Thirty-three-year-old outfielder Anthony Garcia, a native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, is making a compelling case to represent his country at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Puerto Rico will host Pool A from March 6-11 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, facing Colombia, Panama, Cuba, and Canada.
Garcia made an immediate impact in his 2025 Liga Mexicana de Beisbol debut for the Tigres de Quintana Roo, launching a three-run homer over the center field wall in his first at-bat of the season during the top of the first inning against El Águila de Veracruz. The Tigres went on to win 15-11 on the road at Estadio Universitario Beto Ávila in Veracruz, Mexico.
¡ANTHONYYYYYYY! 💥💣 Primer turno con la franela bengalí y le dice adiós a la pelota ¡HOME RUN! 🙌🏽#VamosAlBeis | #70AñosRugiendo pic.twitter.com/tNQXHxC4Vg
— Tigres de Quintana Roo 🐯 (@tigresqroficial) May 7, 2025
He followed that with a line-drive RBI single to right field in the top of the second, scoring Leonardo Reginatto. Garcia finished the game with four RBIs.
¡Anthony García llegó encendido! 🔥 En su debut: cuadrangular, hit y 4 carreras impulsadas.
💥 ¡Gran inicio, vamos por más, Anthony!#VamosAlBeis | #70AñosRugiendo pic.twitter.com/sSoZbXnUYB
— Tigres de Quintana Roo 🐯 (@tigresqroficial) May 7, 2025
During the 2024-25 winter season, Garcia won MVP honors in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente with the Indios de Mayagüez. He led the league with a .311 batting average and a .947 OPS, scored 21 runs, and drove in 20, helping Mayagüez reach the 2025 Caribbean Series at El Nido de los Águilas in Mexicali, Mexico.
Los Indios salieron victoriosos del Estadio Hiram Bithorn gracias a cuadrangulares de Isán Díaz, Anthony García y Danny Ortiz. https://t.co/AyFGiyawxE
— Primera Hora (@primerahora) January 25, 2025
Garcia also earned MVP honors during the 2014-15 LBPRC season with the Gigantes de Carolina.
He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 18th round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of the San Juan Educational School. Garcia played nine minor league seasons in the Cardinals’ system before signing with the Oakland Athletics on November 17, 2017.
In 2018, he appeared in 131 games with Triple-A Nashville, hitting .254 with 122 hits, 25 homers, 91 RBI, and an .836 OPS. The following year, he joined the San Francisco Giants, playing 55 games for Triple-A Sacramento and posting a .284/.371/.426 slash line before landing on the injured list in June.
He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2019 but did not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He became a free agent in November 2020 and joined the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol, signing with the Mariachis de Guadalajara in May 2021.
Garcia impressed in his first LMB season, slashing .316/.428/.623 with nine home runs and 26 RBI over 36 games. In 2022, he hit .346/.467/.642 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 47 games.
In 2023, Garcia split time between the Mariachis, Saraperos de Saltillo, and Leones de Yucatán, while also playing winter ball with Mayagüez and the Yaquis de Obregón. Across 119 games, he hit .276 with 21 home runs and 87 RBI.
He suited up for five different clubs during the 2024 LMB and winter seasons, combining for 139 games with a .300 average, 23 home runs, 78 RBI, and a .916 OPS.
Puerto Rico’s outfield depth will be closely watched ahead of the 2026 WBC, as roster decisions are made by the Federación de Béisbol Aficionado Puerto Rico.
The (4-12) Tigres de Quintana Roo continue their three-game road series against the (8-8) El Águila de Veracruz on May 7 at 9 p.m. EDT. All 2025 LMB games are streamed via subscription at LMB.tv.
Puerto Rico’s Evaluation For 2026 WBC
Yadier Molina will manage Puerto Rico for a second consecutive WBC. Carlos Beltran serves as general manager, with Joey Sola as COO and Jose Quiles as president of the Federación de Béisbol Aficionado Puerto Rico (FBPR).
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor has again committed to serve as Puerto Rico’s captain.
