Samurai Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata has officially unveiled the first eight players selected for the national team ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. All of the selections are pitchers so far, with the exception of two-way Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who is also expected to DH.
The initial group features Ohtani, Yusei Kikuchi, Yuki Matsui, Hiromi Itoh, Atsuki Taneichi, Kaima Taira, Daichi Ishii, and Taisei Ota. In addition, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tomoyuki Sugano were previously reported to be on the preliminary squad, though their selections were not formally announced this time.
Japan’s full 30-man roster is scheduled to be unveiled in mid-January.
Updated Samurai Japan roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic ?? pic.twitter.com/apEwSyvf2e
— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) December 26, 2025
Ibata, who took over the helm in August 2023 following Hideki Kuriyama’s retirement, has suggested that roughly half of the Samurai’s pitching staff will come from Major League Baseball teams. If “half” translates to seven or eight of the projected 15 pitching spots, five are effectively spoken for already: Ohtani, Kikuchi, and Matsui, along with the expected inclusions of Yamamoto and Sugano.
That would leave room for at least two more MLB arms, with Shota Imanaga, Kodai Senga, and Tatsuya Imai standing out as the likely candidates to round out that group, though circumstances can change. Roki Sasaki will not participate, at the request of the Dodgers.
Itoh, the reigning Sawamura Award winner, headlines the Nippon Professional Baseball contingent. The Nippon-Ham Fighters ace led Japan in both innings (196 ⅔) and strikeouts (195) in 2025. He tossed 2 ⅓ perfect frames in the 2023 WBC, including a spotless sixth inning in the championship game against Team USA.
Taneichi rebounded from a poor first half and dominated down the final stretch for the Lotte Marines, finishing the second half with an NPB-best 33% strikeout rate. The remainder of the group — Ishii, Taisei, and Taira — were among NPB’s elite relievers last season, though Taira is set to transition back into a starting role for the Seibu Lions in 2026.
Ishii authored a historic year for the Hanshin Tigers, posting a microscopic 0.17 ERA across 53 appearances, while Taisei recorded 46 holds for the Yomiuri Giants and brings prior WBC experience from the 2023 tournament.
Still awaiting selection are several high-profile NPB arms, most notably the Orix Buffaloes star duo of Shunpeita Yamashita and Hiroya Miyagi, along with Chunichi Dragons flamethrower Shinya Matsuyama, who tied for the NPB lead with 46 saves.
Other standout starters such as Koki Kitayama, Hiroto Saiki, Chihiro Sumida, and Hiroto Takahashi also remain in the mix, though competition for the remaining roster spots is intensifying rapidly.
Samurai Japan Confirmed Roster
Two-Way Player
Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers), 31
Right-Handed Pitchers
Hiromi Itoh (Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters), 28
Atsuki Taneichi (Chiba Lotte Marines), 27
Kaima Taira (Saitama Seibu Lions), 26
Daichi Ishii (Hanshin Tigers), 28
Taisei (Yomiuri Giants), 26
Left-Handed Pitchers
Yusei Kikuchi (Los Angeles Angels), 34
Yuki Matsui (San Diego Padres), 30
Photo: Shohei Ohtani was one of the first eight players named to Samurai Japan’s 2026 World Baseball Classic roster. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
