The World Baseball Classic is nothing if not a collection of Major League Baseball’s biggest and brightest stars. We’re essentially looking at 20 All-Star teams, representing various nations from all over the world, converging for a two-week tournament that determines who gets bragging rights until the next edition.
Choosing an MVP is a challenge in its own right. The odds board overwhelmingly suggests that we’ll see a United States representative take home the award – the U.S. is favored to win the tournament, and the MVP has always gone to a player on the winning team – but a tournament as brief as this one means catching lightning in a bottle, and any player can get hot for a two-week stretch.
With that said, this is a hero’s tournament. Shohei Ohtani, the reigning MVP of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, clinched the award – and the championship – by earning a ninth-inning save against the United States. Sustained excellence makes an MVP, but so do moments.
Below, we’ll take a look at this year’s most likely candidates, break them down into tiers, and determine what the best bets actually are before the action gets underway.
2026 World Baseball Classic MVP Odds
Odds are provided by BetOnline and current as of Feb. 27.
- Aaron Judge – United States (+750)
- Shohei Ohtani – Japan (+850)
- Tarik Skubal – United States (+1300)
- Bryce Harper – United States (+1600)
- Paul Skenes – United States (+1600)
- Kyle Schwarber – United States (+1600)
- Bobby Witt Jr. – United States (+1600)
- Gunnar Henderson – United States (+2000)
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Dominican Republic (+2800)
- Juan Soto – Dominican Republic (+2800)
- Ronald Acuña Jr. – Venezuela (+2800)
- Seiya Suzuki – Japan (+3000)
- Byron Buxton – United States (+3300)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto – Japan (+3300)
- Cal Raleigh – United States (+3300)
- Munetaka Murakami – Japan (+3300)
- Kazuma Okamoto – Japan (+3500)
- Julio Rodríguez – Dominican Republic (+4000)
- Fernando Tatis Jr. – Dominican Republic (+4000)
All other WBC MVP candidates have odds of +5000 or longer.
Tier 1: Overwhelming Favorites
It’s most likely that the tournament’s Most Valuable Player lands among this group. Talent is the biggest determining factor, but it should also come as no surprise that the tournament favorite – the United States – is heavily represented among the top tier.
Aaron Judge – United States (+750)
Appearing in his first World Baseball Classic, Aaron Judge enters with the shortest odds to be the tournament’s MVP. His case is as straightforward as it gets: Judge is the best batter in the world. As the main powerhouse behind this Team USA offense, he’s more than capable of providing steady run support and delivering under pressure.
Is this the best value bet available? Probably not – backing the favorite before an event begins is rarely a winning strategy – but Judge is certainly deserving of the honor.
Shohei Ohtani – Japan (+850)
If Japan wins the World Baseball Classic, it’ll likely be because of Shohei Ohtani. Even though he’s not pitching this time around, the two-way superstar is dominant enough at the plate to guide his team to a second consecutive championship.
The 31-year-old has been named AL or NL MVP in each of the last three seasons, and he smacked a career-high 55 home runs in 2025. If he’s put in a position to deliver, you have to assume he’s going to. If that’s not value, what is?
Tarik Skubal – United States (+1300)
The top-billed pitcher for the United States, Skubal is the back-to-back AL Cy Young and an absolute monster on the mound. The 29-year-old led the Majors in WHIP and SO/BB this past season while posting a 2.21 ERA, highlighting his unbelievable accuracy.
With that said, I would avoid making this bet. Skubal has said that he’ll make one start for Team USA before returning to the Tigers, which significantly caps his overall value.
Paul Skenes – United States (+1600)
If you’re looking to back an American pitcher, Skenes might just be your guy. The 23-year-old was quite easily the Pittsburgh Pirates’ MVP in 2025, winning NL Cy Young and recording an MLB-best 1.97 ERA.
Skenes will take on a greater workload than Skubal at the World Baseball Classic and is expected to make a pair of starts on the mound. Should he prove successful against some of the world’s best bats, Skenes will have made a compelling case for MVP.
Tier 2: International Contenders
Should the United States lose, the door would open to a wide range of international superstars to make their claim for MVP. Some are better bets than others, and the four players that follow present the most value at their current odds.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Dominican Republic (+2800)
The Dominican Republic has the third-shortest odds to win the World Baseball Classic at +375, so it’s somewhat surprising that the nation’s highest-ranked MVP candidate – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – comes in at a substantial +2800.
Guerrero is one of MLB’s most dangerous bats, and he’s coming off a strong postseason run in which he earned ALCS MVP. Over 18 playoff games, Guerrero batted .397 with 15 RBIs and eight home runs. If he can replicate that kind of efficiency in the WBC, he would be an easy MVP choice should the Dominican Republic win it all.
Juan Soto – Dominican Republic (+2800)
On equal footing with Guerrero is teammate Juan Soto, who’s one of MLB’s most consistent threats to get on base. He was walked 127 times in 2025, and he made the most of those opportunities, stealing an NL-high 38 bases.
Soto isn’t as efficient a batter as he was early in his career with the Washington Nationals, but he’s traded some of that contact for power, smashing a personal-best 43 home runs this past season. He’s also played hero before, so there’s every reason to believe that he would embrace the moment if he needed to deliver a big hit in the later stages of the tournament.
Ronald Acuña Jr. – Venezuela (+2800)
Venezuela has the fifth-shortest odds to win the World Baseball Classic (+1600), with Acuña standing out as the roster’s best bet for MVP. The 28-year-old looked strong in an injury-shortened 2025 campaign, batting .290 and blasting 21 home runs over 95 games.
