Australia will enter the 2026 World Baseball Classic coming off its best performance in tournament history, having advanced out of the first round for the first time in 2023. An 8-7 upset win over South Korea lifted Australia into the quarterfinals, where its Cinderella run ended with a narrow 4-3 loss to Cuba.
Australia will look to make another deep run that will once again begin in Tokyo, this time with what may be the most talented roster the country has ever fielded at the WBC.
Players to Watch
Travis Bazzana did not participate in the 2023 World Baseball Classic while still at Oregon State, but the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft will make his WBC debut in 2026. The 23-year-old spent most of the 2025 season between Double-A and Triple-A, missing time with two separate oblique injuries. In his Triple-A debut, Bazzana hit .225/.420/.438 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 26 games. Plate discipline remains his standout skill, as he walked in just over 24 percent of his Triple-A plate appearances. Bazzana is expected to start for Australia and serve as the team’s leadoff hitter.
Curtis Mead will also make his WBC debut after missing the 2023 tournament. The former top prospect is expected to start at third base. Mead, who was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Chicago White Sox in 2025, has struggled to find consistency at the major league level. Between the two clubs, he hit .233/.299/.321 with three home runs and 19 RBIs. In 41 games with Chicago, he did not hit a home run. Despite his MLB struggles, Mead will look to use the WBC as a springboard during a pivotal stage of his professional career.
Jarryd Dale is set to be Australia’s starting shortstop after revitalizing his career in Asia. Dale reached Triple-A in the San Diego Padres system before moving overseas, spending 2025 in the Nippon Professional Baseball minors with the Orix Buffaloes, where he hit .297/.357/.398 with two home runs and 14 RBIs. He also starred in the Australian Baseball League during the 2024-25 season, batting .381/.428/.508 with three home runs and 19 RBIs. Dale signed with the KIA Tigers of the KBO for 2026 and is expected to play a key role for Australia.