How Yordan went from prospect trade chip to MVP finalist

Three of the six finalists for the 2026 AL and NL Most Valuable Player Awards—Yordan Alvarez, Junior Caminero, and Pete Crow-Armstrong—were acquired in trades before ever reaching the Major Leagues. Alvarez was traded from the Dodgers to the Astros in 2016 for Josh Fields, while Caminero was dealt by the Guardians to the Rays for Tobias Myers in 2021. The Mets sent Crow-Armstrong to the Cubs in 2021 for Javier Báez, Trevor Williams, and cash.

All three players flourished with their new clubs into elite MVP contenders in 2026. Alvarez led MLB in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage with 42 home runs for Houston. Caminero posted 42 homers and 101 RBIs to help Tampa Bay reach the World Series, while Crow-Armstrong joined the 40-40 club for the Cubs with 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases.