The Seattle Mariners promoted Colombian infielder Michael Arroyo, their No. 7-ranked prospect on MLBPipeline.com, to Double-A Arkansas from High-A Everett on June 23.
I am very interested in how Michael Arroyo will perform with Double-A Arkansas this year.
Arroyo hit 27 HR over 125 games with Everett between 2024-25. I wouldn't expect that to continue. Arkansas is a big stadium and I have my doubts with Arroyo's raw power to keep it going. pic.twitter.com/uN9dow3sdq
— Switch (@IISwitchII) June 23, 2025
Arroyo, a 20-year-old right-handed hitter from Cartagena, Colombia, is ranked No. 77 on MLBPipeline’s Top 100 list. He signed with Seattle during the international signing period on January 15, 2022.
During the 2025 season, Arroyo appeared in 65 games at High-A Everett, batting .269 with 65 hits, 14 doubles, 15 home runs, 39 RBI, three stolen bases, 39 walks, 65 strikeouts, and a .934 OPS over 306 plate appearances.
He was invited to spring training on January 30 as a non-roster invitee and played in nine Cactus League games, hitting .182/.308/.273 with two hits and two RBI in 11 at-bats.
In the 2024-25 Liga Profesional de Béisbol Colombia season, Arroyo played in 26 games for the Caimanes de Barranquilla and hit .306/.509/.486 with four home runs and 18 RBI.
Arroyo also played a pivotal role for Colombia during the 2025 World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Tucson, Arizona, where he served as the team’s leadoff hitter across three games. Despite a roster filled with veterans and Major Leaguers, Colombia manager Jose Mosquera trusted the 20-year-old to set the tone at the top of the lineup, and Arroyo responded by going 3-for-10 with two RBIs, three walks, and two stolen bases. His poise and disciplined approach helped Colombia finish 3-0 and secure a spot in the 2026 WBC. Arroyo, whose father and brother have both played professionally and represented Colombia internationally, continues to emerge as one of the country’s most promising young stars.
Michael Arroyo gives Team Colombia an early lead with a two-run double! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/zxG72jl6Br
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 4, 2025
Last season, Arroyo played 121 games between Low-A Modesto and High-A Everett, batting .285 with 138 hits, 26 doubles, seven triples, 23 home runs, and 89 RBI with a .910 OPS.
In his minor league career, Arroyo has been recognized as a Baseball America Rookie All-Star (2022), a Northwest League Postseason All-Star (2024), a Baseball America High Class-A All-Star (2024), and a Baseball America Minor League All-Star (2024).
Across four seasons, Arroyo has played in 297 games, hitting .279 with 307 hits, 67 doubles, 12 triples, 45 home runs, 178 RBI, 33 stolen bases, and a .898 OPS over 1,375 plate appearances.
The Arkansas Travelers will begin a six-game series against the Amarillo Sod Poodles on Tuesday, June 24 at Hodgetown Stadium in Amarillo, Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. EDT.
Colombia’s pitching staff will consist of Jose Quintana, Nabil Crismatt, Rio Gomez, Adrian Almeida, Julio Teheran, Pedro Garcia, CarlosOcampo, Ezequiel Zabaleta, Luis Escobar, Yapson Gomez, Jean Herrera, David Lorduy, Reiver Sanmartin, Victor Vargas, and Danis Correa.
Quintana and Crismatt were the only notables who were not part of Colombia’s pitching staff during the 2025 WBCQ.
The Federación Colombiana de Béisbol announced a new executive committee on April 13 with Jimmy Char, as president, Edinson Renteria as vice president, Alfredo Castellon as second vice president, Carlos Roque Garcia as treasurer, and Simon Beleno Gomez as secretary general.
The current FCB committee will be replacing president Mauricio Farid Char Yidi, secretary general Antonio Jose Yidios Gedeón, vice president Humberto Bozzi Anderson, second vice president Rafael Ostau De Lafont Pianeta, treasurer Ramon De Jesús León Hernández, and chief executive officer Jaime Antonio Char Navas.
Colombia will evaluate if Jose Mosquera will return as manager for the 2026 WBC, alongside scouting players in the MLB, the minor leagues, the independent leagues in Canada and the United States, Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, Korean Baseball Organization, the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan, the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol and the 2025-26 Liga Profesional De Béisbol Colombia regular season alongside the other winter leagues in the Caribbean and Australia.
The majority of Colombia’s roster from the 2025 WBCQ will return to play with the national team for the 2026 WBC once they take the field at Hiram Bithorn Stadium on March 6 against host nation Puerto Rico, Canada, Cuba, and Panama until the end of Pool A on March 11.
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, which partner in organizing the event during spring training.
The 2026 WBC pool matchups for all games are slated here with the confirmed dates, and no game start times have yet been announced.
2026 World Baseball Classic Information
Nicaragua will play against Venezuela, Israel, the Netherlands, and the Dominican Republic in Miami at loanDepot Park from March 6-11 in Pool D.
The United States will play Mexico, Italy, Great Britain and Brazil in Pool B in Houston, Texas at Daikin Park from March 6-11.
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 will face the Pool C winner on March 14.
The 2026 WBC semifinals will be held on March 15 and 16 at loanDepot Park, with the championship game taking place on March 17.
The schedule for the 2026 @WBCBaseball is here! 👀 pic.twitter.com/B5MvUIrZK5
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 9, 2025
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.
The 2026 WBC pool matchups for all games are slated on https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/venues with the confirmed dates, and no game start times have yet been announced.
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