Other possible returnees include Javier Baez, Willi Castro, Carlos Correa, Nelson Velazquez, Emmanuel Rivera, Heliot Ramos, Christian Vazquez, MJ Melendez, Martin Maldonado, Kike Hernandez, Victor Caratini, and Eddie Rosario.
Medford, N.Y. native, Marcus Stroman can also be another option for Yadier Molina to have on his pitching staff for the 2026 WBC since he pitched in 2023 for Puerto Rico.
Pitching depth remains a concern for Puerto Rico despite potential contributions from MLB arms such as Jose Berrios, Seth Lugo, Edwin Diaz, Alexis Diaz, Fernando Cruz, and Jorge Lopez. Additional options include Jose De Leon, Hector Santiago, Yacksel Rios, Jovani Moran, Nicholas Padilla, and Duane Underwood Jr.
Puerto Rico may also look to prospects rising through the minors, such as Jadiel Sanchez, Abimelec Ortiz, Johnathan Rodriguez, Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, Matthew Lugo, and Sabin Ceballos.
The FBPR will have to scout for both ends of pitching in the 2025 Liga Superior Doble A regular season since they will not face more big league talent unless Venezuela and the Dominican Republic were in their pool, like the 2023 WBC.
Seventeen Puerto Rico-born players currently appear on MLB rosters. The FBPR will continue scouting talent from leagues worldwide—including NPB in Japan, KBO in South Korea, CPBL in Taiwan, Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, and Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente—to round out the 2026 WBC roster.
WBC Overview
Japan has won the most WBC championships with three in 2006, 2009, and 2023. The United States won in 2017 and the Dominican Republic won in 2013 and are the only other countries to win the WBC since the event started in 2006.
The WBC is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the sports governing body alongside Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the WBCI, that partner in organizing the event during spring training.
The 2026 WBC pool matchups for all games are slated on the World Baseball Classic website with the confirmed dates, and no game start times have yet been announced.
2026 World Baseball Classic Information
The United States, Italy, Mexico, Great Britain and Brazil will compete at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas from March 6-11 in Pool B.
Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, and Colombia will compete in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium from March 6-11 in Pool A.
Nicaragua will play against Venezuela, Israel, the Netherlands, and the Dominican Republic in Miami at loanDepot Park from March 6-11 in Pool D.
Japan, Australia, South Korea, Czech Republic, and Chinese Taipei will compete at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10 in Pool C.
The Quarterfinals of the 2026 WBC will feature the Pool A runner-up facing the Pool B winner on March 13, while the Pool B runner-up will face the Pool A winner on March 14 at Daikin Park.
The other side of the Quarterfinals will be on March 13 with the Pool C runner-up playing the Pool D winner and the Pool D runner-up.
The 2026 WBC semifinals will be held on March 15 and 16 at loanDepot Park, with the championship game taking place on March 17.
The schedule for the 2026 @WBCBaseball is here! 👀 pic.twitter.com/B5MvUIrZK5
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 9, 2025
The regulations of the 2026 World Baseball Classic with player eligibility are listed here
WBSC Rankings Outline
Japan is ranked at No. 1 in the World Baseball Rankings and will play in their sixth WBC. Chinese Taipei hails at No. 2. and will play in their sixth event. Venezuela at No. 3 and will appear for the sixth time at the WBC. Mexico is at No. 4 and will play in their sixth WBC. The United States is at No. 5 and will appear for the sixth time in the WBC. South Korea is labeled at No. 6 and will play in their sixth WBC.
The Netherlands at No. 7 will play in the WBC for the sixth time. Panama at No. 8 will play at the event for the fourth time. Puerto Rico crawling in at No. 9 will appear for the sixth time. Cuba is at No. 10 and will appear in the sixth WBC. The Dominican Republic at No. 11 will play in their sixth event. Australia pipelines at No. 12 and will play for the sixth time at the WBC.
Colombia at No. 13 and will appear in their third WBC. Italy is at No. 14 and will play in their sixth event The Czech Republic at No. 15 will appear in their second WBC. Nicaragua is ranked at No. 16 and will appear in the WBC for the second-time.
