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Venezuela Finalizes Staff for 2026 World Baseball Classic

Matt TallariniJun 4, 202510 MIN READ
Venezuela Finalizes Staff for 2026 World Baseball Classic

The Federación Venezolana de Béisbol has officially named its leadership and support staff for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, assembling a group that combines Major League experience with logistical depth and scouting insight.

Jose “Chato” Yepez has been appointed sports manager and will work alongside national team manager Omar Lopez in building the tournament roster.

Former World Series champion Gregor Blanco will serve as advisor to the general management. Blanco, a veteran of two WBC tournaments, will act as a liaison with Major League Baseball and support front office strategy.

Andreina Salas was named operations manager and will oversee MLB clearance procedures, administrative coordination, and team logistics.

Scouting efforts will be led by Rafael Yanez, who returns after helping elevate Venezuela from 11th to third in the WBSC world rankings.

Yanez will be joined by longtime collaborator Francisco Cartaya, who brings previous experience from the Premier12 tournament.

Andres Antonini will round out the scouting group, providing additional evaluation and player analysis support.

Nelson Poggoli has been named travel secretary and will oversee player and staff transport throughout the WBC tournament cycle.

Jimmy Meayke will serve as team coordinator, managing clubhouse operations and daily team functioning.

Venezuela 2026 World Baseball Classic Updates

Follow @TeamBeisbolVe on X  for official team updates leading into the tournament, and stay with World Baseball Network for ongoing coverage of Venezuela’s roster moves and staff developments ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Venezuela will compete in Pool D of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami from March 6-11, alongside Nicaragua, Israel, the Netherlands, and the Dominican Republic.

Venezuela will compete in Pool D of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami from March 6-11, alongside Nicaragua, Israel, the Netherlands, and the Dominican Republic.

Venezuela reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, falling 9-7 to the United States. Its best finish came in 2009, when the team advanced to the semifinals and lost 10-2 to South Korea at Dodger Stadium.

Lopez guided Venezuela to the Super Round of the 2024 Premier12 tournament at the Tokyo Dome, finishing 5-4 overall. Venezuela fell 6-1 to the United States in the bronze medal game on November 24. After the tournament, Lopez returned to the Cangrejeros de Santurce to complete the 2024-25 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente season in Puerto Rico.

He was promoted to Astros bench coach on December 1, 2023, after serving as the team’s first base coach since the 2020 season.

Lopez and Federación Venezolana de Béisbol president Aracelis Leon will evaluate a wide pool of players in the coming months, including stars such as Ronald Acuña Jr., José Altuve, Francisco Álvarez, and Jackson Chourio. Veterans like Salvador Perez, Eugenio Suárez, and Luis Arráez are also in consideration.

On the pitching side, Venezuela could bring back Pablo Lopez, Jesus Luzardo, Ranger Suárez, and Eduardo Rodriguez, while also considering newcomers such as Brusdar Graterol, Jose Alvarado, and Robert Suarez. Other options include German Marquez, Luis Garcia, and Jose Butto.

Scouting will extend beyond MLB, with players under observation in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, Korea’s KBO, Taiwan’s CPBL, the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol, and the 2025-26 Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional. Winter league performances in the Caribbean and Australia will also factor into roster decisions.

Venezuela is currently ranked No. 3 in the World Baseball Rankings, published by the World Baseball Softball Confederation.

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 available here 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. 

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. 

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. 

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 

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