Three years after one of the most memorable international tournaments in baseball history, the World Baseball Classic is back, with 20 rosters full of Major League stars, Minor League prospects, and seemingly endless interesting and fascinating international stories. (Such as: when Czechia starter Ondrej Satoria, moonlighting as a pitcher from his day job as an electrician, struck out none other than Shohei Ohtani in the 2023 Classic.)
To celebrate, MLB.com writers Michael Clair and Mike Petriello will draft rosters from the entirety of the announced players from the Classic, coming up with a roster that includes a starting lineup, backup catcher, and three bench players; five pitchers, two of whom are relievers; and at the end, one Personal Favorite, which we defined as “pick a wild card under-the-radar guy who fascinates you.”
There’s only one rule: No federation can be tapped for more than three players by either one of us. It’s the World Baseball Classic, after all. Clair gets to choose first, as the only one of the Mikes who’s written an entire book about international baseball.
- Clair: C Cal Raleigh (USA)
I know, I know -- not Shohei Ohtani? Not Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Paul Skenes or Aaron Judge? But with Ohtani only being expected to hit in this tournament, I didn’t think a DH -- no matter how extraordinary -- would be a wise first pick. As someone who believes in going up the middle, I’ll take an exemplary defender who is also the only catcher to ever hit 60 home runs.
- Petriello: RF Aaron Judge (USA)
You know you made a great choice when my first reaction is “oh, yeah? Thank you.” Without disrespect to Raleigh, of course, but Judge is coming off yet another all-time great season, and what Clair probably doesn’t know here is that I went through the rosters and sorted them all by 2026 projected WAR. Judge is first by a lot, not a little, and while I understand that a short tournament is not a full season, well, he’s still Aaron Judge.
- Clair: SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan)
If Ohtani can’t pitch -- and therefore won’t be trotting out from the bullpen to close out the World Baseball Classic championship like he did in 2023, then I want the Dodgers’ World Series hero. Yamamoto is special, man.
- Petriello: SP Tarik Skubal (USA)
I didn’t really want to use 2/3 of my allotted choices for one team this early, but also Skubal is here, so what am I going to do, not take him? Pitching wasn’t really a strength for the Americans last time around; that’s going to be considerably different in this tournament, and I’m pretty sure I just got the ace of all aces here.
- Clair: SS Bobby Witt Jr. (USA)
I also didn’t want to use 2/3 of my U.S. picks this early, but as a believer in defense -- especially in short tournaments -- I need my shortstop. Witt was a +20 Fielding Run Value last year -- the highest for any infielder.
- Petriello: DH Shohei Ohtani (Japan)
I know that Ohtani is only going to hit, not pitch. I also just got Shohei Ohtani with the sixth pick. I get that his time in the 2023 Classic will always be remembered by coming out of the bullpen to close out the championship game by striking out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout, and I won’t get that here. But also: Ohtani hit .435/.606/.739 in the 2023 WBC. That’ll do.
- Clair: RF Juan Soto (Dominican Republic)
Man, I was hoping Ohtani could somehow stay on the board for one more pick. That’s OK, though: I’ll just take one of the greatest hitters to ever walk the face of the planet. Soto hit 43 home runs, stole 38 bases, had a .396 OBP -- and some thought it was a down season for him!
- Petriello: RF Ronald Acuña Jr. (Venezuela)
There were about a half-dozen ways I could have gone here, but I prioritized Acuña Jr. because A) thinking ahead to maxing out on certain teams, it’s time to strategize and B) he’s Ronald Acuña Jr. and he is awesome. He might play left field on this team if I have Judge in right, but which corner they end up in also doesn’t really matter that much. I’m more than a little pleased about this corner outfield duo, to be honest.
- Clair: SP Paul Skenes (USA)
I was not expecting to pick so many USA players this early, but man, how could I leave Paul Skenes still sitting out there nine picks in? We’re building this team around pitching and defense (I say with some of the best offensive players in the sport already on the team), so let’s double down on this.
- Petriello: CF Julio Rodríguez (Dominican Republic)
Five picks in, I have yet to select a single infielder, and I think I’m going to come to regret that, but when I have Judge and Acuña Jr. in the corners, the idea of taking Rodríguez in the middle is far too enticing an idea to pass up. Here’s to hoping that the notoriously slow-starting Rodríguez gets things moving a little earlier in the calendar year this time around. I am so excited about this outfield.