Great Britain at No. 18 will play for the second time at the WBC. Israel is ranked at No. 19 and will play in their third WBC. Canada is at No. 22 and will play in their sixth event. Brazil is ranked at No. 23 and will play in their second WBC.
In the 2023 WBC, Nicaragua, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic played in their first event. Israel and Colombia have played in three consecutive WBC events dating back to 2017. Brazil is appearing in the WBC for the first time since 2013. Panama has played in the WBC previously in 2006, 2009 and 2023, prior to 2026.
China will not be participating for the first time in the WBC since they did not qualify in the second qualifier in Tucson, Ariz., while going 0-3. They have been in the WBC since 2006, in the event’s first year.
The teams that are playing in the 2026 WBC and are part of the WBSC Americas sector are the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic. In the WBSC Europe sector, Italy, Israel, Great Britain, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands are participating in the 2026 event.
Japan, Chinese Taipei, and South Korea are in the WBSC Asia sector and Australia is in the WBSC Oceania sector.
All the other listed remaining countries have played in the WBC since its first year in 2006.
The WBC is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the sports governing body alongside Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the WBCI, that partner in organizing the event during spring training.
The 2026 WBC pool matchups for all games are slated on https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/venues with the confirmed dates, and no game start times have yet been announced.
If teams end up with the same record in pool play the Total Quality Balance run differential rule will be in effect for runs for and runs against alongside the head-to-head record.
2026 WBC Pool Matchups With Confirmed Dates
Pool A – Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama, Canada & Cuba
Venue – Hiram Bithorn Stadium – San Juan, Puerto Rico
March 6
Game 1 – Cuba vs. Panama
Game 2 – Puerto Rico vs. Colombia
March 7
Game 3 – Colombia vs. Canada
Game 4 – Panama vs. Puerto Rico
March 8
Game 5 – Colombia vs. Cuba
Game 6 – Panama vs. Canada
March 9
Game 7 – Colombia vs. Panama
Game 8 – Cuba vs. Puerto Rico
March 10
Game 9 – Canada vs. Puerto Rico
March 11
Game 10 – Canada vs. Cuba
Pool B – United States, Mexico, Brazil, Great Britain & Italy
Venue – Daikin Park – Houston, Texas
March 6
Game 1 – Mexico vs. Great Britain
Game 2 – United States vs. Brazil
March 7
Game 3 – Brazil vs. Italy
Game 4 – Great Britain vs. United States
March 8
Game 5 – Great Britain vs. Italy
Game 6 – Brazil vs. Mexico
March 9
Game 7 – Brazil vs. Great Britain
Game 8 – Mexico vs. United States
March 10
Game 9 – Italy vs. United States
March 11
Game 10 – Italy vs. Mexico
Pool C – Japan, Chinese Taipei, Australia, South Korea & Czech Republic
Venue – Tokyo Dome – Tokyo, Japan
March 5
Game 1 – Chinese Taipei vs. Australia
Game 2 – Czechia vs. South Korea
March 6
Game 3 – Australia vs. Czechia
Game 4 – Japan vs. Chinese Taipei
March 7
Game 5 – Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia
Game 6 – South Korea vs. Japan
March 8
Game 7 – Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea
Game 8 – Australia vs. Japan
March 9
Game 9 – South Korea vs. Australia
March 10
Game 10 – Czechia vs. Japan
Pool D – Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Venezuela, Israel & Nicaragua
Venue – loanDepot Park – Miami, Fla.
March 6
Game 1 – Netherlands vs. Venezuela
Game 2 – Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic
March 7
Game 3 – Nicaragua vs. Netherlands
Game 4 – Israel vs. Venezuela
March 8
Game 5 – Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic
Game 6 – Nicaragua vs. Israel
March 9
Game 7 – Dominican Republic vs. Israel
Game 8 – Venezuela vs. Nicaragua
March 10
Game 9 – Israel vs. Netherlands
March 11
Game 10 – Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela
(AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
