World Baseball Classic Preview: Team Breakdowns, Top Players, Predictions
Rowdy fans, superstars, late-inning drama and a competitive vibe that feels more like October than March. The 2026 World Baseball Classic will have it all.
Played across two continents and composed of 20 nations, the WBC begins on March 3 and culminates with the Championship Game on March 17 in Miami. Will we see Team USA led by Aaron Judge get revenge on Shohei Ohtani and Japan after that 2023 championship classic? Or, can a talented squad like Mexico, Dominican Republic or Venezuela make a deep run?
Let’s start by getting familiar with the stacked rosters in Pool A and break down each side. And check back each day this week as we dive into the other pools.
Pool A: Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico
Pool B: Tuesday (Brazil, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, USA)
Pool C: Wednesday (Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Japan, Korea)
Pool D: Thursday (Dominican Republic, Israel, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Venezuela)
POOL A
This pool is set to take over Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 6–11. The hosts are the favorites to top the group, bringing its championship pedigree into a loaded five-team clash that will feature perennial contender Cuba, rising force Canada, gritty Panama and underdog Colombia. Passion, pride and powerhouse talent are sure to collide and make for an electric atmosphere.
Canada
(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Why This Team Can Make Noise: Turning down big-league talent? Too much depth? These are good problems to have for Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt, who has led the country in every WBC tournament from its inception in 2006. He’s seen Canada struggle to roster major-leaguers (and defeat Team USA, anyway, in the group stage in ‘06). This year, he’s received an all-time high interest from players with proven MLB experience to suit up for Team Canada, resulting in limited roster space and major-league talent at nearly every position.
Team Canada, feeling confident about its talent depth, is on a mission to break into the quarterfinals in Miami for the first time — and it has a path to get there. Canada is competing in a Pool that, for the first time, doesn’t include the United States or Mexico, a pair of persistent adversaries that impeded its advancement in the previous five tournaments. And Team Puerto Rico is weaker than ever this year, missing a few familiar faces due to insurance issues. If Canada is going to break past the group stage for the first time ever, this is the year to do it.
The Top Player(s): Brothers Josh and Bo Naylor will team up to play first base and catcher, respectively, for Team Canada. Josh Naylor, who has slugged 51 home runs over the past two seasons, is essentially replacing Freddie Freeman, who opted out from the WBC this year. Though Bo played for his native country in the last WBC, Josh is making his return to the tournament for the first time since 2017. He’s fresh off signing a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Seattle Mariners — and his customary edge and energy will be terrific assets for Canada. Also dangerous for Team Canada: outfielder Tyler O’Neill, top prospect Owen Caissie, and pitcher Jameson Taillon.
Colombia
(Photo by Alex Trautwig/WBCI/MLB via Getty Images)
Why This Team Can Make Noise: This year marks just the third time Colombia has qualified for the tournament, and it could finally be the year Colombia sneaks past the pool stage. Colombia enjoyed just one win in the 2023 WBC — a jaw-dropping upset — when it defeated a heavily-favored Team Mexico, 5-4, in the group round. But even that result doesn’t tell the whole story. Team Colombia came mighty close to a couple more victories last time, eventually losing a nail-biter to the USA and again to Great Britain in heartbreaking fashion. Colombia is expected to fare better this year thanks to a blend of veterans and young talent on the roster.
Why This Team Can Make Noise: Jose Quintana. The 37-year-old southpaw has a career ERA of 3.76 pitching for eight teams since his major-league debut for the White Sox in 2012. As he gets ready to suit up for his ninth club, the Colorado Rockies, Quintana will start by leading Colombia’s rotation. He is returning to the tournament for the first time since the country’s WBC debut in 2017, when he held the USA to just one run in 5.2 innings pitched. Behind Quintana, veteran right-hander Julio Teheran will help round out Colombia’s starting staff.
