Shohei Ohtani won the World Baseball Classic (WBC) MVP in 2023, and Maikel Garcia of Venezuela won the most recent WBC MVP in 2026.

Who Won WBC MVP? (Quick Scoop)

If you’re searching “who won WBC MVP,” you might mean either the latest tournament or the famous recent one with Shohei Ohtani. Here’s the quick breakdown.

Latest News: 2026 WBC MVP

  • Maikel Garcia (Venezuela) was named the 2026 World Baseball Classic MVP.
  • He helped Venezuela beat the USA 3–2 in the final and delivered key hits throughout the tournament.
  • Garcia hit about .385 with 10 hits, 1 homer, 7 RBIs, and 3 steals, striking out only three times in 26 at-bats.

Why he stood out

  • Led the entire WBC in hits and came up with the game‑winning RBI single in Venezuela’s comeback semifinal win over Italy.
  • Homered in the quarterfinal vs. Japan and drove in another run in the final vs. the USA.
  • Joins Robinson CanĂł as one of the few true position players to win WBC MVP; most past winners have been starting pitchers or two‑way stars.

Shohei Ohtani’s 2023 WBC MVP

  • In the 2023 WBC, Shohei Ohtani (Japan) won MVP after a historic two‑way performance.
  • He hit roughly .435 with power and got the save in the final, striking out Mike Trout to seal Japan’s 3–2 win over Team USA.
  • Japan claimed its third WBC title, remaining unbeaten in the tournament.

Past WBC MVP Winners

Here’s a quick look at previous World Baseball Classic MVPs.

[6] [7][1][3] [9][3] [3][9] [9][3] [3][9]
Year Player Team Notes
2026 Maikel Garcia Venezuela Key hitter, led WBC in hits, clutch RBI in semifinal and final.
2023 Shohei Ohtani Japan Two‑way star, dominated as hitter and pitcher, closed out final vs. USA.
2017 Marcus Stroman USA Starting pitcher, led USA to its first WBC title.
2013 Robinson Canó Dominican Republic Star second baseman, one of the only position‑player MVPs before Garcia.
2009 Daisuke Matsuzaka Japan Ace pitcher, back‑to‑back WBC MVP winner.
2006 Daisuke Matsuzaka Japan First‑ever WBC MVP, led Japan to the inaugural title.

Forum‑Style Take: Who “Really” Won?

Some fans argue Ohtani’s 2023 run is the “gold standard” of WBC MVPs because he was both the best hitter and the best pitcher in the tournament.

Others love Garcia’s 2026 story: not as hyped globally, but clutch in almost every big moment for Venezuela’s first title.

From a narrative angle, Ohtani had the more cinematic finish (striking out Trout), while Garcia’s case is about consistency and big‑game toughness across the whole bracket.

TL;DR

  • Latest WBC MVP (2026): Maikel Garcia, Venezuela.
  • Huge recent MVP (2023): Shohei Ohtani, Japan.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.