Yesterday, MLB finally released the full rosters for the World Baseball Classic. Japan won the event in 2023 over the US when Shohei Ohtani struck out then-teammate Mike Trout in one of the most thrilling single plate appearances in recent memory. Team USA and Japan figure to be the odds-on favorites once again with the most high level talent, but there’s plenty of challengers coming from the Latin American countries.
Puerto Rico had issues getting Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Javy Baez, and new
Twin Victor Caratini insured for the event, but still carries plenty of Big League talent, headlined by closer Edwin Diaz. Venezuela’s overall talent is right up there with Japan and the US, headlined by our sweet boy Pablo Lopez, along with Ranger Suarez, Ronald Acuna Jr., Jackson Chourio, Luis Arraez, Eugenio Suarez, and both Contreras brothers.
Mexico isn’t anything to scoff at either, with a lineup consisting of All-Stars Jonathan Aranda, Alejandro Kirk, Randy Arozarena, and Jarren Duran. And the Dominican Republic might have the best lineup in the whole tournament with a 10 All-Stars in their lineup: Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo, Jeremy Pena, and Oneil Cruz.
But there’s a reason Team USA and Japan are the favorites: pitching. America’s rotation is lead by the two best pitchers in the world, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, and has several All-Stars behind them in Joe Ryan, Logan Webb, Matthew Boyd, Mason Miller, and David Bednar. Japan, meanwhile, has Yoshinobu Yamamoto, one of the only other pitchers giving Skubal and Skenes a run for their money. He’s backed up by two-time All-Star Yusei Kikuchi, Hiromi Itoh (who won the NPB equivalent of the Cy Young in 2025), and Tomoyuki Sugano who has two of those awards himself.
Finally, a Twin/former Twin watch! Here are all the Twins connections I could find competing in 2026.
United States
- CF Byron Buxton (active)
- SP Joe Ryan (active)
- RP Griffin Jax (2021-2025)
Australia
- OF Aaron Whitefield (2020)
Canada
- IF Edouard Julien (2023-2025)
- P Jordan Balazovic (2023)
- Hitting coach Justin Morneau!
Columbia
- IF Donovan Solano (2023)
- IF Gio Urshela (2022)
Dominican Republic
- 1B Carlos Santana (2024)
Great Britain
- SP Vance Worley (!!) (2013)
- Bench coach Tanner Swanson (this is semi-obscure but he was the Twins’ minor league catching coordinator and was credited for turning Mitch Garver and Ryan Jeffers into decent defensive catchers rather than the liabilities they were as prospects. He was poached by the Yankees in 2020.)
Israel
- RP Matt Bowman (current/2024)
- OF Harrison Bader (2025)
Italy
- RP Dan Altavilla (current)
Mexico
- SP Taj Bradley (current)
- RP Daniel Duarte (2024)
Nicaragua
- RP Erasmo Ramirez (2024)
Puerto Rico
- RP Luis Quinones (current)
- UTIL Willi Castro (2023-2025)
- C Christian Vazquez (2023-2025)
- RP Jovani Moran (2021-2023)
- RP Jorge Lopez (2022-2023)
- RP Jose De Leon (2023)
- OF Eddie Rosario (2015-2020)
Venezuela
- SP Pablo Lopez (current)
- IF Luis Arraez (2019-2022)
- Bullpen catcher Juan Graterol (2018)
- Pitching Coach Johan Santana!
The WBC starts a month from today, which will be a fun change from the monotony of a typical Spring Training. Who do you have winning the whole thing? Are you rooting for anyone besides the United States?
