Who will rule the 2026 World Baseball Classic?
Three years after Japan hoisted the 2023 WBC champions trophy after an exciting title recreation overcome the United States, the 20-team event is again for one more version.
As the motion heats up, we requested 13 of our ESPN baseball consultants to foretell how this yr’s tourney will play out — from which groups will advance out of every pool to which would be the final standing within the championship spherical together with their picks for MVP, high pitcher and breakout star the entire world will quickly know.
WBC Power Rankings | Scores | Odds
Opening Round
Pool A
(Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico)
Winner: Puerto Rico (10 votes), Canada (4)
Also advancing: Canada (7), Puerto Rico (5); Colombia (1), Cuba (1)
A roster that includes MLB stars Nolan Arenado, Edwin Diaz and Seth Lugo was sufficient to offer Puerto Rico the nod over an rising Canada squad within the eyes of our voters — and the overwhelming majority of our consultants predicted that each international locations would transfer on to the quarterfinals.
Pool B
(Brazil, Great Britain, Mexico, Italy, United States)
Winner: United States (14)
Also advancing: Italy (3), Mexico (11)
Aaron Judge. Cal Raleigh. Bobby Witt Jr. Paul Skenes. With MVPs and MLB superstars up and down the roster, there was no query Team USA could be the workforce to beat and our consultants agreed in making the United States a unanimous option to advance.
The actual intrigue comes from a small group of voters predicting an Italy workforce that includes a number of main leaguers — together with Kansas City Royals sluggers Jac Caglianone and Vinnie Pasquantino — will edge Mexico for this pool’s second quarterfinal spot.
Pool C
(Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Japan, Korea)
Winner: Japan (14)
Also advancing: Korea (13), Australia (1)
One knowledgeable’s religion that an Australia workforce that includes 2024 No. 1 draft choose Travis Bazzana would be the shock of this WBC is the one factor that stored Japan and Korea from a clear sweep of our Pool C predictions.
Pool D
(Venezuela, Netherlands, DR, Israel, Nicaragua)
Winner: Dominican Republic (14)
Also advancing: Venezuela (14)
With a star-studded roster that includes Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr. and Cristopher Sanchez to call a couple of, the Dominican Republic was a transparent option to rule Pool D within the eyes of our voters.
Similarly, a Venezuela workforce with MLB stars comparable to Ronald Acuna Jr., Jackson Chourio, William Contreras and Ranger Suarez to lean on was additionally a unanimous choose to maneuver on from this group.
WBC champion
United States (6)
Who picked Team USA: Tim Keown, Paul Hembekides, Eric Karabell, Kiley McDaniel, Dan Mullen, Jeff Passan
Dominican Republic (5)
Runner-up: U.S. (4)
Runner-up: Japan (1)
Who picked Dominican Republic: Jorge Castillo, Alden Gonzalez, Matt Marrone, Jesse Rogers, David Schoenfield
Japan (3)
Who picked Japan: Bradford Doolittle, Tristan Cockcroft, Buster Olney
There was little question within the eyes of our voters that the three superteams going into the event would be the remaining groups remaining on the finish, however precisely how the championship spherical will play out was a a lot more durable query with the U.S. getting the slender nod because the workforce to beat.
Individual honors
WBC MVP
Juan Soto, Dominican Republic (3)
Two votes every: Bobby Witt Jr., U.S.; Aaron Judge, U.S.
One vote every: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Dominican Republic; Bryce Harper, U.S.; Shohei Ohtani, Japan; Kyle Schwarber, U.S.; Paul Skenes, U.S.; Seiya Suzuki, Japan; Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Japan
Even although the Dominican Republic wasn’t our best choice to win it all, Juan Soto was the most well-liked choose to dominate the event, with the remainder of the leaderboard a who’s who of MLB superstars.
Top pitcher
Five votes every: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Japan; Paul Skenes, U.S.
Christopher Sanchez, Dominican Republic (2)
One vote every: Sandy Alcantara, Dominican Republic; Yusei Kikuchi, Japan
Fresh off his MLB postseason dominance for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Yamamoto was the clear option to rule on the mound once more this spring adopted by reigning NL Cy Young winner Skenes and runner-up Sanchez.
Breakout star
Two votes every: Roman Anthony, U.S.; Jac Caglianone, Italy; Travis Bazzana, Australia; Owen Caissie, Canada
One vote every: Michael Arroyo, Colombia; Denzel Clarke, Canada; Joseph Contreras, Brazil; Jakob Marsee, Italy; Munetaka Murakami, Japan; Kim Do-yeong, Korea
Left open for interpretation by our consultants, our breakout picks vary from budding stars already enjoying on the main league stage in Anthony and Caglianone to a 17-year-old highschool ace in Contreras
