Corbin Carroll heard all the noise last year. Every whisper that his rookie breakout might have been nothing more than a flash in the pan. But if you’ve been paying attention in 2025, you know he’s silencing every critic — and doing it in style. The Arizona Diamondbacks star is back to playing like one of the most dynamic players in baseball, and it’s time the national conversation starts to treat him that way. Not just as a bounce-back candidate, not a feel-good story — but as a legitimate contender for the National League Most Valuable Player Award.
Let’s make the case starting with the numbers. Carroll is slashing a robust .285/.358/.601, proving that his bat has not only returned but has reached another level. His 162 OPS+ confirms it’s not empty production — it’s well above league average, putting him among the elite hitters in the game.
He’s already launched 14 home runs, tied for third in Major League Baseball, while driving in 32 runs and swiping nine bags with the elite speed that made him a breakout star two seasons ago. His combination of power and speed is rare, and his 2.7 WAR — also tied for third in the league backs up just how valuable he’s been to the Diamondbacks.
Corbin Carroll’s resurgence has him back in the MVP conversation
Looking around the league, the MVP conversation seems to center on names like Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, and rising star Pete Crow-Armstrong. Carroll’s own teammate Eugenio Suárez is also getting deserved attention. But stack the numbers side-by-side, and Carroll belongs in that conversation just as much — if not more.
What makes Carroll’s case even stronger is the way he’s elevating his offensive profile beyond the box score. One of the biggest areas of growth this season has been his ability to barrel up baseballs at an alarming rate. After finishing with barrel rates of 7.6 percent in 2023 and 7.2 in 2024, Carroll has more than doubled that rate to 16.9 percent in 2025. He’s already recorded 24 barrels — closing in on his career high of 34, which he reached in each of the last two seasons.
This doesn’t look like luck. It’s growth. It’s an adjustment from a player who refuses to let a down year define him. The Diamondbacks have playoff aspirations again in 2025, and Carroll’s resurgence plays a big role. If he keeps this pace up — and all signs suggest he will, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as the league’s biggest stars when MVP ballots are cast later this year. Make no mistake, Corbin Carroll is back. And he’s playing like the most valuable player in the National League.