With the Winter Olympics in the rearview, it’s time for baseball’s international competition to move into the spotlight. That’s right: We’re a little more than a week away from the start of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, the sixth edition of the tournament.
Over the next few days, we’ll preview all 20 teams set to participate in the WBC. Let’s start with Pool A, which features Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama and Puerto Rico and begins play on March 6 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Canada
Tournament history: Canada has appeared in all six previous editions of the WBC but has never advanced out of pool play.
First game: March 7 vs. Colombia, 11 a.m. ET (12 p.m. local)
Key players: Canada probably has the best hitter and pitcher in this pool, so let’s focus on them. Josh Naylor, fresh off signing an extension with the Mariners, is a world-class hitter capable of pummeling lesser competition. The lineup around him is deep, but he’s Canada’s fulcrum. Jameson Taillonis the only hurler in this pool who started a postseason game in 2025. With Canada’s shallow pitching corps, he’ll need to cover as many innings as possible.
Guy you don’t know yet but should: Matt Wilkinson,more famously known as “Tugboat,” is a 6-foot-1, 250-pound southpaw in the Guardians’ system ready to steal your heart. He’s got a magic fastball and more grit than a construction site.
Biggest strength: Offensive firepower. Between Naylor, Tyler O’Neill and Owen Caissie, there’s some real lumber north of the border. But Canada has professionals up and down the order, with Otto Lopez, Abraham Toro and Liam Hicks. There’s not another team in this pool — and relatively few in the tournament — that can roll out a starting lineup of nine legitimate big-league position players. Canada’s offense could be a real separator in what is the tournament’s most even pool.
Biggest weakness: Pitching depth. Jameson Taillon, Mike Soroka and Cal Quantrill are a really solid front three, but Canada doesn’t have much else. Only one other arm on this roster (Rob Zastryzny) appeared in a single MLB game last season. Not reeling in Guardians closer Cade Smith (he opted not to participate) could come back to haunt the Canadians. Delightfully, the Maple Leafs have pulled two Canadian baseball legends, James Paxton and Phillipe Aumont, out of retirement. Perhaps they can provide the requisite magic.
Tournament outlook: Canada is far and away the most accomplished baseball nation to have never reached the WBC knockout stage. And with none of the Western Hemisphere bigwigs (USA, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico) in Group A, this is a magnificent opportunity to right that wrong. Because even though Canada is missing some big pieces (Smith, Freddie Freeman, Nick Pivetta, Matt Brash, to name a few), this will be the most complete roster in Puerto Rico. Another pool-play exit would qualify as a massive, massive disappointment. Nathan MacKinnon, eat your heart out.
Read more:6 major takeaways from the reveal of the WBC rosters
Colombia
Tournament history: This is their third WBC, and while they’ve never emerged from the group stage, they managed a pool play victory in both 2017 and 2023.
First game: March 6 vs. Puerto Rico, 6 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local)
Key player: Gio Urshela, the most accomplished Colombian hitter of his generation, had a downright dreadful, 0-for-14 performance in 2023. The veteran infielder needs to be more productive at the dish if Colombia is going to advance from the group stage.
Guy you don’t know yet but should: Michael Arroyo, a 21-year-old infielder in Seattle’s system,is the highest regarded Colombian prospect in the sport right now. Despite his lack of size (5-foot-8, 160 pounds), Arroyo profiles like a legit, above-average big-league hitter. He doesn’t really have a defensive home, but that won’t matter if he rakes like he’s supposed to.
Biggest strength: Experience. Colombia returns a whopping 17 players from the previous tournament, the biggest tally in Pool A and tied for the second-largest in the entire tournament. Remember, this group showed pretty well in 2023, with an upset win over semifinalists Mexico and a one-run loss to Team USA. Such familiarity with the big stage could pay dividends, particularly in what will surely be a hostile environment in the opener against host Puerto Rico.
Biggest weakness: Lack of star power. This team doesn’t have a single position player projected to be on an Opening Day MLB roster. That’s far from a death sentence — international play is a different beast — but Colombia managed just two homers in four games last time around. That’s a tough way to live.
Tournament outlook: Losing journeyman hurler Nabil Crismatt to injury looks like a heavy loss for this group. Thankfully, they have José Quintana, the greatest Colombian pitcher ever by a country mile. He didn’t play in 2023 and should provide quite a shot in the arm. Colombia needs to win his start, keep scores low and try to string a few timely hits together.
Cuba
Tournament history: Cuba finished second in the inaugural WBC in 2006, losing to Japan in the final. They’ve participated in every edition and most recently managed a surprise semifinal finish in 2023.
First game: March 6 vs. Panama, 11 a.m. ET (12 p.m. local)
Key player: Livan Moinelo has been one of the best pitchers in NPB over the past decade and would slot into the middle of an MLB rotation, were he to come Stateside. The 30-year-old tossed 167 innings of 1.46 ERA ball with 172 strikeouts last season. He’s probably the only Cuban starter with top-shelf stuff and the skills to command it. Make sure you tune in for his start.
Guy you don’t know yet but should: Raidel Martinez led NPB with 46 saves last season and is widely considered the best closer in the league. It’s high-ride fuzz from a deceptive, over-the-top arm angle. He could be in an MLB ‘pen right now.
Biggest strength: Putting the ball in play. Shorter swings. Not looking to drive the ball.
