The World Baseball Classic is less than six weeks away, and teams are confirming player participation for the upcoming tournament. Here’s the latest player news for the 2026 edition of international baseball’s biggest event.
United States Gets Alex Bregman – Alex Bregman will represent the United States in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. His participation was confirmed after he signed his five-year deal with the Chicago Cubs. Bregman was an All-Star last season and one of the best third basemen in baseball. He played in the 2017 tournament as a bench player.
The United States also got another key addition for the bullpen with Brad Keller now confirmed to be joining Team USA. He had a 2.07 ERA last season in 68 outings with the Cubs.
Italy’s Bullpen Adds Adam Ottavino – According to Rob Bradford, Adam Ottavino will pitch for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. He pitched for Italy in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Since then, he has pitched in 745 big league games.
Jorge Posada has joined Italy’s coaching staff. He is a five-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger and four-time World Series champion.
Venezuela Continues to Struggle to Get Players, Luzardo Declines – According to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Jesús Luzardo will not pitch for Venezuela. He made one start in the 2023 tournament, but he is going into a contract year and has decided not to pitch in the World Baseball Classic.
“Going into a free-agency year, I made the decision that, unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to pitch in the Classic,” he told Lauber. “I want to take my time, take a slow spring training, fully get ready with the team, make sure my body bounced back after a career high in innings.”
Samurai Japan Adds 11 to Roster – The reigning champs are gearing up for another run. World Baseball Network’s Yuri Karasawa reported yesterday Samurai Japan announced 11 players joining their team. Including Tomoyuki Sugano. Sugano did not pitch in the last World Baseball Classic, but pitched in the 2017 tournament. He was tied for the tournament lead in strikeouts that year and had a great start against Team USA.
Luis Severino Will Pitch For Dominican Republic – According to MLB insider Mike Rodriguez, Nelson Cruz confirmed that Luis Severino will pitch in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He did not have a good year for the Athletics, and he was very vocal about his dislike of pitching at Sutter Health Park, the A’s temporary home in West Sacramento, California. His home and away splits show that he pitched well outside of Sacramento. He had a 3.02 ERA on the road as opposed to a 6.01 ERA at Sutter Health Park. He made 14 starts on the road and 15 starts in 2025.
Photo: New Chicago Cubs infielder Alex Bregman, left, shakes hands with Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer at a news conference in Chicago, on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Bregman confirmed he’ll play for the United States at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
