Who would your MLB Person of the Year be? After this unforgettable 2015 season it's certainly hard to say, but ESPN determined who their man was after conducting a poll among their MLB experts.
Their winner was Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper.
Harper, 23, won the National League MVP after leading the MLB in WAR (9.9), on-base percentage (.460), slugging percentage (.649) and OPS (1.109) and the NL in runs scored (118) and home runs (42). He also finished just three batting average points behind Dee Gordon, who won the NL Batting Title with a .333 average.
Harper concluded 2015 with a .330/.460/.649 stat line in addition to 118 runs scored, 42 home runs, 99 RBI and 124 walks in 153 games.
He became one of the youngest MVPs in MLB history, joining Johnny Bench, Stan Musial, Cal Ripken Jr. and Mike Trout. He was the seventh (and youngest) unanimous selection in MLB history and the first MVP in Nationals' franchise history.
"For the first time, we asked a group of our MLB experts to pick our ESPN.com person of the year in Major League Baseball," ESPN's Eddie Matz wrote. "We asked each voter to rank their top 10 based on these two questions: Who defined baseball in 2015? When you think of 2015, who is the person you think of?
"We had 23 voters in total and in a tight vote, the winner was Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper. Harper, who was named the NL MVP, was the only person in the top 10 on all 23 ballots and received the most first-place votes (7). Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon finished in second, picking up almost as many first-place votes (6) as Harper. Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta, Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson and Royals general manager Dayton Moore rounded out the top 5."
The Nationals' 2015 season was a let down, but Harper was still the talk of the league since he was finally healthy for the duration of the year, proving how dangerous a player he is when he's not limited.
Although his season concluded with a brawl against teammate Jonathan Papelbon in the dugout, that was quickly forgotten when the Baseball Writers Association of America endowed Harper with the league's highest honor.
