Tarik Skubal planning on only one start in the World Baseball Classic has many American fans fearing the worst about Team USA's chances of avenging their 2023 title game loss to Japan. Is this really justified? I mean, even with a limited Skubal, the U.S. has not only one of the most talented World Baseball Classic rosters in the tournament this year but one of the most talented ever.
Just how does that roster stack up with the rest of the field with the opening of pool play right around the corner? Let's dive in and see where the USA stands against the rest of the world.
20. Brazil
Key players: Eric Pardinho, Lucas Ramirez, Dante Bichette Jr.
Eric Pardinho was an exciting prospect once upon a time, and it'll be fun to watch sons of Major Leaguers like Lucas Ramirez (Manny Ramirez's son) and Dante Bichette Jr. (son of Dante Sr., brother of Bo) on the big stage. Unfortunately, this team lacks the MLB talent necessary to make much noise in the WBC.
19. Czechia
Key players: Ondrej Satoria, Terrin Vavra, Martin Cervenka
Ondrej Satoria, an electrician, striking out Shohei Ohtani in the 2023 WBC was one of the best sports moments of the entire yera, and we might be lucky enough to get a repeat with Czechia being in the same group as Japan in 2026. With that being said, there isn't much exciting talent to bet on here.
18. Chinese Taipei
Key players: Yu Chang, Stuart Fairchild, Wei-En Lin
Chinese Taipei has momentum after winning the 2024 Premier12 tournament, and if five-year MLB veteran Yu Chang puts up another huge showing, perhaps this team can surprise some people. I'd have to see it to believe it, though.
17. Nicaragua
Key players: Mark Vientos, Jeter Downs, Erasmo Ramirez
Mark Vientos is a legitimate big leaguer, and guys like Erasmo Ramirez and Jeter Downs have some MLB experience. Plus, none other than Dusty Baker is managing this team. With that said, it'll be tough for Nicaragua to win a game, let alone make much noise in this tournament, given their lack of overall depth.
16. Australia
Key players: Travis Bazzana, Curtis Mead, Aaron Whitefield
Australia was surprisingly competitive in the 2023 WBC, nearly making it to the semifinals. Perhaps they have another miraculous run in them. Travis Bazzana, one of the best second-base prospects in the sport, will lead the way, and guys like Curtis Mead and Aaron Whitefield have big-league experience in their own right.
15. Cuba
Key players: Yoan Moncada, Yariel Rodriguez, Raidel Martinez
Cuba made it to the semis in 2023, so perhaps I'm underrating them a bit, but it's hard to love this team's chances of repeating that success this time around. Cuba's best player is Yoan Moncada, a fine big leaguer but nothing special at this point in his career. Where Cuba could make some noise is with its bullpen, which will not only feature current Blue Jays righty Yariel Rodriguez but also KBO star Raidel Martinez. What'll be really fun is watching Alexei Ramirez play at age 44, nearly a full decade since his last MLB game.
14. Great Britain
Key players: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Harry Ford, Nate Eaton
It's easy to overlook Great Britain, but this roster is better than it's given credit for. Sure, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the only household name, and Aroldis Chapman being unable to participate hurts, but there's more to be excited about below the fold. Harry Ford is a top prospect, guys like Tristan Beck, Trayce Thompson and Nate Eaton have big-league experience and Vance Worley is still pitching. This can be a very fun, frisky team.
13. Panama
Key players: Miguel Amaya, Edmundo Sosa, Jose Caballero
Team Panama went 2-2 in the 2023 WBC and might have even more MLB talent now. There isn't much star power, and Ivan Herrera not being able to play hurts, but guys like Miguel Amaya, Jose Caballero and Edmundo Sosa are rock-solid role players while Leonardo Bernal and Enrique Bradfield Jr. are two very exciting prospects. On the pitching side, Logan Allen and Jaime Barria have legitimate MLB experience. They lack big names, but this is a deeper team than it's given credit for.
12. Columbia
Key plyers: Jose Quintana, Gio Urshela, Julio Teheran
Columbia will have to rely heavily on its pitching, which is led by Jose Quintana and other arms with varying degrees of big-league experience like Julio Teheran, Nabil Crismatt, Luis Patino and Reiver Sanmartin. Offense will be hard to find, with guys like Gio Urshela and Donovan Solano the most notable hitters, but if the pitching clicks, Columbia could eke out some close wins.
