It's the biggest sign that the 2026 Minor League season is nearing its conclusion: The annual MiLB Awards show is coming!
The fourth edition of the program will air on MLB Network on Monday, Sept. 28, at 8 p.m. ET, as the best performers in the Minor Leagues are awarded for their work during the 2026 season. Seven awards will be handed out -- six awarded in previous years plus a brand new one -- along with the naming on the All-MiLB Prospect Team.
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Here’s a look at the finalists from the seven awards being announced on Sept. 28.
Minor League Hitting Prospect of the Year
Andrew Fischer, 3B, Brewers (No. 5)
Theo Gillen, OF, Rays (No. 2/MLB No. 12)
Rainiel Rodriguez, C/1B, Cardinals (No. 1/MLB No. 17)
The Brewers’ first-round pick in 2025, Fischer has reached the seats at an epic pace. His 48 home runs on the season eclipse Ryan Howard’s 46 in 2004 for the most in the 21st century and are the most by any hitter in a season since Ron Kittle smashed 50 in 1982. The toolsy Gillen, taken by the Rays in the first round of the 2024 Draft, has put it all together and started getting to more impact in 2026, leading to a .315/.419/.546 line with 22 homers and 44 steals. Rodriguez is the top-rated catching prospect in the game and might be currently under-ranked on the Top 100 following an age-19 season that saw him reach Double-A and post a combined .324/.413/.574 line with 27 homers.
Previous winners: Konnor Griffin, Pirates (2025); Kristian Campbell, Red Sox (2024); Jackson Holliday, Orioles (2023)
Minor League Pitching Prospect of the Year
Kade Anderson, LHP, Mariners (No. 1/MLB No. 5)
Joseph Dzierwa LHP, Orioles (No. 3/MLB No. 88)
Anthony Eyanson, RHP, Orioles (No. 2/MLB No. 48)
Anderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 Draft, was about as dominant as a pitcher could be in the Minors before his late August callup. His 1.06 ERA was the best of any Minor League hurler with 90 or more innings since 1963 (the “modern era” for the Minor Leagues), coming at a time of otherwise huge offensive numbers, and also led pitchers this year in a host of statistical categories. The Orioles have a pair of finalists: Dzierwa, their second-round pick in 2025, pitched his way to Double-A and finished with a 2.27 ERA, .186 BAA and 0.90 WHIP, while Eyanson, acquired from the Red Sox in the Adley Rutschman deal at the Trade Deadline, pitched well across two levels and two organizations, joining Dzierwa in the Double-A Chesapeake rotation and finishing with a combined 1.54 ERA, 12.8 K/9 rate and .175 BAA.
Previous winners: Jonah Tong, Mets (2025); Quinn Mathews, Cardinals (2024); Drew Thorpe, Yankees (2023)
Breakout Player of the Year
Eric Hartman, OF, Braves (No. 1/MLB No. 41)
Ramon Marquez, RHP, Giants (No. 5/MLB No. 98)
Nolan Perry, RHP, Blue Jays (No. 2/MLB No. 94)
Hartman went in the final round of the 2024 Draft out of the western Canadian high school ranks and showed off some tools in 2025 to land at No. 21 on the Braves’ Top 30 to start the season, but he really took off this year, finishing with 26 homers and 56 steals and reaching Double-A at age 20. Marquez signed with the Phillies for just $10,000 in January 2025 but made his debut stateside and pitched his way to full-season ball. This year, he pitched his way to High-A and was a key part of the Luis Arraez and Caleb Kilian Trade Deadline deal with the Phillies. He finished with a combined 2.22 ERA, .162 BAA and 13.7 K/9 rate over 69 combined IP. Perry was a 2022 12th-round pick and missed all of 2025 following Tommy John surgery. He wasn’t on the Jays’ Top 30 list to start the year but shot up the rankings with a 2.50 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 117 K in 82 2/3 IP season.
Previous winners: Nolan McLean, Mets (2025); Kristian Campbell, Red Sox (2024); Junior Caminero, Rays (2023)
Minor League Debut of the Year
Kade Anderson, LHP, Mariners
Anthony Eyanson, RHP, Orioles
Josiah Hartshorn, OF/1B, Cubs (No. 1/MLB No. 38)
Anderson and Eyanson are both finalists for Pitching Prospect of the Year and their exploits are detailed above. Hartshorn signed for a sixth-round record of $2 million out of high school in 2025 and is making it look like money well spent by the Cubs. Playing all year at age 19, he reached Double-A in his first season of pro ball, finishing with a combined .925 OPS, 23 homers, 112 RBIs, 91 walks and 17 steals.
Previous winners: Konnor Griffin, Pirates (2025); Leo De Vries, Padres (2024); Ethan Salas, Padres (2023)
Defensive Player of the Year
Marek Houston, SS, Twins (No. 4/MLB No. 73)
Druw Jones, OF, D-backs (No. 23)
Ethan Salas, C, Padres (No. 1/MLB No. 22)
Previous winners: Druw Jones, D-backs (2025); Carson Williams, Rays (2024); Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs (2023)
Houston entered pro ball with a stellar defensive reputation and has lived up to it, as the 2025 first-rounder has shown off plenty of arm and 60-grade defensive actions at shortstop. Jones won this award a year ago and continues to be one of the top center fielders in the Minor Leagues. Salas, now in the big leagues, has a 60-grade arm and 70 field grade, has made great strides in controlling the running game with his arm and is very gifted as a game planner, blocker and receiver.
Farm System of the Year
Dodgers
Giants
Rays
This is the new award being handed out on the show, with the desire to award an organization for excellence and not just individual players. The Dodgers come in at No. 1 on our in-season farm system rankings, have six players currently on the Top 100 and other candidates to be added to the list. The Giants have made a huge leap forward, going from No. 19 in the preseason to No. 5 currently. Their huge improvement has come as a result of top hitters continuing to produce and get better, while a big Draft class and the Trade Deadline have given them tremendous balance on the mound. The Rays are No. 2 on the rankings and boast five Top 100 guys with several players in the system having breakout seasons.
Best New Alternative Identity
Here are the nominated alternative identities with the official team names in parentheses):
Columbus Scrambled Dogs (Double-A Columbus Clingstones, Braves)
Las Vegas Headliners (Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, A’s)
Louisville Humidity (Triple-A Louisville Bats, Reds)
Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas (Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals, Cardinals)
Reading Iced Coffees (Double-A Reading Fightin Phils, Phillies)
Tulsa Ranch Dippers (Double-A Tulsa Drillers, Dodgers)
Utah Dirty Sodas (Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, Angels)
Previous winners: Barkansas Dizzys (2025); Jersey Diners (2024); Amarillo Calf Fries (2023)