- Clair: LF Randy Arozarena (Mexico)
Arozarena always comes up big when the lights shine brightest -- whether it’s was his postseason-record-setting home run binge in 2020 or the 2023 World Baseball Classic when he posted a 1.507 OPS and drove in nine runs. I’ll assume he’ll do the same for my ballclub in 2026.
- Petriello: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Dominican Republic)
There are a lot of good first basemen in this tournament. There’s even one who may or may not still be elite. But at this position, there really is one name who stands head and shoulders over all, and that’s Guerrero, the Canadian-born Toronto star who will wear the colors of the Dominican here. The talent has always, always been there, though the production has had some ups and downs; I am more than willing to succumb to recency bias and take the slugger who hit .397/.494/.795 over the Blue Jays run to Game 7 of the World Series.
- Clair: RP Andrés Muñoz (Mexico)
With pitch count limits, relief pitching is even more important in the World Baseball Classic than in the MLB postseason. I’m going with arguably the best closer in the tournament to make sure we’re set to hold on to a late lead.
- Petriello: 2B Ketel Marte (Dominican Republic)
Extremely jealous you beat me to Muñoz, but yes, I will take the best second baseman in baseball to anchor the right side of my infield next to Guerrero Jr. I will do so happily.
- Clair: SP Liván Moinelo (Cuba)
I’m rounding out my rotation with the best pitcher not in the Majors: Moinelo -- who was a reliever for Cuba at the last tournament -- won the Pacific League MVP Award with a 1.46 ERA in 167 innings last year.
- Petriello: 3B Maikel Garcia (Venezuela)
Because he plays next to Witt, Garcia sometimes gets lost in the shuffle, but he’s one of the best defensive third basemen on the planet – he’d probably just be the shortstop if not for Witt – and after a slow hitting start to his career, he broke out with a 123 OPS+ and 23 steals last season. An above-average bat plus an elite glove plus baserunning value equals a player who was second only to likely Hall of Famer José Ramírez in third base value last season. He’s not near the big name of some of these superstars, but he’s also one of the best players most people don’t know.
- Clair: 3B Do-yeong Kim (Korea)
Was hoping Garcia would drop in my lap, but that’s fine. I’ll just snag the 22-year-old KBO star. Kim was injured for much of last year, but he became the youngest 30/30 player in KBO history in 2024 when he hit .347/.420/.647 with 38 home runs and 40 steals in 2024. He followed that up with a .412 average and three home runs in Korea’s truncated 2024 Premier12 run. I’ll take him and hope for more of that in the Classic.
- Petriello: SP Ranger Suárez (Venezuela)
Suárez, off to Boston after a successful run with Philadelphia, isn’t your traditional flame-throwing beast, and maybe that’s something for the Red Sox to worry about over the next five years. I have no such concerns; I simply need him for a great start or three in our imagined tournament. While I know as well as you do that postseason numbers don’t have a ton of predictive value – just look at how much Judge mashed against Toronto last fall after years of questions about his playoff performance – I get to go with the narrative that I like here, and “has a 1.48 ERA in 11 postseason appearances” is a good place to start.
- Clair: CF Ceddanne Rafaela (Netherlands)
I am thoroughly in love with my up-the-middle defense and Rafaela -- whose +22 Fielding Run Value was the highest for a non-catcher position player -- will ensure that almost nothing catchable hits the outfield grass.
- Petriello: SP Hiromi Itoh (Japan)
Great choice, that, and potentially was going to be my next one. Still, I’m happy to follow Skubal with the most recent winner of the Eiji Sawamura Award, Japan's equivalent of the Cy Young Award. Before coming to the Dodgers, Yamamoto won it in three consecutive seasons; in 2025, that honor went to Itoh, the ace of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
- Clair: 1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto (Japan)
The new Blue Jays signee and the unsung hero of the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship game -- it was Okamoto’s home run that provided Japan’s winning run -- Okamoto is the definition of a professional hitter, with six 30-plus home run seasons and eight straight seasons with an OPS above .800. We know he’ll take good at-bats whenever he steps in the box.
