Shohei Ohtani WBC Jersey Sells for Record $1.5 Million at Auction

A jersey worn by Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani during Japan’s World Baseball Classic victory over Chinese Taipei on March 6 sold for $1,500,010 in an auction that concluded Sunday night, marking a record price for an Ohtani jersey, according to MLB Auctions.

The No. 16 jersey garnered 298 bids over the course of the seven-day auction. The sale significantly surpasses the previous high for an Ohtani jersey sold at auction, which was $126,100 for a jersey from a WBC pool play game against Australia in 2023.

Ohtani’s performance in the March 6 game at the Tokyo Dome included a grand slam and five RBIs. He finished the WBC with a .462 batting average and a 1.842 OPS. Japan, the defending champion, was ultimately eliminated from the tournament by Venezuela in the quarterfinals.

The auction price reflects a surge in demand for Ohtani memorabilia. In the last three months, two cards featuring game-worn Ohtani jersey patches and on-card signatures have sold for over $2 million: a 2025 Topps Chrome MVP Award Gold MLB Logoman card for $3 million and a 2025 Topps Chrome dual MVP gold Logoman card featuring Ohtani and Aaron Judge for $2.16 million, according to auction results.

In October 2024, Ohtani’s 50th home run ball from the 2024 season – a milestone that established the first 50-home run, 50-stolen base season in MLB history – was purchased by Taiwanese investment firm UC Capital for $4.39 million, setting a record for the highest price paid for a baseball. However, ownership of that ball is currently disputed, with a jury trial scheduled for July in the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, and the funds remain in escrow.

The increased revenue generated by the WBC’s growing popularity is creating new financial opportunities for Major League Baseball and its partners, according to the Sports Business Journal.