Picking Every MLB Team's MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in 2026

Before the baseball world fully shifts focus to the offseason, let's slap a bow on the 2026 campaign by selecting the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year for every MLB team.

There is little drama with the leaguewide awards this year. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Yordan Alvarez are the MVP favorites, Jacob Misiorowski and Cam Schlittler could both win their respective Cy Young Awards unanimously, and Kevin McGonigle is a lock for AL Rookie of the Year honors. The only real debate is the NL Rookie of the Year race.

However, zooming in on the top candidate for each award on a team level creates a more compelling conversation.

Only position players were considered for the team MVP award, while rookies were eligible to also be selected as their team's MVP or Cy Young. Just like the actual leaguewide awards, the focus was also solely on regular-season production.

ARI | ATH | ATL | BAL | BOS | CHC | CIN | CLE | COL | CWS | DET | HOU | KC | LAA | LAD | MIA | MIL | MIN | NYM | NYY | PHI | PIT | SD | SEA | SF | STL | TB | TEX | TOR | WSH

MVP: C Gabriel Moreno Cy Young: SP Eduardo Rodríguez ROY: RP Brandyn Garcia

Just the fifth catcher in MLB history to win a batting title, Gabriel Moreno hit .311/.388/.486 for a 143 OPS+ with 33 doubles, 16 home runs, 83 RBI and an impressive 6.7 WAR in 130 games.

In the third season of a four-year, $80 million deal that saw him log a 5.02 ERA in 204.1 innings over the first two seasons, Eduardo Rodríguez earned his first All-Star selection. The 33-year-old went 16-7 with a 2.89 ERA in 189.2 innings.

MVP: 1B Nick Kurtz Cy Young: SP J.T. Ginn ROY: OF Henry Bolte

The Athletics had a variety of injuries up and down the roster, including to MVP pick Nick Kurtz , though he still managed a 141 OPS+ with 21 home runs and 3.7 WAR in 99 games.

Those injuries opened the door for top prospect Henry Bolte to carve out an everyday role, and he hit .277/.359/.405 for a 110 OPS+ while also logging strong defensive metrics (5 DRS, 5 OAA) en route to a 3.3-WAR debut.

MVP: OF Michael Harris II Cy Young: SP Chris Sale ROY: RP Didier Fuentes

A runner-up finish in NL Cy Young balloting likely awaits Chris Sale , who continues to put up some of the best numbers of his career in his late 30s, going 14-9 with a 2.16 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 200 strikeouts in 162.2 innings.

The MVP debate is a compelling one between Michael Harris II (121 OPS+, 63 XBH, 26 HR, 5.1 WAR) and Matt Olson (123 OPS+, 75 XBH, 41 HR, 4.4 WAR), and the edge goes to Harris thanks to his standout defense (9 DRS, 13 OAA) at a premium position.

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MVP: 1B Pete Alonso Cy Young: SP Trevor Rogers ROY: C/DH Samuel Basallo

The Orioles inked Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal last offseason, and it ended up being one of the best moves of the winter as he went on to log a 149 OPS+ while leading the AL in home runs (43) and RBI (113).

With Adley Rutschman traded at the deadline, Samuel Basallo (112 G, 29 XBH, 18 HR, 1.6 WAR) is now the present and future at the catcher position. He is still only 22 years old, and locked up with an eight-year extension that runs all the way through the 2033 campaign.

MVP: 1B Willson Contreras Cy Young: SP Sonny Gray ROY: SP Payton Tolle

The Red Sox traded Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts and three prospects to acquire Willson Contreras (153 OPS+, 51 XBH, 27 HR, 4.6 WAR) and Sonny Gray (18-5, 2.72 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 169.0 IP, 4.3 WAR) in separate trades with the Cardinals during the offseason, and they ended up being arguably the two most productive players on the roster.

A strong season from Gray helped offset an injury-plagued season from Garrett Crochet, but a fantastic rookie campaign from Payton Tolle (9-6, 3.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 171 K, 148.2 IP) also went a long way as he settled in as the No. 2 arm on the staff.

