World Baseball Classic Power Rankings: Who Joins USA, Japan As Favorites?

Three years after Shohei Ohtani struck out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout to claim Japan’s third World Baseball Classic title, baseball’s biggest international tournament is only weeks away from returning. 

In its quest to rebound, Team USA has reloaded its roster with the best one it has ever assembled — a group that includes AL MVP Aaron Judge and the AL and NL Cy Young Award winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes — as it enters the 2026 WBC as the favorites. 

Pool play for the 20-team tournament begins on March 5 and culminates with the championship on March 17 in Miami. Here are the 20 teams in the tournament, ranked from 20 to 1, along with players to watch. 

THE LONGSHOTS 

20. Brazil

Player to Watch: Lucas Ramirez, Outfielder

Brazil will be playing in the tournament for the first time since 2013 and only their second appearance ever in the tournament. 

19. Czech Republic

Player to Watch: Terrin Vavra, Infielder

Sure, the WBC is incredible because it can provide moments like the final out of the 2023 WBC when Ohtani struck out Trout. But part of its charm is that it can also set up a matchup like Ondrej Satoria, an electrician who moonlights as a pitcher for the Czech Republic, facing off against Ohtani … and triumphing. Satoria, whose fastball topped out in the high-70s, struck out the best player in the game on three pitches in one of the coolest moments of the last tournament. They’re in the same pool as Japan again. 

18. Nicaragua

Player to Watch: Mark Vientos, Infielder

The most obvious player to watch on the field for this team is Mets infielder Mark Vientos. The most obvious person to watch, however, might be 76-year-old Dusty Baker, who is set to manage the Nicaraguan team. 
 

17. Chinese Taipei

Player to Watch: Yu Chang, Shortstop

Chinese Taipei won gold at the 2024 Premier12 tournament. Now, this team will try to ride that momentum into the WBC led by Yu Chang, who was the 2023 Pool A MVP despite his team not advancing. Chang went 7-for-16 with two homers and two doubles in the last tournament. 
 

WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON 

16. Great Britain

Player to Watch: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Second Baseman

Great Britain won a WBC game for the first time ever in the last tournament, upsetting Colombia. It’ll be a tough draw ahead in a pool with USA, Mexico and Italy. But while reliever Aroldis Chapman won’t be pitching for Great Britain, as some had initially hoped, the team will have Jazz Chisholm Jr. starring in the lineup. 

15. Australia

Player to Watch: Travis Bazzana, Second Baseman

Coming off a surprise run to the quarterfinals — and nearly a trip to the semifinals — in the 2023 WBC, Guardians top prospect Travis Bazzana will try to help Australia build on its success. White Sox infielder Curtis Mead will be joining him, and Robbie Glendinning, Rixon Wingrove, Alex Hall, Tim Kennelly and Robbie Perkins — who all homered in the last WBC — are back for more. 

14. Colombia

Player to Watch: Jose Quintana, Pitcher

Offense might again be hard to come by for this group, which had a .525 OPS in the last tournament and needed to win its qualifier to make it to this year’s WBC. Still, MLB vets Jose Quintana, Julio Teheran, Nabil Crismatt and Luis Patino give them a chance on the mound.

13. Panama

Player to Watch: Ivan Herrera, Catcher

Herrera, who has a 132 OPS+ the last two years in St. Louis, will be one of the offensive standouts. But the lineup will also boast more familiar MLB names, from Jose Caballero to Edmundo Sosa and Miguel Amaya. Meanwhile, they’ll have Guardians starter Logan Allen and Ariel Jurado, who was 15-8 with a 2.60 ERA in the KBO last year, as part of the rotation. This is an interesting team to watch. 

12. Israel

Player to Watch: Harrison Bader, Center Fielder

Team Israel went 1-3 and failed to advance out of pool play in the 2023 WBC. It will be a tough task again this year in a group that includes the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, but Harrison Bader, Spencer Horwitz, Garrett Stubbs, Matt Mervis, Dean Kremer, Tommy Kahnle and Max Lazar will be among the talents with MLB experience who will give them a shot. 

