Major League Baseball announced today that two-time All-Star Marcell Ozuna has been voted the winner of the 2020 Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. Ozuna, who has played his entire career in the National League, becomes the first NL player to win the award after the winner was chosen across both leagues for the first time since the honor was introduced in 1973.
Ozuna posted a slash line of .362/.464/.691 with 26 runs scored, 54 hits, seven doubles, 14 home runs and 40 RBI across 39 games as a DH for the Braves, helping Atlanta to a 35-25 (.583) record and an NL East division title. Overall, Ozuna batted .338 (77-for-228) with 38 runs and 14 doubles, while pacing the NL with 18 home runs and 56 RBI across all 60 games played.
Among Major League designated hitters with at least 35 at-bats, the 30-year-old finished his excellent season first in walks (29), on-base percentage and slugging percentage; second in home runs and total bases (103); and third in batting average and hits. Ozuna became the first Braves player to lead the senior circuit in home runs or RBI since 2005 when Andruw Jones also paced the NL in both categories (51 HR, 128 RBI). The Dominican Republic native became the first NL player overall to accomplish that feat since his former teammate Giancarlo Stanton did so for the Miami Marlins in 2017 (59 HR, 132 RBI). Ozuna was clutch down the stretch for the Braves, batting an NL-best .394 (41-for-104) during the month of September. His 33 RBI in September matched the Atlanta-era (since 1966) record for a calendar month, following his All-Star teammate and 2020 NL Most Valuable Player Freddie Freeman, who also tallied 33 RBI in June 2019. Marcell helped the Braves reach the NL Championship Series after the Club captured its 20th division title in franchise history, establishing a new Major League record.
Two-time ODH Award winner Nelson Cruz of the Minnesota Twins finished second in voting after hitting .304 (56-for-184) with 33 runs, six doubles, 16 home runs, 33 RBI and a .598 slugging percentage over 52 games played as DH this past season.
Now in its 47th season, the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award was renamed by Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig in a September 2004 ceremony at Safeco Field in honor of the retiring Edgar Martinez. Ballots are cast by club beat writers, broadcasters and public relations departments with nominees including all players with a minimum of 35 at-bats as a designated hitter.
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Previous Winners Include:
1973 – Orlando Cepeda (Boston)
1974 – Tommy Davis (Baltimore)
1975 – Willie Horton (Detroit)
1976 – Hal McRae (Kansas City)
1977 – Jim Rice (Boston)
1978 – Rusty Staub (Detroit)
1979 – Willie Horton (Seattle)
1980 – Hal McRae (Kansas City)
1981 – Greg Luzinski (Chicago)
1982 – Hal McRae (Kansas City)
1983 – Greg Luzinski (Chicago)
1984 – Dave Kingman (Oakland)
1985 – Don Baylor (New York)
1986 – Don Baylor (Boston)
1987 – Harold Baines (Chicago)
1988 – Harold Baines (Chicago)
1989 – Dave Parker (Oakland)
1990 – Dave Parker (Milwaukee)
1991 – Chili Davis (Minnesota)
1992 – Dave Winfield (Toronto)
1993 – Paul Molitor (Toronto)
1994 – Not awarded
1995 – Edgar Martinez (Seattle)
1996 – Paul Molitor (Minnesota)
1997 – Edgar Martinez (Seattle)
1998 – Edgar Martinez (Seattle)
1999 – Rafael Palmeiro (Texas)
2000 – Edgar Martinez (Seattle)
2001 – Edgar Martinez (Seattle)
2002 – Ellis Burks (Cleveland)
2003 – David Ortiz (Boston)
2004 – David Ortiz (Boston)
2005 – David Ortiz (Boston)
2006 – David Ortiz (Boston)
2007 – David Ortiz (Boston)
2008 – Aubrey Huff (Baltimore)
2009 – Adam Lind (Toronto)
2010 – Vladimir Guerrero (Texas)
2011 – David Ortiz (Boston)
2012 – Billy Butler (Kansas City)
2013 – David Ortiz (Boston)
2014 – Victor Martinez (Detroit)
2015 – Kendrys Morales (Kansas City)
2016 – David Ortiz (Boston)
2017 – Nelson Cruz (Seattle)
2018 – Khris Davis (Oakland)
2019 – Nelson Cruz (Minnesota)
