Yuki Yanagita has set his sights on representing Japan at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The 36-year-old outfielder, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most clutch Japanese players of his generation, is eager to don the Samurai Japan jersey for the first time in a WBC tournament.
Samurai Japan skipper Hirokazu Ibata recently visited the SoftBank Hawks’ preseason camp and acknowledged that Yanagita remains in the mix for a roster spot. “There’s still a chance for him to make the national team,” Ibata said while scouting players for next month’s Japan-Netherlands exhibition series. “I’ll be keeping an eye on him this year.”
3日連続のサヨナラ勝利🔥
福岡ソフトバンク #柳田悠岐 選手が逆転サヨナラ3ランホームランを放つ‼️#sbhawks pic.twitter.com/siMQXAdaAz— パ・リーグ.com / パーソル パ・リーグTV【公式】 (@PacificleagueTV) April 29, 2024
A cornerstone of the Hawks’ dynasty in the 2010s, Yanagita is a ten-time All-Star and six-time Japan Series champion. He won his first Pacific League MVP in 2015 after a jaw-dropping season with 34 home runs, 32 stolen bases, a .363 batting average, and a 1.101 OPS in 138 games. His second MVP came in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, where he crushed 29 homers with a .342 average and a 1.072 OPS over 119 games.
The Japanese Mike Trout: Yuki Yanagita has his fans noticing something new this season…he’s swinging a WS271. pic.twitter.com/WRmuuF5Aup
— Warstic (@warstic) October 13, 2024
Often compared to Mike Trout for his all-around dominance, Yanagita has built a Hall of Fame-worthy career with 1,595 hits, 264 home runs, 162 stolen bases, and a .312/.409/.535 slash line across more than 6,000 plate appearances. Since becoming a full-time player in 2014, he has never posted a wRC+ below 150 — an extraordinary display of peak performance and longevity.
Despite his legendary status, Yanagita has yet to appear in a WBC. He was sidelined with an elbow injury before the 2017 tournament and opted out of the 2023 edition to focus on the regular season following a slight dip in form in 2022.
However, he has shined in other international events. He was named MVP of the 2014 MLB-Japan All-Star Series and delivered a walk-off homer against Kirby Yates in the 2018 edition. Yanagita was also the starting center fielder at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, helping Japan capture its first-ever baseball Gold Medal.
柳田のイェーツからサヨナラ弾は熱かった。
pic.twitter.com/bqTBl64nuG— カプチーノ (@akasatana616) August 5, 2022
The 2026 WBC will be Yanagita’s last shot at playing in the tournament. Samurai Japan has a history of including older veterans; Ichiro was 35 when he led Japan to victory in 2009, while Ibata himself made the All-World Team at 40 years old in 2013. More recently, Yu Darvish, 36, provided invaluable mentorship to Japan’s young pitchers at the 2023 WBC. Could Yanagita, at 37, be the next veteran leader for Samurai Japan?
The biggest challenge for Yanagita isn’t maintaining performance — it’s securing a spot in Japan’s stacked roster. The outfield is already loaded with stars like Kensuke Kondoh, Masataka Yoshida, Lars Nootbaar, and Seiya Suzuki. Rising talents such as Chusei Mannami and Shota Morishita, who have cemented themselves as key contributors in non-WBC tournaments, will also be vying for a place. Meanwhile, bench spots may be filled by more dynamic players who offer positional versatility or speed, like Ukyo Shuto and Ryota Isobata. With Shohei Ohtani locked in as the designated hitter, Yanagita would need to hit at an elite level in 2025 to secure a corner outfield spot or even warrant consideration for a temporary move to first base.
“I’ll do my best to achieve the results to get me selected for such a special team,” Yanagita said.
