Puerto Rico is one of the smallest territories to ever reach the final of a World Cup-style event—and they’ve done it twice, in the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic. After a heartbreaking quarterfinal loss to Mexico in 2023, Puerto Rico enters the 2026 WBC hungry to finally reach the summit and be crowned world champions.
A Veteran Infield
The heart of the offense will once again be shortstop Francisco Lindor, the dynamic leader of the team. He’s having another strong season with the Mets, slashing .265/.334/.461 with 16 home runs. As Lindor goes, Puerto Rico goes.
El Capitan!
Francisco Lindor will lead Team Puerto Rico in the 2026 #WorldBaseballClassic. pic.twitter.com/jNBLJvRUdV
— MLB (@MLB) April 17, 2025
Carlos Correa has confirmed his return for the 2026 tournament after missing the 2023 edition due to the birth of his child. While his 2025 numbers—.262/.305/.389 with 6 HR—are down, he remains a key piece of the lineup and will start at third base.
Willi Castro has made a strong case to be Puerto Rico’s second baseman. The Twins utility man is enjoying a breakout year, hitting .278/.359/.449 with 7 homers and the best walk and hard-hit rates of his career. His versatility is a major asset, but second base is where he fits best in this lineup.
Kiké Hernández is known for his clutch postseason performances (career .874 playoff OPS vs. .711 in the regular season). Despite a down year (.211/.278/.388), his value on the big stage can’t be overstated. Expect him to start at first base—a position where he’s developed into a solid defender.
.@kikehndez goes and gets it for Team Puerto Rico! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/Qhts2F1rBf
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 18, 2023
Víctor Caratini leads the catching race. He’s hitting .252/.315/.387 with 5 HR for the Astros in 2025 and has established himself as Puerto Rico’s No. 1 option behind the plate.
George Springer could be the team’s designated hitter. Though he has yet to suit up for Puerto Rico, he’s long expressed interest and comes from a family where his siblings played for the Puerto Rican national team. At 35, Springer is having a bounce-back season, hitting .260/.358/.467 with 11 HR. His ability to drive the ball in the air makes him a potential difference-maker in the middle of the lineup.
Puerto Rico’s 2026 outfield will be led by young stars.
Heliot Ramos is a lock in left field. The 25-year-old has emerged as a young star for the Giants, slashing .286/.363/.476 with 13 home runs and 29 extra-base hits. With family ties to the Puerto Rican national teams, Ramos is poised for a breakout on the international stage.
Javier Báez has reinvented himself as a center fielder and is enjoying a career resurgence. He’s hitting .289/.329/.471 with 9 homers and a 126 wRC+, his best since 2018. His defensive versatility and improved bat will be crucial.
Never Forget when Javier Baez applied the no look tag in the World Baseball Classic 😳🔥 pic.twitter.com/oqhdaXqGQ6
— Every Day Baseball™ (@EvryDayBaseball) September 12, 2017
In right field, expect Riley Greene, who is having a monster season (.299/.353/.536 with 17 HR, 150 wRC+). Born in Florida to a Puerto Rican mother, Greene nearly played for PR in 2023 and should be in the lineup this time. He brings much-needed thump to the middle of the order.
Puerto Rico’s bench depth is also vastly improved
Adrian Del Castillo, backup catcher, has mashed when healthy (.313/.368/.525 in MLB, PCL MVP in 2024). He hit .312/.399/.603 with 26 HR in AAA in 2024. He’s a bat Puerto Rico will try and ways to get into the lineup.
Johnathan Rodríguez is an outfielder with promising AAA metrics, including a top-25 mark in adjusted exit velocity in AAA. He has yet to stick in MLB but his metrics suggest it’s only a matter of time before he does. He’s hitting .324/.408/.494 with 7 home runs in AAA this season.
Bryan Torres, a versatile 27-year-old AAA infielder/outfielder, leads all of AAA with a 20.6% walk rate while striking out just 13.7% of the time. He’s the only player in AAA with a walk rate of at least 16% and a strikeout rate under 15%. He’s hitting .318/.459/.434 with 4 home runs in AAA in 2025. His 148 wRC+ ranks 4th in all of AAA. If selected, he should be able to make an impact for Puerto Rico as a plate discipline machine with strong contact skills.
For the first time, Puerto Rico should enter the WBC with a ton of depth on the mound.
Seth Lugo has already committed to representing Puerto Rico at the WBC. He helped lead Puerto Rico to the final in 2017 and is currently sporting a 2.93 ERA in 2025 with 68 strikeouts and tied for a career-low 6.9 hits/9 allowed.
José Berríos will be back as the team’s No. 2. He has a 3.51 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 95 innings, while posting his lowest hard-hit rate (29.6%) since 2017.
A potential breakout star is Eduardo Rivera, who has recently dominated High-A ball with a 1.61 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 44.2 innings. Featuring a mid-90s fastball, he gives Puerto Rico an electric rotation arm that they’ve lacked in the past.
Edwin Díaz returns to close after a freak injury at the 2023 WBC following a save against the DR to send Puerto Rico to the quarterfinals. He’s posted a 2.05 ERA in 2025 with 45 strikeouts in 30.2 innings and a career-best ground ball rate.
Fernando Cruz of the New York Yankees also recently declared that he will play in the WBC for Puerto Rico. This will be his second consecutive WBC and it will come off the heels of Cruz’s best season in the MLB thus far. This year, Cruz has a 3.09 ERA in 32 innings out of the bullpen for the A.L. East leading Yankees.
Lefty Brandyn García, who recently touched 100 MPH with his fastball, is quickly rising in Seattle’s system. With 34 strikeouts in 26 innings and now in AA, he could be one of Puerto Rico’s top high leverage bullpen arms.
Elmer Rodríguez-Cruz is a name to watch for out of the pen who could find his way into the rotation. The 21 year old RHP has a 2.50 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 72 innings in High-A. He’s an electric arm that generates a lot of whiffs and should be a key part of Puerto Rico’s rotation for future editions and could make a big impression in 2026.
Projected 2026 Puerto Rico WBC Roster
Starting Lineup
Bench
Rotation
Bullpen
Puerto Rico will host Pool A in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, March 6–11. It marks their first time hosting a WBC pool since 2013. They’ll open against Colombia on March 6, as they set their sights on a long-awaited WBC championship.
WBN Puerto Rico: https://worldbaseball.com/league/puerto-rico/