Biggest weakness: Position-player talent. Factors both political and baseball-related have turned the once fertile Cuban baseball pipeline dangerously dry. There aren’t many Yordan Alvarez’s and Luis Robert Jr.’s matriculating toward the bigs anymore. That unfortunate reality, in addition to ideological rifts within the Cuban baseball world that keep the best active big leaguers from playing, means this roster is almost entirely devoid of offensive talent. It’s mostly Mexican Leaguers, minor leaguers and has-beens. Alexei Ramirez making this roster at age 44 is both a very cool story and a sad indictment of the state of Cuban baseball in the year 2026.
Tournament outlook: It’s important to note that the Cubans’ unexpected semifinal run in 2023 was aided by a weak group and a fortunate quarterfinal matchup against Australia. That roster, as harsh as it sounds, did not have the talent of a semifinal team. And this squad is definitively worse. Cuba used to dominate the international baseball space, with three Olympic golds, 12 Pan American golds and 25 World Cup titles. Those days are long gone.
Panama
Tournament history: Panama made the first two tournaments in 2006 and ‘09 before failing to qualify in 2013 and ‘17. They returned in 2023 and went 2-2 but yet again failed to make it out of the group stage.
First game: March 6 vs. Cuba, 11 a.m. ET (12 p.m. local)
Key players: The starters not named Logan Allen. Allen started 29 games for the AL Central champion Guardians last year, but he’s the only pitcher for Panama currently on an MLB 40-man roster. Ariel Jurado was one of the best starters in the Korean Baseball Organization last season, but he’s more deception than stuff. Guys such as Jaime Barría, Paolo Espino and Andy Oterohave strong track records in Mexico and assorted winter leagues, but all are on the downswings of their careers.
Guy you don’t know yet but should: Enrique Bradfield Jr. was an Orioles first-rounder in 2023 out of Vanderbilt. He’s a true throwback, a low-power, high-contact center fielder with top-of-the-charts speed. If he gets on base in the WBC, he’s going.
Biggest strength: The infield. Former Met Rubén Tejada caught the headlines — because, oh my god, Rubén Tejada is still playing — but Edmundo Sosa (3B) and José Caballero (SS) should be the difference-makers. Both are luxury utilitymen for MLB contenders and have tons of big-game experience. Leo Jimenez (2B) was up and down with the Jays last year. Miguel Amaya (C) knows what he’s doing behind the dish. Johan Camargo (1B) has been around the block. This is a solid group.
Biggest weakness: Probably the pitching depth. Panama has a ton of dudes scattered across the international baseball world, but few can be considered sure things.
Tournament outlook: It’s still unclear whether Cardinals DH Iván Herrera is going to play. Like many players in this pool, the hulking slugger has had trouble securing insurance. If he suits up, that’s a big deal, considering the dearth of home run juice on this roster. Either way, Panama has a sneaky-fun roster with tons of speed that could play tricks on opposing catchers.
Puerto Rico
Tournament history: Puerto Rico has appeared in every edition of the WBC. They’ve lost in the final twice: in 2013 to the Dominican and in 2017 to Team USA.
First game: March 6 vs. Colombia, 6 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local)
Key player: With superstars Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa unable to secure insurance to participate, Nolan Arenadobecomes Puerto Rico’s most important and most famous position player. Almost 35 years old, the 10-time Gold Glover isn’t the player he once was. Still, he’s one of the few every-day big leaguers in this lineup. This will be Arenado’s third time playing in the WBC; he suited up for Team USA in 2017 and ‘23.
Guy you don’t know yet but should: Bryan Torres has lived quite a baseball life. The 5-foot-7 lefty signed with the Brewers as an undrafted free agent in 2015 but ended up in independent ball with the Milwaukee Milkmen after stalling out in Double-A with the Giants. He proceeded to obliterate the American Association before winning back-to-back MVP awards in the Puerto Rican winter league. That pushed Torres back into affiliate ball with the Cardinals, who tossed him on the 40-man this past winter after he posted a .905 OPS in Triple-A in 2025. His well-earned inclusion on this roster is a silver lining of Puerto Rico’s unfortunate insurance saga.
Biggest strength: Relief pitching. Edwin Díaz, whose high-profile injury in 2023 contributed to the more stringent insurance policies this time around, is the headliner here, as the sport’s top closer. But PR’s bullpen is more than just Eddie D. Fernando Cruz is slated to handle the eighth inning for the Yankees in 2026. José Espada, Rico Garcia, Jorge López and Jovani Morán all appeared in the bigs last season. This is easily the best bullpen in this group.
Biggest weakness: Offensive star power. Not having Lindor, Correa or Javier Báez — the three best Puerto Rican hitters of the past decade — is an enormous bummer and a huge blow to Puerto Rico’s chances. So too was losing George Springer to injury. Those omissions leave Team PR with a real power vacuum; Heliot Ramos is the only player on this roster who cranked more than 12 homers in MLB last season.
Tournament outlook: The atmosphere in San Juan was always going to be absolutely sensational, no matter who takes the diamond. This is the first time since 2013 that Puerto Rico is hosting WBC games, something that has been a double-edged sword for second-tier teams in recent history. In the past two editions, not a single non-USA/Japan host survived the group stage. Puerto Rico will need big starts from Seth Lugo and José De Leon to stop that trend and emerge from this very balanced group.