Which MLB MVP finalists' cards are worth buying

MLB names its MVPs on Thursday, Nov. 12. Polymarket gives Pete Crow-Armstrong and Yordan Alvarez better than a 98% chance in their leagues as of Wednesday afternoon. Their 2026 Topps Chrome Refractors sell for about $28 and $27 raw. Topps will give you $40 for each one through its MVP Buyback once they win. That $40 is store credit, though, good only at a participating hobby shop or through a mail-in partner until Jan. 31, 2027.

The scarcer card is Crow-Armstrong's 2024 Topps Chrome rookie #16. PSA has graded only 166 10s out of 542 copies, a 31% gem rate against 71% for Alvarez's 2020 Bowman Chrome. Raw copies sell for about $6 while PSA 10s go for about $300. I'd buy the high quality raw and take a chance on PSA 10, because a first MVP sends collectors to a player's rookie.

NL MVP finalists

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong is likely to win the National League MVP award; his numbers reflect that, and so do his card prices. 45 homers, tied with Kyle Schwarber for the MLB lead, 107 RBI, 175 hits, a .280 batting average, and 41 stolen bases are not numbers to mess around with. He established himself as a star this season, and his big-card market will keep rising in the coming years.

Let's take his 2026 Topps Chrome Refractor at about $28. This card matters right now because of the Topps MVP Buyback. It gets you $40 per Refractor in store credit at participating card shops. The base card gets you $20, and numbered cards $100 to $200 each. I would only buy this in person, because once you pay for shipping, the return credit isn't worth the money you spend. If you buy at a show, you'll likely be able to get a better price too.

Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani's cards still sell a lot, but his prices are down considerably across the board. You don't need an explanation of his superstardom as he is a four-time MVP and arguably the best player in Major League Baseball. The Dodgers' slugger had a down year by his standards, and his market has followed. He battled injuries, last pitched on July 3 and went on the injured list in September with right biceps inflammation.

At the plate, he hit 30 home runs, drove in 81 runs, and went 144-for-523 with a .275 average. On the mound, he was just as good, if not better. An 8-2 record, 1.79 ERA, 95 strikeouts, and a 0.95 WHIP, all while only pitching 85.2 innings across 14 starts. He very likely could have been a Cy Young Award finalist if he didn't get hurt.

His cards still move, just for less. His 2023 Topps All Aces sells for $240. Even his Topps Update rookie and Bowman rookie are more affordable than the then-common All Aces insert. His 2018 Topps Update rookie sells for $50 to $123, while his 2018 Bowman rookie is about $88. Which one I'd buy depends on what you want. If you want a PSA 10 to keep, buy the Bowman: only 38% of the copies PSA grades come back 10s against 55% for the Update, and its PSA 10s sell for about $510 against $440. If you're buying raw to grade it yourself, buy the Update, because more than half of them come back 10s.

Brice Turang

The World Series Champion and MVP Finalist won a Gold Glove at second base this season. His 2026 Topps Finest auto is about $30, while his 2023 Topps Chrome rookie is about $1. I'd pass on those cards. The MVP will likely go to Pete Crow-Armstrong, and the odds of him being an MVP Finalist again are low. However, his numbers this season were respectable. 21 home runs, 100 RBI, 156 hits, and a .268 batting average. He had a huge impact on his team's success, but he's not worth it to me at this price point.

AL MVP finalists

Yordan Alvarez

Yordan Alvarez will very likely win the American League MVP Award for his amazing performances. Yordan went yard 42 times and drove in 106 runs on 179 hits, for an MLB-leading .316 batting average and a 1.033 OPS that also led the majors. His season was incredible, and his cards show why.

His 2026 Topps Chrome Refractor sells for $27. I'd treat Alvarez's Topps Chrome Refractor the same way as Pete Crow-Armstrong's and only buy it in person.

Alvarez's 2020 Bowman Chrome rookie is about $2, and I wouldn't consider buying it in a PSA 10. 71% of the copies PSA grades come back 10s. That keeps the PSA 10 around $45.

Junior Caminero

Like all of the 2026 MVP Finalists in both the American and National Leagues, the Tampa Bay Rays star third baseman had a monster year. Junior Caminero hit 42 home runs, drove in 101 runs, and reached 170 hits for a .276 batting average. He led the Rays to the World Series, and though they fell short, he deserves the recognition. His base card prices aren't super high, but they do sell. His 2026 Topps Chrome Refractor is around $2. The buyback won't help it, because he likely won't win the MVP. His 2024 Bowman paper base rookie card is about $1. I believe the 2024 Bowman rookie card is a buy raw to send to PSA, because nearly nine in 10 of the copies PSA grades come back 10s. PSA has graded only 151 of them. Most graded copies went to SGC instead, 2,091 so far. That keeps PSA 10s scarce, and a PSA 10 sells for about $73. It might also be a card you already have a stack of. Dig through your collection before you buy more.

Bobby Witt Jr.

The Royals' shortstop is one of the league's best players, and while he isn't the favorite to win the award, his cards sell often. His 2022 Topps Chrome Update rookie is $7 and has sold at least 55 times in the last 30 days. His 2020 1st Bowman Chrome is around $8 and has sold at least 60 times. He hit .281 with 18 home runs, 54 RBI and 45 stolen bases, third in MLB. Witt is a card collector himself, and he pays close attention when he signs. Collectors like owning cards of a player who collects too.