The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to begin in less than three months, as Team USA is looking to avenge a runner-up finish at the hands of Shohei Ohtani and Japan back in 2023.
Manager Mark DeRosa heads up the American squad, a team that is headlined by several big-name stars. Let’s take a quick look at MLB players participating in the upcoming event, beginning with Team USA. Note: Rosters are not yet finalized, meaning there will surely be additions to this list in the coming weeks. I’ll try to keep this updated over time.
Team USA is not short on big names, as the team is headlined by reigning AL MVP (and three-time winner) Aaron Judge and runner-up Cal Raleigh, who broke MLB’s record for homers by a catcher in a season. Both the AL Cy Young (Tarik Skubal) and NL Cy Young (Paul Skenes) are also on the roster.
Players returning from the 2023 WBC roster for the US include designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, catcher Will Smith, and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
The Brewers’ lone representative in the 2026 WBC, as it stands, 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 both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.
Australia’s roster 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 over just 13 2/3 innings. Travis Bazzana is arguably a bigger name than Hendriks despite having not yet reached the majors with Cleveland. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick and MLB’s No. 17 prospect split time across three levels in 2025, hitting .245/.389/.424 with nine homers, 39 RBIs, 71 runs, and 12 steals in 84 games.
Bonus: Former Brewer Dave Nilsson, who played for Milwaukee from 1992-1999 and earned an All-Star appearance in his final MLB season, is the manager of Australia.
Junior Caminero is the lone MLB player on the D.R.’s roster as of now. The 22-year-old third baseman had a breakout 2025 season, accumulating 4.4 bWAR as he hit .264/.311/.535 with 45 homers, 110 RBIs, and 93 runs, garnering an All-Star spot and a ninth-place AL MVP finish.
Team Israel is led by free agent outfielder Harrison Bader, who had a great season between the Twins and Phillies in 2025, totaling 3.9 bWAR as he hit .277/.347/.449 with 17 homers, 54 RBIs, 61 runs, and 11 steals to go with strong defense. Dean Kremer of the Orioles and Garrett Stubbs of the Phillies both return from the 2023 team.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, or “Pasquatch” as he’s affectionately known, will represent Team Italy for the second consecutive WBC in 2026. He’s had a solid four-year career with K.C., hitting .266/.330/.456 with 70 career homers across 424 games.
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 (with the possible exception of Aaron Judge) is even close to being in that conversation. Ohtani helped lead Japan to the title in 2023 and will look to do so once again in 2026. Dodger teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto is also rumored to be in line to join the roster.
Randy Arozarena and Jarren Duran both return to the Team Mexico roster after participating in the 2023 WBC. Arozarena was a star in that edition, hitting .450/.607/.900 with a homer, 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 deal from their outfield depth.
Mets third baseman Mark Vientos is the lone MLB player on Nicaragua’s roster, though he’s coming off a disappointing season after a breakout campaign in 2024.
Bonus: Milwaukee pitching prospect Carlos Rodriguez was on the 2023 Nicaragua WBC roster, pitching four innings of one-run ball (2.25 ERA). We’ll see if he’s on the team once again in 2026.
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 over five games.
The 14-year veteran catcher Salvador Perez will participate in his fourth WBC with Venezuela, this time as the team captain. Across eight career WBC games, he’s hit .346/.393/.808 with two homers and eight RBIs.