Pete Crow-Armstrong was MLB's WAR leader with a 9.8-WAR campaign that included 45 home runs, 41 steals, an NL-leading 156 OPS+ and Gold Glove-caliber defense (16 DRS, 25 OAA) in center field.

In a revolving door starting rotation, Shota Imanaga started 32 games and logged a 3.77 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 174.1 innings. He was the only pitcher on the roster to surpass 140 innings of work, and his 14 quality starts were five more than anyone else on the staff.

MVP: 3B Miguel Vargas Cy Young: SP Sean Burke ROY: OF Tristan Peters

There is a case to be made that Munetaka Murakami (130 OPS+, 35 HR, 2.3 WAR) could be the pick for MVP and Rookie of the Year, but his loud rookie campaign was ultimately outpaced by fellow All-Star selections Miguel Vargas (134 OPS+, 33 HR, 22 SB, 5.4 WAR) and Tristan Peters (116 OPS+, 47 XBH, 3.6 WAR).

Right-hander Sean Burke (11-7, 3.34 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 185 K, 172.1 IP) was the clear ace of the staff, though multi-inning relievers Grant Taylor and Sean Newcomb at least deserve a mention for their work filling a variety of roles on the staff.

MVP: SS Elly De La Cruz Cy Young: SP Chase Burns ROY: IF Sal Stewart

Along with the first 30/30 season of his career, Elly De La Cruz also showed a more complete secondary game with a career-high .365 on-base percentage and more consistent defense at shortstop.

The Reds were careful to manage workload with Chase Burns , as he completed six innings in just 12 of his 29 starts, but he finished 15-3 with a 2.86 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 185 strikeouts in 154.1 innings. The 23-year-old effectively filled the role of staff ace with Hunter Greene sidelined.

MVP: OF Chase DeLauter Cy Young: SP Parker Messick ROY: SP Parker Messick

There is a debate to be had between Parker Messick (12-9, 2.56 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 193 K, 186.1 IP, 6.3 WAR) and Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.76 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 248 K, 184.1 IP, 3.1 WAR) for Cleveland's Cy Young honors, though Messick's ERA is difficult to ignore.

With José Ramírez struggling through a down year while navigating a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, Chase DeLauter anchored Cleveland's offense. The rookie outfielder hit .287/.363/.457 for a 131 OPS+ with 30 doubles, 16 home runs, 67 RBI and a team-high 226 total bases.

MVP: C Hunter Goodman Cy Young: SP Tomoyuki Sugano ROY: 1B TJ Rumfield

An All-Star for the second straight season, Hunter Goodman posted a 115 OPS+ and slugged 41 home runs to finish behind only Pete Crow-Armstrong (45) and Kyle Schwarber (45) on the NL leaderboard.

Rookie TJ Rumfield was acquired in an under-the-radar deal with the Yankees last offseason, and he hit .300 with an NL-leading .390 on-base percentage after staking his claim to Colorado's primary first base job. The 26-year-old now looks like a cost-controlled building block for the Rockies.

MVP: SS/3B Kevin McGonigle Cy Young: SP Keider Montero ROY: SS/3B Kevin McGonigle

Not only did Kevin McGonigle pace all rookies with his 7.1-WAR season, but that gaudy total trailed only Pete Crow-Armstrong (9.8), Cristopher Sánchez (8.1) and Brice Turang (7.3) among all players across baseball.

With Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize both traded at the deadline and Framber Valdez putting together a lackluster debut in Detroit, the Cy Young debate came down to Keider Montero (10-9, 3.48 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 107 K, 155.0 IP) and Troy Melton (8-5, 2.76 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 94 K, 114.1 IP). Both will be counted on to be key pieces of the rotation in 2027.