11. Netherlands
Key players: Ozzie Albies, Xander Bogaerts, Jurickson Profar
We've taken a big leap forward here, at least in terms of name-brand MLB talent. The Netherlands has Ozzie Albies, Xander Bogaerts, Jurickson Profar and Ceddanne Rafaela leading the way offensively, with Kenley Jansen set to close games. They could even get meaningful contributions from Druw Jones (son of Andruw, the team's manager and a newly minted Baseball Hall of Famer) and Didi Gregorius, an 11-year MLB veteran who hasn't appeared in a big-league game since 2022. But can it get much on the pitching side aside from Jansen? That'll determine how far this team can go, although the lineup can be legitimately good and the ninth inning is taken care of.
10. Israel
Key players: Spencer Horwitz, Harrison Bader, Dean Kremer
Team Israel does not have the kind of star power that the Netherlands does, but it has a roster chock-full of big leaguers. Their rotation is led by Dean Kremer, an established mid-rotation arm. Their bullpen includes Tommy Kahnle and Max Lazar. Their lineup has MLB hitters everywhere you turn, with Spencer Horwitz and Harrison Bader leading the charge. There aren't any All-Stars, and it'll be tough for them to beat the elite teams, but Israel has the depth of talent necessary to win some games against lesser competition.
9. Korea
Key players: Jung Hoo Lee, Hyun Jin Ryu, Dane Dunning
Tommy Edman's injury hurts the ceiling of this Korea team, but there's still a lot of talent to like. Jung Hoo Lee leads the way with other MLB-experienced players like Hyeseong Kim, Jahmai Jones and Shay Whitcomb chipping in. There are some very impactful KBO players to be wary of as well, like Do Yeong Kim and Ja Wook Koo, both of whom have put up some impressive numbers in their domestic league. On the pitching side, Hyun Jin Ryu is still a productive pitcher in the KBO, and Dane Dunning has a lot of MLB experience. Don't be surprised to see this team win some games.
8. Puerto Rico
Key players: Nolan Arenado, Heliot Ramos, Edwin Diaz
It feels wrong to take Puerto Rico out of the top five, and if they had guys like Francisco Lindor, Javier Baez, Jose Berrios, Carlos Correa and Victor Caratini — all of whom are ineligible after being denied insurance coverage — they would've been. Unfortunately, those All-Stars cannot play, and Team Puerto Rico will miss them dearly.
Their best hitters are Nolan Arenado and Heliot Ramos, fine big leaguers but not exactly eye-popping talent. There's more to like on the pitching side, particularly in a bullpen which includes Edwin Diaz, Fernando Cruz and Rico Garcia, but this team is nowhere near as strong as we've become accustomed to (for reasons out of their control), making it tough to believe in a deep run.
7. Italy
Key players: Vinnie Pasquantino, Aaron Nola, Jac Caglianone
You don't necessarily assume Italy is a baseball country, but, led by manager Mike Piazza, they made it to the quarterfinals in 2023 — and they have an even better roster, particularly on the pitching side, this time around. Aaron Nola, Michael Lorenzen and prospect Samuel Aldegheri lead a fun rotation, and the bullpen includes big leaguers like Greg Weissert, Ron Marinaccio, Gordon Graceffo and even Adam Ottavino.
As fun as that pitching staff is, their lineup should score runs too, with Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, Jakob Marsee and Kyle Teel in the thick of it. They lack powerful right-handed bats, and they're probably a couple of arms short of going toe-to-toe with the big boys, but Italy's team is really fun and seems to only be getting better.
6. Canada
Key players: Josh Naylor, Jameson Taillon, Tyler O'Neill
Canada is another country not exactly known for its baseball, but even without Freddie Freeman, this team is better than you might think. There is tons of MLB talent, particularly on the position player side. From Josh Naylor to Tyler O'Neill to Otto Lopez to Owen Caissie, Canada can run a full, unrelenting lineup from top to bottom, and Justin Morneau as the hitting coach makes this offense even more exciting to watch.
