2026 MLB Award Predictions: Early Picks for MVPs, Cy Youngs

This blog post digs into a bold, contrarian batch of early 2026 MLB award predictions. The writer, a seasoned observer, swerves away from chalk and preseason favorites on purpose.

Drawing on context, analytics, and a bit of gut instinct, the piece projects winners for MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Reliever of the Year, and Manager of the Year in both leagues.

Taking the Road Less Traveled with 2026 Awards Picks

Predicting MLB awards a whole season in advance is always a bit of a gamble. Trying it while dodging the obvious names? That’s another level of tricky.

This set of 2026 predictions leans hard into upside, development curves, and those sweet spots where opportunity meets talent. The author hunts for players who seem ready for a leap, managers set up for narrative glory, and award races that might get weird thanks to health, workload, or roster shakeups.

American League MVP: Julio Rodríguez

The AL MVP pick goes to Julio Rodríguez of the Seattle Mariners. It’s not exactly a shock, but it’s more about believing in his growth curve.

Rodríguez already brings a rare mix of power, speed, and defense. The real key here is that his contact quality and plate discipline look better every year.

After some postseason reps, he’s coming in more polished and fired up, right at the edge of his prime. If he keeps boosting his on-base skills and flashing that Gold Glove defense, an MVP run feels totally within reach.

National League MVP: Juan Soto

For the NL, the nod goes to Juan Soto of the New York Mets, fresh off a monster season. Imagine a line of 40 home runs, 100 walks, 100 runs, 100 RBIs, and 30 doubles—that’s rare air.

Soto isn’t a defensive wizard, but his bat is just that good. He’s in his prime and, honestly, it’s hard to see anyone matching his offensive firepower if he stays healthy.

Cy Young Awards: Betting on Arms with Elite Metrics

Pitching awards usually come down to a mix of durability and dominance. These picks lean on advanced stats, strikeout chops, and projected innings.

AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet

Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox gets the American League nod. His strikeout numbers are eye-popping, and his command keeps trending up.

All the underlying data says he’s the real deal. If he gets enough innings, Crochet could stand out in a pretty packed group.

NL Cy Young: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

For the National League, it’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Not the obvious pick, but maybe the right one.

The only real question is how many innings he’ll get. If the Dodgers let him off the leash, his command and run prevention could put him at the top of the Cy Young race.

Relievers, Rookies, and Managers to Watch

The new BBWAA Reliever of the Year awards, plus the chaos of the Rookie and Manager races, give plenty of room for creative guesses.

Reliever of the Year Picks

The reliever picks are all about dominance, even in small samples:

Both have filthy stuff and shut down hitters, the kind of arms that can wow voters even if they don’t rack up a ton of saves.

Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year

For AL Rookie of the Year, Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle stands out. He brings elite hit tools, great bat speed, and some pretty impressive 2025 minor-league numbers.

In the NL, Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt looks ready to grab his shot. With all the roster changes, he could jump in right away and make a difference.

Manager of the Year? My picks: Craig Albernaz of the Orioles, who’s steering them toward a bounce-back year, and Don Kelly of the Pirates. That one’s a bit of a gamble, but if Pittsburgh’s pitching really clicks, October isn’t out of reach.

 
Here is the source article for this story: A way-too-early attempt at predicting 2026 award winners