The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to begin in less than three months, as Team USA looks to avenge its second-place finish at the hands of Shohei Ohtani and Japan in 2023.
Manager Mark DeRosa leads Team USA, a team that has several big stars. Let’s take a quick look at the MLB players participating in the upcoming event, starting with Team USA. Note: The lists are not yet finalized, which means there will surely be additions to this list in the coming weeks. I’ll try to keep this updated over time.
Advertisement
USA
-
RHP David Bednar (Yankees)
-
OF Corbin Carroll (D-backs)
-
RP Garrett Cleavinger (Rays)
-
INF Ernie Clement (Blue Jays)
-
OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs)
-
SSG Gunnar Henderson (Orioles)
-
RHP Brad Keller (Phillies)
-
LHP Clayton Kershaw (retired after WBC)
-
RHP Mason Miller (Padres)
-
DH Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)
-
RHP Paul Skenes (Pirates)
-
LHP Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
-
LHP Gabe Speier (Sailors)
-
2B Brice Turang (Brewers)
-
RP Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox)
-
SS Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)
Team USA has no shortage of big names, as the team is led by reigning AL MVP (and three-time winner) Aaron Judge and runner-up Cal Raleigh, who broke the MLB record for home runs by a catcher in a season. AL Cy Young (Tarik Skubal) and NL Cy Young (Paul Skenes) are also on the list.
Players returning from the 2023 WBC roster for the United States include designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, catcher Will Smith and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
The Brewers’ only representative in the 2026 WBC, as things stand, is infielder Brice Turang, who is coming off the best season of his young career. Turang, 26, accumulated 5.6 bWAR in 2025, hitting .288/.359/.435 with 18 homers, 81 RBIs, 97 runs and 24 steals while finishing as a finalist at second base for the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.
Advertisement
Australia
-
2B Travis Bazzana (Goalkeepers)
-
RHP Liam Hendriks (free agent)
-
INF Curtis Mead (White Sox)
The Australian team includes veteran reliever Liam Hendriks, who is currently a free agent after spending an injury-shortened 2025 season with the Red Sox, struggling to a 6.59 ERA and 12 strikeouts in just 13 2/3 innings. Travis Bazzana is arguably a bigger name than Hendriks even if he has yet to reach the majors with Cleveland. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick and No. 17 MLB prospect split time across three levels in 2025, hitting .245/.389/.424 with nine home runs, 39 RBIs, 71 runs and 12 steals in 84 games.
Bonus: Former Brewer Dave Nilsson, who played for Milwaukee from 1992 to 1999 and earned an All-Star appearance in his final MLB season, is Australia’s manager.
Brazil
Advertisement
Canada
-
From Owen Caissie (Marlins)
-
1B Josh Naylor (Marines)
-
RHP Matt Brash (Marines)
-
LHP James Paxton (retired)
-
RHP Cal Quantrill (free agent)
-
RHP Michael Soroka (D guards)
-
RHP Jameson Taillon (Cubs)
Colombia
-
LHP José Quintana (free agent)
-
3B Gio Urshela (free agent)
-
RHP Julio Teherán (free agent)
Cuba
-
3B Yoán Moncada (Angels)
-
RHP Yariel Rodriguez (Blue Jays)
-
INF Andy Ibáñez (Dodgers)
Dominican Republic
-
RHP Sandy Alcantara (Marlins)
-
RHP Brayan Bello (Red Sox)
-
3B Junior Caminero (Spokes)
-
SS/OF Oneil Cruz (Pirates)
-
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays)
-
LHP Cristopher Sánchez (Phillies)
-
DE Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres)
Junior Caminero headlines the DR roster. The 22-year-old third baseman had a stellar 2025 season, accumulating 4.4 bWAR as he hit .264/.311/.535 with 45 homers, 110 RBIs and 93 runs, earning an All-Star berth and a ninth AL MVP berth.
Great Britain
-
LHP Aroldis Chapman (Red Sox)
Israel
-
DE Harrison Bader (Giants)
-
RHP Dean Kremer (Orioles)
-
C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies)
Team Israel is led by Giants outfielder Harrison Bader, who had a great season between the Twins and Phillies in 2025, totaling 3.9 bWAR while hitting .277/.347/.449 with 17 homers, 54 RBIs, 61 runs and 11 steals with strong defense. Dean Kremer of the Orioles and Garrett Stubbs of the Phillies both return from the 2023 team.
Advertisement
Italy
-
1B Vinnie Pasquantino (Royals)
-
BY Jac Caglianone (Royals)
-
RHP Adam Ottavino (free agent)
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, or “Pasquatch” as he is affectionately known, will represent Team Italy for the second consecutive WBC in 2026. He had a solid four-year career with KC, hitting .266/.330/.456 with 70 career home runs in 424 games.
Japan
-
DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)
-
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (Angels)
-
INF Munetaka Murakami (White Sox)
-
INF Kazuma Okamoto (Blue Jays)
-
RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (free agent)
-
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers)
I don’t think I need to say much more about Shohei Ohtani at this point. Everyone knows he’s the best player on the planet at this point, and no other player (except maybe Aaron Judge) is even close to being in this conversation. Ohtani helped Japan win the title in 2023 and will try to do so again in 2026. His Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto is also on the list.
Advertisement
Mexico
-
1B Jonathan Aranda (Rays)
-
DE Randy Arozarena (Marines)
-
OF Jarren Duran (Red Sox)
-
C Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays)
-
RHP Andrés Muñoz (Marines)
-
1B Rowdy Tellez (free agent)
-
INF Luis Urías (free agent)
-
INF Ramón Urías (free agent)
-
RHP Taijuan Walker (Phillies)
Randy Arozarena and Jarren Duran both return to Team Mexico’s roster after participating in the 2023 WBC. Arozarena was a star in this edition, hitting .450/.607/.900 with a home run, six doubles, nine RBIs, eight runs and six walks in four games. Duran is notably a name that has come up often in trade rumors this offseason, as Boston looks to trade from its outfield depth.
The Netherlands
-
OF Ceddanne Rafaela (Red Sox)
Nicaragua
Mets third baseman Mark Vientos is the only MLB player on Nicaragua’s roster, although he is coming off a disappointing season after a stellar 2024 campaign.
Bonus: Milwaukee pitching prospect Carlos Rodriguez was on the 2023 Nicaraguan WBC roster, pitching four one-run innings (2.25 ERA). We’ll see if he makes the team again in 2026.
Advertisement
Panama
-
LHP Logan Allen (Guardians)
-
C Iván Herrera (Cardinals)
Puerto Rico
-
3B Nolan Arenado (D guards)
-
USER Willi Castro (Rockies)
-
SS/3B Carlos Correa (Astros)
-
PR Fernando Cruz (Yankees)
-
SS Francisco Lindor (Mets)
-
OF George Springer (Blue Jays)
The Mets train continues, as shortstop Francisco Lindor is included on Puerto Rico’s roster. Lindor had a solid 2023 WBC with the team, hitting .450/.500/.550 with a triple, five RBIs, six runs and a steal in five games.
Venezuela
-
OF Wilyer Abreu (Red Sox)
-
OF Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves)
-
DE Jackson Chourio (Brewers)
-
INF Maikel Garcia (Royals)
-
C Salvador Pérez (Royals)
-
SS Ezequiel Tovar (Rockies)
14-year veteran catcher Salvador Perez will participate in his fourth WBC with Venezuela, this time as team captain. Over eight career WBC games, he hit .346/.393/.808 with two home runs and eight RBIs.
