Seattle Mariners closer Andres Munoz, born in Los Mochis, Mexico, is off to a dominant start to the 2025 MLB season and could be a top bullpen option for Team Mexico at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The 26-year-old right-hander has not allowed an earned run and picked up his eighth save on April 23 at Fenway Park against the Red Sox.
He followed that performance with his ninth save on April 24, closing out Seattle’s 4-3 win with two strikeouts and a walk. Through 12 appearances, Munoz owns a 1-0 record with 15 strikeouts in 12 innings, allowing just five hits and five walks.
A strong 2025 campaign could position Munoz as a top bullpen option for Mexico at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, assuming he stays healthy and avoids off-field issues.
FEMEBE (Federación Mexicana de Beisbol) president Enrique Mayorga, manager Benji Gil, general manager Rodrigo López, sports manager Jorge Campillo, and operations manager Mariana Patraca are expected to make final roster decisions during the course of the 2025 season.
Mexico will compete in Pool B at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, facing the United States, Italy, Great Britain, and Brazil at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, from March 6-11.
Munoz pitched in seven games during Cactus League play before Opening Day, posting a 3.86 ERA over seven innings with six hits, three earned runs, three walks, and seven strikeouts.
In 2024, Munoz earned his first MLB All-Star selection and finished the season with a 3-7 record and 2.12 ERA across 60 relief appearances. He recorded 22 saves, threw 59.1 innings, and posted a 0.961 WHIP with 77 strikeouts.
Originally signed by the San Diego Padres, Munoz was traded to Seattle on August 30, 2020, in a seven-player deal that also included Ty France, Taylor Trammell, and Luis Torrens heading to the Mariners.
Through Thursday, Munoz has pitched in 211 MLB games, compiling a 11-20 record and 2.50 ERA with 48 saves, 286 strikeouts, and a 1.033 WHIP in 209 innings.
According to Baseball Savant, Munoz throws his slider 44.4 percent of the time, followed by a four-seam fastball (38.2 percent), sinker (15.7 percent), and changeup (1.7 percent). His slider carries a 61.9 percent whiff rate and a 37.1 percent putaway rate. His sinker averages 98.2 mph, and his four-seamer clocks in at 98.6 mph.
Mexico’s WBC Roster Outlook
In preparation for the 2026 WBC, FEMEBE officials will scout players competing across professional leagues in Japan (NPB), South Korea (KBO), Taiwan (CPBL), Mexico (Liga Mexicana de Beisbol), and the 2025-26 Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico season. Additional scouting will include winter leagues in the Caribbean and Australia.
Leif Skodnick of World Baseball Network analyzed potential roster options for Mexico, including rotation, bullpen, and position players.
Mexico reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, falling 6-5 to Japan on a walk-off double by Munetaka Murakami at loanDepot Park in Miami.
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.
Here are your finalized pools and schedule for the 2026 #WorldBaseballClassic.
The Championship Game will be played March 17, 2026 at loanDepot Park in Miami.
Full ticketing information for the 2026 tournament is available at https://t.co/h4Fi0dLx07. pic.twitter.com/t8q8Nopf4k
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) April 9, 2025
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
Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Andrés Muñoz throws against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
