World Baseball Classic MVP Odds: Favorites & Predictions for 2026 WBC

Meaningful baseball games will be played in early March, thanks to the 2026 World Baseball Classic serving as a nice appetizer for fans before the upcoming MLB season.

And just like the early MLB MVP odds, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani begin as the betting favorites for the WBC MVP award via the opening odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook.

Both players have won back-to-back MVP awards in MLB, but are they the rightful favorites in a much more volatile race?

Take a look at the updated WBC MVP odds:

Odds to Win WBC MVP in 2026

Who Will Win WBC MVP in 2026?

Based on the initial baseball odds, Aaron Judge is the betting favorite to win the MVP award in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. At +800, Judge has an implied probability of 11.11%.

Japan superstar Shohei Ohtani begins as the primary challenger in this race at +1000, giving him an implied probability of 9.09%. Ohtani won the MVP award after leading Japan to its third WBC title in 2023, defeating the USA in the championship game.

After putting together a loaded roster, the USA is a -110 favorite to win the WBC for a second time in the history of the event. That’s likely why the MVP odds favor Judge over Ohtani entering the WBC.

Still, it’s worth noting that both players have much more favorable odds in this market compared to their MVP prices in MLB. Judge is a +200 favorite in the American League, while Ohtani leads the way with -125 odds in the National League.

The difference in odds reflects how much more open this market is compared to an MLB regular-season award. Betting WBC MVP is much more like the World Series MVP market, where players like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Freddie Freeman have won the last two awards, while Ohtani started as the favorite.

Ohtani won the WBC MVP award in 2023, but that was more due to his unique two-way ability. He hit .435 with four doubles, eight RBIs, and one home run while adding two wins and one save with 11 strikeouts on the mound.

Ohtani doesn’t plan to pitch in this year’s event, which matters when assessing his WBC MVP odds. Counting Ohtani, this award has gone to a pitcher four times in five total events since 2006.

Here is a list of the past WBC MVP winners:

• RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (2006)
• RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (2009)
• 2B Robinson Canó (2013)
• RHP Marcus Stroman (2017)
• DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani (2023)

I’m tempted by the odds on most USA pitchers, but I’d prefer to wait for a clearer plan for their pitching. For example, Tarik Skubal only plans to start one game against Great Britain in pool play. Paul Skenes hopes to make two starts, including one in pool play.

As a result, Logan Webb (+2500) and Nolan McClean (OTB) could be asked to make multiple tournament starts, including the championship game. That would make one of them a better value at their current odds.

For now, my first click was Bobby Witt Jr., who has established himself as the best shortstop in the sport. He has received AL MVP votes for three straight years, including a runner-up finish to Judge in 2024.

Witt’s initial value of +2200 in the market stood out, especially when compared to Gunnar Henderson’s +1800 price tag. The latter shortstop is more likely to play a different position for Team USA. Witt, meanwhile, is projected to hit leadoff.

Prediction: Bobby Witt Jr.