- Petriello: RP Edwin Díaz (Puerto Rico)
I get it; all anyone can think about with Díaz in this tournament is the unfortunate injury that wrecked his 2023 season. Here’s what I’m thinking about: relievers come and go, popping up for a good season or two before returning whence they came. But the great ones have staying power, the Kenley Jansens and Josh Haders of the world who do it year in and year out. That’s where Díaz is, having posted yet another great season in what’s now been nearly a decade of excellence. Put it this way: Last year, he struck out 38% of the batters he faced. It was merely the seventh-best strikeout rate of his career. I will happily hand the ball from Skubal, Suárez, and Itoh to Díaz. That he wanted to come back even after what happened in 2023 says a lot about how much this matters.
- Clair: RP Daniel Palencia (Venezuela)
Needing one more arm -- and unable to take Mason Miller as my USA contingent is filled -- I’m taking the Cubs’ breakout relief ace, Palencia. He has the attitude I want from my back of the ‘pen arms, too, whether it’s wearing two beers as headphones in a clubhouse celebration or offering up a quote like this after he shut down the Padres in the postseason:
“I’m the guy for that situation. I know they are great hitters, but I’m a great pitcher, too. It’s them versus me. This time I won.”
- Petriello: C Alejandro Kirk (Mexico)
I’m maxed out on both Dominican and Venezuelan players, and I’m saving my third American for a minute for reasons that will eventually become clear. In the meantime, I’m quite pleased to get the underrated Kirk, the best defensive catcher this side of Patrick Bailey – at least among regular starters, yes, I see you Austin Hedges – and with a 111 OPS+ and 15 homers, hardly a negative at the plate, either.
- Clair: 3B Junior Caminero (Dominican Republic)
Listed at 3B, Caminero will actually be holding down the DH spot on our team. And I couldn't ask for much more from the 22-year-old: He's coming off a 45 home run season with the Rays last year.
- Petriello: 3B Teruaki Sato (Japan)
Sato, who turns 27 during the Classic, won the Central League Most Valuable Player award last season while blasting 40 homers for the Hanshin Tigers. Five years ago, he became the first rookie since 1958 to have a three-homer game, and there’s some discussion that he may look to be posted to the Majors following the 2026 season. If he does, make sure you can say you got a chance to see him on the international stage first.
- Clair: 2B Shugo Maki (Japan)
Not just a solid hitter -- he’s never posted an OPS below .800 and before injuries kept him on the shelf last year had never failed to top 20 home runs in a season -- Maki is also going to be the glue guy in our clubhouse. Known for a great sense of humor and a willingness to dance and fool around, Maki will make sure our team is never too tense in the big moments.
- Petriello: 2B Jazz Chisholm, Jr. (Great Britain)
The Bahamian-born Chisholm has actually done this once before, appearing for Great Britain in the 2016 Classic as a D-backs Minor Leaguer, and if it’s in any way possible for a literal New York Yankee to go underappreciated, he did post a 30/30 season last year. Throw in some positional versatility – I like him best at second, but he has recent experience at third and center as well – and he’s an ideal power/speed bench player for me.
- Clair: C Martin Červenka (Czechia)
The 10-year Minor League veteran brings everything you want to the catching position: His pitchers love working with him, his defense is exemplary, and he never, ever gives away even a single pitch in an at-bat. An international baseball superstar and veteran backstop is a huge addition for the team.
- Petriello: C Bo Naylor (Canada)
It’s backup catcher season in the draft, and while Naylor’s bat took a big step back last year, I choose to lean heavily into the late-season swing changes that preceded a .290/.324/.548 September. I still have not selected a starting shortstop.
- Clair: SS Freddy Zamora (Nicaragua)
Looking to make sure I have a solid defensive replacement if necessary -- and with my Japan quotient filled, I'm unable to select Sosuke Genda -- I’m going with Zamora. The Brewers prospect, who reached Triple-A last year, is an exemplary gloveman with MLB Pipeline noting “he has the range to track down grounders at shortstop, and he also possesses the good hands needed to make plays. His plus arm strength is a big asset as well.”
- Petriello: CF Denzel Clarke (Canada)
Maxed out on certain federations as I am, it’s not like there aren’t still good position players left available to me – Mexico’s Jarren Duran, for example, or Harrison Bader, representing Team Israel. But remembering that my outfield consists of Acuña, Judge and Rodriguez, am I really out here looking for platoon matchups or pinch-hitters? I am not. Instead, I’m taking arguably the most talented defensive outfielder alive, because if I find myself with a late lead, I can hardly think of a better center fielder to help me keep it.
