021. Other repeat winners include Francisco Liriano (2010 and 2013). From 2005, the list carries one winner per league in most years. No club turns up in the Comeback Player of the Year Team column as often as the Atlanta Braves. Going back from there, the list reads Garrett Crochet and Chris Sale (2024), Cody Bellinger and Liam Hendriks (2023), Albert Pujols and Justin Verlander (2022), Trey Mancini and Buster Posey (2021), and Carlos Carrasco and Josh Donaldson (2019). By decade, the years 2010 and 2019 hold the most Comeback Player of the Year entries. Jason Giambi (2005) heads the AL side of the list. The first National League row is Ken Griffey in 2005. The Comeback Player of the Year also appears on every winner's profile, under awards.
Comeback Player of the Year: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who won the most recent Comeback Player of the Year?
- Ronald Acuña won the Comeback Player of the Year in 2025.
- Who has won the most Comeback Player of the Year awards?
- Buster Posey, with 2 wins.
- When was the Comeback Player of the Year first awarded?
- The first Comeback Player of the Year on record was awarded in 2005; the most recent in this list is from 2025.
- How many players have won the Comeback Player of the Year?
- 38 different players have won it, across 40 awards.