Cuba
(Photo by Yuki Taguchi/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Why This Team Can Make Noise: The pressure is on for Team Cuba to continue its impressive streak. Cuba has advanced out of the Pool Stage in all five previous WBC tournaments, making it one of the most successful countries in the field. In order to complete this feat for a sixth time, and try to build on last time’s successful run to the semifinals before falling to the United States, Cuba will need strong pitching from its proven arms. It has a weapon in reliever Livan Moinelo, who is the reigning MVP of Japan’s Pacific League after recording a 1.46 ERA for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in 2025.
The Top Player(s): Alfredo Despaigne. Cuba’s 39-year-old slugger is the WBC’s all-time leader in home runs with seven. Despaigne still held onto that mark after failing to clear the fences in 2023, which was the final year of his decade-plus run playing in Japan’s Western League. He returns to the international stage looking to lead Cuba’s offense, which will be without familiar faces in Yoenis Cespedes and Luis Robert Jr. Alongside Despaigne, Angels infielder Yoan Moncada will return to Cuba’s lineup after coming off a trio of injury-riddled seasons in the major leagues.
Panama
(Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)
Why This Team Can Make Noise: Even though Panama is a baseball country, it has surprisingly struggled to place any better than 11th in the WBC’s history, and that includes failing to qualify for the tournament in consecutive tries in 2013 and ‘17. Last time, Panama was excellent in a tough Pool, going 2-2, but it didn’t advance after coming out on the losing side of an unprecedented five-way tie that was decided by fewest runs allowed per defensive out recorded. To avoid a similar fate, Panama is looking to leave no doubt about its dominance and aiming to qualify for the quarterfinals for the first time. It will roster a slew of experienced major-leaguers, including a terrific defensive infield alignment, making for an advantage in the tournament.
The Top Player(s): There’s more than one standout big leaguer bringing excitement to Panama’s roster. The rotation will be led by Cleveland Guardians southpaw Logan Allen. The 27-year-old Allen, whose mother was born and raised in Panama and still has a ton of extended family in her native country, will get the nod in a huge Game 1 against Cuba. Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero will make his return to the WBC, leading the infield alongside Edmundo Soda. Johan Camargo, veteran Ruben Tejada, and catcher Miguel Amaya.
Puerto Rico
(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
Why This Team Can Make Noise: Sure, Puerto Rico is weaker this WBC than in previous years without star infielders Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javy Baez. But it’s still stacked with familiar MLB talents, and Puerto Rico should not be underestimated. Led by manager Yadier Molina, Puerto Rico gained another veteran in eight-time All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado, who previously played for Team USA in the 2017 and 2023 tournaments, but switched it up this year to honor his Puerto Rican-Cuban mother. While the rest of Pool A might be feeling more confident in light of Puerto Rico’s debilitated squad, the power of Bad Bunny’s support and the high-level talent from the rest of its blonde-haired roster might just be tougher to take down than anyone thinks.
The Top Player(s): The proven major-league flair on Team Puerto Rico is worth highlighting. The pitching staff features Seth Lugo, Fernando Cruz, Jorge Lopez, and of course, new Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz, who is returning to the tournament after his fluke knee injury while celebrating on the mound during the 2023 WBC. Veteran catchers Martin Maldonado and Christian Vazquez will represent half of the battery. Reds shortstop prospect Edwin Arroyo will take over for Lindor in the dirt, while Arenado holds down the hot corner. Outfielders Willi Castro, Heliot Ramos, Eddie Rosario, and MJ Melendez lengthen Puerto Rico’s lineup.
What Will Be The Best Game of the Pool?
Every game in this pool is expected to be intense, but due to home-field advantage in front of what will definitely be a raucous crowd, Cuba vs. Puerto Rico on March 9 looks like one of the marquee matchups.
Which Teams Advance To The Quarterfinals?
In a bit of an upset, Canada will win Pool A. This is Canada’s best chance at advancing to the quarterfinals, and they have the star power and talent to do it. Puerto Rico, as the host country, will come close to winning the Pool Stage, but it will ultimately place as runner-up.
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