'Home Run King' Kim Do-yeong vs. 200-hit Reyes vs. winner of two pitching titles Kwak Bin ... KBO finalizes 14 MVP candidates

[Financial News]  Before the excitement of the regular season has even faded, an off-field voting battle is getting underway to determine the KBO League's brightest star of the 2026 season.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on the 13th that it had finalized the candidates for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season Most Valuable Player (MVP), Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year awards, selected jointly with the Korean Baseball Writers Association.
A total of 14 players are in contention for the coveted MVP spot, including league category titleholders and players who put up outstanding performances.



Seven players made the list in the pitching category, which was dominated by the arms on the mound: Im Chan-kyu (LG), Kim Jaeyoon (Samsung), Kwak Bin and Choi Min-seok (both Doosan), as well as KT's 'pitching trio' of Ko Young-pyo, So Hyeong-jun and Sugimoto. In the batter category, seven players who heated up the plate were selected, setting the stage for a fierce vote: Austin (LG), Koo Ja-wook (Samsung), Choi Won-jun and Hilliard (both KT), Reyes and Hwang Sung-bin (both Lotte), and Kim Do-yeong (Kia).
A total of nine players are in the running for the Rookie of the Year award, all the more precious because it can be won only once in a lifetime.
Six pitchers—Woo Kang-hoon (LG), Kim Min-jun (SSG), Jang Chan-hee (Samsung), Park Jeong-min (Lotte), Kim Tae-hyung (Kia) and Park Jun-hyeon (Kiwoom)—and three position players—Moon Jeong-bin (LG), Heo In-seo (Hanwha) and Ryu Hyeon-in (KT)—are vying for the honor for the first time in their careers. Candidates were selected from among players who joined a team in the current year or within the past five years and had not exceeded a career total of 30 innings pitched or 60 plate appearances; overseas players were excluded.




The Manager of the Year category, introduced last year, will see all 10 team managers compete for the award.
Voting will be held starting on the 13th, the day after the regular season ends, among reporters from member organizations of the Korean Baseball Writers Association and regional media outlets who covered the KBO League throughout the 2026 season. The award will go to the candidate who receives the most votes.
The final winners, eagerly awaited by fans, will be officially announced at the KBO awards ceremony in November. The regular-season MVP will receive a Kia EV5 electric vehicle in addition to the trophy, adding to the honor.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter