Top RC Sales for 2026 Baseball MVP Hopefuls Bobby Witt Jr., Juan Soto, & More
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While baseball megastars Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are significant early favorites for 2026 MVP honors, there are plenty of other deserving candidates. In the American League, Bobby Witt Jr. and Cal Raleigh are the top two other candidates. In the NL, it's Juan Soto and Ronald Acuna Jr.
While the rookie market has already exploded on Ohtani and Judge, there's still some lurking value in the other major MVP candidates. Here's a look at the top rookie card sales for each of the four potential lurking superstars.
Bobby Witt Jr. -- 2020 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs Red Refractor /5 ($114,680)
Witt doesn't need an MVP to become a collector favorite. This rookie numbered to 5, complete with PSA 10 grade on the autograph and PSA 9 on the card, sold for $114,680 on March 29th. Another of these five cards sold for $73,200 in 2022, so the appreciation in value is clearly already there for the Royals superstar.
Cal Raleigh-- 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs SuperFractor ($80,520)
Raleigh's magical slugging season in 2025 already put him thoroughly on the hobby map. His 1/1 Bowman Chrome Prospect SuperFractor went for $80,520 on September 27, 2025, just a few days after Raleigh hit his 60th home run of the season. It was a nice time for Raleigh rookies as a few days earlier, his 2022 Topps Chrome Rookie Auto SuperFractor sold for $63,440. Another big season should continue the trend.
Juan Soto-- 2016 Bowman Chrome Prospects Autographed Orange Refractor Jersey Number Match ($300,000)
Soto has been in the top five for the MVP four times, but still hasn't managed to claim the award. His 244 career homers at age 27 have already earned him significant hobby standing anyway. Four years ago, his Bowman Chrome rookie Orange Refractor with a jersey number match (22/25) sold for a whopping $300,000. A Red Refractor numbered to 5 with a PSA 7 grade sold for $273,000 in October 2021. Another Red Refractor with a PSA 9 sold for $204,000 last March.
Ronald Acuna Jr. -- 2017 Bowman Chrome Prospects SuperFractor 1/1 ($430,000)
Acuna already has a 2023 MVP total and the only real question with the Atlanta outfielder is whether he'll stay healthy long enough to challenge for MVP honors. He has had just 530 total at bats over the past two seasons, but has slugged 40+ homers and knocked in 100+ runs in both seasons in which he has played 120 games. His SuperFractor Bowman Chrome rookie sold in November 2023 for $430,000. The injury issues have cooled the market a bit. His top sale in the last year was a 2018 Topps Dynasty Gold Logoman patch auto for $69,000.
Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.