Venezuela will enter the 2026 World Baseball Classic as one of the favorites to win the title.
After going unbeaten and largely unchallenged against the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Israel and Nicaragua in pool play in 2023, Venezuela faced the United States in the quarterfinals in one of the best games in tournament history. Trea Turner’s eighth-inning grand slam lifted the United States to a win and a spot in the semifinals, stunning Venezuela. After a three-year wait, Venezuela is seeking redemption and aiming for a deeper run with a talented roster.
Players to watch
Ronald Acuña Jr. will once again represent Venezuela. After tearing his ACL in 2024, Acuña returned in 2025. Nearly one year after the injury, he homered on the first pitch he saw in his return on May 23 against San Diego. In his first season back, Acuña hit .290/.417/.518 with 21 home runs and 42 RBIs in 95 games. He is expected to be Venezuela’s top hitter and will play in his second WBC.
Joining Acuña in the outfield is Jackson Chourio. He burst onto the scene in 2024 as a 20-year-old with Milwaukee, posting a .791 OPS with 21 home runs and 79 RBIs as a rookie. In his second season, he hit .270/.308/.463 with 21 homers and 78 RBIs. It was a season of highs and lows: He posted a 1.008 OPS with four home runs and 17 RBIs before missing most of August with a hamstring injury. He struggled in September with a .599 OPS but rebounded in the postseason with a .890 OPS, two home runs and eight RBIs. With a strong postseason finish, Chourio will look to build momentum entering his age-22 season and make his WBC debut. Venezuela’s likely leadoff hitter is expected to start in the outfield and serve as a spark for the offense.
Another hitter to watch is Maikel García. The Gold Glove-winning third baseman broke out offensively in 2025, hitting .286/.351/.449 with 16 home runs and 74 RBIs. Known primarily for his defense during his first two full seasons, García’s bat caught up in 2025. He was selected as an All-Star for the first time and emerged as one of the top third basemen in baseball. His 5.6 fWAR ranked second among major league third basemen.
On the pitching side, Ranger Suárez is expected to lead the staff in pool play. Newly signed by Boston, Suárez had the best season of his career in 2025 with Philadelphia, posting a 3.20 ERA in 157 1/3 innings with 151 strikeouts. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2022, those totals represent career highs. His 4.0 fWAR was also a career best. With injury concerns surrounding Pablo López that could sideline him for the tournament, Suárez is the projected ace in pool play and a potential starter against the Dominican Republic in the pool finale.
With questions about the rotation’s depth, Venezuela’s strength may lie in the bullpen. Daniel Palencia is projected to be the top reliever. In a breakout 2025 season, Palencia posted a 2.91 ERA in 52 2/3 innings with 61 strikeouts. His average fastball velocity of 99.6 mph trailed only Seth Halvorsen, Jhoan Durán and Mason Miller among pitchers who threw at least 30 innings. The hard-throwing right-hander is the likely closer.
Venezuela WBC schedule
March 6 vs. the Netherlands
March 7 vs. Israel
March 9 vs. Nicaragua
March 11 vs. the Dominican Republic
Full roster
Pitchers:
LHP José Alvarado (Philadelphia Phillies)
RHP Eduard Bazardo (Seattle Mariners)
RHP José Buttó (San Francisco Giants)
LHP Enmanuel De Jesus (Detroit Tigers)
RHP Yoendrys Gómez (Tampa Bay Rays)
RHP Carlos Guzmán (New York Mets)
RHP Pablo López (Minnesota Twins)
RHP Andrés Machado (Orix Buffaloes)
RHP Germán Márquez (Colorado Rockies)
RHP Keider Montero (Detroit Tigers)
LHP Oddanier Mosqueda (Pittsburgh Pirates)
RHP Daniel Palencia (Chicago Cubs)
LHP Eduardo Rodríguez (Arizona Diamondbacks)
LHP Ricardo Sánchez (Algodoneros de Unión Laguna)
RHP Antonio Senzatela (Colorado Rockies)
LHP Ranger Suárez (Boston Red Sox)
LHP Angel Zerpa (Milwaukee Brewers)
Catchers:
William Contreras (Milwaukee Brewers)
Salvador Pérez (Kansas City Royals)
Infielders:
Luis Arráez (San Francisco Giants)
Willson Contreras (Boston Red Sox)
Maikel García (Kansas City Royals)
Andrés Giménez (Toronto Blue Jays)
Eugenio Suárez (Cincinnati Reds)
Gleyber Torres (Detroit Tigers)
Ezequiel Tovar (Colorado Rockies)
Outfielders:
Wilyer Abreu (Boston Red Sox)
Ronald Acuña Jr. (Atlanta Braves)
Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee Brewers)
Javier Sanoja (Miami Marlins)
Photo: Teammates cheer on Venezuela’s Anthony Santander (25) as he heads home after hitting a home run scoring Ronald Acuna Jr., and Salvador Perez during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Puerto Rico, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
