Prague Baseball Week is back starting June 27–30, with the tournament featuring two pools and showcasing some of Europe’s top baseball talent. The premier pool will be hosted at Eagles Park, featuring Czechia, Germany, Italy, and Austria, while the second pool will take place at Tempo Park, including Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Switzerland. Rosters for the tournament can be found here
All teams except Slovakia and Poland are preparing for the 2025 European Championship, while Czechia and Italy are also building toward the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
Top Pool Format & Favorites:
The top pool will feature a three-day round-robin format, with the gold medal game crowning the PBW champions on June 30. Interest in the Czech national team has surged since their historic WBC qualification and win over China in 2023. That momentum helped make the 2024 PBW, which featured Japan, Taiwan, and Germany, the most successful edition yet. This year, Germany returns, joined by Austria and Italy in the top group.
Martin Červenka, the longtime face of Czech baseball, headlines the roster. The former AAA catcher (2019, 2021) leads the Czech Extraliga with an OPS of 1.497 and 13 home runs—no other player has more than eight. He remains the Czech Republic’s most dangerous bat and will anchor the lineup.
Another key contributor is Martin Mužík, a catcher/infielder who made history at the 2023 WBC with the only go-ahead 9th-inning homer ever hit in a trailing situation. He ranks third in Extraliga OPS (1.251) with 7 HR and is expected to provide protection for Červenka in the lineup.
Martin Zelenka, a UNC-Wilmington product, is emerging as a future leader for Czechia. After posting a .763 OPS in his 2025 college season, he’s returned home and dominated the Extraliga, slashing .348/.444/.652 with 2 home runs in just six games. Expect him to contribute at catcher or DH.
On the mound, Czechia will showcase rising star David Křeček. The 18-year-old shined at the U18 European Championship and now leads the domestic league in strikeouts (73) with a 3.36 ERA over 56 1/3 innings. He’s an early favorite for a 2026 WBC roster spot.
Versatile LHP Ryan Johnson, who has played in Czechia, Belgium, and Germany, brings two-way value. He’s posted a 2.11 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 47 innings and also sports a 1.114 OPS with 2 HR.
Germany returns to PBW as part of their preparations for the European Championship and eventual 2028 Olympic qualification. Though they narrowly missed the 2023 WBC, their young roster is loaded with potential.
Simon Bäumer is Germany’s top bat, leading the German Baseball Bundesliga in batting average (.446) and OPS (1.353). After a limited role in the WBCQ, the Regensburg Legionäre first baseman has broken out in 2025, with 5 home runs, 25 walks, and just 10 strikeouts.
Another breakout star is 19-year-old 2B Elias Huber, who ranks among the league leaders in home runs (7), extra-base hits (14), and OPS (1.297). He’ll be a key figure in Germany’s infield.
The rotation is anchored by Markus Solbach, the 33-year-old veteran nearly became the first German-developed pitcher to reach MLB. He’s been great once again with a 1.15 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings for the Bonn Capitals.
He’ll be joined by Christian Pedrol, who has a 1.22 ERA, 81 strikeouts, and nearly 67 innings pitched. Add in promising bullpen arms like Joe Cedano De León and Noah Lindt, and Germany may boast the deepest pitching staff in the tournament.
Italy enters PBW with a U23 roster, using the tournament as preparation for the U23 European Championship in August (also hosted in Czechia), while scouting talent for the senior European Championship and 2026 WBC.
C/IF Giaconino Lasaracina leads all U23 hitters in Italy’s domestic league with 3 home runs, slashing .365/.412/.692.
Outfielder Samuele Bruno will also be a key bat. After a strong U.S. junior college season (.324/.402/.549), he’s now hitting .318/.444/.409 with Bologna in Serie A. Italy’s offense may lack power, making his production even more critical.
The pitching staff will be led by promising U21 arms:
Austria enters as the top pool underdog but features some intriguing talent.
Infielder Dan Kawanishi, who posted a 1.020 OPS at Arizona Western College, helped Austria re-qualify for the European Championship by going 8-for-19 with a HR in the recent qualifier.
First baseman Julian Faulhaber, 21, is enjoying a breakout season in Austria’s Bundesliga with an OPS of 1.185 and a league-leading 8 HR. He’s a mainstay for Austria’s future.
The pitching staff includes 17-year-old Mathias Albert, who has a 3.91 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, 47-year-old LHP Christian Tomisch returns for another PBW—by far the tournament’s oldest participant.
The Road to Gold
Czechia and Germany enter as favorites, but Italy’s young roster could surprise, especially with strong pitching. It will be another fun week in Prague as the tournament continues to get better every year in one of the oldest annual tournaments in Europe.
WBN Europe: https://worldbaseball.com/league/europe/