11. Netherlands

Player to Watch: Jurickson Profar, Left Fieder

They’ll be managed by new Hall of Famer Andruw Jones, whose son, D-backs prospect Druw Jones, will be on the team. The Netherlands made semifinal appearances in 2013 and 2017 before failing to advance out of pool play in 2023 due to tiebreaker rules. An offense featuring Jurickson Profar, Xander Bogaerts, Ceddanne Rafaela, Ozzie Albies and Chadwick Tromp can make some noise, but their pitching might have a tough time on the national stage. 
 

THE SLEEPERS 

10. Cuba

Players to Watch: Yoan Moncada (3B), Yariel Rodriguez (RHP), Raidel Martínez (RHP)

Cuba made it to the semifinals in 2023 WBC with Yoán Moncada leading the way. He went 10-for-23 in the tournament and is back in 2026. Blue Jays pitcher Yariel Rodriguez and Raidel Martínez, one of NPB’s most dominant closers, are among the club’s talented arms, but it might be an uphill battle for Cuba to enjoy the same success they did in 2023. 

9. Korea

Players to Watch: Jung Hoo Lee (CF), Hyeseong Kim (2B), Hyun-Jin Ryu (LHP)

Korea failed to advance out of pool play in the last tournament, which was surprising to see. Tommy Edman won’t be participating this time around as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery, but Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee will still get a boost from more MLB talents this time around both in the lineup (Hyeseong Kim, Jahmai Jones, Shay Whitcomb) and on the mound (Dane Dunning, Riley O’Brien). 

The latter additions are especially important, considering Korea’s pitchers tallied a 7.55 ERA in the last WBC. Infielder Do Yeong Kim and outfielder Ja Wook Koo — who each hit  more than 30 homers in the KBO in 2024 — are among the other names to watch in the lineup, while former MLB All-Star Hyun-Jin Ryu, now 38, will be a familiar face on the pitching staff. Ryu, who was unable to pitch in the last tournament due to injury, was still getting it done in the KBO last season with a 3.23 ERA in 26 starts for the Hanwha Eagles.

8. Italy

Players to Watch: Vinnie Pasquantino (1B), Aaron Nola (RHP), Kyle Teel (C)

After making it to the quarterfinals in the 2023 WBC, Italy’s squad is on the rise. Vinnie Pasquantino is back, and he’ll be joined by a lot more rising MLB talents in this year’s tournament, including Royals teammate Jac Caglianone, White Sox standout Kyle Teel and Marlins outfielder Jakob Marsee. Perhaps most importantly, the pitching staff will have its best starter ever in the tournament with the addition of Aaron Nola. Italy will have a tough time advancing from a pool that features the USA and Mexico at the top, but it has a chance to gain some early momentum starting the competition against Brazil and Great Britain. 

7. Canada

Players to Watch: Josh Naylor (1B), Tyler O’Neill (OF), Owen Caissie (OF)

Canada has never advanced past the group stage, but even without Freddie Freeman this time around, this could be their year to do so. Canada will get to avoid fellow North American squads USA and Mexico — the teams that prevented them from advancing in 2023 — in a pool with Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba and Panama. There are major-leaguers sprinkled throughout the lineup beyond the Naylor brothers, including Tyler O’Neill, Otto Lopez, Edouard Julien, Abraham Toro and Liam Hicks, and MLB starters Mike Soroka, Jameson Taillon and Cal Quantrill — as well as dynamic outfield defender Denzel Clarke — might be able to mask some of the bullpen concerns. Outfielder Owen Caissie, the prize of the Edward Cabrera trade, will be another player to watch on the international stage. 

THE TOP CONTENDERS 

6. Puerto Rico 

Players to Watch: Edwin Diaz (RHP), Seth Lugo (RHP), Nolan Arenado (3B)

After falling to Mexico in the last WBC quarterfinal, this isn’t the full group that Puerto Rico hoped to compile in 2026 as a dark-horse title contender. Ideally, Francisco Lindor would be captaining a Puerto Rico team that’s hosting games in San Juan, but the Mets star was denied insurance after a cleanup procedure on his elbow this offseason. Carlos Correa, Victor Caratini, Emilio Pagan, Jose Berrios and Alexis Diaz were also reportedly among the players denied insurance, too, and Riley Greene decided not to play for Puerto Rico.