MVP: DH Yordan Alvarez Cy Young: SP Peter Lambert ROY: RP AJ Blubaugh

Yordan Alvarez made a legitimate run at AL Triple Crown honors, ultimately settling for the batting title (.316 BA) and runner-up finishes in home runs (42) and RBI (106) in a season that should end in AL MVP honors.

A tip of the cap to Peter Lambert for leading the team in innings pitched (155.2), strikeouts (154) and pitching WAR (3.1), helping to prop up an injury-plagued staff. Rookie AJ Blubaugh also finished third on the team with 96 innings, despite pitching exclusively in relief, posting a 3.66 ERA in 64 appearances.

Even with just 18 home runs, Bobby Witt Jr. still had a solid case for best all-around shortstop in baseball. He posted a 125 OPS+ with 52 extra-base hits, 45 steals and 6.7 WAR while again playing Gold Glove-caliber defense.

Rookie Carter Jensen led the team in home runs (27) and RBI (81), and he had an .882 OPS with 14 long balls in 60 games after the All-Star break. Expected to be the primary DH and backup catcher when the season began, he also ended up starting 97 games behind the plate.

MVP: SS Zach Neto Cy Young: SP Reid Detmers ROY: SP Walbert Ureña

With three straight 5-WAR seasons, Zach Neto stands as one of baseball's most underrated stars. The 25-year-old recorded his third straight 20/20 campaign with a career-high 27 home runs and 24 steals while posting a 118 OPS+ as one of the few offensive standouts in the Angels' lineup.

Reid Detmers (7-8, 3.36 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 211 K, 185.0 IP) emerged as the ace of the staff in his return to a starting role, while Walbert Ureña (9-11, 2.97 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 142 K, 148.1 IP) broke out to help make the deadline trade of José Soriano easier to justify.

MVP: OF Andy Pages Cy Young: SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto ROY: IF Alex Freeland

On a roster loaded with star power, Andy Pages led all position players with 6.0 WAR and carried the offense for stretches. The 25-year-old had a 122 OPS+ with 23 home runs and 85 RBI while also playing stellar defense (20 DRS, 9 OAA) in center field en route to being a Gold Glove finalist.

Infielder Alex Freeland hit a respectable .234/.327/.325 with 13 extra-base hits and 1.1 WAR in 89 games as the Dodgers' most impactful rookie. Shoutout to Josue De Paula for his .323/.500/.581 line over 42 plate appearances filling in at DH for Shohei Ohtani down the stretch.

MVP: SS Otto Lopez Cy Young: SP Sandy Alcantara ROY: C Joe Mack

There has not been a quieter 6-WAR season in recent memory than the year Otto Lopez just put together, as he hit .305/.349/.437 for a 122 OPS+ while racking up an NL-leading 191 hits and playing standout defense at shortstop.

He might not have returned to Cy Young form, but Sandy Alcantara provided plenty of value as a workhorse, leading the NL in innings pitched (214.0) while logging a 3.87 ERA and 104 ERA+ atop the Miami staff.

There is certainly a case to be made that William Contreras is the most irreplaceable player on the Milwaukee roster, but there's no ignoring a 7.3-WAR season from Brice Turang . He posted a 124 OPS+ with 37 doubles, 21 home runs, 100 RBI and 19 steals, and he won his second career Gold Glove at second base.

Jacob Misiorowski 's rise to frontline ace and NL Cy Young favorite was one of the biggest storylines of the year for the Brewers, but Logan Henderson deserves a ton of credit for stabilizing the rotation behind him. The rookie right-hander did not allow more than three earned runs in any of his 18 starts, finishing with a 2.47 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in 98.1 innings.

MVP: IF/OF Kody Clemens Cy Young: SP Taj Bradley ROY: SP Connor Prielipp

How many people outside of the state of Minnesota know that Kody Clemens led the Twins with 27 home runs this season? He posted a 109 OPS+ and 2.7 WAR over 145 games, and he split his time between first base, second base and the outfield.

