Stats of the Day: MVP Trout by the numbers

November 18th, 2016

• A second MVP in 2016 -- his age-24 campaign -- has made the third player to have multiple wins by an age-24 season. Pitcher Hal Newhouser (1944-45) and catcher Johnny Bench (1970, '72) had done this before the American League's 2016 MVP.
• Trout is the sixth center fielder (100+ games in center) since 1931 to be in his age-24 season and capture the MVP. The previous five: Joe DiMaggio (1939), Willie Mays (1954), Mickey Mantle (1956), Fred Lynn (1975) and Trout (2014).
• MVPs since 1931 to be in age-24 or younger seasons and post a WAR (per Baseball-Reference.com) of at least 10.0: Jimmie Foxx (1932), Mays (1954), Mantle (1956) and Trout (2016).
• MVPs since 1931 to post a 170 (or better) OPS+ and steal 30 bases: Joe Morgan (1976), Jose Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1990, 1992), Rickey Henderson (1990), Larry Walker (1997) and Trout (2016). Of the group, only Canseco and Trout were playing in age-24 or younger seasons.
• Trout is the seventh player since 1931 to lead the AL or NL in runs, walks and OPS+ and claim MVP honors. The others: Lou Gehrig (1936), Ted Williams (1946, 1949), Mike Schmidt (1981), Bonds (1992) and Frank Thomas (1994).
• Among players in age-24 or younger campaigns (since 1931), here are the 10 highest WAR values (per Baseball-Reference), with MVPs in bold: Mantle (11.2 in 1956); Trout (10.8 in 2012); Williams (10.6 in both 1941 and 1942); Mays (10.6 in 1954); Trout (10.6 in 2016); Foxx (10.5 in 1932); (10.4 in 2000); Cal Ripken Jr. (10.0 in 1984); (9.9 in 2015).
• Per Baseball-Reference, Trout's WAR in 2016 -- 10.6 -- marked the fourth time through his age-24 season he's posted a figure of at least nine. Among players since 1947 who manned center field in at least 100 games, those four are already tied for second most. Mays had nine (two through his age-24 season) and Mantle had four (two through his age-24 season).
• Trout's 10.6 WAR in 2016 represents the 11th time since 1931 a center fielder (100+ games in center) has posted a 10.0 or better (all figures via Baseball-Reference). All 11 have come from the trio of Trout (2), Mays (6) and Mantle (3), with the 11 resulting in five MVP Awards (1954 and 1965 for Mays, 1956 and '57 for Mantle and 2016 for Trout).
• Per Baseball-Reference, Trout's 2016 represents the second-highest offensive WAR (an MLB-leading 9.9) of his career (after a 10.0 in 2013). Aside from Trout and his two, the other players to post multiple seasons of at least 9.5 through their age-24 campaigns: Ty Cobb (3) and Williams (2).
• Trout's Major League-leading 174 OPS+ in 2016 gives him a career mark of 170; the only players to have at least 2,000 plate appearances and a higher career number through their age-24 campaigns: Williams (190) and Cobb (176).