There’s some solid depth on the Venezuelan national team – Eugenio Suárez, Wilyer Abreu and Gleyber Torres stand out – but if they pull off a shocker and win the title, this is undoubtedly Acuña’s award to lose. There are better bets at +2800, but I see the appeal.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto – Japan (+3300)
Ohtani has some genuine MVP challengers on his team, with fellow Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto looking like a real steal at +3300. The 27-year-old was named World Series MVP in 2025, allowing just two runs while striking out 15 over 17.2 innings pitched. That includes a complete game in which he gave up just four hits in a 3-1 victory on the road.
As Japan’s ace, Yamamoto has the opportunity to deliver some gems and guide his team to a spot in the title game. He’ll have to be pristine to wrestle MVP away from Ohtani, but this pick screams value.
Tier 3: American Sleepers
We know who Team USA’s most likely MVP candidates are, but anyone can get hot in a flash and capture the throne. Not every player stands on equal ground, but it’s tough to ignore the value at these odds.
Byron Buxton – United States (+3300)
Buxton just delivered his best season at age 31, logging career-high marks in runs (97), home runs (35), RBIs (83) and triples (seven), which saw him finish 11th in the AL MVP vote. When healthy, he’s one of the best players in the Majors, leveraging his lightning-quick speed in the outfield and around the bases.
His all-around impact makes him someone worth considering as a dark horse MVP, even if there are better bets available at the price.
Cal Raleigh – United States (+3300)
The AL MVP runner-up in 2025, Raleigh – also known as the Big Dumper – is coming off a historic season in which he hit an MLB-best 60 home runs for the Seattle Mariners. He’s also a terrific catcher, earning Platinum Glove honors in 2024.
Raleigh is a strong value at +3300 thanks to his home run potential and the sheer amount of time he’ll spend on the field. As Team USA’s primary catcher, he’ll have the chance to make winning plays more so than almost any other player. This is easily one of the best bets available.
Logan Webb – United States (+5000)
Webb’s ability to go deep into games is certainly something of value for the United States. And while he won’t take on a premier role in the rotation early on, he has the opportunity to make his mark in the latter half of the tournament once Skubal returns to the Tigers.
The 29-year-old righty made an MLB-high 34 starts in 2025, posting a 3.22 ERA and a career-best 9.7 K/9. He’s finished inside the top six in the NL Cy Young vote in each of the last three years and is undoubtedly one of the game’s best when he’s in form.
Tier 4: Intriguing Longshots
A few names stand out when you scroll further down the list. I’m not interested in betting on the best players on teams that aren’t likely to make it far into the tournament, but there’s absolutely something to be said for these secondary options on top contenders.
Julio Rodríguez – Dominican Republic (+4000)
I’ve already made the case for Guerrero and Soto, but what about fellow Dominican star Julio Rodríguez? The 25-year-old is already one of the best players in Major League Baseball, earning three All-Star nods and two Silver Slugger awards in his first four seasons.
Rodríguez was inefficient at the plate throughout the Mariners’ playoff run in 2025, but he remains an elite power hitter and baserunner. His speed and home run potential make him someone worth considering at +4000.
Sandy Alcantara – Dominican Republic (+6600)
The Dominican Republic has a real shot to win the World Baseball Classic, and Alcantara has the shortest odds of the team’s pitchers to win tournament MVP. The 30-year-old isn’t the Cy Young winner he once was in 2022, but he can absolutely turn it on when needed.
Case in point: After going 2-7 to start the 2025 season, Alcantara went 9-5 over his final 21 starts, posting a 4.37 ERA and striking out 102 batters over 127.2 innings pitched. It all depends on which version of Alcantara takes the mound, but he’s a genuine X factor who could play a massive role in determining the Dominican Republic’s fate.
Pete Crow-Armstrong – United States (+6600)
One of baseball’s most intriguing rising stars, Pete Crow-Armstrong burst onto the scene for the Chicago Cubs in 2025, driving in 95 RBIs at the plate while making highlight catch after highlight catch in the outfield. PCA has also shown a willingness to put his team first: He hit an MLB-high 12 sacrifice flies this past season.
That kind of unselfish play is precisely what could help him earn MVP honors. We know he can deliver with the bat when called upon, but if he can back that up by supplying high-effort play on defense, he could certainly outplay these +6600 odds.
Best Sportsbooks for 2026 World Baseball Classic
World Baseball Classic MVP odds vary by sportsbook, so it’s essential to shop around throughout the duration of the tournament. The differences might seem small, but placing a winning bet on a player at +4500 is far superior to getting that same player at +3500 or +4000 elsewhere.
If you need recommendations, you’ve got plenty of good options.
The odds in this article are supplied by BetOnline, which is as good a place as any to start. Known for offering fast payouts, a strong welcome bonus and other useful promotions, it’s one of the best all-around offshore sportsbooks on the market.
You also can’t go wrong with Bovada, perhaps the biggest name in the offshore space. Their low rollover requirements are a huge plus, and their “all-in-one” approach is great for sports bettors who also like to dabble in poker and casino games.
Finally, there’s BetAnything, which recently went through a rebrand that modernized the platform and unlocked new features. On top of their strong promotional offerings, BetAnything has reduced juice, meaning you pay less in the long haul on major sporting events.
Check out our guide to the best offshore sportsbooks to get started.