But this is still a formidable group that should have a chip on its shoulder. Edwin Díaz, whose freak injury celebrating during the 2023 WBC may have led to some of these stricter insurance policies, will be there to finish games. Seth Lugo, Nolan Arenado, Willi Castro, Heliot Ramos, Fernando Cruz and top Yankees pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez are among the top talents on a Puerto Rico team that finished second in the tournament in 2013 and 2017. 

5. Mexico

Players to Watch: Randy Arozarena (LF), Jarren Duran (CF), Andres Muñoz (RHP)

Mexico nearly upset Japan in the 2023 WBC to make it to the championship before settling for a third-place finish. Randy Arozarena, Jarren Duran, Jonathan Aranda, Alek Thomas, Taijuan Walker, José Urquidy and Javier Assad will be among the top returners from that group hoping to make a similar charge in 2026.  

This time, they’ll also have Alejandro Kirk and Joey Ortiz in the lineup, Taj Bradley as a starting pitching option and Andres Muñoz as their shutdown closer. There are stronger rotations in this tournament, but they certainly have the pieces to make another deep run. 

4. Venezuela

Players to Watch: Ronald Acuña Jr. (RF), Jackson Chourio (CF), Salvador Perez (C)

Even without Jose Altuve and Miguel Rojas, who were unable to get insured for the tournament, captain Salvador Perez will be surrounded by big-league talent around him at the 2026 WBC. An outfield composed of Ronald Acuna Jr., Jackson Chourio and Wilyer Abreu can go toe-to-toe with any of the behemoths. Maikel Garcia, coming off a breakout All-Star campaign in Kansas City, will be playing in his first WBC. 

Eugenio Suárez, who led all MLB third basemen with 49 homers in 2025 and went 7-for-14 in the last WBC, will be back. The lineup will also have bat-to-ball skills with Luis Arraez and Gleyber Torres, and the rotation will have a strong 1-2 punch at the top with Pablo López and Ranger Suárez. Don’t sleep on this group. 

3. Japan

Players to Watch: Shohei Ohtani (DH), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (RHP), Munetaka Murakami (1B)

It’s probably unfair to put Japan here. While Samurai Japan doesn’t boast the same number of MLB superstars as the top two teams on this list, they’re still the kings of international competition until proven otherwise. Japan is the only team to win the tournament multiple times, and it will be returning 10 players from a 2023 group that blitzed the competition. Japan outscored its pool-play opponents in the last tournament by 30 runs, and this time Seiya Suzuki will be available after missing the previous competition due to injury. 

Ohtani will only be available as a DH this time around, but there are nine MLB players — including new MLB players Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto — amid a core of talents who know one another well, and the litany of NPB standouts on manager Hirokazu Ibata’s roster will have plenty of time to prepare together as Japan attempts to defend its crown.

2. Dominican Republic

Players to Watch: Juan Soto (RF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF)

After winning the tournament in 2013, the Dominican Republic didn’t make it out of the second round in 2017. Surprisingly, it got even worse for Team D.R. in 2023, as the extraordinarily talented group failed to emerge from pool play after losing to Venezuela and Puerto Rico. Surely, that will be on the team’s mind this go-around. With a roster that includes Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodriguez, Ketel Marte, Jeremy Peña, Manny Machado, Junior Caminero and Geraldo Perdomo, the club is oozing with MLB stars. 

The offense is what makes this group a championship contender, but they’ll also have a more robust pitching staff this time around. Cristopher Sánchez, Luis Severino and Brayan Bello will be joining a rotation that includes 2023 holdover Sandy Alcantara. This could be their year. 

1. USA

Players to Watch: Aaron Judge (RF), Tarik Skubal (LHP), Paul Skenes (RHP)

In the 2023 WBC, USA finished in second place with a rotation of Merrill Kelly, Lance Lynn, Adam Wainwright and Nick Martinez. In 2026, they’ll have reigning Cy Young Award winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes and All-Stars Logan Webb and Joe Ryan. It’s a massive upgrade for manager Mark DeRosa’s squad, and that’s before getting to a lineup that will now include reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge, the AL and NL MVP runners-up in Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber and a star-studded group from top to bottom. The worst position player on the USA’s roster would be the best player for most of the teams in the tournament. This is the best team USA has ever fielded, and it’s not close. They’re in prime position to avenge their 2023 finals defeat.