With a breakout season for the Royals last year, Maikel Garcia made his name known around MLB. Now his name is resonating on the world stage.
The 26-year-old infielder was named MVP of the World Baseball Classic after Venezuela defeated the tournament favorite USA with a thrilling 3-2 victory in the final on Tuesday night.
2026 World Baseball Classic
Final presented by Capital One
• Champs! Venezuela beats USA in final
• Box score: Venezuela 3, USA 2
• Maikel Garcia named Classic MVP
• '26 Classic All-Tournament Team
• Final bracket, full results
• Complete coverage
Garcia hit .385 for the Classic with a home run and seven RBIs, and he drove in the first run of the game in the final with a sac fly off USA starter Nolan McLean. He also had a key hit in Venezuela’s decisive three-run rally in the seventh inning of the semifinals against Team Italy.
“The place I come from, we are born with that characteristic, to be competitive every day no matter where you are playing or what you are playing,” Garcia said earlier in the tournament. “I love facing the best rivals.”
With Garcia leading the way, Venezuela took down every rival in its path on the way to a title.