2024 Cincinnati Reds Awards: Who Deserved to be Honored After a Disappointing Season?

The Reds finished 77-85 and fourth in the National League Central Division.

Greg Kuffner | Oct 29, 2024

Sep 17, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (29) high fives shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) after the victory over the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

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Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds may have had a challenging season, finishing fourth in the National League Central Division, but that won’t stop us from celebrating some standout performances with our season awards! Check out our MVP, Rookie of the Year and other awards below:

Most Valuable Player

Elly De La Cruz is the easy pick here. At age 22, De La Cruz made huge improvements from his rookie season, slashing .259/.339/.471 with a team-leading 25 home runs and a league-leading 69 stolen bases.

Although he struggled with errors, he also led the team with 15 outs above average defensively, 11 more than the next closest Red.

De La Cruz is already turning into the superstar the Reds hoped he could be.

Pitcher of the Year

Hunter Greene is our 2024 Reds Pitcher of the Year. Greene started a career-high 26 games this season with an ERA of 2.75 and a WHIP of 1.02, both also career-bests.

The 25-year-old posted a 9-5 record with 169 strikeouts over 150 1/3 innings, marking a true breakout season for Greene. It was the kind of performance Reds fans had eagerly anticipated since drafting him second overall in 2017.

Honorable Mention: Nick Martinez

Most Improved Player

Tyler Stephenson is our pick for Most Improved Player due to his growth both at the plate and behind it. His offensive numbers surged from a .243/.317/.378 slash line in 2023 to a .258/.338/.444. slash line this season.

His power numbers increased as well, going from just 13 home runs and 56 RBI in 2023 to 19 home runs and 66 RBI in 2024.

Beyond his hitting, Stephenson made significant strides in defensive skills, improving his catcher framing runs from -9 to -1 daccording to Baseball Savant.

After a tough 2023 season, it was fantastic to see Stephenson bounce back with a big 2024.

Rookie of the Year

Although technically, he will be a rookie again in 2025, our pick for the Reds Rookie of the Year is Rhett Lowder.

Lowder made just six starts for the Reds in 2024, but in those six starts, he made quite a statement.

The 22-year-old went 2-2 with 1.17 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings. Lowder did not allow a run in four of his six starts.

The right-hander showed why the Reds drafted him with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Newcomer of the Year

And for our final award, we're thrilled to present Nick Martinez with the Newcomer of the Year Award. Signed as a free agent in the offseason, Martinez made a significant impact for the Reds in 2024, starting 16 games and appearing in 42 overall.

The right-hander posted an impressive 3.10 ERA and a WHIP of 1.03, proving to be a crucial addition to the pitching staff.

Martinez quickly became a fan favorite and was the Reds' best offseason addition.

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