The move to buy low on Taj Bradley in exchange for Griffin Jax at the 2025 trade deadline paid major dividends this year, as he broke through as the ace of the staff. Still only 25 years old, he had a 3.73 ERA and 205 strikeouts in 178.1 innings over 31 starts.

MVP: OF Carson Benge Cy Young: SP Nolan McLean ROY: SP Nolan McLean

For all the money the Mets spent trying to field a competitive roster, rookies Nolan McLean (12-10, 3.16 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 194 K, 179.2 IP) and Carson Benge (118 OPS+, 20 HR, 22 SB, 4.3 WAR) ended up being their best players over the course of the entire 2026 season.

Juan Soto had an elite 154 OPS+, but he played just 111 games, making it tougher to hand him team MVP honors. It will be interesting to see where McLean and Benge fall in NL Rookie of the Year balloting, though both seem to be chasing Cincinnati's Sal Stewart.

MVP: DH Ben Rice Cy Young: SP Cam Schlittler ROY: OF Spencer Jones

With Aaron Judge limited to 66 games and Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón both sidelined to start the year, the Yankees leaned hard on breakout seasons from Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler .

Rice had a 146 OPS+ with 41 home runs and 97 RBI in a season where no other Yankees player reached 20 long balls, while Schlittler is the heavy favorite for AL Cy Young honors after he went 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 239 strikeouts in 193.2 innings.

With a 128 OPS+ and 45 home runs, tied for the NL lead, Kyle Schwarber was again one of the game's most productive offensive players. Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez helped pick up the slack while Zack Wheeler missed time, and he looked like the NL Cy Young favorite during the first half while rattling off a 50.2-inning scoreless streak.

Right-hander Andrew Painter (23 GS, 5.40 ERA, 115 K, 126.2 IP, 1.3 WAR) and center fielder Justin Crawford (149 G, 78 OPS+, 27 XBH, 17 SB, -0.2 WAR) both made the Opening Day roster and filled key roles throughout the year, though neither finished with a standout individual stat line.

MVP: 2B Brandon Lowe Cy Young: SP Braxton Ashcraft ROY: OF Esmerlyn Valdez

The Pirates' trade to acquire Brandon Lowe (121 OPS+, 35 HR, 96 RBI) ended up being one of the best moves of the offseason, helping to transform what was baseball's worst offense in 2025 into a vastly improved group.

Braxton Ashcraft (28 GS, 3.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 173 K, 165.1 IP, 3.5 WAR) ended up outperforming Paul Skenes (32 GS, 3.82 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 200 K, 174.1 IP, 3.3 WAR) atop the Pittsburgh rotation, which is indicative of both Ashcraft's breakout and Skenes' regression.

MVP: OF Fernando Tatis Jr. Cy Young: RP Mason Miller ROY: RP Bradgley Rodríguez

After a rocky start to the season, Fernando Tatis Jr. hit .307/.385/.610 with 20 home runs in 64 games after the All-Star break, and a red-hot final two months helped lead the Padres back into the playoff picture.

Ace Michael King (32 GS, 12-10, 3.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 159 K, 185.0 IP, 4.3 WAR) and closer Mason Miller (66 G, 38 SV, 1.67 ERA, 16.6 K/9, 3.1 WAR) both have a solid case for team Cy Young honors. The best relief pitcher in baseball gets the nod here, and it will be interesting to see if he hits the trade block this winter.

MVP: 1B Rafael Devers Cy Young: SP Logan Webb ROY: DH Bryce Eldridge

The one-two punch of Rafael Devers (142 OPS+, 37 HR, 98 RBI, 3.6 WAR) and Bryce Eldridge (133 OPS+, 17 HR, 57 RBI, 2.1 WAR) has a chance to be the best power-hitting tandem to share the San Francisco lineup since Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent were teammates.

Even in a down year by his standards, Logan Webb was still an All-Star, finishing with a 4.31 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 134 strikeouts in 160.2 innings. He was slowed by knee bursitis earlier in the year and shut down early with a blister issue.