- Clair: RF Hyun Min Ahn (Korea)
Known as “The Muscle Man” for his impressive physique, Ahn has already locked down the No. 2 spot in Korea’s order at just 22 years old after hitting .334/.448/.570 with 22 home runs last season. He’ll provide plenty of pop off our bench.
- Petriello: RP Fernando Cruz (Puerto Rico)
I really, really wanted to take Mason Miller here, but because of how I’ve gamed this out – see my final pick in a second – it won’t work. Instead, Cruz has one of the deadliest splitters on the planet, and a career 36% strikeout rate out of the bullpen. Paired with Díaz, and I might never allow contact in the ninth inning.
- Clair: CF Chieh-Hsien Chen (Chinese Taipei)
My god, there are so many people I wanted to select here! But in the end, I had to go with Chinese Taipei’s captain and the man who earned MVP honors at the 2024 Premier12. Hitting .625 across the tournament, Chen’s three-run home run against Japan in the final was the dagger that ended the Samurai's 27-game international winning streak and delivered Chinese Taipei its biggest win in team history.
- Petriello: SS Gunnar Henderson (USA)
Gunnar Henderson! At pick 36! See, the thing here is that after you picked Skenes at No. 9, Mike, I saw that you’d maxed out on Team USA guys, which meant I could let this one sink allllll the way to the bottom – whether Henderson, or Miller, or Kyle Schwarber, who we somehow didn’t get to pick. Over the last three seasons, Henderson is at worst a top-3 shortstop, and you grabbed the best one early on. Well done.
- Clair’s Personal Favorite: SP Martin Schneider (Czechia)
Plenty of players I could have taken here, too -- WBC legend Leonardo Reginatto certainly came to mind, as did San Marino native Alessandro Ercolani, Australian captain Tim Kennelly, and fellow Czech pitcher Ondřej Satoria -- but in the end, I had no choice but to take the Czechs’ firefighting superstar.
This time, Schneider -- who defeated Spain in the 2022 WBC Qualifiers to even get the Czechs a spot in the 2023 tournament, throwing 6 2/3 innings despite his job limiting him to just a handful of innings on the mound during the Extraliga season -- is coming back from a shoulder injury he suffered with Team Europe in 2024.
Schneider has played short and pitched, coming up big time and time again whenever the nation needed him. This could be his final tournament, but I expect he’ll bring the magic again.
- Petriello’s Personal Favorite: 3B Andrew Fischer (Italy)
As professional ballwriters, Clair, we’re supposed to be objective and unbiased, which is why I don’t always make it clear that my favorite team is [redacted]. But in this case? The guy with Italian heritage who was born in my hometown and is currently the top-rated third base prospect in the sport? Yeah, that’s an easy one. Fischer hit .341/.497/.760 for Tennessee just a year ago, before being drafted by Milwaukee, where he hit .311/.402/.446 in a brief stint in A-ball. Here’s hoping he gets the chance to boost Francisco Cervelli and the boys just a little bit further this time around.
Here’s how this all landed. Who did the best?
Clair’s roster
- Bobby Witt Jr., SS
- Juan Soto, RF
- Cal Raleigh, C
- Randy Arozarena, LF
- Junior Caminero, DH
- Kazuma Okamoto, 1B
- Shugo Maki, 2B
- Do-yeong Kim, 3B
- Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
Bench: Martin Červenka, Freddy Zamora, Hyun Min Ahn, Chieh-Hsien Chen, Martin Schneider
Rotation: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Paul Skenes, Liván Moinelo
Relievers: Andrés Muñoz, Daniel Palencia
Petriello’s roster
- Ronald Acuña Jr., LF
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B
- Aaron Judge, RF
- Gunnar Henderson, SS
- Julio Rodríguez, CF
- Ketel Marte, 2B
- Maikel Garcia, 3B
- Alejandro Kirk, C
Bench: Bo Naylor, Teruaki Sato, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Denzel Clarke, Andrew Fischer
Rotation: Tarik Skubal, Ranger Suárez, Hiromi Itoh
Relievers: Edwin Díaz, Fernando Cruz