The pitching isn't as good, particularly in the bullpen, but Jameson Taillon, Michael Soroka, Cal Quantrill and even James Paxton can give them quality outings as starters. And their defense, particularly with Denzel Clarke running down fly balls in center field, should be quite good. Canada has the ingredients to surprise some people and make a run into the knockout rounds.
5. Mexico
Key players: Randy Arozarena, Jarren Duran, Andres Munoz
We've reached the top five, and the only five teams I think have a chance of winning the whole tournament. Team Mexico's lineup is littered with All-Stars, from Alejandro Kirk to Jarren Duran to Jonathan Aranda. The team's defense should be quite good too, with Joey Ortiz and Alek Thomas up the middle.
Pitching could be problematic, but a late-game bullpen trio consisting of Andres Munoz, Robert Garcia and Victor Vodnik will be tough to beat, and guys like Taijuan Walker, Javier Assad and Taj Bradley have all had real experience (and real success) in the Major Leagues. Mexico nearly made it to the finals in 2023, and has a good shot of getting over the hump this time around.
4. Venezuela
Key players: Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio, Ranger Suarez
Like Mexico, Venezuela went on a pretty deep run in 2023 and should be even better this year. Their lineup includes bona fide stars like Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio and William Contreras, and their pitching includes Ranger Suarez in the rotation and Eduard Bazardo and Daniel Palencia in relief.
Pablo Lopez's injury couldn't have come at a worse time, as I'm not sure they have the starting pitching beyond Suarez to win it all, but their lineup could very well be the best in the tournament, and their bullpen is better than you might think. They might need to score eight runs per game to win it all, but Venezuela could very well do just that.
3. Japan
Key players: Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Munetaka Murakami
On one hand, it's really hard to bet against Team Japan, the reigning champions and a team that's won three of five WBC titles so far. On the other hand, as good as this team is, Japan nearly fell short in the title game in 2023, and they've taken a bit of a step back in terms of talent over the last three years.
Their lineup should still be dominant, with Shohei Ohtani, Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto and a healthy Seiya Suzuki in the mix. Teruaki Sato lacks MLB experience, but he's the reigning NPB Central League MVP winner. Pitching could be an issue, though, even with Yoshinobu Yamamoto participating, because Shohei Ohtani is only going to DH and Roki Sasaki is not on the roster.
To be the champs, you gotta beat the champs, and Japan will be a tough out. But it just doesn't feel like it's their year, especially with the offensive firepower around them in these rankings.
2. Dominican Republic
Key players: Cristopher Sanchez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto
The Dominican Republic somehow did not get past pool play in 2023, but they should have no issues doing so and embarking on a deep run this time around. Their lineup is absurd, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ketel Marte and Junior Caminero headlining the infield and Julio Rodriguez, Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. roamingthe outfield. There is no weak spot from top to bottom, making the DR incredibly tough to navigate for any pitching stuff.
Speaking of pitchers, the Dominican Republic has a very strong bullpen, with Carlos Estevez, Abner Uribe and Camilo Doval leading the way, and their ace, Cristopher Sanchez, is a Cy Young-caliber arm. The only weak spot on this team is the rotation beyond Sanchez. Is Sandy Alcantara back in Cy Young form? What version of Luis Severino will they get? Is Brayan Bello ready for the bright lights?
Their lineup can outscore anybody at will, and it would be surprising if the Dominicans didn't at the very least make it to the semifinals, but there figures to be one team standing in their way of a title.
1. USA
Key players: Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal
Skubal only making one start, and that start coming in group play, does hurt. Same with Joe Ryan's back injury, which has knocked him out of the whole tournament. Corbin Carroll is going to miss the WBC as well due to injury. But despite all of that, Team USA should be viewed as the favorites.
Going from Carroll to Roman Anthony is a downgrade, but a marginal one at best, and the lineup, with Aaron Judge set to make his WBC debut, is just as absurd as the Dominican Republic — if not more so. On the pitching side, sure, there have been some frustrating developments in recent weeks, but are we forgetting that guys like Adam Wainwright and Lance Lynn, on their last legs, were starting games for this team in 2023? Even if Skubal is limited to one start and they'll have to rely on Nolan McLean or Clay Holmes instead of Ryan, their rotation is lightyears better this time around, especially since Paul Skenes and Logan Webb are both expected to pitch twice.
This is the best overall team by far that the USA has fielded in the WBC, and the results should show in the coming weeks.
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