MVP: OF Randy Arozarena Cy Young: SP Logan Gilbert ROY: SP Kade Anderson

With a career-high 148 OPS+ and a sixth straight 20/20 season, Randy Arozarena enters free agency for the first time in his career as the most impactful bat on this year's offseason market. The 31-year-old had an excellent .381 on-base percentage and scored an AL-leading 113 runs.

Just a year removed from pitching LSU to a College World Series title and going No. 3 overall in the 2025 draft, Kade Anderson looked right at home in the big leagues after an utterly dominant run through the minors. The 22-year-old had a 3.79 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 32 strikeouts in 35.2 innings over seven starts after debuting on Aug. 22.

MVP: 1B Alec Burleson Cy Young: SP Michael McGreevy ROY: 2B JJ Wetherholt

While Jordan Walker (124 OPS+, 62 XBH, 29 HR, 102 RBI, 3.3 WAR) received significant attention for his breakthrough performance, fellow slugger Alec Burleson (131 OPS+, 64 XBH, 26 HR, 116 RBI, 3.7 WAR) ended up having the better overall season.

The Cardinals have assembled a solid offensive core, but there is significant work to be done on the pitching side of things. Michael McGreevy , Andre Pallante and Kyle Leahy put up similar numbers, and McGreevy gets the Cy Young nod on the strength of his team-high 168.2 innings of work.

MVP: 3B Junior Caminero Cy Young: SP Drew Rasmussen ROY: OF Victor Mesa Jr.

With a second straight 40-homer, 100-RBI season, Junior Caminero has firmly established himself as one of the game's elite sluggers, and he won't turn 24 years old until midway through the 2027 season. If anyone is going to steal first-place votes from Yordan Alvarez on the AL MVP ballot, it's him.

Acquired from the Marlins in an under-the-radar offseason deal, Victor Mesa Jr. emerged as Tampa Bay's primary right fielder during the second half of the season. He hit .288/.338/.555 with 18 extra-base hits in 158 plate appearances after the All-Star break, and is controllable through 2031.

MVP: IF/OF Ezequiel Durán Cy Young: RP Jacob Latz ROY: RP Peyton Gray

The Rangers bullpen looked like a glaring hole heading into the season, but starter-turned-closer Jacob Latz (58 G, 30 SV, 2.13 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 10.4 K/9) and 31-year-old rookie Peyton Gray (49 G, 8 HLD, 3.86 ERA, 9.6 K/9) ended up being key cogs in a strong relief corps.

With 25 or more starts at second base, shortstop and third base, along with some sporadic action in the outfield, Ezequiel Durán was baseball's best utility player. The 27-year-old had a 114 OPS+ and 4.2 WAR in 153 games while bouncing around the field.

MVP: 3B Kazuma Okamoto Cy Young: SP Dylan Cease ROY: 3B Kazuma Okamoto

The Blue Jays signed Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million deal, and he finished as the team leader in home runs (33), RBI (92) and OPS+ (107) during his first season. He also played a rock-solid third base after some thought he might be limited to first base stateside.

The seven-year, $210 million contract given to Dylan Cease was a significantly larger financial investment, and he could end up as the AL Cy Young runner-up. He made his long-overdue first All-Star Game and finished with a 2.40 ERA and 239 strikeouts in 169 innings.

MVP: SS CJ Abrams Cy Young: SP Cade Cavalli ROY: SP Foster Griffin

The CJ Abrams (127 OPS+, 33 HR, 106 RBI, 34 SB, 5.1 WAR) vs. James Wood (144 OPS+, 30 HR, 77 RBI, 21 SB, 3.7 WAR) debate for team MVP honors is a good snapshot of why the Nationals had one of the highest-scoring offenses in baseball, and assuming both players stay put this winter, they can again make the lineup a strength.

A finally healthy Cade Cavalli (13-5, 3.02 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 200 K, 169.2 IP) emerged as the ace of the staff following the offseason trade of MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers. He was rewarded with a four-year, $47 million extension in September.