2026 MLB predictions: Expert picks for MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, more

Which players could we see put up huge seasons this year?

By Kate Feldman

Mar 25, 2026 at 8:45 am ET • 4 min read

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports

Opening Day is almost here and the 2026 Major League Baseball season is ready to begin. We've already put together our team-wide predictions, from division winners to World Series championship picks. It's now time to try and nail down the player awards.

Aaron Judge eked out an MVP award in the American League in 2025, narrowly beating Cal Raleigh, while Shohei Ohtani ran away with it in the National League. Will they repeat? Who can beat out Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes for the Cy Young award? And which young prospect will break through and help carry his team as a rookie?

Let's get to your CBS Sports MLB experts' predictions.

American League awards picks

Award	Mike Axisa	Kate Feldman	Julian McWilliams	Dayn Perry	Matt Snyder
MVP	Aaron Judge	Bobby Witt Jr.	Aaron Judge	Julio Rodriguez	Julio Rodriguez
Cy Young	Garrett Crochet	Garrett Crochet	Tarik Skubal	Garrett Crochet	Garrett Crochet
Rookie of the Year	Kevin McGonigle	Kevin McGonigle	Kevin McGonigle	Munetaka Murakami	Kevin McGonigle
Manager of the Year	Dan Wilson	Skip Schumaker	John Schneider	Alex Cora	Mark Kotsay
Comeback Player	Yordan Alvarez	Gerrit Cole	Gerrit Cole	Mike Trout	Gerrit Cole

Mike Axisa: I will keep picking Aaron Judge to win MVP as long as he keeps winning MVPs. He should be slowing down now that he's getting into his mid-30s, but he's not. If anything, he's getting better. McGonigle is a top prospect with a clear lane to spend significant time in the big leagues given Detroit's shortstop situation. That equals a pretty strong Rookie of the Year case. Yordan for Comeback Player of the Year feels like a lay-up as long as that hand is healthy.

Kate Feldman: Maybe I'm just WBC-pilled but I'm all in on Bobby Witt Jr. this year. He's just so good on both sides of the ball. I think Tarik Skubal will out-pitch Garrett Crochet but I also think Skubal will be traded at the deadline -- to a National League team (let's call it the Mets) so he'll be ineligible.

Julian McWilliams: Judge has mastered the regular season and already ranks among the five greatest Yankees ever. He will win his fourth MVP, placing him in rare company, but another October without a World Series title will still keep him just outside the franchise's inner circle of champions.

Dayn Perry: Rodríguez will put up something like an 8-WAR season thanks to a career year at the plate and more outstanding defense in center. He'll edge out Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr. in the balloting. I'm picking the other names because I expect them to outdo the competition in their respective races and be recognized as having done so by voters.

Matt Snyder: Aaron Judge is very likely going to win AL MVP, but what's the fun in going chalk? I've got the Mariners winning it all, so let's have a little fun here. Julio is absolutely capable. Crochet can topple Skubal for the Cy too, and he wasn't far off last year.

National League awards picks

Award	Mike Axisa	Kate Feldman	Julian McWilliams	Dayn Perry	Matt Snyder
MVP	Shohei Ohtani	Shohei Ohtani	Shohei Ohtani	Shohei Ohtani	Juan Soto
Cy Young	Logan Webb	Paul Skenes	Paul Skenes	Paul Skenes	Paul Skenes
Rookie of the Year	JJ Wetherholt	Nolan McLean	Konnor Griffin	JJ Wetherholt	Nolan McLean
Manager of the Year	Craig Counsell	Craig Counsell	Torey Lovullo	Craig Counsell	Tony Vitello
Comeback Player	Tanner Scott	Luis Robert Jr.	Sandy Alcantara	Sandy Alcantara	Justin Steele

Mike Axisa: Similar to Aaron Judge, I will stop picking Shohei Ohtani to win MVP only after he stops winning MVPs. Hunter Greene's elbow surgery sabotaged my Cy Young pick before I could even make it. Webb has been right there in the voting the last few years and I think he'll get over the hump and win it. It will be tough for Scott to win Comeback Player of the Year with Edwin Díaz closing games, but eh, I don't see any great Comeback Player of the Year candidates in the NL otherwise.

Kate Feldman: I voted against Aaron Judge for MVP above but I'm still on the Shohei Ohtani train. It's not clever or creative but it's almost definitely right. Same with Paul Skenes. Nolan McLean kept his rookie eligibility by two innings (the Mets used him hard down the stretch so I don't think that was necessarily intentional) and his stuff is seriously, seriously good.

Julian McWilliams: Ohtani will continue to chase Barry Bonds' seven MVP awards, winning his fifth of an already Hall of Fame career. A Cy Young remains out of reach, but given his dominance on the mound and impact at the plate, there is still no one in sports like him.

Dayn Perry: I see no reason to make any kind of edgy pick in the NL MVP race. Ohtani will provide immense value at the plate with another 50-homer season and he'll also pitch like an ace while on the mound, albeit not at great volume. I'm picking the other names because I expect them to outdo the competition in their respective races and be recognized as having done so by voters.

Matt Snyder: Shohei Ohtani is likely going to win the NL MVP, but what's the fun in going chalk? Of course, I'm going with it in the Cy Young, because Skenes is at the start of a historic run (yes, I'm aware Ohtani is on a historic run as well, but it's already historic -- and leave me alone, these are my picks).

Odds via Caesars