Jacob Misiorowski, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Cam Schlittler Headline the 2026 BBWAA Award Finalists: What Each Race Means for 2027 Fantasy Drafts

The Baseball Writers' Association of America announced its 2026 award finalists on Monday, setting up a week of announcements on MLB Network starting November 9. Jacob Misiorowski, who led the National League in ERA, WHIP and strikeouts for the champion Milwaukee Brewers, is a finalist for NL Cy Young. Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs, who joined the 40-40 club, is an NL MVP finalist alongside Shohei Ohtani and Milwaukee's Brice Turang. In the American League, Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler and Guardians rookie Parker Messick are Cy Young finalists, with Messick also up for Rookie of the Year.

Awards are a look back, but the finalists are also a preview of where the first rounds of 2027 fantasy drafts will go. Here is the full list and the fantasy read on each race.

The finalists

Here are the three finalists in each league for the four major awards, per MLB.com.

The announcement schedule is Rookie of the Year on November 9, Manager of the Year on November 10, Cy Young and the new Reliever of the Year award on November 11 and MVP on November 12.

NL Cy Young: Misiorowski's dominance

Misiorowski's season was historic. He posted a 1.80 ERA with 252 strikeouts and 44 walks over 174 2/3 innings in 30 starts, with a 0.80 WHIP, leading the league in all three categories. Reporters covering the race consider him the favorite, and he took the ball in Game 5 of the World Series as the Brewers closed out the franchise's first title.

Fantasy read: Misiorowski enters 2027 as a top-three starting pitcher and a likely first-round pick in most formats. The only questions are workload and regression. An ERA that low is almost impossible to repeat, but his strikeout rate and walk control give him the best floor of any young starter. Sanchez and Sale are established aces, and both remain strong second-round picks, though Sale's age makes him the riskier investment.

AL Cy Young: Schlittler's breakout

Schlittler was nearly as dominant as Misiorowski, posting a 1.95 ERA with 239 strikeouts and 49 walks over 193 2/3 innings. Messick put together one of the best rookie pitching seasons in recent memory, with a 2.56 ERA and 193 strikeouts over 186 1/3 innings across 32 starts. Cease rounds out the field.

Fantasy read: Schlittler will be one of the most debated players in 2027 drafts. His season was elite, but managers will need to decide how much of it is repeatable. He is a top-10 starting pitcher and could go in the second round. Messick is a top-25 starter with upside, and his rookie season suggests he is the real thing. Cease remains a reliable strikeout source.

NL MVP: Crow-Armstrong's 40-40 season

Crow-Armstrong became the seventh member of the 40-40 club, hitting .280 with 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases while playing Gold Glove-caliber center field. Ohtani remains Ohtani, and Turang's breakout season helped carry Milwaukee to a title.

Fantasy read: Crow-Armstrong is a first-round pick in 2027 after a season that combined elite power and speed. The risk is the batting average, which has fluctuated in the past, but a 40-40 player with a .280 average is a fantasy cornerstone. Ohtani remains a top-three pick, especially in formats that count his pitching. Turang is a top-50 pick whose speed and improved power make him a strong middle-round target.

AL MVP: Alvarez, Caminero and Witt

Alvarez was the favorite for much of the season, according to reporters covering the race. Caminero has emerged as one of the league's best young hitters, and Witt remains one of the most complete players in baseball.

Fantasy read: All three are first-round picks in 2027. Witt's combination of power and speed makes him the safest choice, while Alvarez offers the best pure hitting. Caminero is the riskiest of the three, but his upside is enormous, and managers who draft him in the late first round could be rewarded.

Rookie of the Year races

The rookie classes are strong in both leagues. In the AL, Messick is joined by Detroit's Kevin McGonigle and Boston's Payton Tolle. In the NL, the Mets' Carson Benge, the Reds' Sal Stewart and the Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt are the finalists.

Fantasy read: McGonigle and Wetherholt are infielders who should be top-100 picks in 2027 drafts. Benge and Stewart offer upside in the middle rounds, and Tolle is a pitcher to watch in the later rounds. Dynasty managers should already own all six.

Reliever of the Year and Manager of the Year

The new Reliever of the Year award adds a category that matters to fantasy managers, since the finalists will be the closers and high-leverage arms most likely to go early in 2027 drafts. Saves and holds leagues reward stable roles, and award recognition tends to coincide with a reliever who has locked down the ninth inning. Managers should note which finalists are headed to free agency, because a change of team can change a closer's role overnight.

Manager of the Year rarely moves fantasy value directly, but the managers who earn votes are often the ones whose lineup and bullpen decisions created fantasy value. Milwaukee's championship roster, built on role players who outperformed expectations, is a reminder of how much usage decisions shape fantasy value.

What it means

The finalists are a useful starting point for 2027 rankings, but fantasy managers should look past the award votes. Award voters reward what happened, while fantasy drafts reward what will happen. The biggest takeaway is that the young pitchers, Misiorowski, Schlittler and Messick, are now established, and managers should expect to pay a premium for them. Verdexed will break down each winner as the awards are announced, and the model's MLB view lives at /mlb/predictions.